Thanks Sam, you nailed this one completely. When someone walks into our centre and says, "I want to work on my waterstart," 99% of the time we need to go back and teach them the basics of kite control, relaunch, and board recovery (including upwind bodydrag). Usually we also need to teach them right-of-way, 360 degree awareness, self-rescue, and good launch procedure. It's frustrating that a lot of centres will tell people that they can be "riding" in 3 days or 6 hours. What they don't tell them is that this "riding" usually means that they will be on the board for 3 seconds, then crash, then be totally helpless, as well as a hazard to the people around them. One thing I would say differently from you is that we teach people not to walk upwind while flying their kite (we have a narrow beach). It's bad practice for safety, because it means they're flying their kites over people's heads unnecessarily, and also because no one else can use that space to launch or land while they're mucking around on the beach with their kite in the air. ua-cam.com/video/63wED_ZS3zo/v-deo.html
I’m at the stage where I’m having trouble waterstarting, after attempting 3 times I would body drag with the board to the beginning, instead of walking. Saves me energy!
Really good video, i totally get what ur saying! As a beginner myself i got a rollleash for my board to spend more time on waterstarting than on searching my board. I was practicing by myself at a very crowded spot with good size waves, next time when i go out on an different spot ill definitly work on my bodydrags again and remove the leash. The issue most people have i think is as u said not beeing able to control the kite properly. Here is a good example: Older guy shows up at the beach, pumps the kite, attaches the lines the wrong way and try to launch it for 15min. Then gets the lines right launches it. Then the kite fell out of the sky because he fully powers up the bar while flying on the beach (lighter wind). Then he gets it walks out on the water and starts practicing waterstart on offshore wind... I mean im pretty bad but some people are just idk. Anyway great videos keep it up!
Awesome advice, makes a lot of sense. I've been kitesurfing for 7 years and taught many of my friends from Powerkiting / Landboarding to kitesurf. Felt good about it because they obviously knew how to handle a kite, safety and also the rules, coming from landboarding. But the point is: I got them all up and riding in max 30min each. I don't credit this to my teaching skills, the spot, or them being super talented. It's the kite control they have from landboarding. The landboard handles very differently, so this probably also only plays a small part. Kite control really is the important bit.
This sport takes a lot of practice and a lot of perseverance. I have been working at it for a year and am just now at the point where i feel some confidence in launching, body dragging, water starts and basic riding. It can be tedious, but the more you practice the more your body will remember for the next session. I have found that location is everything when getting started. Don’t put yourself out it the surf right away. Go to the beach and just practice launching and body dragging… leave the board at home. Then find some protected water with very little current and start there. Your board wont get swept away and your body positioning will become second nature. Only then venture out into the wild blue as your skills improve.
Solid advice, only had a weekend lesson started on the water start at the end of the 2nd lesson and remember walking in the water back to the board instead of body surfing. Wasted at least an hour doing that. Start again in the Spring and shall remember these tips, thanks.
Once you get that kitesurfing is 90% flying (and controlling) the kite, you understand these basics. I think I spent 4 or 5 days flying the kite in the water without even having my board with me. Without being able to recover my board if I lose it, I don't even want to take it out. If you have your own material, you know it's an expensive exercise to want to go too fast. And yes, people do lose their boards. A couple 100€ each time will teach you quickly to take it step by step. And just like with everything in life, when you master the basics, everything else comes so much easier.
Good advice, thanks for that. Heres some advice to make you videos look more professional: Step AWAY from the wall. Put the light ABOVE the camera and ideally at a 45 degree angle off the camera axis. You'll avoid distracting shadows on your face and the wall.
Legend cheers mate, much appreciated, the problem I have at the moment is the studio size I can't step away from the wall as I simply don't have enough space for the camera if I do that...working on an upgrade!
Hi, your advice makes a lot of sense and I would like to shorten my lines first so I can master controlling the kite and body dragging before trying to get on the board. You talked about folding the lines over and re-attaching them at the bar, but I have not found a good description on how to do this. I have a North Evo on 5 lines. Can you give me some pointers on how to shorten the lines?
Hi, Still keen for a description on how to shorten the lines by folding them over. I now also have a 4 line bar which may make it easier as I don't see how it could be done on a 5 line setup. Do you need to somehow sleeve the lines in the middle? The front lines are actually shorter because of the trim system so if i double those over i will loose less length than the back lines. How to overcome this problem?
I still consider myself a beginner at kiteboarding, but one thing I never do is crash the kite. Maybe my mindset is incorrect, but the way I see it, a broken kite costs money to repair whereas I don't cost anything, only time.
I'm learning kitesurf. Firsts rides. I use leash to have a good use of time. With helmet. I recover the board quickly. I thinks schools don't recommend it...to lose more time learning...
Emphatically NO, schools don't recommend it because it's the #1 injury in kitesurfing, the only times I've been to hospital with a student was because of board leashes
Ok bud !! Why can't you show me how the correct way to halve the lines on any bar I mean you come out & say do this & do that show me I'm not a troll you show me ...
Thanks Sam, you nailed this one completely. When someone walks into our centre and says, "I want to work on my waterstart," 99% of the time we need to go back and teach them the basics of kite control, relaunch, and board recovery (including upwind bodydrag). Usually we also need to teach them right-of-way, 360 degree awareness, self-rescue, and good launch procedure. It's frustrating that a lot of centres will tell people that they can be "riding" in 3 days or 6 hours. What they don't tell them is that this "riding" usually means that they will be on the board for 3 seconds, then crash, then be totally helpless, as well as a hazard to the people around them.
One thing I would say differently from you is that we teach people not to walk upwind while flying their kite (we have a narrow beach). It's bad practice for safety, because it means they're flying their kites over people's heads unnecessarily, and also because no one else can use that space to launch or land while they're mucking around on the beach with their kite in the air.
ua-cam.com/video/63wED_ZS3zo/v-deo.html
For sure on a narrow beach that's going to cause problems
Excellent video....he is so right....mastering the basics before the waterstart is a must...
I’m at the stage where I’m having trouble waterstarting, after attempting 3 times I would body drag with the board to the beginning, instead of walking. Saves me energy!
Really good video, i totally get what ur saying! As a beginner myself i got a rollleash for my board to spend more time on waterstarting than on searching my board. I was practicing by myself at a very crowded spot with good size waves, next time when i go out on an different spot ill definitly work on my bodydrags again and remove the leash. The issue most people have i think is as u said not beeing able to control the kite properly. Here is a good example: Older guy shows up at the beach, pumps the kite, attaches the lines the wrong way and try to launch it for 15min. Then gets the lines right launches it. Then the kite fell out of the sky because he fully powers up the bar while flying on the beach (lighter wind). Then he gets it walks out on the water and starts practicing waterstart on offshore wind... I mean im pretty bad but some people are just idk. Anyway great videos keep it up!
Nice one cheers mate!
Awesome advice, makes a lot of sense. I've been kitesurfing for 7 years and taught many of my friends from Powerkiting / Landboarding to kitesurf. Felt good about it because they obviously knew how to handle a kite, safety and also the rules, coming from landboarding. But the point is: I got them all up and riding in max 30min each. I don't credit this to my teaching skills, the spot, or them being super talented. It's the kite control they have from landboarding. The landboard handles very differently, so this probably also only plays a small part. Kite control really is the important bit.
For sure it makes a big difference having previous experience...but still kudos to you, 30 mins is a good effort!
This sport takes a lot of practice and a lot of perseverance. I have been working at it for a year and am just now at the point where i feel some confidence in launching, body dragging, water starts and basic riding. It can be tedious, but the more you practice the more your body will remember for the next session. I have found that location is everything when getting started. Don’t put yourself out it the surf right away. Go to the beach and just practice launching and body dragging… leave the board at home. Then find some protected water with very little current and start there. Your board wont get swept away and your body positioning will become second nature. Only then venture out into the wild blue as your skills improve.
Solid advice, only had a weekend lesson started on the water start at the end of the 2nd lesson and remember walking in the water back to the board instead of body surfing. Wasted at least an hour doing that. Start again in the Spring and shall remember these tips, thanks.
Excellent information. I am just at the point of getting on the board after many many hours dedicated to working on my kite.
Great to hear mate, and good luck in the spring
Great advice, I've been there. Losing the board right away and not being able to body drag upwind .
Cheers mate!
Pure honesty.
Once you get that kitesurfing is 90% flying (and controlling) the kite, you understand these basics. I think I spent 4 or 5 days flying the kite in the water without even having my board with me. Without being able to recover my board if I lose it, I don't even want to take it out. If you have your own material, you know it's an expensive exercise to want to go too fast.
And yes, people do lose their boards. A couple 100€ each time will teach you quickly to take it step by step. And just like with everything in life, when you master the basics, everything else comes so much easier.
Yup losing boards is a bad day!
I saw this video early, too ready to fly. I f,ed up so much. Now I understand.
Haha! I wish somebody told me this before I tried to go for the waterstart first! Good help mate!!!
Cheers mate!
This video is exactly what I needed to watch. Thanks for speaking your wisdom.
Thank you!
Good advice, thanks for that. Heres some advice to make you videos look more professional: Step AWAY from the wall. Put the light ABOVE the camera and ideally at a 45 degree angle off the camera axis. You'll avoid distracting shadows on your face and the wall.
Legend cheers mate, much appreciated, the problem I have at the moment is the studio size I can't step away from the wall as I simply don't have enough space for the camera if I do that...working on an upgrade!
Ah yes the dreaded lack of studio space! :) Good luck with the upgrade. If you need any tips or ideas on what to buy let me know
Hi, your advice makes a lot of sense and I would like to shorten my lines first so I can master controlling the kite and body dragging before trying to get on the board. You talked about folding the lines over and re-attaching them at the bar, but I have not found a good description on how to do this. I have a North Evo on 5 lines. Can you give me some pointers on how to shorten the lines?
Video on this coming soon!!
Hi,
Still keen for a description on how to shorten the lines by folding them over. I now also have a 4 line bar which may make it easier as I don't see how it could be done on a 5 line setup. Do you need to somehow sleeve the lines in the middle? The front lines are actually shorter because of the trim system so if i double those over i will loose less length than the back lines. How to overcome this problem?
I still consider myself a beginner at kiteboarding, but one thing I never do is crash the kite. Maybe my mindset is incorrect, but the way I see it, a broken kite costs money to repair whereas I don't cost anything, only time.
Certainly a valid philosophy, slow and steady does win the race
I'm learning kitesurf. Firsts rides. I use leash to have a good use of time. With helmet. I recover the board quickly. I thinks schools don't recommend it...to lose more time learning...
Emphatically NO, schools don't recommend it because it's the #1 injury in kitesurfing, the only times I've been to hospital with a student was because of board leashes
The best advise is usually what known listens to ... look at these comments. Take the wisdom and your own direct experience and pass it on.
Nice one mate!
Nice video :)
Thank you!
Its not true,i can do all that things good but i rly got problems water starting
Skip to 4:00
Ok bud !! Why can't you show me how the correct way to halve the lines on any bar
I mean you come out & say do this & do that show me I'm not a troll you show me ...
As if by magic: ua-cam.com/video/oUMeZbhSv60/v-deo.html
woow co za dramaturgia...