Man I have been really struggling trying to get my board, all the riding I have been doing in the last year has been I. Waist deep water. When I got to the gorge to ride, man was that a game changer. I thought I knew how to body drag but I didn’t have the techniques needed to get back to my board. This video was great and is a big help. Thanks man! Much appreciated
Been kiteboarding for years and I still learned a few tricks from this Sam. I think it's the best tutorial on UA-cam on the topic. Keep it up with this series & make a stellar playlist!
I can bodydragging upwind no problem. But I often can not see my board ( it’s waves and white water in NL where I am )… so I often lose the board but luckily it’s been found on the beach eventually each time
You should mention that it is impossible to retrieve your board when there is strong (tidal) current going to upwind direction. The board will disappear quicker than you can possibly body drag upwind. If possible body drag back to beach / sandbank / river side and run on the dry land upwind, then look for your board and body drag out to retrieve it. If this is not possible then have your kite buddy bring back the board. Avoid kitesurfing alone. Thanks a lot for many good and fun and useful videos Sam.
When the strong current pushes your board upwind you can also enjoy the help of this current during upwind body drag, and it makes apparent wind stronger. It seems to me that it can help unless if there are specific obstacles (rocks, turns, bridges...) The worst case scenario seems to me rather when tidal current is in same direction of the wind so the apparent wind will be lower (so in light wind quite tricky to move upwind, and some times difficult to keep your kite flying without moving it which would push you more downwind) and you will probably be pushed by the current faster than your board, which is only in surface. I already experimented that on a spot which empties at low tide and you must be very aware of tide timing vs wind direction. When I was beginner it was quite difficult to avoid kite drop on very low wind and kite drop means more drag downwind so more distance to the board...and at the end a long walk of shame😜
Subtle changes between cross wind and upwind that I hadn’t fully appreciated - thank you Sam! It’s often very tricky indeed getting feet back on to the board straps afterwards, when floating and being pulled by the kite (usually downwind over and past the board) - any quick tips?
A Top Tip to retrieve your board is to have a clear indication of the best point to tack when you body drag upwind and get back to your board on just one tack🤓: turn your head to look above your shoulder (of the holding bar arm). As soon as you can see your board, you can tack, and find your board for sure. 😎 Obviously this only works when you are sure that the board is upwind. In big waves the board can be pushed downwind to the shore quite quickly and you need to find it before starting some exhausting long tack😉
For those who pick a little French, this top tip comes from Bastien of Lab TV ua-cam.com/video/IWWZsW_ULSI/v-deo.html 🧐 I tested his top tips many times, and the improvement was impressive😎, and I needed it very often 🥴especially when starting transitions on a strapless board He gives also several good advices on the importance to fully stretch your body, never try to swim back or to pull your bar at 12, avoid to make too long tack before having clear indication of approximate board position, and be very very gentle on your bar during tack... 🤓
It seems there are huge differences depending on wind and waves. If the water is fairly flat, the wind will push your board downwind. But in waves, the wind has less effect on the board. At my local site, there are rock jetties, so you're always having to decide whether you're getting too close to the rocks, and safer just to swim back out without your kite to get your board off the rocks.
I am very afraid of losing my board, it only happened three times in my first year of kiteboarding but it was an unpleasant experience and I tried not to lose it again, even during my trip to Fuerteventura I only kiteboarded with a leash, because of the waves which were a bit intimidating for a noob and ex-smoker..😅 I am very bad in body dragging upwind, I hope these tips and some experience will do the job. Thank you!! 👍
Bodydragging in waves is so so much harder than flat water. You get battered around like a drowning frog. I’d love to see more Kitesurf ibstruction videos about dealing with waves… not doing tricks but basics like bodydragging and just cruising through waves without falling off so much
Gotta be honest, my lessons on body dragging were too short & as a result I’m struggling. Downwind is pretty easy… upwind, in waves, is a different story.
Man I have been really struggling trying to get my board, all the riding I have been doing in the last year has been I. Waist deep water. When I got to the gorge to ride, man was that a game changer. I thought I knew how to body drag but I didn’t have the techniques needed to get back to my board. This video was great and is a big help. Thanks man! Much appreciated
Been kiteboarding for years and I still learned a few tricks from this Sam. I think it's the best tutorial on UA-cam on the topic. Keep it up with this series & make a stellar playlist!
I can bodydragging upwind no problem. But I often can not see my board ( it’s waves and white water in NL where I am )… so I often lose the board but luckily it’s been found on the beach eventually each time
You should mention that it is impossible to retrieve your board when there is strong (tidal) current going to upwind direction. The board will disappear quicker than you can possibly body drag upwind. If possible body drag back to beach / sandbank / river side and run on the dry land upwind, then look for your board and body drag out to retrieve it. If this is not possible then have your kite buddy bring back the board. Avoid kitesurfing alone. Thanks a lot for many good and fun and useful videos Sam.
When the strong current pushes your board upwind you can also enjoy the help of this current during upwind body drag, and it makes apparent wind stronger.
It seems to me that it can help unless if there are specific obstacles (rocks, turns, bridges...)
The worst case scenario seems to me rather when tidal current is in same direction of the wind so the apparent wind will be lower (so in light wind quite tricky to move upwind, and some times difficult to keep your kite flying without moving it which would push you more downwind) and you will probably be pushed by the current faster than your board, which is only in surface.
I already experimented that on a spot which empties at low tide and you must be very aware of tide timing vs wind direction. When I was beginner it was quite difficult to avoid kite drop on very low wind and kite drop means more drag downwind so more distance to the board...and at the end a long walk of shame😜
Subtle changes between cross wind and upwind that I hadn’t fully appreciated - thank you Sam! It’s often very tricky indeed getting feet back on to the board straps afterwards, when floating and being pulled by the kite (usually downwind over and past the board) - any quick tips?
A Top Tip to retrieve your board is to have a clear indication of the best point to tack when you body drag upwind and get back to your board on just one tack🤓: turn your head to look above your shoulder (of the holding bar arm). As soon as you can see your board, you can tack, and find your board for sure. 😎 Obviously this only works when you are sure that the board is upwind. In big waves the board can be pushed downwind to the shore quite quickly and you need to find it before starting some exhausting long tack😉
For those who pick a little French, this top tip comes from Bastien of Lab TV ua-cam.com/video/IWWZsW_ULSI/v-deo.html
🧐 I tested his top tips many times, and the improvement was impressive😎, and I needed it very often 🥴especially when starting transitions on a strapless board
He gives also several good advices on the importance to fully stretch your body, never try to swim back or to pull your bar at 12, avoid to make too long tack before having clear indication of approximate board position, and be very very gentle on your bar during tack... 🤓
It seems there are huge differences depending on wind and waves. If the water is fairly flat, the wind will push your board downwind. But in waves, the wind has less effect on the board. At my local site, there are rock jetties, so you're always having to decide whether you're getting too close to the rocks, and safer just to swim back out without your kite to get your board off the rocks.
I am very afraid of losing my board, it only happened three times in my first year of kiteboarding but it was an unpleasant experience and I tried not to lose it again, even during my trip to Fuerteventura I only kiteboarded with a leash, because of the waves which were a bit intimidating for a noob and ex-smoker..😅
I am very bad in body dragging upwind, I hope these tips and some experience will do the job. Thank you!! 👍
Bodydragging in waves is so so much harder than flat water. You get battered around like a drowning frog. I’d love to see more Kitesurf ibstruction videos about dealing with waves… not doing tricks but basics like bodydragging and just cruising through waves without falling off so much
Solid tips. Thanks for sharing.
Sweet tutorial! Haven't got an old 9/10m rpm for sale do you?
I love your video. Mary from Brazil
Why do you not use board leash when kite boarding
Probably can get cut with it or break something as it whiplashes when you fall at high velocity.
I'm late, but when you crash, your board will come back to you in an unwelcoming way :)
Si possono avere i sottotitoli in italiano? Sarebbe molto utile in questo video per me.
Grazie
Really good for beginners, should be trained a lot, before buying and using your first board
Gotta be honest, my lessons on body dragging were too short & as a result I’m struggling. Downwind is pretty easy… upwind, in waves, is a different story.
idk what kitsurfing is but thanks youtube?
Its the best thing ever!
Take lessons 👌
Зачем заголовок на русском языке? Тфю!