Skills Drills #3 Looping Down the Line.

This Skill Drill is for the more experienced kite surfer. If you are capable of boosting jumps consistently, can easily preform a toe side turn, then you should be ready to take this challenge. The drill will require you to Down Loop your kite, if you need to know more about this subject follow this link:
Down Looping
Conditions for this drill should be side shore winds, 12-18 Knots. Down winders are the best time to practice this drill as you will burn up a lot of real estate while performing it. Most fun when performed in small surf.
Drill: While riding heel side on port tack, bring the kite high to 11:00, then pull down on the left side of the bar to down loop the kite and perform a toe side turn. Keep pulling on the left side of the bar so that the kite begins to climb again and as it passes over the top of the wind window perform a heel side turn. Still keep the pressure on the left hand side of the bar, and as the kite down loops again perform the second toe side turn. Still holding pressure on the left hand side of the bar the kite will climb again to the top. You have now sent the kite through two full loops, turning toe side, heel side, toe side, and finally back to heel side. At this point the friction between the twisted lines will become great so it is time to reverse the rotation of the kite. Since you had pulled on the left side of the bar the kite rotated counter clock wise. Now you will pull down on the right side of the bar to down loop the kite in a clock wise rotation 2 complete revolutions.
If you are in flat water this drill will closely resemble carving through a slalom course behind a boat. If you are in some small surf …well …you know what to do!

Kite surfing with Strapless Surfboards

If you are new to kiteboarding chances are you learned to ride using a good sized twin tip complete with foot straps and pads. And maybe you have even moved on to riding a smaller twin tip for better edging and jumping. But if you live and ride on the coast where there is some sort of surf, surely you have seen and possibly wondered about the guys and girls out there riding strapless surfboards. Ask those that ride them and most of the time the answer you get is “Now that I’ve mastered this style I rarely ride my twin tip.” The first question I’m usually asked by twin tip riders is “How is it even possible to ride without straps?” Or “What keeps you attached to the board?” And I answer “Gravity and centrifugal force”. What really bothers me though is when I offer to let someone try it and they say ” Oh no I’m not ready for that yet.” As if 5 more years of riding a twin tip will somehow help prepare them for riding a surfboard. The simple fact is, riding a surfboard is easier than riding a twin tip. I used a surfboard for my very first ride and rode 50 yards the first time I dove the kite. My wife did as well. And just recently I used a surfboard to train a young rider and the very first time he attempted to ride he rode off on plane for 200 yards! And without straps! Here are some advantages of riding a surfboard.
– With soft, round rails, and a thicker core, boards are much smoother feeling and are much easier on the body as a result.
– The boards overall size gives it a much greater planing surface so it takes much less wind to be powered on one. And you can typically use a smaller kite.
– Surfboards don’t rely on their edges as much as they do their fins for lateral resistance so are much more efficient when riding upwind.
– And lastly they are just plain fun to ride! There is something very free feeling too, by not having your feet tied to the board.
Now the first few times you take it out in waves, you will loose the board and chase it quite a bit. But here a few tips that will help you get through that.
The main difficulty is being pulled off the board as you pass over waves heading out. The goal is to keep constant contact between our feet and the deck of the board, even as we pass over the crest of a wave. If we keep tension in our kites lines and are fully powered as we are passing over the wave, the board will drop out from under our feet as we pass the crest. To counter this we must bring all of our weight to bare on the board as we pass over the wave.
– you can slow you speed to a crawl but that is not very effective, because the wave is traveling toward you with some speed as well. I use this technique to climb over huge white water.
– Sheeting out entirely just before the wave reaches you works pretty well. By depowering the kite, your body weight will increase over the board.
– I think the best method is to turn down wind briefly just before passing over the wave. By turning toward the kite you release the tension in the kites lines and this brings more of your body weight over the deck of the board. At the same time you will be crossing over the wave at a lesser angle, which makes it feel that much smoother.
– And lastly, don’t go over the wave stiff legged, bend your knees at the appropriate moment to absorb the swell, then straighten them after passing the crest.
– Jibing is a skill that will take some time to master. If you are regular footed ( most comfortable with your left foot forward) and riding on port tack, carve through a toe side turn. Once you have completed the turn bring the kite up in the sky to about 1:00, and while it is creating some lift, quickly switch stance to goofy foot. To switch stance, move your front foot back a bit and place it over the centerline of the board then step across and reposition your feet. If you are regular footed and on starboard tack (riding goofy footed) you will likely find it easier to switch stance before you jibe. This way you will be more comfortable as you go through the turn.
If you are the type that wants to boost big air all the time, or are interested in wake style unhooked tricks twin tips are the way to go. But if you want to ride waves, or are content to cruise and just enjoy a day on the water, I think strapless surfboards are worth looking into. And don’t wait, once you try it you will likely never look back.