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BodyDragging Upwind in Shallow Water, help please.

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TeabagVic
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BodyDragging Upwind in Shallow Water, help please.

Postby TeabagVic » Fri May 17, 2013 5:57 am

Hi everyone, I have learned kiteboarding 3 months ago with my girlfriend. Yesterday we kited at a local spot, flat water, very shallow for the first 10m near shore.

Anyway, we both lost our board at the same time right by the shore. Her board was a little bit further than mine so she didn't have problems body dragging upwind since she was in deeper water than I was (one time her legs touched the ground but not for long).

But for me, unfortunately, the board would not go downwind at all (no wind to push the board downwind when it is that close to shore over there/no wind for the first 1m-2m height). I started body dragging upwind without problems until my body started to touch the mud. I succeeded in somehow raising my body a little bit but then its my legs that where touching the mud. I tried back and forth for like 5 minutes with little progress. I was getting quite exhausted and luckily saw "an opening" (a deeper part) to my left, upwind of the board. So I body drag upwind in it and then just bodydrag downwind to my board.

The advantage of shallow water I guess is that upon reaching my board I could start riding from a sitting position which was fun/cool, but it doesnt outweight the disadvantage of not being able to bodydrag upwind.

Do you guys have any tips on bodydragging upwind in shallow water? I find that I was doing more progress when it was just my legs touching the mud, as oppose to my arm and the side of my body. Thanks in advance for any help/advice as we really enjoyed this spot and would really like to go back.

Stephan & Jessica

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Re: BodyDragging Upwind in Shallow Water, help please.

Postby Glover » Fri May 17, 2013 6:25 am

Hey guys. Welcome to the incredible sport.

Body dragging in shallows is the same principle as deep. But if your body dragging and touching the ground this means you can stand up and walk. I find it best to de-power the kite fully and walk back to my board in shallow water.

Remember body dragging is just one means of recovering your board. I also find in a crowed place and a cross shore it can sometimes be easier to noddy drag in to shore, walk up the beach, find a clear spot and the body drag downwind to the board. But always with the same principle. 45degrees with kite, using your self as the udder. To change direction find the pivot point as the kite hits 12 and turn go the other way without getting pulled downwind.

Never use a board leash!!!! Or at least never use a leash without a helmet and impact vest.

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Re: BodyDragging Upwind in Shallow Water, help please.

Postby TeabagVic » Fri May 17, 2013 6:40 am

Lol, like if we didn't thought or were not tempted by just walking to it ("or cheating"), we are not stupid.
Our instructor in South Padre Island clearly order us to not "cheat" when we were learning bodydragging upwind to our board. The water over there was waist/chest/neck deep. At first we would walk towards our board but he would give us ##### so that we learn the right way.

His explanation was that if we don't learn the right way now we will more than likely buy a board leash once we are back home. He told us a few dangerous accident regarding board leash and ask us to promise him that we will never walk to get to our board and use the proper procedure until we come back next year at South Padre. A year should be good enough for us to be extremely confident with bodydragging upwind. He was very nice to us and seem very knowledgeable, we don't want to brake a promise. Plus standing up with the kite would be like hanging out on land with a kite which is also dangerous.

Some of you probably tried it, is it better if your body touch the mud (and not your legs) or the opposite (keeping your body a little higher but unfortunately doing this your leg will touch the mud)?

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Re: BodyDragging Upwind in Shallow Water, help please.

Postby balugh » Fri May 17, 2013 9:00 am

In terms of practice you did the right thing and showed a lot of patience. I think your instructor is a little bit extreme in wanting you to body drag even in shallow water. Everyone has to do a little walk of shame on occasion with or without a board. That said, if there is a clear current try to use it (if it is helpful) or avoid it (if it is working against you) as appropriate. If it is windy and your kite has lots of power you should go up wind regardless of water depth if you're using the right technique. That's where tide and currents come into the equation. Generally it is futile to try to swim up wind except with the kite at 12 o'clock in very benign conditions. Try it sometime as an experiment. So...my advice is keep doing what you are. The whole sport gets less tiring as your competence grows. If you like this spot and it is generally safe then don't stop going there. It might actually be that your problem this time was caused by fatigue as technique always suffers when you get tired. So the warning might not be that you were doing it wrong but that you should have taken a break or cut your session earlier. Quite difficult to judge when you're having fun though. Good luck with your kiting folks.

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Re: BodyDragging Upwind in Shallow Water, help please.

Postby Toby » Fri May 17, 2013 10:10 am

deep and shallow water require the same technique.
So don't worry.
But the instructor is right, bodydrag as much as possible, to learn it and get good at it.
It might safe your life one day.

But, many people don't know this, and don't think about it:

I bring people their board if they are in need. And some are soooo happy, and they say they would never ever get back to it.
Then I explain the easiest trick: why not bodydrag to shore, walk upwind, and bodybrag back downwind to the board?
They look at me like I am from another planet...and then they say "oh, never thought of it" !!! :lol:

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Re: BodyDragging Upwind in Shallow Water, help please.

Postby Peter_Frank » Fri May 17, 2013 10:28 am

I like that thought and preach by the instructor :thumb:

As most often you see new riders "walking" to their board in shallow water, and practising body drag now and then "only", but never when it is REALLY needed, and not like a normal thing for most sessions.

And suddenly when out deep, they fail to be able to retrieve their board, or get tired (or cold if winther) so their technique (which was "weak" in the first place) will not be sufficient :(

So I really like the idea of teaching to do it almost "always" when on the learning curve - as it is IMO the most important skill, that HAS to sit well on the backbone :naughty:

I have no idea about how to cope with mud/low water though...


Besides that - many think that current is an issue - it is NOT !

Only if you have very freak currents in different directions, but hardly the case and extremely rare.

So no matter if you have strong current upwind or downwind or sidewind - you and your board will drift with the same speed (+ the wind at your board will make it even easier sometimes, but not always as you've seen yourself) , so it does not matter if current or not :rollgrin:

You did the very right thing, as said - patience, thinking about it, and finding the solution yourself.

When you get more experienced, you can stop bodydragging if low water of course - as then you have loads of "routine" bodydragging upwind in deep water.

But for now, I think it is awesome that you practice in shallow water where you feel more secure and can take a rest.

(unless it is deep mud and impossible to stand/walk)

Although, if TOO shallow water, you can not bodydrag efficient - and you should just walk instead IMO.

I think the limit (with steady ground) is about "lower" waist deep, where you can easily bodydrag.
Whereas lower than this, approaching knee deep, is not easy or not possible :wink:

Welcome to a great sport !

:D Peter

PS: As written often - the MAJOR error done by most to start with, is pointing upwind with your arm - almost trying to "reach" for your board !
This is the correct way to go upwind when riding on your board - look and point "upwind" and the body and board will follow.
But when bodydragging in the water it is completely wrong, and you have to think "go sideways" halfwind, instead of "reaching up" for your board - and WHAM, now you will find yourself going upwind in the water like a rocket, instead of "stalling" yourself so to speak.
Try it, it really works :thumb:

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Re: BodyDragging Upwind in Shallow Water, help please.

Postby ronnie » Fri May 17, 2013 10:47 am

A lot of shallow estuaries have a channel cut by the outgoing tide where the water is deeper and flows much faster than the shallows to either side of the channel.

If you are bodydragging across the narrow channel and the board happens to be in the middle of the channel and being taken upwind by the outgoing tide, you may not be able to catch it.

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Re: BodyDragging Upwind in Shallow Water, help please.

Postby Caesar » Fri May 17, 2013 10:58 am

TeabagVic wrote:Hi everyone, I have learned kiteboarding 3 months ago with my girlfriend. Yesterday we kited at a local spot, flat water, very shallow for the first 10m near shore.

Anyway, we both lost our board at the same time right by the shore. Her board was a little bit further than mine so she didn't have problems body dragging upwind since she was in deeper water than I was (one time her legs touched the ground but not for long).

But for me, unfortunately, the board would not go downwind at all (no wind to push the board downwind when it is that close to shore over there/no wind for the first 1m-2m height). I started body dragging upwind without problems until my body started to touch the mud. I succeeded in somehow raising my body a little bit but then its my legs that where touching the mud. I tried back and forth for like 5 minutes with little progress. I was getting quite exhausted and luckily saw "an opening" (a deeper part) to my left, upwind of the board. So I body drag upwind in it and then just bodydrag downwind to my board.

The advantage of shallow water I guess is that upon reaching my board I could start riding from a sitting position which was fun/cool, but it doesnt outweight the disadvantage of not being able to bodydrag upwind.

Do you guys have any tips on bodydragging upwind in shallow water? I find that I was doing more progress when it was just my legs touching the mud, as oppose to my arm and the side of my body. Thanks in advance for any help/advice as we really enjoyed this spot and would really like to go back.

Stephan & Jessica
Hello,

I don't understand- you both learned 3 months ago but posting here since 2009. Can you explain that? Just curious... :?:

Cheers
Caesar 8)

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Re: BodyDragging Upwind in Shallow Water, help please.

Postby plummet » Fri May 17, 2013 11:57 am

I say if its that shallow just get up and walk. hell its about having fun. get your board back and have fun. therel be plenty of times to practice body dragging in the deep.

of course if the board is down wind then its fast to power the kite and drag yourself to the board

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Re: BodyDragging Upwind in Shallow Water, help please.

Postby UKSurf » Fri May 17, 2013 1:10 pm

What I do is park my kite and the edge of the window and hold it there with one hand, with the other hand and legs doggy paddle direcly towards the board. Seems to work alot better for me that just using the kite, give it a go and see.


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