tips how to recover your board

[tegirinenashi]

I'm specifically interested for directional in light wind. A typical scenario: in marginal wind when not completely confident in tacks&gybes, I slow down and stop to redirect the board. The kite falls down from the sky. (Perhaps switching to riding toeside would have kept the apparent wind speed and avoided kite falling from the sky?)

The board is disconnected in the process. Trying to relaunch the kite, separated from the board. The kite is hopelessly down wind. Now, rewind the lines and self rescue. It just occurred to me that perhaps I should have swam back to the board before winding up the lines?

[Mitaka]

If you have any doubts that you will relaunch your kite quickly and recover easily your board by bodydragging, always swim first to your board and then start trying to relaunch the kite. By properly edging your surfboard you can increase your chances to relaunch the kite.

In marginal wind you must be confident with your jibes and better use downloop instead of redirecting the kite or you should keep the kite moving all the time in order to prevent it from falling.

[Bushflyr]

1. Learn to jibe. It does take practice, but then you won't lose your board in the first place.
2. Throw a spare leash on the back of your harness. In light wind if my kite takes a dump I'll hook the spare leash to the board so it doesn't drift off to hell and gone while I sort my kite out. Also comes in handy if I have to tether land in some odd location.

[PullStrings]

Try to pick a better day than marginal to get better at changing directions
Go in a stronger wind so you will be powered with your size kite and board size
Gotta keep that kite flying at all cost with more wind in it when you are learning new stuff like turning on a surfboard type board

[foilonfoil]

Down looping the kite to keep it moving is a light wind skill. Combine this with the gibe and you will be fine.

[pmaggie]

I always carry a reel leash with me (not connected to the board!!). In marginal winds, if my kite falls down, first of all I connect my board to the leash, then I try to relaunch. Same story if I have to self rescue, it's far easier if you don't have to mind about your board.

[Jwoo]

Until I got kiting sorted out, I used to keep binoculars and a longboard or SUP on my car. If the kite went down and I got too separated from the board, I'd either self rescue or body drag in, then find the board and paddle out to get it. Good exercise.

[dylan*]

I'd simply swim to the board first if you can't get the kite relaunched. If the wind is that light, it shouldn't be too difficult to swim against it. I usually drop the bar and do something like an upside-down breast stroke on my back. You can also use this stroke if your board is directly upwind of you and your kite is still in the air, but you don't want to (or the wind is too light) to bodydrag up to it.

[Bille]

Learn to fly your kite better !

Bille

[knotwindy]

is that a trick question?