The journey from <10m to 20m

[grtlakes]

Embarrassed to ask, I have been kiting for a while. When I slow down I do so by edging hard and heading up wind. I hear so much about edging in order to jump. What is different, starting with board flat and then digging in on same heading? I feel I’m missing something basic.

[Kuyu]

I am currently riding a Ronson for my day to day board, previously on a ultrasonic and gintronic. I have ridden the Monk but not owned one.

If you watch Anton's first Learning to fly tutorial* - he goes into what he calls power stance. This is all about getting a fairly even weight distribution between you front and rear foot (look at videos of Aaron Hadlow to see a good example of this). The Monk is great board that works nicely with a rear weight bias, but I always thought it really came alive with this power stance. I'm afraid its not the board holding you back. Its a great board. I am only really on the Ronson as its more boots compatible and the landings are a little softer. If anything, I'd say the Monk could probably hold the most power of any board in the range (maybe the Bronq is a little better?)

The even weight bias is good because the board cuts through the chop better allowing you to hold more power in comfort. Have a look around next time you kite. If you aren't going upwind higher than pretty much everyone else on the beach you probably aren't engaging the edge fully. The only downside is you will get way more spray in the face from your board.

* I probably sound like a sales rep for Anton here but it probably made the quickest improvement to my riding than anything I have otherwise watched and its cheaper than an hours private tuition

This is awesome stuff thanks a lot ! Actually yeah a major complaint that I have is my upwind. It's not horrible, but I am not the best. I can hold down speed better than most people on kite beach, but upwind is meh. I was (almost) convinced it was the board.

I am headin out today after work and will focus on this upwind business, maybe tweak the board straps a little. I watched some of Aaron's videos as well. You are right I should try to engage the upwind even more - ahhh silly ego ..

[Kuyu]

Embarrassed to ask, I have been kiting for a while. When I slow down I do so by edging hard and heading up wind. I hear so much about edging in order to jump. What is different, starting with board flat and then digging in on same heading? I feel I’m missing something basic.

It's hard to describe exactly because you have to feel your way there, but I will try.

Firstly, I assume when you say edge hard upwind to slowdown, you also turn - even if no turn (i.e. travel opposite direction), then you probably pull upwind at a large angle to slow down? This is an extreme situation, because your intent is to slow down. There are varying degrees to what we are referring to as 'upwind' (see discussion below). Technique you are using goes past the point that we have mentioned earlier for jumping.

So on a straight line of A B C, where A = standard straight / down wind, B = Upwind for jump, C = massive carve upwind to slow down, you are consciously aiming for C.

B is less than C, which you engage suddenly/semi suddenly after accelerating down wind and in view of a wake (always nice )) and then you jump. The point is to retain speed, power etc. There's a fin balance to it for sure, but you have to feel yourself there like I said.

Please feel free to comment, I am curious as to other people's responses but also what you may have to say about this reply )

[Kitemenn]

You're on a kite, not on a cable. A cable keeps going forward when you edge, a kite doesn't initially. When you edge, you are moving your wind window forward, having the kite basically move away from the edge. But because kites fly forward, it will go towards the new edge, producing it's own apparent wind and so more power and responsiveness, and that's the moment when you send the kite up. In lighter winds, where the apparent component counts for more, the technique gets more important.

Well explained

there is one spot over here where it's never crowded, and you're behind a sandbank where the kickers are very clean and don't break, plus smooth water untill you're at the kickers... but it depends a lot on the wind direction and tide, so the good conditions are rare there... but when they are, it takes no effort at all to make good jumps.

Enlighten me...guess you are talking NL here

[Faxie]

You're on a kite, not on a cable. A cable keeps going forward when you edge, a kite doesn't initially. When you edge, you are moving your wind window forward, having the kite basically move away from the edge. But because kites fly forward, it will go towards the new edge, producing it's own apparent wind and so more power and responsiveness, and that's the moment when you send the kite up. In lighter winds, where the apparent component counts for more, the technique gets more important.

Well explained

there is one spot over here where it's never crowded, and you're behind a sandbank where the kickers are very clean and don't break, plus smooth water untill you're at the kickers... but it depends a lot on the wind direction and tide, so the good conditions are rare there... but when they are, it takes no effort at all to make good jumps.

Enlighten me...guess you are talking NL here

There's this old village somewhere....

[Kitemenn]

There's this old village somewhere....

Thanks! Yes nice over there been there once!

[Faxie]

There's this old village somewhere....

Thanks! Yes nice over there been there once!

Low tide and wsw 30 knots...

[Kitemenn]

There's this old village somewhere....

Thanks! Yes nice over there been there once!

Low tide and wsw 30 knots...

By the lighthouse you mean?

[Faxie]

Thanks! Yes nice over there been there once!

Low tide and wsw 30 knots...

By the lighthouse you mean?

No, behind the bank.

[kjorn]

Things that got me 10m+
• play with getting the board up on its edge, pull your toes up
• go fast, even in chop. Aim to be the fastest guy riding
• go fast, sheet out, send kite, hit kicker, pull bar in. All of that happens in 0.5 seconds

With Woo and PIQ you can game them. Try different invert and flick your board, this seems to give you an extra 1m or so. The devices are accelerometers, they don’t measure a relaxed up and down, they like jerky movements.