I like doing downwinders
My favourite conditions is when its big swell ,3+ m
With a big high tide
Which creates a killer shorey
Overhead and dreadging,doubling up and exploding in a few inches of water
20-24 kts sideshore to onshore wind but sideshore is safer
Riding my 8m with my Twin tip
And riding between the shore and over the shorey and back
Fortunately we don't get these conditions very often
I,d kill too many kites
Its pretty challenging
Its like a real life video game
In previous summers I was getting smashed by the shorey often getting washed up on the beach with kite down and lines all tangled
Sand all though my boardshorts, haress and rashy
But this summer I did a little better
Flat shallow water between the sand and the shorey
Doing high speed runs in a few inches of water just off the shore
Turning towards the shorey then popping ,boosting,looping, gorging or.............. pulling in under the lip and getting........ smashed .........sometimes.......often
Riding towards the beach popping over the shorey then slidding /turning back towards the shorey whislt looping the kite over the beach in the last second as the water
drains off the sand
Is often only 4-6m between the shore and the shorey
Not much room or time before you redirect,turn,pop or boost
Need to be mindful of people on the beach and the flags
Not that there are many people about when its overcast ,grey and blowing 20 kts
Don,t want to take anyone out with your kite
Be easy to do an ankle or a knee or a hip
And the greatest thing is that doing a downwinder you can go for kms and kms
Jump on the bus, have a rest,go back too where you started, pump up and do it all over again
