There is a lot going on when kiting waves

My advice get yourself a copy of ben wilsons smack dvd -

he breaks it all down - plus great footage -

I also watch his other dvds to look at kite placement

- or get some coaching -

you'll save yourself about about 2 years of trying to work it out yourself

chad

One bit of advice that has proved useful to me was from Mark Shinn's teaching DVD he did with Naish back in 2004.

Ride a long way upwind (like a km or 2), and then come back downwind on a broad reach (45 degrees off the wind) alternately carving onto one tack then the other, trying to keep good speed and good power in the kite, following the kite turns with the board and keeping lines tight. If you are on a twin tip, then pop every now and then to mix up your stance.

Once you have the "off the wind turns" really sorted, then you can move into the waves and try and synch the turns with the wave peaks.

Different techniques are needed depending on how the waves and wind are lining up. If you are blessed with wind perfectly side-shore to the angle that the wave is breaking on, then you may be able to depower the kite and float it down the line as you ride the wave. A fast turning kite is not essential here, but a stable one like a switchblade, that stays upright even when lines go really slack, is good.

If you have crappy onshore or cross onshore waves like most of the rest of us, then you'll find that you generally have to work the kite to get in the right position to hit the wave with the board, and ride with a bit of speed. In that case a kite that turns quickly and easily is helpful. I've been enjoying the new Nomads for this type of riding, but many modern kites will fit the bill.

Practice, practice, practice.....no different from surfing in that sense!

Style On!

Andy.

Yeah, already tried that Milko but when my fins bust the lip on the first turn I go into a full rotation and land backwards on the face of the wave, that usually helps me to stall for the pit, so when the foamball gets under my board I switch back. Oh, hang on a minute, thats when I'm dreaming, I'm actually after some advise about kiting?

Thanks heaps for the info Andy, I think I understand what your talking about; moving the kite from one tack to the next quickly and following its flight with your board, keeping the lines tight and keeping speed. makes sense to me. I actually just came in from a sesh and caught a couple, but I'm not smashing lips quite yet, I bought a RRD Toxic Wave so it might make it a bit eaiser in the surf. Thanks again mate.

Hey - all good advice from the other guys so-far.

Three key's I've found to stop the kite from stalling;
- turn the kite just before you turn the board
- keep the kite as low as you're able, and try and keep it moving a little when you're on the wave
- use your board to keep tension in the lines - when coming onto the face lean hard against it, and when turning the kite to do a cutback etc work the board against the kite after you've turned

My 2 cents - also ride with and watch good wave kiters.

I looooooove kiting in waves. Envious of you guys who surfed first, then kited - other way around for me.

Those days when the kite pull is balanced are awesome. The days when you have the right gear and you truly "surf" the wave, and the kite just floats without needing any adjustment are brilliant.

On the other days though, yeah - I do stuff like fiddle with the trim strap when I enter the break to depower it, or if not powered up enough, do down loops, or some days, you just do have to keep working the kite to keep it in the air.

Those kitesurfing wave articles by Ben Wilson are here:

www.seabreeze.com.au/Articles/Kitesurfing/Summary.aspx