It seems slightly too small to me, but did you use it earlier during the lesson or did he pump it just for the water starts? It's enough to get u up if u work it a little, but it's not optimal.

I must also say that the board sounds really small for the first water start tries. The general rule is the bigger the better...

JBsquared said...

My instructor had me on a 9m kite for my first water starting session. The wind was averaging 14-17 knots and I was on a 139cm board. I weigh 95kg's. I would get up ok and then sink back into the water every time. My instructor told me to sine the kit to get up speed but I had enough to think about just getting going. Should I try starting with a bigger kite? How do you disagree with the instructor!!!

Kite and board were too small, discuss with your instructor, tell them you are not satisfied. You should not be having to sine the kite! If the instructor will not listen or argues that he was right, find another instructor or school.

In my experience if your learning under 20kn, your not getting the full benefit.
as ive found the windier it is the easyier it becomes, to a degree.
A smaller kite can turn quicker giving you much higher chance of keeping on the board

If you managed to simply get up on your board on both sides in your first water start lesson that is a great achievement on it's own, especially on a 9m kite with 15 knots and 95kg, even if you couldn't keep on riding. There are two ways to look at this in my opinion:

1-As said in earlier posts, using larger kites (and bigger boards) in stronger winds (20 - 25 knots) is definitely easier to get up and to keep going without much piloting effort

2-Practicing water starts in lighter winds (15-20 knots) or with smaller kites will vastly improve your water starting technique (and piloting skills) because it will force you to point the board downwind and to be as efficient as possible with your kite, board and body movements/positions. In other words it'll work on ''correct'' technique rather than relying on the kites constant pull to get you going with the board pointing directly upwind.

For example, last week one of my students got up and going in stronger winds (25 knots) easily after a few first water start attempts on his 9m kite.
2 days later he came back on his own trying to get up on a 18 knots days and couldn't get up nor could keep going on his board for the few times he got a bit out of the water (kite wasn't moving fast enough and board pointing too much upwind).

So in my opinion your instructor is doing a great job and even if you feel and know it would've been easier going on a bigger kite and stronger winds you have already developed great skills during this lesson that will make you a much better kiter in the future to enjoy the 15-20 knots days.

JBsquared said...

My instructor had me on a 9m kite for my first water starting session. The wind was averaging 14-17 knots and I was on a 139cm board. I weigh 95kg's. I would get up ok and then sink back into the water every time. My instructor told me to sine the kit to get up speed but I had enough to think about just getting going. Should I try starting with a bigger kite? How do you disagree with the instructor!!!

would have been alright on a big board, like a massive board, problem with to big a kite is that it will just pull you straight over the front. The instructor is teaching you where to put the kite how to balance when you send the kite

have some sweet ass fun

cbulota said...
If you managed to simply get up on your board on both sides in your first water start lesson that is a great achievement on it's own, especially on a 9m kite with 15 knots and 95kg, even if you couldn't keep on riding. There are two ways to look at this in my opinion:

1-As said in earlier posts, using larger kites (and bigger boards) in stronger winds (20 - 25 knots) is definitely easier to get up and to keep going without much piloting effort

2-Practicing water starts in lighter winds (15-20 knots) or with smaller kites will vastly improve your water starting technique (and piloting skills) because it will force you to point the board downwind and to be as efficient as possible with your kite, board and body movements/positions. In other words it'll work on ''correct'' technique rather than relying on the kites constant pull to get you going with the board pointing directly upwind.

For example, last week one of my students got up and going in stronger winds (25 knots) easily after a few first water start attempts on his 9m kite.
2 days later he came back on his own trying to get up on a 18 knots days and couldn't get up nor could keep going on his board for the few times he got a bit out of the water (kite wasn't moving fast enough and board pointing too much upwind).

So in my opinion your instructor is doing a great job and even if you feel and know it would've been easier going on a bigger kite and stronger winds you have already developed great skills during this lesson that will make you a much better kiter in the future to enjoy the 15-20 knots days.

Word up Homeslice! +1

I actually partly agree with what he was doing.

Maybe a bigger board, but if you have no kite flying skills then a smaller kite is going to be more responsive and it will make you a better kiter in the end.

One of the biggest issues I had when first learning was that I thought I only needed to move the kite once to get going and so I always struggled to get up to speed in lighter winds. If it is automatic that you sine the kite down, up and then set it where you want it then I think this is a valuable skill to have.

I wasn't going to start a new topic on this, but to be a little off topic (but still regarding water starts), is the types of water starts I see people do.
One good one is the "cable ski park" method, which looks exactly like water starting in a cable ski park with the bar pulled into your waist. I've seen guys start this way and was wondering if it's because of the light wind situation? Or a style thing?

Hey JB,
I agree with SpawnofFossil and Cbulota that you made outstanding progress for your first lesson. Board starts are uncommon for the first lesson, but when they're achieved, they have often been given as a 'reward' or a 'taster' to encourage progression and feed the hunger a little.
The fact that you said you had 'had enough to do' so you weren't confident to sine the kite leads me to think (without being there) that you need more work body dragging.

Downwind and upwind body dragging whilst parking the kite, sining the kite, whistling the Australian anthem whilst blowing bubbles and triple looping the kite, are the best practice for the board.
If you can't work the kite, which you couldn't, board starts are being used as a 'taster'. That's probably why you were placed on under powered gear.
Other than that time was limited and instructor had under estimated your potential and didn't have time to set up the 11 or grab a bigger board, which also could easily have been the case.
But in any case the light wind flying techniques you are learning will serve you well, way past what 'parking' and riding a hundred miles an hour down wind on over powered gear will do, any day of the week. At least until you learn to sine that kite.
For your penance - do a hundred meters of powered up body dragging and report to the board room immediately afterwards! 10- hup! haaha, no, but well done, board starts first lessons are none the less a great acheivement. My guess is you will be blasting upwind in no time. Honestly go do some body drags and get a seat harness, makes everything 5 times easier.

cbulota said...
If you managed to simply get up on your board on both sides in your first water start lesson that is a great achievement on it's own, especially on a 9m kite with 15 knots and 95kg, even if you couldn't keep on riding. There are two ways to look at this in my opinion:

1-As said in earlier posts, using larger kites (and bigger boards) in stronger winds (20 - 25 knots) is definitely easier to get up and to keep going without much piloting effort

2-Practicing water starts in lighter winds (15-20 knots) or with smaller kites will vastly improve your water starting technique (and piloting skills) because it will force you to point the board downwind and to be as efficient as possible with your kite, board and body movements/positions. In other words it'll work on ''correct'' technique rather than relying on the kites constant pull to get you going with the board pointing directly upwind.

For example, last week one of my students got up and going in stronger winds (25 knots) easily after a few first water start attempts on his 9m kite.
2 days later he came back on his own trying to get up on a 18 knots days and couldn't get up nor could keep going on his board for the few times he got a bit out of the water (kite wasn't moving fast enough and board pointing too much upwind).

So in my opinion your instructor is doing a great job and even if you feel and know it would've been easier going on a bigger kite and stronger winds you have already developed great skills during this lesson that will make you a much better kiter in the future to enjoy the 15-20 knots days.

well said

Eilvin said...
Well according to me instructor is always right because he has information more than us and he knows well whatever he give instruction to us. I am also getting training from my instructor so this is my personal experience that instructor is always right.

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