OK, so my lessons are complete(finally!) and I managed to get up on the board for a couple of short bursts but due to my leg disability, getting my board on my feet and then riding it is fast becoming my biggest challenge.

As I have said before I have little or no pull up power in my toes and feet (sort of floppy ankles!) so getting into the straps is hard and then getting my feet to do what I want them to once up is a challenge.

I am very determined and apart from swallowing half to Indian Ocean yesterday, I am loving the sport and the challenge. Anyone got any thoughts on how to practice board skills or any changes I should make??

Will try heel straps next which should help somewhat but I have also had suggestions of trying a surfboard or wakeboard boots. Although my kite skills are pretty good for a noob I am a bit worried that they are not good enough for either option.

Thoughts??

I suppose just try to your best to get on with a twin tip and straps at first. Pad/strap setups vary quite a lot. Some are much easier to get into than others. The straps on the North board I rode for a year were nice but not easy to get into. The ones on the Xenon I'm on now are super easy to get on. I don't even have a grab handle on my board.

Boots could be a good option too. It would be a tough to learn with them I think but it may be just the thing for you. It's too bad we don't have a cable park where you could give it a whack without the outlay of a pair of boots. There are some cheaper secondhand ones in the buy/sell section though.

Good on you for not letting a small limitation put you off this great sport. Stick with it and you'll be ripping in no time.

I'm guessing its a Bic Airflow 175 like this?

www.trademe.co.nz/sports/kites-kitesurfing/kitesurfing/auction-344405392.htm

The problem with very long twintips is that the tail is way behind the backfoot and that can result in you having to pull up more on your front foot to get the leverage. My guess is that with your ankle problems, a short TT would be better.

There are some boards with the footstrap locations offset toward the heel side. They might be an option.

Your best bet is to discuss it with your local kiters. They are quite likely to try to help if asked the right way. You are a unique case, so it may work better to sort it at the beach.
At the end of the day strapless may turn out to be the best option but you are right to explore all the options.

Again thanks for all the advice guys.

Getting a TT soon and have also been given a 6'2" surfboard which I will have to do a little bit of work on but will be good to see how I go with it.

Now where has that wind gone?? Anyone seen it?? I'm sure I put it down around here somewhere!!!

I don't know what you've got out there in WA, but I would recommend you spend a few hours at a cable park, if you've got one nearby. It won't help you with getting into the straps, but you can definitely work on getting up, planing and carving. It worked wonders for me .