Hi,

The other day I crashed and lost my board, I couldn't find it anywhere, I was body dragging upwind, lofting myself into the air, and in the end just went ashore to look for it, but I couldn't see anything. In the end I found it, but does anyone have any tips?

99.9999999% of the time ya board will land upside down . I have painted my fins floro yellow stands out like dog's you know what . Also when i buy a board i look for bright colors mainly yellow on bottom . hope this helps .

Along the theme of using boots...What is everyone's thoughts on heel straps? I saw a guy with bicycle inner tubes set up to lock in the riders heels and I thought of doing the same thing, in order to minimise losing the board.

Pros vs cons?

This response always causes - sharp opinions.
This is my point of view - I started kiting in 2003
I bought a Naish - it had de-power (good by the standards of the day), you could flag it and it was well built.
I also bought a combined harness impact vest a helmet and a reel leash.

I figured once I had the kite back in the air after a crash (much slower in those days) I did not want to go looking for the board. I learnt how 2 body drag upwind and could recover a board when not on the leash.

When do I recommend using a reel leash... any where you....
1) can't touch .. are not in the surf and there is a current....and you are not doing jumps / deliberate aerial manouvres...
But I always wear a helmet(religiously) and rarely attach a leash.
I always have a leash to attach when the wind is light and I am in a tidal flow.
You will find you out grow the need for a reel leash - but every kite shop has them.

I would not use a surf board leash - it is likely to load up under pressure and can release towards you - you can get hit - a reel leash has a spool of tough webbing material about 2 metres long - crash loose the board and it spools out behind you, and in my experience has never come close to hitting me.

The points to understand - once the wind picks up a leash can cause the board to anchor by digging into the water and if you get lofted by the kite it can pop under tension out of the water - it may hit you.

The very well meaning opponents to wearing a leash are all likely to have great board skills happily jump turn in 10 cms of water 50 cms from the beach and rarely loose their board - you will get there - in the mean time if you do not want to loose a board when it will not come to shore by itself due to current etc try a reel leash + a helmet - you should learn thru' its benefits fairly quickly and stop using it - all part of the learning curve.

Cheers
AP

Part 2..

1) There is a design flaw (of sorts) in a reel leash (IMO) - you can't detach it from the harness in a hurry unless what ever it is attached to has a quick release.

2) I worked thru' what I considered the danger points - I did not attach the leash till at the water's edge - I always detached it when I come out - I did/do not walk with the kite in the air and the board leash on when on the shore.

3) The time I have been hit in the head by my board (on the helmet) it was windy 23+ I tried to pivot my Sector 60 round up wind to tack, too much weight on the back for the wind strength - the nose flipped up and wack - no leash used or needed.

4) Not 1 negative comment to date re-leashes (this forum excepted[}:)]).

I would emphasise as bene313 says learn to body drag.

In a current with the wind going the other way (e.g. tidal river) you can body drag as much as you want the board will not hang around.

Cheers
AP