give yourself plenty of room down wind
get a kiter to give you an hand launching

Don't go out where most of the crowd is. Go downwind at least 1km and practice there (after you've had someone help you launch of course). Don't run with your kite unless you're prepared to boost (!), always say HI to the girls, and the first thing that I learnt... don't go too deep into the water. Start at waist deep and make sure it's far enough that your kite is not going to land on anyone or anything.
Best water start tip? Point the board towards the kite.... do it! You'll get up much more easily and then edge, but edge quickly so that you don't loose power on the lines.

Good luck!

Thanks guys that's helpful. Pointing the board downwind goes against what my instructor was preaching, but I will definitely try it.

As for sheeting in, aren't you supposed to sheet in a bit to power dive the kite for a water start?

Thanks again. Reading and watching everything my brain can handle in preparation haha

Sandgate is a nice spot, and perfect for beginners with nice consistent winds + shallow waist-deep water (at low tide). But it get crowded in good conditions so stay away from the crowd and you will be ripping! Good Luck

( absorb all the tips - read thru'Saltysinus Newbie lessons learn't so far - this is a gold mine of information - could be edited up a bit and made a sticky)

Said before - but...
It is pretty normal to start keeping both legs at the same angle / attitude especially when you are getting powered quickly.
1) it is much easier to reset and go again if you do not get pulled over your board - Start with a gentle power stroke - rise up fall back as many times as need be getting used to the feeling each time when you are ready power up that down stroke a little more.
2) Keep your back leg bent try 30-45 degrees and your front leg straight - this set you up to move forward and help stop you getting yanked over the top of the board.(Pointing and weighting your board downwind - not too much)
3) once you are up out of the water (immediately)- you need to start putting a bit more weight on to your back leg so straighten a bit - be flexible - watch other people - they go thru this sequence in a blink of an eye - you aim to be following your kite when it is at the bottom of its power stroke - and better still pointing slightly upwind of this - but it depends on how windy it is.
4) The bar movement - you pull the bar in as you fly the kite down and bar out (yes bar out) as you fly the kite back up - when it is windy you do this less when there is less wind you have to exaggerate ...

That is a lot to think about till it becomes second nature - so visualise - if available get someone to yell tips - you can get lost in the moment when you are learning - start slowly and build - you will get there faster - it also helps you to get a feel for the wind and the kite's power before you just know these things

But the best tip I can offer is to read Salty'Sinus's post and chase the links - gold..

Cheers
AP
(Keep asking someone will always fill the gaps and despite the seeming opposite points of view - when you work thru' what is being said through the comments are all likely saying / aiming for the same thing.. Nice crew - at Sandgate)
The other not taught aspect U will Know or need to .. the forecast / weather...
Use the SB chart for the overview...
Use this to qualify locally
www.bom.gov.au/marine/wind.shtml?location=qld-bris&tz=AEDT
and always know what is on the horizon on this...
www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR663.loop.shtml#skip
So there you have it...

Chrishxc01 said..

Hi all,

So I've had a few lessons and bought my gear, now it's time to cut the cord and practice water starts on my own. To be honest the thought of being out there on my own is incredibly intimidating and I was wondering if you had any absolute must do's and donts for noobs like me so I don't rub the experienced guys the wrong way and/or get skull dragged up the beach.

I'll be kiting at sandgate, QLD. Hoping to head out on Saturday morning for a while. I'll be the guy fighting with my red RRD Vision II 10.5m. Come say hi.

Hi Chrishxc,

I'd recommend you go back to your kiteschool and/or kite retailer. Seek their advice on conditions and ask them how much they'd charge to ahve someone keep an eye on you for 30mins or so? In that time, get your newly hired person to help you launch, do a few body drags, then come back in and land. Then repeat.

It's know that there's somewhere there in your first few times out to help out if the ** hits the fan that really takes the pressure off.

Remember, if it all goes to custard, pull your quick release. Good luck

Big Tone, thats the hope..

coming from a surfing and sailing back ground i know the risks of heading out in conditions that your not ready for.. ive done my time ;)

now its time to play a bit smarter.

wet to the SAKSA day today and spent a few hours watching the guys in the heavier conditions and learning via conversations and watching what they where doing.


hopefully next trip out ill stick a launch and get a proper ride!

till then.. ill observe read and watch as much as i can!

Del79 said..

im in your shoes mate..

did some lessons, bought a kite..

First day i went down and procrastinated a bit while setting up.. not 100% sure on things.. the wind was outta my range so i decided to play safe and pack the 11.5 up and grabbed the trainer for half an hour of trainer kite in 20+ knots..


second session i went down earlier in the day. set up. was happy with the conditions. then i spent 60-90minutes just body dragging out and back and up wind as much as possible. i also did probably 50 water launches with the kite. on both sides. i did this downwind of where others where setting up.

i then got my board out. and spent the next hour practicing water starts with the board.. by this i mean.. i tried to get up.. i got up.. i stalled out and sank back in.. at times i felt like i had it.. but i always stalled back in. a few decent stacks and lost the board.. put all that body dragging practice to good use and recovered the board by dragging back and forth till i got it again. Time and practice well spent! after a total of 3 hours in the water in about 15-18knots i was totally buggered and decided to pack it in.

I called it a satisfactory day out! next time.. i wont worry about practicing the body dragging and will just head out with the board and hopefully get my water starts under control and up and riding!

This sounds like a very sensible plan, thanks. I didn't end up getting time this weekend so I've booked next Saturday out for myself instead.

Salty I've trained my wife up on launching and landing assistance so I've got that part covered. At some point I need to cut the cord form the watchful eye of a trainer and I'm sure that now is the time. I'm just being a girl about it. haha

AquaPlow said..

4) The bar movement - you pull the bar in as you fly the kite down and bar out (yes bar out) as you fly the kite back up - when it is windy you do this less when there is less wind you have to exaggerate ...

I think my confusion with the bar movement comes from the fact that my most recent lesson, where I was trying to learn the water start, was in 30kt winds. Needless to say I got launched over my board a few times. In hindsight, the lesson should have been rescheduled :-/

Kamikuza said..

Kazan said..

psychojoe said..

Don't sheet your bar in AT ALL, and keep one hand on your safety just incase you meal it

WT? No man. You need both hands on the bar at all times as a beginner. Safety - smashety... blahblah... that's paranoid kiting IMO. Only touch the safety if you KNOW you're in trouble.

Might be splitting grammatical hairs but... by then it's too late - you should be punching out when it looks like you're ABOUT to be in trouble.

Mate. No one kites with one hand on the safety. Seriously, no one! Both hands are on the bar or one grabing rail on a jump.

Chrishxc01 said..

Hi all,

So I've had a few lessons and bought my gear, now it's time to cut the cord and practice water starts on my own. To be honest the thought of being out there on my own is incredibly intimidating and I was wondering if you had any absolute must do's and donts for noobs like me so I don't rub the experienced guys the wrong way and/or get skull dragged up the beach.

I'll be kiting at sandgate, QLD. Hoping to head out on Saturday morning for a while. I'll be the guy fighting with my red RRD Vision II 10.5m. Come say hi.

Chris,

We wrote this handbook to assist people like yourself to acquire skills and kitesurf safely kitesurfing-handbook.peterskiteboarding.com/

There is also How To information available on Seabreeze.Regards, Peter

My tip is....don't be afraid to say Hi to the more experienced or local kiters and let them know your a newbie & what level you are at.

Also, best advise I received when I bought my first kite was to leave the board at home for the first couple of times and concentrate on controlling the kite & body dragging.

Best of luck.