Control your speed by edging the board. Start edging as soon as the board is comfortably planing but before you get too much speed. Turn the board upwind (away from the kite) to slow down and downwind (towards the kite) to speed up. Buffer temporary (1 second) gusts/lulls with the bar.

Are you using the trim strap to spill some air from the kite and depower it when the wind picks up?

Other option is to fly one handed - this will give you more movement of the bar and allow you to lean back further in the gusts whilst edging hard.

Thanks,

I do agree, I was most likely riding a too big of a kite but not far out of range for those conditions. The wind speed was 15-20knots and gusting 30+ knots and I was on a 9 (78kg). My bar was fully out when I was riding the gusts. Using the trim strap through the session is something I need to do more actively through these conditions, I usually set it at the beginning and only when I notice a consistent change in the wind, I'll try to actively change it while I'm riding.

I found edging the board to be effective when I'm progressively increasing speed and I want to slow down. But difficult to hold when a strong gust hits (10-15knot). Something I need to be more aware of prior to the gust

I need to get my one handed flying down Kit33r, I find myself over rotating too far up wind and choking the kite. Something I need to practice, should read up on the tutorials.

This is what happens: 1 edging 2 gust hits.. try to get edge back but I keep gaining speed. Eventually going uncomfortably fast , drop my bum to break. Try again.

In retrospect I should have 1. switched to a smaller kite or 2. taper my kite and edge harder as I'm gaining speed before the gust hits. 3. Everything else is practice.

Cheers for the advice boys.

danw said...


...
The wind speed was 15-20knots and gusting 30+ knots and I was on a 9 (78kg).
...
This is what happens: 1 edging 2 gust hits.. try to get edge back but I keep gaining speed. Eventually going uncomfortably fast , drop my bum to break. Try again.
...

Ok, this gives us a bit more info to work with.

What you are describing is a typical winter squall that most of us have to learn to deal with when it occurs on whatever size kite we happen to ride at the time. Changing to a smaller kite is pointless, as these squalls only last for a few minutes and once it passes you'll be stuck with a small kite in 15-20 knots for the rest of the session which is not fun.

Besides, what if the next squall you encounter is 40+, would an 8m save you? What about 50+? How small would you go?
The short answer is, match your kite size (conservatively) to the prevailing conditions (which you did) and learn how to handle the squalls when they arrive.

The easy way to deal with them is to:
1) bar out
2) (SLOWLY!) move your kite up - close to 12 o'clock and
3) edge hard upwind to keep the speed low

From your description it appears you were already pushing the bar out and trying to edge, but you were missing step 2. By moving the kite close to 12 o'clock you will be removing most of the pulling power. And you MUST DO IT SLOWLY or you will be lifted off - the last thing you need in a squall. Don't worry if this takes a few seconds - you WILL eventually slow down and regain your edge - but don't rush!

And what if the squall is way too strong, or if you mess up?
Simple answer - hit the QR and make sure you do it quickly, hesitation in this sport can be costly.

IanR said...

... I spent a lot of time explaining that 12 o'clock is not place where the least power is but at 3 or 9 with the kite as close to the edge of the window as possible...

LOL!!!

then this must be one of your students keeping the kite "in the position of least power" in a gust and not QR-ing...

Yep gotta agree with Ian r on this one in an overpowered situation your best to keep your kite as low as poss and edge as hard as poss ,you can even stall the kite out if you edge hard enough ,lifting the kite will just get you pulled off the edge or even teabagged,if you have the kite low just above the water you can even dip the tip real quick and it will slow you right down.

No DaGodfather you are wrong the main main character or the guy who got injuries was in the air from the first frame in the video. His kite was never in the frame. The reason I think he was pulled sideways was when he let go with one hand to pull the QR he mistakenly flew the kite down to one side. I have seen this happen many times and have even done it my self In the panic of being lofted

Anyhow there is no way of being 100% sure either way. But the last thing you want to do is fly the kite to twelve in a big gust. If the kite is close to the ground you can edge against it better in or out of the water. Having the kite at 12 you cannot edge against an upward pull and then once in the air panic sets in. Also if it's close to the ground you can crash it into the ground and pull the QR. the kite does not have to be at 12 to pull the QR

Back in the old days we had a saying. In strong winds keep it low and go go go

IanR said...

DaGodfather said...

2) (SLOWLY!) move your kite up - close to 12 o'clock and
3) edge hard upwind to keep the speed low

From your description it appears you were already pushing the bar out and trying to edge, but you were missing step 2. By moving the kite close to 12 o'clock you will be removing most of the pulling power. And you MUST DO IT SLOWLY or you will be lifted off - the last thing you need in a squall. Don't worry if this takes a few seconds - you WILL eventually slow down and regain your edge - but don't rush!

This has got to be the worst piece of advise I've heard for long time
Do the opposite, get the kite as close to the water as possible.
This allows you to edge even harder as the kite is not lifting you.
Also the wind is generally not as strong close to water
When I was teaching kiteing in the C kite days I spent a lot of time explaining that 12 o'clock is not place where the least power is but at 3 or 9 with the kite as close to the edge of the window as possible

radman4 said...

Yep gotta agree with Ian r on this one in an overpowered situation your best to keep your kite as low as poss and edge as hard as poss ,you can even stall the kite out if you edge hard enough ,lifting the kite will just get you pulled off the edge or even teabagged,if you have the kite low just above the water you can even dip the tip real quick and it will slow you right down.

Because this advice concerns a situation someone could easily find themself in and therefore real world safety.. +1 to the above statements!
Well said guys.

+1 keep it low and edge it out . KNOW YOUR SAFETY !!!!!
stay in the water when the mega gust hits or land very quickly , go with your gut feeling
trim as much as needed as often as needed
try to enjoy the power . it wont be there forever

Man every time I see that video I feel sick, if you have every been caught out even just a little bit you can imagine what was going through that dudes mind......

I say that in that situation unless you hand is on the QR you are never going to be quick enough.........

As a newbie, I found myself overpowered on my 12 as a 30knot front came through. I bought the kite to 11 and then visualised pushing the qr. i found this technique pretty good. I've since bought an 8...

Will look at the other option next time.