Yup. Its a bad idea unless you want it catapulted at your head.

Options are:

1. Hold the board handle in your right hand and use one finger on the right hand to rest on the bar so you can control the kite (helps with beginners who are not used to diving the kite one handed).

2. Rest the board on top of your legs. As you dive the kite and get pulled out of the water, grab the board handle with your right/less hand and continue riding.

Number one normally works a little better for less experienced riders or where the wind is light and you have to fly your kite more.

Those are the only two methods I've ever used.

Exactly my fear re the catapult effect! Won't do it, thanks. They're awkward bastards to try to pick up on the move and even worse to try to water start holding. Feel really bad when someone is downwind of their board, struggling to get back to it and would love to help though!

When you are ready to retrieve someone's board you'll work it out. In the meantime, let the more experienced riders handle it. You can make things worse by trying to retrieve a board and then crashing your kite and losing both!!

Most people should be able to body drag back to their board.

However, you can help them out by holding their board while flying your kite at 12 and holding ground. That way the body drag back is easier.

Had to do this yesterday. Conditions we're like a washing machine. I put the board across my legs and rather than try and get up i just used the kite to pull me down wind of the other kiter.

KIT33R said...

Trant said...

If they have a board handle then follow Saffer's #1 tip

If they don't have a board handle, shout "Put your board handle back on your board your pretentious knob, this isn't wakeboarding" and carry on kitesurfing.

My board didn't come with a handle.

I'd take it back if I was you and get a proper one then

KIT33R said...

Trant said...

If they have a board handle then follow Saffer's #1 tip

If they don't have a board handle, shout "Put your board handle back on your board your pretentious knob, this isn't wakeboarding" and carry on kitesurfing.

My board didn't come with a handle.

Don't worry, a lot of newbies buy the wrong board when they are learning because they don't know any better. I'm surprised you didn't notice how pointy the edges were and how it only had one fin at one end. its a little lopsided so it was probably the shapers first board and trying to get a perfect symmetrical outline was difficult. Take it back to the shop and ask them to replace it for a decent board

^^^ It was the latest thing once!

I have 2 kite leashes on my harness, one if for towing stuff that I find on the water. It is best to pick up and carry a twin tip, especially if it has a handle.

If it has no handle I will usually attach my spare kite leash to one footstrap and tow it in slowly, I recently did this with a 1.8M long race board in Jervis Bay, from about 1k out.
If I did not have the spare leash that bard was most likely lost, mind you if I did not have the 15M C4 and a Stella 1.46/46 it was also lost!

The way to tow something in is to keep the speed down, just planing is all it needs.

KIT33R said...

Kitepower Australia said...

^^^ It was the latest thing once!

Like bell bottom jeans, hang onto them long enough and they'll be back in fashion. At least that's my theory.

And pointing your toes on board offs.

kyteryder said...

After you pick the board up, make sure you throw it behind you down wind.

Unfortunately, many board have made friends with my shins for not following the above advice...

Or, if there board doesnt have a handle ride it and carry your own board, once down wind swap back and then shout

Trant said...

"Put your board handle back on your board your pretentious knob, this isn't wakeboarding" and carry on kitesurfing.

IMO while waiting for your board keep the kite low (just of the water) with as little movement as possible, makes it easier and safer for both.

It bothers me during the returning of a board is that the person in the water knowing there board is about to be returned always tries to change direction of there body dragging hence there kite is all over the place.

If i sence danger from the person in the water I just return the board to the beach and give them a bit more thinking time while they body drag in (and walk back up wind)

I've found the easiest way is to put your front hand through the handle and then flip the board over and grab your bar, so you are looking at the bottom of the board (the wind then blows the board against your bar and lines and holds it in place).
Dive the kite to get up and running and then let go of your front hand and ride in one handed as normal with the board in your (now free) front hand.
If they look competent i'll drop downwind, otherwise if they look noobish i'll drop on the beach and keep clear just like Saffer and Craig said.
The other top tip is always carry the smallest board, so ride their board if its bigger than yours, or if its a race or surf board!!

I saw a friend ride up to the lost board, sit down on it sideways (no handle) while still moving and ride it sitting with his own board still on his feet back to the beach. Most impressive move.

A few years back a guy on a jetski picked up a lost board only meters away from the kiter who was body dragging to retrieve it. Board and jetski guy quickly disappeared, never to be seen again!

What about putting the board over your chicken loop so it sits on the center line? I did this for the first time up at the goldy in big surf and it seemed to work a treat. Was still able to dive the kite with two hands with the board sitting on top of the center line, then i flew the kite with one hand and held the board with the other.

Big eeeZeee said...

What about putting the board over your chicken loop so it sits on the center line? I did this for the first time up at the goldy in big surf and it seemed to work a treat. Was still able to dive the kite with two hands with the board sitting on top of the center line, then i flew the kite with one hand and held the board with the other.

Only issue I've had with that method is the odd day you're underpowered. With the board on top of the chicken loop, it makes it hard to pull the bar in.