I can fly my kite so well, body dragging I have complete control. Soon as I bring the board into the equation and try water starting everything goes to ****, I completely lose control of the kite! It's so frustrating, I'm an old bloke it reasonably fit after over 50 years of surfing. How long does it take? When will it come?

I started learning in october and I was just as frustrated as you! I had the ok kite control and was body dragging (upwind/with board) around but once I tried to waterstart I flew off the board, barely got out of the water or managed to drive a little bit but then directed the kite back over my head towards the other direction and went crashing again. Especially keeping control of the kite while doing the start was a problem for me, probably just the multitasking, who knows haha.

So what ended up doing it for me was this exercise with an instructor, I'll write it out:
- hands fairly close together
- kite at 12
- sit down with the wind blasting straight in your back
- lay down on back
- pull in the bar until you feel good feedback from the kite, most often around halfway
- put kite past twelve, not a lot, and then do little dips until you can stand up with the kite. But don't let the kite do all the work, when the kite starts pulling put some weight on your feet. Ideally you want more weight on your back foot I suppose.

The kite movement is supposed to be fairly quick. Meaning don't move the kite over, wait and then dip. From here on increase the dips until you stand up. When you master this the next thing is to:
- dip the kite, stand up and keep the kite at a riding position. Not 45?, a bit higher

Now after I could do that it was time for the board. The only difference to the exercise is that you do 2 dips for driving. Idea is that you are not doing big powerdives but the initial small dip that gets you up and then another little dip that gets you driving. The kite is meant to be kept higher for this, so that it keeps you on the board.

Hope that helps and I didn't want to do it to you but you will struggle until you FEEL it - haha. Everyone telling me you need to feel it, bloody got my blood boiling a little every time. But it is true... Overall I think it took me around 6 hours practice with friends and then 2 hours with an instructor. That is only time on the water, took me a week in total since the conditions were not beginner friendly. Also don't get frustrated as there will always be something that keeps you busy or confused. After you waterstart you will bodydrag for and with the board a lot, try to ride upwind and then work on transitions. Embrace the struggle and just enjoy it. I am addicted!! Cheers mate!

This is something any decent instructor can get you through. Did you get lessons?

Thanks everyone, I've had lessons but being retired the income is limited. I think my problem is coming from pulling the bar down to help me up, this comes from many years of windsurfing. That's where the kite goes crazy. So if I get what people are saying let the kite pull me up and try and stand up with little or no pressure on the bar? I've worn out YouTube watching instructional videos, they make it look so easy ????

Thanks nicely explained.

Light hands is the secret and not choking the kite. Like water skiing. Never bend your arms when your getting up. Same as kiting, let the power of the kite pull you up.

head down wind at first, try make it easier for the kite to pull you out of the water, should help stop you thinking you need to pull yourself up

I found the same if it's getting the board on your feet whilst trying to fly the kite. I found the answer was (in shallow water) to push the board to the seabed with your feet then you can step in easily, sit back let the board come up dive the kite and your away.

Was a windsurfer for 13 years before I tried kiting and there are a few things to un-learn.

Keeping the bar out and not pulling on it like a windsufing boom is a tough one to get over.
Kite needs to breathe on upswing and progressively draw the bar in a bit on the down sweep.
If you're constantly over sheeting the kite, try using the trim on the de-power side. That way you're not going to over sheet when you pull on the bar. Will soften the power and not make you so over committed when staring off.

The other point is that as a windsurfer you may be expecting to go across the wind from the get go. Let the kite take you down wind with only a light edge, get balance with smaller dips of the kite and then as speed increases you can lean into it and start to go across wind.

Advice above all good. Smaller dips, sit yourself "in" the harness, not on your arms, and to cock the back leg and straighten front leg will help with the above too.

BTW, spent first two or three days learning at Cocos doing Superman torpedoes. Took until day 3 to get it.
7 years kiting and I still over-sheet the bar from time to time.