Don't go so far out. Not safe, anyway.

TBH Dylan, there's probably a few people thinking you are trolling, but I'll put in some friendly advice since I'm killing time.
Usually even in dead side shore wind, you should find that you can gain ground upwind heading in either direction. This means that if you have even moderate sense of spatial awareness, you can try to get "a bit upwind" on both your outer and inwards tacks. Practically though, most kiters have a "stronger side", so they will try to do more airs/tricks heading that direction, then gain the ground up on their weaker side.
In wa for example, most will hit the kickers on the way out and lose heaps of ground, and then head a bit further out to sea edging upwind hard, then turn around, get bearings, and do sufficient up wind riding to back to or past starting point on way back in.

A couple of good ideas:
- yes to looking for a landmark as your bearer, and fix where you are relative to it whenever you are turning out at sea, and need to work out how far to tack back
- if you have poor eyesight or swimming ability, don't go out further then you can see, or swim in!
- hold yourself back from tricks and do 2 or 3 big upwind tacks to start your session if you are worried - then go for broke and end up at your start point just to finish

Hope that helps. If you are trolling, well played haha

mazdon said..
TBH Dylan, there's probably a few people thinking you are trolling, but I'll put in some friendly advice since I'm killing time.
Usually even in dead side shore wind, you should find that you can gain ground upwind heading in either direction. This means that if you have even moderate sense of spatial awareness, you can try to get "a bit upwind" on both your outer and inwards tacks. Practically though, most kiters have a "stronger side", so they will try to do more airs/tricks heading that direction, then gain the ground up on their weaker side.
In wa for example, most will hit the kickers on the way out and lose heaps of ground, and then head a bit further out to sea edging upwind hard, then turn around, get bearings, and do sufficient up wind riding to back to or past starting point on way back in.

A couple of good ideas:
- yes to looking for a landmark as your bearer, and fix where you are relative to it whenever you are turning out at sea, and need to work out how far to tack back
- if you have poor eyesight or swimming ability, don't go out further then you can see, or swim in!
- hold yourself back from tricks and do 2 or 3 big upwind tacks to start your session if you are worried - then go for broke and end up at your start point just to finish

Hope that helps. If you are trolling, well played haha

Nah, not trolling on purpose. It was a genuine question to see if others had other ideas. Thanks for the tips. Case closed.

Would hate to be lost in the bush with you.

apepene43 said..
Maybe if ur asking this question ur going to far out for your level of riding stay closer in for a while till you dont have to ask that question imo

Is that you Chris?

So I should miss out on a 15-20knot day just because it could take me out to sea!? Nah mate, I know what I am doing. Like I said above, I was after OTHER people's views/tips on how to stay within the zone. Basically, what I am doing now is working, and the above has confirmed it. But thanks for the concern.

MozKiter said..
Granted I stay within 500-600m from shore when doing this. But I have an awesome spot in that it is a tidal flat. So if you wipeout 1km from shore, you are in chest deep water. Always a nice psychological boost.

Cheers mate

Lucky you. Yeah I get the jibbies thinking the men in grey suits are out there somewhere - and probably are!

Lambie said..
When heading out to sea with no landmakrs to aim for - you need to use your angle to the waves as your 'directional' guide - be aware that often the wave direction isnt quite perpendicular to the wind but it will give you the best guide.

Also remember that the wave direction will wrap around land, so to get a good feel of the prevailing wave direction you will need to be a fair bit out past the breakers. If you are near a point, wave direction can change quite a lot.

To get a good read on what angle to go over the waves, try stopping once you are in clean water and putting the kite to the edge of the window in direction of travel. Take that angle to the waves as a broad reach (going downwind slightly by about 15 degrees). Add about 45 degrees to that angle and that should give you an upwind direction of travel that is achievable (with a well powered kite). Head off in that direction and note the angle to the waves.

In time you'll get to know the feel of the kite when travelling at maximum upwind capacity. Trust that feeling more than sight markers and you'll find making upwind going out to be almost as easy as coming back in. It takes a lot of practice though, so keep honing the skill by trying to always go more upwind than your sight marker and feel if the kite is going to sustain you at the new direction. If achievable for more than 5 seconds, change your sight marker to the new direction of travel and start again. Remember the sight marker is subservient to the feel of the kite's ability to go upwind, not the other way around.

Plummet said..
How far can you swim? in theory that's the maximum distance you should go out.

Cross shore is easier than onshore for going upwind. But there is the illusion that you are not going as far upwind. Unfact you are but each upwind tack yields less meterage up the beach!.

EG going 10m upwind in cross shore will get you 10m further up the beach. 10m upwind in an cross on might get you 50 meters up the beach. 10m upwind in a direct onshore gets you all the way up the beach.

Good tips! Thanks P