Surf or shore conditions are more of a challenge
Due to getting moved around in the water by the swell / whitewash , flatwater is much easier
I find with waterstarts most tutors don't break it down in stages, also the student naturally wants to get up as quickly and for as long as possible, some people take a few hrs some take weeks
Doing the process in stages keeps the kite in the air longer, you progress quicker, you get a better gradual feel for kite power reqd for water starts
Generally witnessing you'll see a kite dive that's too aggressive that sends the rider over the handle bars, a half hearted underpowered dive of the kite combined with incorrect board position and choking the kite,
Poor kite control which generally comes from being given a board too early, if this is the case
Go back a step, get highly confident on you flying ,
Not being picky but how long have you spent flying and body dragging

It took me many sessions to get them somewhat consistent, defiantly more than 8, so much body dragging, drinking the the ocean, and walking the kite up the beach. Just keep putting in the hard yards and watching youtube/dvds for technique tips, and you will get there. Its probably not that useful to compare yourself to others, everyone is on their own kiteboarding journey ;p. The more you struggle with it, the sweeter it tastes when you finally nail it :) For a long time I wondered if waterstarts to the right were every going to happen for me. . So, dont worry, you'll get it soon for sure!!!

Gotta be able to fly the kite with one hand...



Let's say you want to start and ride to the left...

Have the kite over to the right, just past 12. Facing the kite, put the board on your feet. Square the board against the pull of the kite.

In one smooth but gentle motion, redirect the kite with a gentle bar turning input and a gentle sheeting in.

Let the kite move across the zenith and down the other edge of the window, following it with your head and shoulders. As it passes the zenith, it should lift you out if the water a little and as it dives, it'll give you the forward pull to ride.

To help balance your weight on the board, inagine you're doing a flying Kung-fu side kick, pointed at the kite



If you try to start with the kite at 12, you won't get the lift out of the water.
If you turn too aggressively or sheet in too hard, the kite will dive down into the power zone and the spike in power will yank you off your edge.
If you pull with your arms, rather than let the kite pull through your harness, you'll sink at best or fall over backwards.



Otherwise you'll just have to put the time in practicing; all your different kite skills need to coalesce and come together. As Joe said, not getting bashed about by waves makes life easier. Not being over- or under-powered helps too.

Loftywinds said..
Watch heaps and heaps of videos of water starts (youtube, dailymotion, vimeo, and Progression for Beginners DVD).

Get the idea of how it's done in your mind. A lot of it is brain muscle training - ie: imagine doing it and practicing what you've seen.

Of course an expert watching you and giving you advice next to you will boost your chances.

You'll get it and you'll scream with joy when you've ridden 100m down wind.

Next will come the direction factor and again that's muscle memory - remembering to keep your back leg slightly bent and front leg straight, but relaxed. Practice with your harness attached and hooked to a fence or a pole and lean back. Feel what it's like to switch from one stance to the other.

Good luck!

Thanks Loftywinds,

I will attach the harness to a fence and give it a try

Some can speed up the process by doing some beach drags.
Find a beach with no one around with in 100m to be safe.
And hook yourself to the kite...bury your heels in the sand and experiment with the power of your kite... get a feel for how it reponds to gentle input...and aggressive input.
See how long your beach drags can be...
If you can master balancing your self in your heels for more than 10 metres you will be up on a board soon after.

And no it doesnt count if you being dragged on your knees...lol

Scrubes said..
go downwind a little before edging that little gem got me going

Greenarrowz said..
Some can speed up the process by doing some beach drags.
Find a beach with no one around with in 100m to be safe.
And hook yourself to the kite...bury your heels in the sand and experiment with the power of your kite... get a feel for how it reponds to gentle input...and aggressive input.
See how long your beach drags can be...
If you can master balancing your self in your heels for more than 10 metres you will be up on a board soon after.

And no it doesnt count if you being dragged on your knees...lol

Thanks


I do go downwind then over the board - face plant

Bronnieren said..
It took me many sessions to get them somewhat consistent, defiantly more than 8, so much body dragging, drinking the the ocean, and walking the kite up the beach. Just keep putting in the hard yards and watching youtube/dvds for technique tips, and you will get there. Its probably not that useful to compare yourself to others, everyone is on their own kiteboarding journey ;p. The more you struggle with it, the sweeter it tastes when you finally nail it :) For a long time I wondered if waterstarts to the right were every going to happen for me. . So, dont worry, you'll get it soon for sure!!!

Utube videos are my friends - its just looks so easy

Its looks like I have to do a lot more drinking the ocean

It certainly will taste sweet - very very sweet

cauncy said..
Surf or shore conditions are more of a challenge
Due to getting moved around in the water by the swell / whitewash , flatwater is much easier
I find with waterstarts most tutors don't break it down in stages, also the student naturally wants to get up as quickly and for as long as possible, some people take a few hrs some take weeks
Doing the process in stages keeps the kite in the air longer, you progress quicker, you get a better gradual feel for kite power reqd for water starts
Generally witnessing you'll see a kite dive that's too aggressive that sends the rider over the handle bars, a half hearted underpowered dive of the kite combined with incorrect board position and choking the kite,
Poor kite control which generally comes from being given a board too early, if this is the case
Go back a step, get highly confident on you flying ,
Not being picky but how long have you spent flying and body dragging

cauncy you mention stages what are the stages?

I have done 11 hours of boday dragging kite control - I am not expert but I can control the kite with one hand

cauncy said..

Jhana said...

cauncy said..
Surf or shore conditions are more of a challenge
Due to getting moved around in the water by the swell / whitewash , flatwater is much easier
I find with waterstarts most tutors don't break it down in stages, also the student naturally wants to get up as quickly and for as long as possible, some people take a few hrs some take weeks
Doing the process in stages keeps the kite in the air longer, you progress quicker, you get a better gradual feel for kite power reqd for water starts
Generally witnessing you'll see a kite dive that's too aggressive that sends the rider over the handle bars, a half hearted underpowered dive of the kite combined with incorrect board position and choking the kite,
Poor kite control which generally comes from being given a board too early, if this is the case
Go back a step, get highly confident on you flying ,
Not being picky but how long have you spent flying and body dragging

Cauncy Thanks for all the advice, I have spent about 11 hours with kite control and body dragging. I started out on a 5 metre kite and went to a 9m kite.

I spend a lot longer following anyone down the beach , body dragging, but locations can dictate
Here's the first step on how I teach them a water start
Carry board to knee deep water
Sit board in shallows
Stand on board to sink it( doing this allows both hands on bar) keeping kite at 12
Position feet into board
Sit down in the water
Activly fly the kite overhead from 1 to 11 max
Taking you into slightly deeper water
Take your kite to 2 or 10 dependant on wind direction
Dive your kite to 3 or 9 and raise yourself out of the water( nothing more)
Bring kite back to 12 and sit back down
Do this a few times heading outward
Then the same heading inward
This gives you a feel of what's reqd to get you comfortably powered , out of the water
When you've got this down pat , I'll give you some hints on the next stage
Doing it in stages keeps the kite in the air not water which gives you more time mastering your water starts
Also now your on the water, have you mastered relaunch and self rescue

Cauncy,

Yes I can relaunch a kite in the water and self rescue

I have been taught to relaunch also in light winds.

For the water start I have not specifically done the step of diving the kite and then raising myself out of the water and then sitting back down.

It has been more of get up and stand on the board for a short distance and then I start to sink in the water standing up.

At this point I also have the kite stuck at about 9 or 3, and I am kind of frozen - I forget about sining the kite - so much is happening I am aware of standing and balancing on the board but I have no awareness of the kite.

I struggled with waterstarts too. Someone gave me the tip to really point the board towards the kite as it dives down. No mater where the kite goes in the window, make sure your front foot is out in and the board is pointing towards the kite (sitting in the water have that foot already extended) and you will get up and go - this puts the end to any superman events. Big key is to turn away once you are up or you will end up with slack lines.

harlie said..
I struggled with waterstarts too. Someone gave me the tip to really point the board towards the kite as it dives down. No mater where the kite goes in the window, make sure your front foot is out in and the board is pointing towards the kite (sitting in the water have that foot already extended) and you will get up and go - this puts the end to any superman events. Big key is to turn away once you are up or you will end up with slack lines.

Thanks for the tip I will extend the front foot - its not fun being superman

Jhana said...

cauncy said..

Jhana said...

cauncy said..
Surf or shore conditions are more of a challenge
Due to getting moved around in the water by the swell / whitewash , flatwater is much easier
I find with waterstarts most tutors don't break it down in stages, also the student naturally wants to get up as quickly and for as long as possible, some people take a few hrs some take weeks
Doing the process in stages keeps the kite in the air longer, you progress quicker, you get a better gradual feel for kite power reqd for water starts
Generally witnessing you'll see a kite dive that's too aggressive that sends the rider over the handle bars, a half hearted underpowered dive of the kite combined with incorrect board position and choking the kite,
Poor kite control which generally comes from being given a board too early, if this is the case
Go back a step, get highly confident on you flying ,
Not being picky but how long have you spent flying and body dragging

Cauncy Thanks for all the advice, I have spent about 11 hours with kite control and body dragging. I started out on a 5 metre kite and went to a 9m kite.

I spend a lot longer following anyone down the beach , body dragging, but locations can dictate
Here's the first step on how I teach them a water start
Carry board to knee deep water
Sit board in shallows
Stand on board to sink it( doing this allows both hands on bar) keeping kite at 12
Position feet into board
Sit down in the water
Activly fly the kite overhead from 1 to 11 max
Taking you into slightly deeper water
Take your kite to 2 or 10 dependant on wind direction
Dive your kite to 3 or 9 and raise yourself out of the water( nothing more)
Bring kite back to 12 and sit back down
Do this a few times heading outward
Then the same heading inward
This gives you a feel of what's reqd to get you comfortably powered , out of the water
When you've got this down pat , I'll give you some hints on the next stage
Doing it in stages keeps the kite in the air not water which gives you more time mastering your water starts
Also now your on the water, have you mastered relaunch and self rescue

Cauncy,

Yes I can relaunch a kite in the water and self rescue

I have been taught to relaunch also in light winds.

For the water start I have not specifically done the step of diving the kite and then raising myself out of the water and then sitting back down.

It has been more of get up and stand on the board for a short distance and then I start to sink in the water standing up.

At this point I also have the kite stuck at about 9 or 3, and I am kind of frozen - I forget about sining the kite - so much is happening I am aware of standing and balancing on the board but I have no awareness of the kite.

Every new kiter does it, simply pulling on the bar chokes the power, add to this an incorrect board position and your going nowhere
That's why I do it in stages
As I explained after diving the kite you bring it back up to 12, this time instead of sitting down you re direct again to continue momentum
The nose of the board should follow the kite and rear foot / heel should Aline under your bum
This is a downwind stance and very efficient for the board
Having your board parallel to your kite is a killer of power, and this adopts an edge which you'll introduce later
Certain kites I've found can be easier too
Slower reacting with a bit more power( switchblade, rebel)
Are easier than a fast reacting kite with less power( reo )

Problem james is a huge difference in teaching techniques
You see advertisements like zero to hero
We,ll have you on the board in no time and crap like that, the certainly has to be an across the board acceptable level of instruction,
British kiteboard ( old bksa) schools get visits / checks to ensure quality instruction is being carried out, I won't give someone a board unless I'm 100% happy with their kite control and water safety amongst others

jamesperth said..
So true. To the OP : what was your experience like at this stage (ie did your instructors spend much time on this ? )

james,

Thanks for the reply

I did 11 hours body dragging and kite control - figure 8's, sining, retrieving the board - upwind dragging etc

I also did kite control on the beach - where I was dragged by the kite mostly on my feet, I did some where I was sitting on the beach and then I came to a standing position.

The teacher was insistant that Kite Control is paramount. started on a small 5 metre kite and then on a 9m

I have also practised controlling the kite with one hand and also practised putting the board on my feet.

Now for the water starts

In the early water start attempts I have erred on the side of caution and just powered the kite enough to get out of water and then sink back down - the part Cauncey highlighted was returning the kite to 12 after you come out of the water and then sink back down, I haven't specifically practised that skill yet.

Jhana said...

cauncy said..

The first school I went to wanted to strap the dildo on me.

I changed teachers.