So I'm sort of edging well (enough) these days... but I find when I'm going along, edging as normal my trailing edge is catching the (Port Philip Bay) waves/swell and sometimes it's enough to send me crashing.

It seems to happen in all wind conditions strong enough to go up wind. I'm digging my trailing heel in to edge, leaning against the power of the kite, but not so much I'm vertical, I have a straight or straightish leading leg but find my (average size) calf is clipping the swell.

Any ideas?

Also, possibly related, I find that I often get a considerable amount of splash from the board going into my eyes when I get some speed up. Am I the only one?

Yeah it happens in swell, but generally means you are leaning back too far. There is a fine balance between upwind edging, edging (leaning back too far) thus killing the kite power and not edging enough (kite bullying you). Try to get the feeling of straight front leg and with your back leg, pushing the back of the board 'out' or away from you. Its kinda hard to explain but if you do it while edging it creates a resistance to the water and you head up wind without leaning back and clipping the water.
Like I said, going over swell never helps, you just have to time it between swell and go more upright as you rise over a wave.

Cheers

I find I just need to flatten the board a bit more as the waves come through. If its knocking you off you're most probably presenting too much vertical surface area which results in you being snapped off the board. Also a bit more front foot pressure to bring the back foot out of the trough a bit more could help.

^^^ what they said

It may be a combination of your style and the board. Some riders get heaps of spray on a given board and others get none so maybe try a few others.

How wide is the board, can you get your feet closer to the middle of the board (further from the rail). This will make edging a bit more difficult but keeps your limbs from clipping the water.

ps: nice haiku zzzzz

Okay, I've tried to hold off on not suggesting this... as I know I'm not funny, but,...

Maybe this is happening because my calf needs sheering <boom>.

GalahOnTheBay said...

SaltySinus said...
After my last few sessions, I reckon my feet are too far forward in the footholds... I've tightened up the straps to keep my feet further back... but don't think it will make much difference.

Do you mean you think your stance to wide or too far towards the heelside edge?

PS: Shave your legs anyway - Mardi Gras is coming

Thanks for the Mardi Gras tip....

I was thinking maybe my feet were too far forward away from the heel-side edge causing me to be deeper in the water and causing more spray.

I went out last night after tightening up my straps... but as I didn't check them, I was only aware they were too tight when I couldn't keep my feet in them on the water. School boy error.

Anyway, I've been using a gopro to monitor my stance (fin mounted) and I think I've been doing too much of a poo stance so was working on pushing my hips forward last night which seemed to help a lot. Much less spray.

Oh and the bay was wavy last night, lots of little ramps was awesome....