QLD
12 posts
Hi,
I have done about 10 hrs of body dragging and about 2 hours of board riding. I am having trouble changing direction without falling on my butt for a couple of seconds before I change direction. Any tips for how to make it a smooth turn? I have been reefed from my board by trying to change direction too fast I think, so now I may be over cautious and slow down too much...
QLD
549 posts
Direction is the key. Most people learning to turn try too hard, as you have experienced. A basic slide turn involves slowing down, sliding the board downwind from your back foot and steering the kite in the opposite direction. Timing is important. As you bring your kite up to 12, slowly, let yourself be lifted up a bit to a "standing" position, don't be edging hard. This allows you to point your back foot downwind slightly which then allows you to send the kite without losing your momentum. You have to let yourself be taken downwind slightly before you can regain decent speed and edge again. Learners are too obsessed with not losing ground that they try to quickly change from one direction to the other.
It seems complicated, but once you've done a few you won't even think about it anymore.
QLD
12 posts
thanks for your advice the forecast is for 25knt winds this weekend so hopefully will be able to get out and put it into practice.
4862 posts
its all about timing and a nice radiused powered turn of the kite.
try and follow this for a slide transition.
*charge alot with some speed kite about 9-10.
*carve upwind
*at the same time initiate the kite turn. find a nice smooth arc for the kite to travel in bar in around half way. keep that radius going.
*As the kite is starts to turn chuck the board into a slide and lean back,
*The smooth power of the kite turning on the radius will hold you up.
you will slide about then seamlessly change direction as the kite swings to the other side of the window.
* keep the kite turning until its diving towards the sea. This will power you up for a nice ride away,
* turn the kite back to 10-11 before it hits the deck!
job done.
WA
1675 posts
also when your kite reaches 12 oclock you should have stopped your momentum and the pull of the kite will momentarily hold you up then dive the kite with the board pointing towards the kite to gain speed in the other direction.
WA
3271 posts
My two cents worth, if you've only been on the board for a couple of hours I wouldn't be to worried about turning, if at all. When I was learning I found it easiest to just to do the run out, park the kite, sink and start again in the other direction and keep doing that backwards and forwards all day long.
Without even realising it, and after a few sessions you will, begin to spend less time parking the kite and less time with your butt in the water, eventually you will be shifting you weight and setting yourself up for a nice sliding turn without even realising it.
QLD
147 posts
Something else no one has mentioned is make sure you sheet out as you bring the kite to 12 then sheet in again when your diving it through the window.
Also don't be afraid of going slow, take everything very slowly, your speed, especially your kite, but you do need to dive the kite as you would normal launching. Once you have the movement down then you can speed the process up.
Just my two cents.
Josh
