brettasmith said...
iam on the sunshine coast and have been practicing up at lake weyba, i weigh about 85kg and my board is 136 x 41 cardboard.. (nemi is 12m)
deep water launching etc. is not an issue as its waist deep up there.
i also have an air rush trainer kite that we usually take camping up noosa north shore so i have had plenty of practice with it.
my main issue may be my setup? i know weyba is prone to gusty condtions, but one minuite i can be overpowered.. next thing the kite falls out of the sky!.. even tho everyone around me seems to be carvin it up.
still trying to get the upwind riding down too. its exhausting walking back out afer every second or third run.
Gusty winter west winds are not helping you for sure, just make sure that you are not pulling in on the bar too much and killing the speed of the kite, don't try to ride upwind as soon as you get up, ride downwind a bit first, then edge upwind, and don't edge so hard that you slow the kite and power too much.
There are kites that have better bottom end and may handle the gusty conditions better, something like a new/used Switchblade from 2008 onwards, Waroo, Core GT, etc.
When you do get up and ride drop your forward hand off the bar and just hold the bar with one hand near the centre and then you will be able to look more in an upwind direction. Both hands on the bar and on the ends of the bar, pulling in on the bar, and poor stance is guaranteed to send you downwind. Forward hand off the bar opens up your shoulders, allows you to look upwind - so don't look at the kite too much or you will end up going in that direction (downwind).
Kite luffing and falling out can be reduced if you keep more pressure on the rear lines and don't leave the kite still overhead, keep the kite sining slightly from left to right at all times, with slightly higher rear line pressure when you are walking and water starting.
Keep practicing you will crack it.