this got mentioned in a recent thread, but i reckon it's worth a bit more discussion.

what techniques keep the kite down in the power zone, rather than at the edge of the window?

it seems a stiff breeze helps keep the kite back, çoz the board is going faster - keeping up with the kite sort of thing - but what about light winds?

and edging (resistance to the leeward pull) tends to send it foward?

and if it's up at the edge, how do you get it to drop back down?

what are the implications for upwind ability?

how much difference do you find between kite types in their tendency to travel to the edge or sit back, and what is it about them that makes the difference? is it for instance related to how fast the kite is?

djanda said...
it seems a stiff breeze helps keep the kite back, çoz the board is going faster - keeping up with the kite sort of thing - but what about light winds?

You're overthinking it really.

In light winds, sheet out (push the bar away from you) and sine the kite to build up speed whilst heading slightly downwind.
As you build up speed (and apparent wind on the kite), you can start to bear upwind and sine the kite less.
If you pull the bar in too much, then you will choke/stall the kite and it will generate no power.

Light wind kiting is a real art and needs a bit of finesse.

Your kite can fly faster than you will ever go, so don't worry about how fast the kite is. If the kite drops out of the sky, it's most likely because you're not edging enough (offering any resistance)

Some kites are better than others for light wind and some will need slightly less or a slightly different technique. Flysurfers traditionally have dominated light wind kiting but other brands are catching up.