out of control speed downwind help

> 10 years ago
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mickeeH
mickeeH
WA
71 posts
WA, 71 posts
9 Feb 2010 6:17pm
hello there,

just a newbie starting out, can stay upwind fine now and lovin' it - but still manage to scare myself silly once or twice a session with this one.

only tends to happen in stronger winds, but i somehow loose my edge and are skimming - next thing the kite starts sitting back in the window powering up more and more, and i end up shooting downwind at tremendous speed - depowering does nothing. trying to edge harder or do a carved turn upwind, but problem is the kites pulling too hard and my centre of gravity is too far forward over the front of the board by this stage, and can't manage it. usually end up coping a severe tea-bagging or manage to get the kite to 12 and lose about 200 metres downwind in the process.

still not quite sure what's happening here and causing this, i suppose prevention is better than cure, is it just a case of not concentrating and loosing my edge ? maybe a slight wind direction change (lift) that i don't notice ? is it just a case of practice and getting used to it. once in this situation any better ways of handling it?

cheers,


h20fly
h20fly
WA
384 posts
WA, 384 posts
9 Feb 2010 6:36pm
couple of options mate. u can sit back and but check your way out of it till your board speed slows down. or steer your kite higher u may fall back in the water but atleast it wont be in the tea bag fasion. Fear not soon u will be able to outedge most wind, just try and keep your board speed under control if you feel your loosing it let your bar out and lean back pressure on your back foot as hard as u can so u gain control again. Good luck keep it up :)
mickeeH
mickeeH
WA
71 posts
WA, 71 posts
9 Feb 2010 6:54pm
great, thanks for that. shall give it a try.:)
Andrash
Andrash
WA
637 posts
WA, 637 posts
9 Feb 2010 11:32pm
what style of kite do you ride? Modern kites have almost full depower, so unless you are out in a crazy wind letting the bar slide all the way should depower the kite enough so that eventually you can hold the edge and by slowly powering up your kite it will come back to the edge of the wind window. Check the tuning of the kite if it doesnt depower enough.
Going upwind, and holding your edge will be your second nature, just like riding a bicicle. Just spend a lot of time on the water.
shannon8888
shannon8888
NSW
517 posts
NSW, 517 posts
10 Feb 2010 10:42am
maybe pull in power line trim a bit to suit conditions and edge edge edge.
Jfree10
Jfree10
NSW
30 posts
NSW, 30 posts
10 Feb 2010 1:05pm
You say your centre of gravity is too far forward over the front of your board? Sounds like you may be dropping your hips and sort of sitting. Keep your hips forced up to the bar, standing up strong with your hips up will allow you to edge with more force and power thus sending kite to edge of window. Up your hips!
mickeeH
mickeeH
WA
71 posts
WA, 71 posts
10 Feb 2010 10:26am
riding 2007/2008 ozone instincts 7/9/13m. they feel a little gutless in the lower end of the wind ranges to me, so like to ride powered - haven't ridden any other kites so wouldn't know any better.

all good suggestions, i need to play around with the trim as never really tried that they are probably all out of tune. And technique is still probably dodgy, it does feel much better when i'm leaning back and standing straight with more weight on the back foot, sometimes i just forget.

cheers!
Karve
Karve
VIC
197 posts
VIC, 197 posts
10 Feb 2010 4:05pm
If you have plenty of room down wind.... then just turn downwind to take power out of the kite and get yourself back into control.

manicskier
manicskier
VIC
772 posts
VIC, 772 posts
11 Feb 2010 11:46pm
Karve said...

If you have plenty of room down wind.... then just turn downwind to take power out of the kite and get yourself back into control.




do that
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