I could say "How long is a piece of string" but that wouldn't help. It's all about time on the water and natural abilty (or lack of). With summer here and hopefully plenty of opportunity to hit the water by the end of January you'll be wondering what all the fuss was and be cranking upwind. Get others to watch you and make a few suggestions on how to correct minor points.

NickT said...

Its all about time on the board, stick with it. Lock that edge in with the kite lowish as high kites will pull you off edge, straighten your leading leg and straighten your back ( no poo stance)

Thanks for that.. now that you're saying that I think that is my problem sometimes. i work my kite up to high and it pulls me off my edge.

It takes different people different times.
Its kinda wierd,,,,one day the penny drops and it just happends and you wonder why it all seemed sooo hard.
Then you will be asking,,,,How do I go downwind.

Its a good feeling the first time you stay up wind and dont do the walk in the whole session.

You go where you look.

Look at your kite and you'll go down wind. Look to where the wind is coming from and you'll head up wind.

Try flat water with a decent breeze and u will find it a lot easier.

Melville.
1) Dont ride in a straight line, when a gust hits edge fruther upwind and use your edge rather than depowering your kite. When you depower too much your front shoulder will go anteroir and that will send you down-wind.

2) sign your kite from 9:45 to 10:45, anything else higher will make you lose your edge and ride downwind.

3) Keep your front foot almost straight and ride the chop with your backfoot.

4) Go to the OCEAN as others have said, and ride in a real breeze rather than gusty conditions. It is hard for even an expert rider to keep upwind at melville.

5) Go out on the right kite size for the given conditions, youll realize this when your bar is almost at the QR, I depower any kite to about 3cm above, if the wind backs off, work and sign it hard, a bar all the way out will roll your shoulders forward and youll ride downwind unless very good.

6) get your board and kite combo right for the condtions you ride in.

7) Dont ride too fast, keep a happy medium between board speed and control. Due to apparent wind the faster you go the more you ride downwind.

8) Do long tacks unless you cant swim that far. you lose a lot of ground when you tack. Only go out as far as you can swim in with a potential flogging.

9) Get over your harness, the hips in relation to the bar is the key, lean over your harness. this is a skill when you onhook.

10) Dont stress too much, sometimes you dont have the right kite/board combo when you are beginning, and the next session is magic. I know you have had lessons and are responsibly, but a more experienced guy can point out your flaws easily, a discovery lesson takes longer, pay him back by going to vintage Cellars and buy a 6 pack to drink afterwards, when youve had a good session.

My 10 commandments. And I anit no Noah in the water, Im still learning after sailing windsurfing and kiting since 2003. you only get better, safer, and more responsible and proactive of other beginners

dave...... said...

Melville.
1) Dont ride in a straight line, when a gust hits edge fruther upwind and use your edge rather than depowering your kite. When you depower too much your front shoulder will go anteroir and that will send you down-wind.

2) sign your kite from 9:45 to 10:45, anything else higher will make you lose your edge and ride downwind.

3) Keep your front foot almost straight and ride the chop with your backfoot.

4) Go to the OCEAN as others have said, and ride in a real breeze rather than gusty conditions. It is hard for even an expert rider to keep upwind at melville.

5) Go out on the right kite size for the given conditions, youll realize this when your bar is almost at the QR, I depower any kite to about 3cm above, if the wind backs off, work and sign it hard, a bar all the way out will roll your shoulders forward and youll ride downwind unless very good.

6) get your board and kite combo right for the condtions you ride in.

7) Dont ride too fast, keep a happy medium between board speed and control. Due to apparent wind the faster you go the more you ride downwind.

8) Do long tacks unless you cant swim that far. you lose a lot of ground when you tack. Only go out as far as you can swim in with a potential flogging.

9) Get over your harness, the hips in relation to the bar is the key, lean over your harness. this is a skill when you onhook.

10) Dont stress too much, sometimes you dont have the right kite/board combo when you are beginning, and the next session is magic. I know you have had lessons and are responsibly, but a more experienced guy can point out your flaws easily, a discovery lesson takes longer, pay him back by going to vintage Cellars and buy a 6 pack to drink afterwards, when youve had a good session.

My 10 commandments. And I anit no Noah in the water, Im still learning after sailing windsurfing and kiting since 2003. you only get better, safer, and more responsible and proactive of other beginners

thanks for that mate! I'll put them all to practice! I'm really keen to get away from melville and go to the ocean. get away from all the gusts and big crowds and totally focus on what I'm doing. I'll study these tips and next time when the wind is up I'm sure they will help me out heaps! thanks buddy!

hey rick good to see your progressing,your ahead of me,but this thead is good timing for me as well thanks all