Hi,

There are many online video's on the topic gybing a directional kite board. What I did was watch the vids then out on low wind flat water to practise. I didn't worry if I fell off to start with, just turned the board around and sailed back in.It's good to make sure the deck of the board has plenty of progrip or wax.
Here is the link localkitespots.com/vmap.aspx

Good luck!

What in particular are you struggling with?

I'd be happy to help out if i can.
PM me
South of river

go to bed Jr its pass your bed time

Wind came in a bit late today but filled in nicely. I had an absolute RIPPER of a session on the surfboard. It's starting to come together. I still can't gybe for **** though. My feet just aren't quick enough to get out of the straps and I can't get the flick right to get it round. At this stage, on a stbd tack I just have to stop, switch feet and head back the other way. It aint cool but it lets me stay upwind.

On a port tack, I can carve around to toeside. It's still a bit sloppy but I can keep going. If I do sink a bit I can do a toeside water start. Again, a bit sloppy, but it'll get better. I can just hold ground riding toeside, not making much upwind. I can see how having the right harness really helps. My ION hummer can slide around a bit and really helps.

Any suggestions on the transitions? Maybe taking one foot out before trying to gybe? When carving to toeside, some times I just end up pointing downwind and bringing the kite over the top, letting the bar out a bit as it passes 12 so I don't get lofted, and try to maintain a consistent edge so i stay powered. Too often still I end up overflying the kite downwind and just sinking uncerimoniously. Can someone walk me through the timing of steering the kite/initiating the turn with the board?

Keen to get together for a downwinder and I can get a few tips.

dich the foot straps they only get in the way

ApatheticEnd said...

spot1 said...

dich the foot straps they only get in the way

If I were riding in better conditions I would have given it a go today. I was at woodies beach one so it was super choppy. Taking a beating in the chop didn't inspire me to take them off. The swell was up so there were some nice breaking sections but in between it was just bang bang bang.

Need a leg rope if I'm in decent waves too. Last thing I want is pissing everyone off with an errant board through the lineup.

dich the foot straps now!!!!!
get a screw driver now and take them off

at least ditch the back strap
maybe get a wide ass board... a 20ish wide will be way more stable and will keep floating at low speeds

you need to relax more and bend the knees
dont go one strap asking for knee problems

Peoples suggestions of taking off the straps to learn to gybe are spot on. It makes the job mush easier and you dont have to think so much about what your doing.

In straps it is harder, but not impossible.
Here is how I do it and works pretty good even on a small board.

To start with raise the kite kind of high so you can ride the board flat. Get your front foot nearly out of the strap, just so your toes are in.
Put your back foot up near the front one so your riding with your feet nearly together at the front strap.

Take out the front foot out, turn your body so now its the back foot. As you turn your new front foot should go into the strap.

The key is to not ride with your feet together for too long. With practice you can switch without really leaving them together at all.

Another tip is to keep your back foot out of the strap when your tacking in and out. Leave it just in front of the strap. It levels out the board much better and helps heaps in going up wind. Just put in when your back in near the waves.

i know this is an old post but i'm in the same boat. Living at brighton and have 'the mutant' from a seabreeze swap. Only just got a chance to try it but now i want to get into the swell.