warehosue13 - scooter with a board rack, then filter like a maniac is the answer to your traffic woes. Im considering it :)

silodrome.com/powered-paragliding-kit/ . Keep a low profile near the airport!

Ok so, last time out I finally got to give my new gopro line mount a go that my boys got me for xmas.
It's not the greatest video of all time obviously but I am pretty impressed with the shot angle, when I can actually get up and stay up I am sure I can get some much better vids

Hey all, I have missed most of this post since it's beginning, but thought I'd try my luck anyhow. I'm a newbie (very new!) looking for people to go kitesurfing with mainly during the week. I've as yet only done it in Newcastle, thus unfamiliar with the best beginner spots around sydney. Anyone out there willing to show me around? Cheers Phoebe

Hey there!

I'm new to the sport as well, and would love some buddies to learn with who are in a similar place! Have spent a lot of time watching kite surfers fly around and finally decided to give it a go myself! I've had 3 lessons -- got up on the board and going a bit on #3 and am in the process of getting my own gear now so I can get out there on my own and start to really get the hang of it. Just trying to make sense of which size kite to start out with...

Hoping to get out some evenings after work but it's proving difficult during the week. Have been going Fridays and want to get some longer weekend sessions in as well. Hoping to be out there this upcoming week/weekend if anyone will be around Botany Bay?

k

Nah was too busy icing it last night, thankfully that has gotten rid of most of the swelling. Nice little gash though

I wish I was as positive as you, every time I tried to edge and start going up wind I just lost all power in the kite and had to start again. Still making plenty of stupid newbie mistakes as well, just need more time on the water.

The other thing with Kurnell is that there is HEAPS of seaweed and the odd urchin so you have to be careful. Also the NE at Kurnell means you have to start from the beach going goofey so is a good spot to practise if you are struggling with it.

Awesome pic. This could easily summarize my current progression as submarine :).

I am able to stay on the board with preference towards left. The other side (right) still needs some more work but there was much going on during the last sessions. However, I have not tried to edge the board yet. Could someone of you please summarize what I have to do?

What I know is probably wrong.
- Kite at 45?
- hang into harness
- most pressure on the backfoot.

I don't know how this works with having a good amount of rocker? Also how much do I have to go downwind before edging the board (10m, 20m)?

Thanks!

Cheers
Tobias

Going downwind when you first waterstart seems to have a couple of functions.


First is if you give the kite too much power, you can just point your board directly at the kite and hopefully not do a superman. As soon as the power is manageable, that's when you edge otherwise your lines will go slack and you'll lose all power.


You also point the board downwind a bit when first starting to get enough speed to get up and planing on the water. In super strong winds, I seem to be able to point the board across wind and get going, in lighter winds pointing a bit downwind seems to help me speed up. Edge when you up to speed. Sometimes I get it wrong and didn't give the kite enough power - I try to keep pointing in the same direction (part downwind, part across) and sine/dive the kite heavily until it catches or I fall in completely.


If you're getting up and going, you're ALREADY edging! I'm just learning to stay upwind, and last session worked better by putting a lot of pressure on my heels and swearing at the sea in my head. I always sort of thought that if I put too much pressure on my heels I'd lose the edge, but it seems to work fine.

jms said..
If you're getting up and going, you're ALREADY edging!

I have to disagree on that one mate. You can get up and going and not edge which is what most newbies (including myself) do for their first runs until they comfortable with the board etc. If you are pointing more downwind than you are across is then there is a good chance you are going to be up and going without edging, you usually ride the board very flat and just plane across the surface, it is not until you put pressure on your heels and lean back onto the heel side of your board that you are actually edging. Doing this will also direct your board across the wind window and ultimately how you start going up wind (just keep adding pressure to your back heel).

Example 1 - Planning is also given away by the amount of white wash either side of the board, if you are edging, all the force on the water is being pushed out the toe side and you should have next to no white wash at your heels. You'll notice it looks more like the wake from a boat, the front of my board is out of the water and there is wake coming from both sides even though I have traveled 10+ meters, this is how i ride mostly but I'm starting to edge more.




Example 2 - Edging. This is an exaggerated example but you can actually see where I stop planning and start edging where the white wash on the heel side stops. Notice how the water is being shot out the front of my board, that is because I have the back edge in and the bottom of the board is being used to push against the kite and keep the tension in the lines. This is ultimately what you should be aiming for once you get past your first few 100-200m runs downwind just planning.




Also you'll notice the angle of the kite in relation to my body and angle of my board, when I am planning the kite is pulling me directly along the length of my board, you will gain speed very quickly as there is no resistance and as JMS said you can easily outrun the kite, lines go slack, you lose power and have to start again. Whereas in the shot where I am planning the kite is almost at 90 degrees to me and the board, the board is being used almost like a brake that is keeping pressure on the lines, you then use your back foot to point the board where you want. But if you point too far upwind you will wash off too much speed like in this photo and ultimately make the kite swing around to the edge of the window and lose power which happened about 5secs after this pic haha.

Warehouse13 said..

jms said..
If you're getting up and going, you're ALREADY edging!

I have to disagree on that one mate.

Fair call - maybe I just don't know what edging *is*! I was thinking that you'll be providing lateral force (edge) no matter what you do, so long as you're not getting dragged directly downwind by the kite. What you're showing is when the board gets up and planing. I sometimes also plane without edging - usually if it's too strong and I lose my edge while planing - just skip off over the water at top speed until I crash or catch up with the kite and crash.

I'm heading out now. Hopefully there's enough wind, but it'll be good to be underpowered rather than overpowered for once. Hopefully I can catch up with you guys later in the week too.

jms said..

Warehouse13 said..

jms said..
If you're getting up and going, you're ALREADY edging!

I have to disagree on that one mate.

Fair call - maybe I just don't know what edging *is*! I was thinking that you'll be providing lateral force (edge) no matter what you do, so long as you're not getting dragged directly downwind by the kite. What you're showing is when the board gets up and planing. I sometimes also plane without edging - usually if it's too strong and I lose my edge while planing - just skip off over the water at top speed until I crash or catch up with the kite and crash.

I'm heading out now. Hopefully there's enough wind, but it'll be good to be underpowered rather than overpowered for once. Hopefully I can catch up with you guys later in the week too.

Yeah edging is only when you have that heel side (or toeside when you are advanced) edge in and the opposing edge pretty much out of the water. If you haven't already, I strongly suggest anyone that hasn't to go and watch the Progressive DVD for beginners. I have watched it countless times and learn something new every time.

I'll be out tomorrow, work permitting. First carpark is the first carpark when driving south where kites are up in the air. It's just after a playground I think.

I got two good runs in today before the wind dropped even further and I could hardly keep the kite in the air. I did have fun seeing what happens when I send it in a loop though

Warehouse13 said..

I hope you were reaching for the QR when this happened.

Hah, I was more worried that there wasn't enough power to get the kite back up to zenith! It was nice in the lighter winds, feeling 100% (ish) in control of the situation, rather than struggling to hang on and not get thrown about.

I'm not sure what you're imagining, I was mostly just laid back in the water playing with the kite (not enough power to get going), with a break to stand in the water trying to encourage my kite to get off the beach and back into the air!

I'm heading out after lunch. Blue and white 11m crazyfly kite, with yellow struts, if anyone wants to say hi :)

Nice to meet you today jms and manlykiter! Hopefully I'll get over my fear of getting stranded in the middle of the bay soon and actually take my board out next time!