Stay connected in the wind. This forum is for anyone who rides the wind, winter or summer, on whatever board suits their fancy. Share the stoke, find out where people are going, ask any question, share your discoveries, and discuss any esoteric idea you may have related to the pursuit of wind. Please keep it positive.
Greetings from Hudson Wisconsin. Can some of you kite experts give me some advice. I started kiteboarding last year and had a couple of great runs befor the season was over. I am 200 lbs. and ride a Cabrihna CO2 18m2. My board is a Naish biderectional 174 x 38. I could not quite keep upwind and had to be boated back to my starting point
My question is if you belive that a wider and shorter board with moire paralel rails would make it easier to go upwind, or if it all just my skills on what I have. I was thinking an AIRUSH SWITCH 155 x 45 ?????. Can't wait to get out again. SteveB have you warmed up the lake yet?
Christian
I use a 2002 Naish TT 5"9. The sides of the board are actually quite curved, but I never really had trouble going upwind, except on light wind days.
Which makes me to wonder if you had enough power to go upwind. With your big kite, I think that anything above 12 kts should be ok. A board with more surface area will provide more force to keep you above the water in low wind conditions, but I am not sure about increasing upwind ability.
One trick that I use is to look at a point somewhere upwind when I ride. It makes your body turn just a little upwind, making the climb a little easier.
Hi Christian. We have not had a windy day since the ice went off, the wind dropped before I got home tonight and rubbed it in even more by starting to cap just as the sun went down.
Saturday theres a chance of something so I plan to try and get out then, though I probably just jinxed it by saying I'd get out.
After this winter, Kiting, I have decided I just have to learn to water kite this year, so I'll come out and make you look good.
The board you've got is fine, especially for your size (I'm 200lbs, too). You'll just need some more time on the water before upwinding kicks in for you. Denis's tip about pointing at something on shore is great - just make sure it is upwind!
Heh - but seriously, pointing at something is great, just watch for wind shifts. You definitely need a bit of wind, at least 12-15knots before you will be getting upwind. As you get better, your skills will improve to the point where you can get upwind in less and less wind. To much wind causes the same problem - hard to stay upwind, but as you get better you learn how to hold down that much wind and bite the rail.
Just keep at it, and don't give ground to the kite. Especially in light wind, ride that line between planing comfortably and digging in your rail. Don't let yourself go to fast! That almost certainly means you are going downwind...
Greetings from Hudson Wisconsin. Can some of you kite experts give me some advice. I started kiteboarding last year and had a couple of great runs befor the season was over. I am 200 lbs. and ride a Cabrihna CO2 18m2. My board is a Naish biderectional 174 x 38. I could not quite keep upwind and had to be boated back to my starting point 
