New water kiter observation

[steveb]

I'm taking my winter kiting to the water, I know there are a couple of other middle aged loonies that are doing the same thing at the moment. I thought we might be able to help each other by sharing good and bad experiences.
I got out for the first time on Sunday, had a great time, managed a small jump, didn't die.
I did learn something and I thought I'd better share it with you other old teenagers.
I use a leash for my board ,half the time on the water I don't know where I am, the last thing I want is to be all setup and not know where my board is. It' a beginner thing... a security blanket.
So I've heard guys say " if you use a board leash wear a helmet" No one said WHY!.
I wasn't going to be going crazy why the hell did I need a helmet.
To you other beginners the reason you need the helmet is when the kite drags you at high speed downwind your inertia transmits to your board, if you are doing 10 knots so is your board. But when you stop because you have got the kite into the neutral position your board does NOT !!!! stop.
Ouch! my board hit me hard enough to break the nose and give me a huge egg plus enough blood to tempt a very small ( teeny weenie ) shark.
If you experienced guys have any more "DUH" no brainer things you think I should know please share. And please explain them so a moron like me will understand.
Thanks.

[Tighe]

sorry to hear about that Steve. Yeah that's the reason for the helmet precisely.

Some other tidbits:
Don't use a wrist leash....rotator cuff is far too fragile at our age. Clip it to your harness, with a QR just in case it doesn't depower.

Use a reel leash, less chance of board coming back at ya.

When near shore, keep your kite lower and out toward the lake. If the kite is directly overhead and a gust hits, you have exactly your own body weight to hold it down. So you go up. If you have it low and to the lake, you'll can put about 2-3 times your body weight through the lines, and you're only getting pulled out away from shore.

If you roll up your kite in the water keep the valve out of the water or close it after rolling it. Water in the bladder is not so good.

Don't roll up your kite wet...it will mold

If the wind lulls and the kite starts flying backwards, grab the front lines and tug consecutively to start the flow of air past the foil again.

If the kite falls back into the window...hang on, it may powerup and give you a tug.

If you go up and are coming down too fast, pull your feet up and land on your butt. Save your knees.

Don't let the kite win. If you give over to the kite and it pulls you on a bit of a reach, be prepared because you may not be able to recover. When you steer off your course the kite falls farther back in the window making it hard to regain your course, putting the kite farther back in the window, as you head downwind, you're doing mach 6 toward the kite and depowering the kite and making it unresponsive..and did i mention you're going mach 6 with a kite you can't control. Bottom line, don't let the kite win.

So nothing earth shattering. Thought I had more. I'm sure others have some good ones.

[Tom L]

The advice I have heard is that if you must use a leash, use a "reel' type leash and wear a helmet. You still could be injured but not as likely. I got hit in the shoulder by a board when I was in Cabarete and the resulting cut required 6 stitches, and it was deep as hell. Those elastic leashes can bring the board back like a missile. If I had been hit in the head without a helmet I am sure I would have been knocked out. As soon as you can body drag up wind a little, or just sideways, ditch the leash.

[steveb]

Thanks for the tips.

[twill]

Great tips, and explenations! Thanks fellas. This is gold.

[ljhill]

Great tips!

Do you have to wear a water helmet?
Can I just throw on a old bike helemet...hehe..
it's that or I'm starting without a leash!

-L