Hi all. Finally now getting to my feet and riding. Still learning every day but seem to come across an on going issue with edging. When I get to my feet and go with the kite for a bit for speed and then start to edge I find my boarding is skimming side ways @ 180 degrees and not so much edging and ending is a piss funny stack. I think may be issue with ride position, to much speed from initial start and then edging too late, not digging the heal in and leaning back as much as I should. Can anyone pinpoint what I'm doing wrong and any tips of how correct this. Cheers Daddo

Bend your back leg more and straighten your front...... Your weight should also be more over your back leg. You are also probably leaning a little too far back if the board is skimming out

Yes sounds like you r getting too much speed. As per previous keep more wait on back foot and keep your shoulders back and hips up so that you take the power of your kite thru ur harness thus allowing you to go upwind. Dig in hard with ur back leg when gusting to keep ur speed down also. You are always balancing the strength of the wind with how much you lean back against the kite. Hope this helps.

Hey Daddo , know the feeling well, when i get into that sideways out of control slightly overpowered motion, i firstly let the bar out to slow the momentum then lean back to tension the lines and that gets you into a carve, (board on angle instead of flat) then as beanz and harry say, legs, shoulders, look in the direction of travel, etc etc.

Have fun, youre so close to gettin it!

Thanks all for your comments and help. Cheers

The direction you face is the direction you will go, try turning your body to the direction you want to go, as I am guessing you are now looking straight at the kite, straight downwind.....

Stick ya dick to the sky, will straighten ya legs, and dig ya heels in, and keep you focussed on your dick.

Basically all of the above. The last comment from Paul is the easiest and best tip you can get.
Most sports are very dependant on where you look. If you are learning to ride a motorbike the first thing you will get told is - the bike will go where you look.
If your whole board is sliding downwind, you most likely will be looking downwind toward the kite and have your weight evenly balanced between both feet and leaning back too far.
By straightening the front leg it will force most of the weight onto the back foot, look in the direction you want to go (over your upwind shoulder) and this will cause your shoulders to twist upwind and help position your weight correctly. This will also create a turning moment which causes your board to track to where your head and shoulders are pointing.
Also the comment about taking the pull of the kite trough the harness is valid as well. In the early stages you tend to have a 'poo stance' and hang onto the pull of the kite through the bar. This tends to square your body position up and cause some of the issues discussed. The pull force should be through the harness and the kite should be flown lightly through the bar with the bar floating on its sweet spot (a relaxed feeling,not hanging on.)
Once you relax, look in the direction you want to go and straighten that front leg it will start to fall into place.

All the above is great advice - but - in my experience you do have to think about - "visualise" - digging in the fin under your back foot to get the board to edge and fly up wind!!

This also means you probably have around 60 to 70 % of your weight on your back leg - you will fell the pressure when you have it happening (thats why I like surfboards!! fins to drive off and so much easier on the old body!!) just my 2cw !!

Sounds like you are ' so close' - enjoy!!

Biggest help for me was when I was told to push my cock out. This sets up your stance for edging really well.

Yep I wasn't being a smart ass. Yet the red thumbs. Keep it simple mate to start from then revisit some of the more detailed posts here which were all good advice.

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eppo said...
Stick ya dick to the sky, will straighten ya legs, and dig ya heels in, and keep you focussed on your dick.

good example of what eppo is trying to say in the dvd "kiteboarding 101" with pushing your hips forward. try to get a copy

Thanks all for all the great advice. Dick to the Sky. Got it! Thanks again all, Appreciated

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eppo said...
Stick ya dick to the sky, will straighten ya legs, and dig ya heels in, and keep you focussed on your dick.

Love the kite, love the kite, love the kite

Something I've noticed myself doing lately is along with digging the heals in, I also pull the toes on the front foot up - almost trying to twist the board between both feet. its hard to explain but seems to help pivot the board off the rear heal and dig that rear corner in even further.

yep curl up them toes , get your hand off the bar and really lean into it, dont let your kite bully you, your the daddy,

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cauncy said...
yep curl up them toes , get your hand off the bar and really lean into it, dont let your kite bully you, your the daddy,

I could go somewhere with this but i grow up today

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Ugly said...

cauncy said...
yep curl up them toes , get your hand off the bar and really lean into it, dont let your kite bully you, your the daddy,

I could go somewhere with this but i grow up today

Oh damn...go on say what you were gonna say ugly...please.

Hey Daddo
You could also be going too downwind, catching up to the kite and therefore reducing its power. When you then start edging you are tensioning up the lines and putting on the power in one great hit rather than a gentle increase.
Try starting at around 45 degrees downwind with a little bit of edge (and back foot pressure) and then start turning the board more upwind as you pickup speed. Increasing edge and leaning back further is a good way to slow your speed if you start going too fast.

Check out Peters tips on this link:
kitesurfing-handbook.peterskiteboarding.com/progression/water-start

Hope this helps
Gateman

Eppo - Great advice, had the leg thing sorted (or so I thought) tried your "dick in the air) made a massive difference. Best Sunday / Monday ever.

KISS really works

Haha I was fanging around at Pt Walter this morning way overpowered thrusting at the kite and chanting "farq the kite... farq the kite..." couldn't stop laughing!!

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cutch said...
Haha I was fanging around at Pt Walter this morning way overpowered thrusting at the kite and chanting "farq the kite... farq the kite..." couldn't stop laughing!!

Classic

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cutch said...
Haha I was fanging around at Pt Walter this morning way overpowered thrusting at the kite and chanting "farq the kite... farq the kite..." couldn't stop laughing!!

Lol...that's funny sh1t. Yeh this advice has worked for the few crew I've helped, the ones that know me just went with it, the others I didn't just looked at me real weird. Fair enough. Lol.

Great tips, I'm having the same problem. Gotta try these out sometime before the season is over.
Cheers!