So I did the WAKSA Redkite Downwinder, and discovered how different it is going downwind is than it is going upwind.

It was a great event, but I really wasn't expecting it to be so hard finding a balance between keeping the kite flying with enough tension on the lines and maintain a good angle downwind.

I've heard people say before how it's harder to go downwind than upwind, so I thought it might be good to have a thread for advice on good riding technique on doing a downwinder on a TT.

Since I started learning my first objective was to be able to ride upwind, now I find it much easier to ride upwind. and have been able to well for some time now.
But I've not put any work into riding downwind.

How do you do it?

On the downwinder I tried edging, but ended up going upwind, or keeping position, not going downwind.
I tried riding more towards the kite but lost tension in the lines, so I tried 'surfing' the board a bit more, trying to do half s-bends.
That was a bit more successful, but I couldn't get the speed to match the rest of the field, some guys were motoring downwind and I need to know how to do that!

I'm after all of your collective wisdom so I know what to practice, please advise...

Toeside.

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Wanga F One said...
Toeside.

You mean like doing full s-bends, heelside to toeside all the way?

If you want to go downwind on a TT, boost 5 times each tack on a nice fast broad reach. TT's arent really designed to ride directly downwind. Problem solved and much more fun.

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oceanfire said...

Wanga F One said...
Toeside.

You mean like doing full s-bends, heelside to toeside all the way?

I think he means just riding toeside while traveling down wind.

There is a definite sweet spot when riding down wind, for maximum speed. I'll use less backfoot heal pressure, flatten the board out a little, make sure the kites trimmed correctly and start hooking!

Yep,for me at least I find it easy to just ride toeside. But in saying that I don't do a lot of down winders but I find when I do it seems the way to go( for me).

Sweet spot indeed.
Was trying to find it, but edging was not giving me the angle downwind I needed, I also tried edging on then off and on again so I didn't over run the kite, but the power of course was on off on off too.

That sweet spot is hard to find

Jumping sounds good, but I was just playing it safe being my first downwinder.

Will have to get some practice at big sweeping carves happening.

I find falling off, losing my board and inverting my kite works well for me

You have to build apparent wind in order to go downwind with this foil shape.
So start off on a reach (across the wind) and sign your kite hard up and down and when it's pulling you downwind stand upright slightly to go with it. You want to keep signing the kite but also keep a slight edge to keep the tension and speed.
If the wind eases you need to come up closer to a reach and the if a gust hits run with it. It's all about keeping a good balance between speed and direction.

The faster you go the more downwind you will be able to point

When going down wind 'at high speed' and skipping across chop and swell - just keep signing the kite on the high side of the clock or youll nose dive eventually.. this will give you some upwards tension to skip the board and to avoid slamming full speed into the back of swell...

That means you have to steer it back up 'BEFORE' you normaly would, as you are relying on apparent kite speed for that bottom stroke, remember when chasing the kite almost directly downwind at full speed - its easy to overun the kite going down swell when your on that bottom stroke.

A bit of timing practise - and ride tail heavy, youll get it wired

I find I just work the kite a bit nothing crazy other wise you'll be barrelling down wind fast and get out of control.

I also find the kite responds better if I have it fully trimmed so less back line slack as I am not worried about the bar being in the sweet spot as my stance is a bit more up right on a TT and it gives you better control over the kite

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allano said...
I find falling off, losing my board and inverting my kite works well for me

Good one

Boost!

loop it!

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Plummet said...
loop it!

We just work on our tricks
Big boosts. Kite loops. Backrolls. Huge carving turns. Popping to toe side. Farting around in the surf. Speed runs. Whatever is fun really and you'll loose meters while having loads of fun
The goal is not really to just run down the coast but enjoy your session without worrying about the upwind effort.

Yep what plummet said loop it,I usually throw toeside and loop about a half doz times one way then switch and loop the other way if it's light,if it's moderate I throw toe and just drift the kite with a few well timed loops to increase board speed,comes down to how well your kite drifts and how quick you can loop it with less tension,practice is the key.

All good advice guys
How about board position though?
That was probably my biggest failing.

While I was sining the kite I'd edge when it was on the way down and ease off the edge when it was on the way up, but I didn't seem to be getting the controlled speed I wanted, as in fast, ( or thought I should be).

I also tried riding the board flatter and had fun trying to slash it around like a surfboard.

But if you want to do a good speed run, is it just ride it flat and loop?

Oceanfire you are over complicating things, just do a few more and you will dial it in.

I did the Redkite Downwinder on a TT, it was heaps of fun! First time I'd travelled downwind. In contrast, I found it fairly easy and relaxing. In fact I think that aspect is critical, when I relaxed and didn't think too much, it just seemed to happen.

I experimented a bit but what seemed to work was putting a lot more weight on the front foot, but not perfectly flat, and attempting to ride a very different direction to normal kiting, while really feeling the kite and iit being just powered up.

Kept the kite largely in the power zone, letting it sit low and attempted to sometimes keep it parked. So it was low where the wind was up, but when it slackened off I would take it higher and do very, very slow signing, just enough to keep the kite moving. When signing, on the down stroke I found I would bring the bar in, and feel like I was pulling the kite, and on the upstroke I let the bar out a bit, and it felt like the kite was pulling me. Then with the kite either parked deep in the power zone, or moving slowly in this fashion, my favourite bit was I found it was possible to control the tension in the lines just by changing the board direction one moment to the next, which really amounted to very minor change in degree of edging. So the kite was just a smidgen above slack lines. It did stall twice, momentarily, but it was in the power zone, so quickly changing my degree of edge meant it would re-start easily. That was my experience anyway.

For context, I weigh 81kg, have a 137cm TT, and was using a 12m Switchblade.

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eppo said...
Oceanfire you are over complicating things, just do a few more and you will dial it in.

What can I say, I like to analyze

If I'm not doing it on the water, I'm doing it in my head.

But it is true, definitely need to do more more more!

Pinnaz to Mullaz anyone?

Lots of tricks. Or just ride as fast as you can!
Pinza to mullaz can be done in about 5 min! I use to race my girlfriend driving her car.
Go for a decent downwinder, 30km minimum and you'll figure it out.

I agree with looping it,

When i go downwind fast on a TT i find its quickest to angle between downind and edging and when kite starts to lose power just loop and go straight downwind while its looping then back to your angle, over and over, LOOP LOOP LOOP

Just think - skier behind a boat.
And Yep - for once the nausea inducing post "loop it" fits perfectly.

Agree with the looping plan - but don't loose concentration. I was way upwind the other week, and so had to head downwind at the end of the session on my TT. Was cruising in, looping as needed, but then had a brain f#rt and started edging just as I downlooped the kite directly downwind of me - monster superman to gut-slam

if you go too down wind just cut back to get line tension then start looping again.

big kites are more difficult. little kites on windy ways are easy.

Just boost large ride a kite that is overpowered by about 2m