well after loosing my board again I am back to the drawing board on how to effectively retrieve my board after a bad fall I'm familiar with me technique of body dragging back and forth but in doing so there are times when I lose sight of the board. I have used the GoPro in the past but do not like the bulky thing on my board plus every time you let go the board it starts going down wind. I would like to create something that could be attached to the board that would cause it to self right and would be visible from a distance . Any ideas out there thanks old man

Ocean Rodeo sell a product called the GO JOE. Have a google.

I have tried the Gojo and it's great if you fall down when from your bored because it will come to you the downside is that every time you let go of your board the thing goes flying off.. I would like something that doesn't act like a sail but instead wood upright the board and be visible. Any ideas

If you still have your kite in the air then it slowly moving downwind of you shouldn't be a drama?

The Go Joe concept, but at a smaller scale.

Grab a child's floaty armband (the bright orange ones), loosen one side of your handle and slip the armband over the handle.
Refit the handle.
Inflate armband.
Receive sneers and abuse from mate.
Ignore sneers and abuse until proficient at keeping gear on your feet.
Remove armband in a dramatic show confidence in front of mates.
Drink beer and be happy.

Hi Oldman4

People who struggle with board recovery typically lack some skill or simply don't have a good recovery strategy, or both.

I suggest you read my post in this thread at the bottom of the page : www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/UPWIND-BODY-DRAGGING/

Christian

Agree, I am not a great kiter because I only ride waves but I can't jump but I never used a recovery line or anything like that for my board and in 5 years or even more of kitesurfing I never lost a board and I went to places like Morocco, Cape Verde, Brasil where it's very easy to lose a board.Just master the skill of body drag and board recovery and you will soon realize that you don't need anything.Also, I saw too many kiters injured with a recovery leash so I kindly suggest you to stay away from any "evil" recovery leash.

Answer is easy....use a leash when you think bodydragging wont cut it...
Occasionally in some conditions you just know no amount of body dragging will get your board back.

As mentioned sometimes events seperate you from your board,
But lack of kite skills is a benefactor, if you can fly single handed on both sides then that allow your free arm to act as a rudder pointing you further upwind, also many forget to drastically depower their kite when they first become dislodged, try not to take your eye off it , many just put their head down body drag for 100 Mtrs, turn around and the boards gone,
Also depends on how much you cherish your board, I've arse dragged myself over dry reef to get mine
Remember the first time as a nipper when you lost your mum , well it's a bit like that

I recommend a young wife with a jetski

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cauncy said...
Remember the first time as a nipper when you lost your mum , well it's a bit like that

Interesting analogy Mick! My memory is I was always running away from mine. Not that she was bad, love her, but always something interesting elsewhere haha

Loosing a board is a common problem - but it comes from not having spatial awareness ! if you are kiting RH forward and crash then your board will behind you ?? and will always be upwind. DOH ? some guys even count the seconds between getting separated from their board to give an estimate of how far they should body drag back . If All else fails - use the kite to do a mini boost to get about 3' off the water to look around for your board - it will be up wind of you!!

School of Hard Knox...I'm with you mate but there's only one way you're gonna learn. Bit of tough love in the big bad ocean with piers and breakwalls but it has enlightened me. Less talk -more action- there's more of us newbs than you think- what got me to grow a set was realising it's a first world problem..

Just learn how to body drag efficiently please - it is an ESSENTIAL BASIC SKILL and once you get it it will save you a lot of trouble and it's much safer than a leash.

Yes it is not fun but spend a few sessions dumping your board on purpose and really working on getting it back.

Pro-tip: when body dragging in one direction, keep a straight body and stretch out your arm to act as a rudder. Depower your kite completely and get it to the edge of the window as far as you can. Once you think "OK this is far enough time to turn around and bodydrag the other way", don't: just keep going some more. Everytime you switch sides you go downwind again. If you learn how to body drag efficiently you should get 90% of your boards back in 1 big tack of 20m maximum. Once you make the click it's easy!

As said above ..armband or line of polystyrene on handle...(which you could paint black etc)...which will flip it make it more visible and be a small sail...also as said above v v v occasionally in big waves no upwinding will get it back...especially in eight metre plus deep green mucky vis where a great white might be hanging out!!
..have seen some pple who use a leash anyway despite the bouncing back hit the head type situation..mostly though only because of fear of loosing board in grt,white territory thats their reason
97% of the time except rare large waves far out to sea conditions it can be retreaved by good tight LONG 50m one arm as a rudder bodyD as said above also.good luck..

Also..if u loose sight of the board if u havent allready do a jump to.try and see it but I guess u allready thought of that

Yeah i often get that jaws music in my head when i"m body dragging in deep water.

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strekke said..
Just learn how to body drag efficiently please - it is an ESSENTIAL BASIC SKILL and once you get it it will save you a lot of trouble and it's much safer than a leash.

Yes it is not fun but spend a few sessions dumping your board on purpose and really working on getting it back.

Pro-tip: when body dragging in one direction, keep a straight body and stretch out your arm to act as a rudder. Depower your kite completely and get it to the edge of the window as far as you can. Once you think "OK this is far enough time to turn around and bodydrag the other way", don't: just keep going some more. Everytime you switch sides you go downwind again. If you learn how to body drag efficiently you should get 90% of your boards back in 1 big tack of 20m maximum. Once you make the click it's easy!

Another Pro-tip: if you can't ride upwind, you can more than likely body-drag upwind. Handy for getting back to the launch and not having to walk the shame off.

Ducktape a phone near your inflate valve, get google glasses and search for your board full HD with wind widgets ;D

Yeah yeah bodydrag upwind :| What about when there are pointy waves which get u downwind (or should i say slower upwind) faster than your board? I had this problem, i could hold the line but i was pretty powered even sheeted and trimmed out, tiny upwind angle + waves slapping me down :\ I can see why leash would be beneficial but i would never use it to learn jumps, loops, yanks etc... Just, u know, practicing upwind xD

OMG thats not a bad idea Oldman, (safety flag) a third of the length would be fine!

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oldman4 said..
well after loosing my board again I am back to the drawing board on how to effectively retrieve my board after a bad fall I'm familiar with me technique of body dragging back and forth but in doing so there are times when I lose sight of the board. I have used the GoPro in the past but do not like the bulky thing on my board plus every time you let go the board it starts going down wind. I would like to create something that could be attached to the board that would cause it to self right and would be visible from a distance . Any ideas out there thanks old man

This




Or spend big $$ on the same effect with this.

nice work Lofty