fyi those old c kites carry almost exactly 1/2 of the load on your power lines 1/2 the load on your arms, so expect 25 or so pounds of force being transmitted via your arms. Very tiring. Old model kites feel like trucks.

Modern bridled kites (post 2006) carry much less force through the arms (every model is different) so somewhere between 3 to 20 pounds force with all the rest going directly into your harness.

If the 15 is too much for your shoulders, try another kite don't give up.

Your shoulders are completely irrelevant. The power in the kite is transferred to the harness hook. Even when you get yanked, it is going to mostly go through your harness. Some kites have heavier bar pressure than others, but even the heavy bar pressure kites dont have that much pressure. Your shoulders are used for steering not for holding down power. That isnt to say you could have a fluke accident where you get yanked and you dont let go of the bar fast enough.

This is for hooked in, you should probably stay away from unhooked riding.

Edt is right. new bow style kites have very little bar pressure. you can fly them with 1 finger. So to answer your question. can you kitesurf with a dodgy shoulder. most certainly yes. you will be working your shoulder a whole like more flying 4 line stunt kites without a strop.

To answer you question re pull up from sitting on the beach. No that is not enough power to get you going on the water. you need about 5 times that power at least.

Edt, acctx and plummet, thank you so much. You made it very clear. It is now an easy decision for me to go forward. I will revise my equipment accordingly.

Best regards!

I was landbkiting at the beach today. I know blasphemy!. and was thinking about the power you need to get going on the water. For me a good indicator is park the kite at the edge of the window and pull the bar in. if you do have to lean hard back against the power and do a small skud that about right. If you pull the bar in and don't have to lean back much your underpowered.

As for practice on the land try this out. practice your sitting down and using the kite to pull you up (as you suggested). But you need to power the kite at the edge of the wind not right through the power zone. That is cheating. Once up try signing the kite up and down at the edge of the window to skid you down the beach. If you can skud seamlessly endlessly down the your doing good.

Hi Symont:

I'm sorry but I could only bring myself to look at the comments up to your above post. I was looking for ONE "expert" who might have asked about the specific conditions of your beach. Perhaps I missed it, but I didn't see ANY. This should give you an idea of the amount of thought given to YOUR specific question.

I think you are doing EXACTLY the RIGHT thing.

The FIRST thing we teach students is how to control a kite on land which is exerting enough force to drag them HARD (anywhere from 20-40 feet at a time). I suggest that you start sitting down. This position gives maximum control because you have MORE TRACTION, LOWER CENTER OF GRAVITY AND YOUR FACE IS NOT AS FAR FROM THE GROUND.

This makes it harder for the kite to pull you off balance. Losing your balance is BY FAR the most common way that kiters lose control of their kites due to the instinctive reaction of PULLING back on the bar and thereby oversteering the kite into the power. Whenever you feel like there's too much power but haven't decided to use your quick release, SIT DOWN.

Once you are comfortable getting dragged reasonably hard while standing (leaning back as far as possible), practice using your QR until it is as automatic as possible. I suggest you also try using it while you're getting dragged on your stomach and dragged on your back (you'll find it's a LOT different than just standing and using it).

At Malibu Kitesurfing, we believe that learning the foregoing maximizes safe practicing because WHEN you UNEXPECTEDLY receive too much power (VERY LIKELY in this area), you are MUCH more likely to keep control rather than freak out and make things worse.

You might be interested in the article on our web site "Why Practice Works".
http://www.MalibuKitesurfing.NET

Good luck.

Richard M.
Malibu Kitesurfing - since 2002
(310) - 430 - KITE (5483)
http://www.MalibuKitesurfing.NET
kfRichard@MalibuKitesurfing.NET

You should definitely kneeboard with the kite on water before you do anything else.

Too bad you are so far Richard, I would otherwise registered to your school right away.

Your "Why Practice Works" section is indeed quite valuable. It is the best condense yet complete piece of mental preparation I have read over the net. But what sold me to your school is your "How We Differ" section. Quite refreshing. Finally something that make sence in our commercial World and its I-want-everything-for-yesterday-with-no-effort attitude.

Just too bad you are so far! Thank you for your time and wisdom.

Flyingweasel, this site has been my reference up until now. But thanks anyway, it is a good suggestion.

The Liquid Force Proof will be OK for learning waterstarts. After that, I would dump it ASAP and get a better board, that one is a real dog and will not help you as you progress. But get some lessons and upgrade your kites first.