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davesails7 wrote:

KYLakeKiter wrote:I have been working on my flexibility this winter with specific boardoff maneuvers in mind hoping it will pay off when the water warms up here.

What kind of stretches are you doing? Right now, if do the regular standing stretch (bend over with legs straight, feet together, and try to touch my toes) my finger tips are still 6 inches above the floor Maybe my legs are too long or arms too short... Hopefully if I start stretching every day this will improve and I'll be able to reach that board handle by summer!

I feel ya brother. At 46, sometimes my hamstrings feel like dynema. I run alot and always stretch before, but I have been noticing improvement by stretching after as well. Like Toby mentioned, crouching and stretching my knees seems like something I need as well (which is something I never worried about while stretching for running). I have also recently started raising my feet as high as possible while doing pull ups. Thats not really stretching, but it is a heck of an ab workout.

BTW, I am just at the begginner level of boardoffs. More of my boardoffs are unintentional, and I am often happy just to have my board in hand when I hit the water (occasionally I land one). Like everyone else, I am working on it. I just need more sessions. This winter is going way too long

davesails7 wrote:

KYLakeKiter wrote:I have been working on my flexibility this winter with specific boardoff maneuvers in mind hoping it will pay off when the water warms up here.

What kind of stretches are you doing? Right now, if do the regular standing stretch (bend over with legs straight, feet together, and try to touch my toes) my finger tips are still 6 inches above the floor Maybe my legs are too long or arms too short... Hopefully if I start stretching every day this will improve and I'll be able to reach that board handle by summer!

May i humbly suggest that you go get some yoga lessons. I've been doing yoga for five years just for kitesurfing. I'm no expert, but knowing how to stretch helps avoid breaking your inside bits. And its good fun. For example just bending over isn't really that good for you. You want to aim for a flat lower back, rounding it will put huge pressure on your spine discs and sciatic nerve.

If you need strength, try pilates, this will increase your core strength which is important for kiting where there is a lot of tension between your upper and lower body.

Good luck.

edt wrote: board off is slower so you jump, board off, and then while you are putting the board back on redirect the kite for landing. cant just hold the kite at 12 all day.

This little tip helped me quite a bit. Been practicing full board offs for the past 6-12 month but only manage to land 1 in 10. For my last two session I tried redirecting the kite earlier (while I'm busy getting the board back on) and I seem to be landing about 5 out of 10 attempts now. I'm grabbing the board by the heal side edge around the fin as they explained in the progression dvd so haven't tried grabbing it by the handle yet.

Funny I find that I need to stop myself redirecting to early. Say left han don the bar, right hnad holding the heelside rail at the fins like you described, hanging by the left hand sometimes cause the kite to redirect to early. so I have been putting the center line between the index and ring finger to stop this happening.

Earlier on this post there was a discussion of a larger grab handle and possibly making one by bending PVC. I opted to use PVC elbows instead of bending it, but here is what I came up with. This is schedule 40 3/4 inch PVC. I simply cut some elbows to make the feet. This was really easy and would be a simple way to get the specific size grab handle you want. This one ended up 5 1/2 inches inside the posts and 2 inches off the board. All it needs now is some grip tape like Toby recommends.

KYLakeKiter wrote:Earlier on this post there was a discussion of a larger grab handle and possibly making one by bending PVC. I opted to use PVC elbows instead of bending it, but here is what I came up with. This is schedule 40 3/4 inch PVC. I simply cut some elbows to make the feet. This was really easy and would be a simple way to get the specific size grab handle you want. This one ended up 5 1/2 inches inside the posts and 2 inches off the board. All it needs now is some grip tape like Toby recommends.

Nice, clean looking job! I ride shin also, dont they have a stock handle that is even longer than this? Its about 3-4 inches above the deck (estimated).

flybykite wrote:

KYLakeKiter wrote:Earlier on this post there was a discussion of a larger grab handle and possibly making one by bending PVC. I opted to use PVC elbows instead of bending it, but here is what I came up with. This is schedule 40 3/4 inch PVC. I simply cut some elbows to make the feet. This was really easy and would be a simple way to get the specific size grab handle you want. This one ended up 5 1/2 inches inside the posts and 2 inches off the board. All it needs now is some grip tape like Toby recommends.

Nice, clean looking job! I ride shin also, dont they have a stock handle that is even longer than this? Its about 3-4 inches above the deck (estimated).

Yes, I am sure someone at Shinn is cringing at my redneck work here. I just did it to see how it would work. I think the only advantage over factory would just be the ability to work it to get a specific size that might not be offered. Weekend after next, I will go beat the heck out of this thing and see how well it stands up.

Woot!!!!! After nearly a week of practicing one footers went for the board off and nailed it!!!! Tried about 20 times and landed 4. Excited all over again!!

As was said before, getting the board back on is easier while the kite is moving back into the window for the landing. In all my failed attempts before, I removed the board and extended my legs but this time I decided to maintain balance by keeping my legs crunched.
My current understanding of the move is to send the kite slightly past zenith for the jump, remove the board with my back hand at the heal side tail edge, let the board swing out, when the kite slowly passes zenith again it's time to swing the board into position for the board on and landing.
I've practiced putting my back foot in hundreds of times now and don't need to look but the front foot is still foreign and I flounder around awhile trying to get the feel. Gonna sit on the balcony railing and practice it. It's true.... You only get one shot at getting it back on.

Sometimes I feel like my progression is only limited by my mental blocks.

WTG flyby!!

Nice to see your progress and it gives the rest of us hope too

Ive been wanting to do this for a while and waiting for a stronger day to get into it (blow dammit)

Keep up the good work