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Are you ready for the waves???

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 7:37 pm
by chilidip
I have written down a checklist of the skills needed before kitesurfing in waves... Please comment if there is something that I forgot to mention. :thumb:

www.spikiteboarding.com

Kitesurfing Checklist :argue:

1) Swim – unless wearing a PFD
Are you comfortable swimming in the ocean with waves crashing on your head while your kite is dragging you? Most people are not. Wear a PFD!

2) Deepwater Self Rescue
You are all alone… Can you FLAG your kite and wrap your lines? Grab the bridle folding the wingtip and sail back to shore?

3) Upwind/Downwind body drag & duck dive Are you proficient at body dragging while ducking under the waves before they slap your face? Try it without your board before going out. Never allow a wave to push you towards your kite and slack the lines* keep it powered!

4) Relaunch procedure in waves
Let go of the bar before you stall the kite, keep some line tension and swim with the waves if the kite is pulling you under.

5) Able to fall while keeping the kite in the sky
Send it to 12 when you fall and extend your arms or just let go.

6) Change directions quickly
Slide, hop, pivot, whatever… You gotta be able to turn on a dime!

7) Downlooping
Do not let the kite fall out of the sky… A quick downloop will put your kite right back in the power zone. Downlooping makes for a stylish S-turn and a quick waterstart as well.

8) Waterstart & Ride downwind
You’ve got to get speed asap or the shorebreak will crunch you! Point your board towards your kite and get moving so you can ollie over the whitewater.

9) Jump or Chop Hop
Speed is your friend… don’t slow down and chop hop over little waves. Send it and jump over the bigger ones landing downwind keeping your speed.

10) Understand wave conditions & currents
Talk to the locals + be cool to surfers

11) Right of Way in surf
The dude on the wave has the ROW and generally* he is going to turn downwind to ride the wave, so keep clear.

12) Emergency plan/kite release protocol
What if the wind dies or turns offshore? What if the kite is getting pummeled in the waves? There are many different scenarios, but you need a plan for each! Listen and learn from others mistakes and kitemares! :oops:

NEVER do the following on a public beach or when kiting in the surf :nono:

- Never launch or land your kite with beachgoers less than 50m downwind of you
- Never fly your kite over non kiters heads
- Never ask some random person to catch your kite
- Never kite in between swimmers or surfers
- Never jump upwind of surfers
- Never kite out farther than you can swim
- Never catch a wave someone is already riding


SKILLS TO LEARN :naughty:
- Toeside
- S turns
- High Speed Carves
- Wave Slash
- Boosting off Waves
- Air Transistions
- Waveriding
- Directional Skills
- Strapless
- Jibes & Tacks

Re: Are you ready for the waves???

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:51 pm
by Bille
I'm NOT ready yet !! :(

I can do most everything listed ; could use a few more hours
of practice, switching from Heal-side to Toe-side, but once on
the toe-side i do sorta kinda ok.

What scares me Most, is that i don't have a way to get OUT of
the straps on a surfboard or a TT when i'm being drug by the kite.
while one foot is pined in, cause the other one came out. Can't bend
the ankle on the prosthetic(s) .

Would i be better off just strapping in with Both feet semi-permanently, like
wearing Boots ?

Bille

Re: Are you ready for the waves???

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:54 pm
by tautologies
Good one.

Also..sometimes it is better to let go of your kite. Avoid at any cost getting tangles by your lines depending on the size of your kite...

If your kite is in the impact zone and there is not times to relaunch, definitely at least keep a hand on your release. Once that wave hits you are in for a ride. People have broken their back by less...

Pic of Amundson on Oahu this week.

Re: Are you ready for the waves???

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 4:10 am
by sarc
Good topic. On question 1 about swimming vs. PFD...

Ask yourself if you are sure you can swim in the break wrapped in the kite lines, with a shoulder dislocated by impact, or twisted knee... if the answer is yes then you don't need the PFD :bye:

Re: Are you ready for the waves???

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 4:29 am
by plummet
seams like a fair list.

the ability to fly the kite without looking at it would also help.

Re: Are you ready for the waves???

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 4:47 am
by fernmanus
IMHO, the most important tip is to start with small waves. Get comfortable with waves that are hip high or smaller. Get your timing down before moving to larger waves.

Second, respect big waves. When the waves start getting overhead and larger, the consequences go up dramatically as well. I have seen inexperienced kiters get absolutely worked in big waves and it is not pretty - kites torn to shreds, lines wrapped around fingers, etc. You need to know what you are doing before you play in big waves.

Bille, nope you are not ready for waves with your setup. Try snowkiting instead, we always stay locked into our bindings.

Re: Are you ready for the waves???

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 2:22 am
by windrupted
sarc wrote:Good topic. On question 1 about swimming vs. PFD...

Ask yourself if you are sure you can swim in the break wrapped in the kite lines, with a shoulder dislocated by impact, or twisted knee... if the answer is yes then you don't need the PFD :bye:

Very good point. I hate safety gear, and never use it, but you have made me reconsider.

Re: Are you ready for the waves???

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 5:50 am
by Nico
I always tell my exstudents that:
1) 150% kitecontrol is the minimum you need before even thinking of going into the waves.
2) learn the rules of conduct in the waves (there is nothing more upseting than a cook getting in your way when your lining up a nice section)
3) start small and grow with your skills, don't just follow that 'other guy'
Nico

Re: Are you ready for the waves???

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 8:59 pm
by Bille
fernmanus wrote: ...

Bille, nope you are not ready for waves with your setup. Try snowkiting instead, we always stay locked into our bindings.
Thanks , I "Thought" as much also . :(
Hope to head up to Sky-line Utah next month for a bit of snow-kiting !!

I sold HG rides over Blacks-Beach in SD,for a decade,(didn't do Squat for my work ethic)
but i also surfed Blacks for 15 years. It has the biggest break anywhere south
of LA in the US , Only Ralphs is = to it ; so i'm kinda clued in to the power of a wave.

I Really miss Surfing ; hoping to try it with a kite some-day , but still got
some bugs to work out !!

Besides getting OUT of the straps there's another consideration ; I use to
dive down to the bottom to go Under a wave when i surfed. Never wore
a Leash so it was seldom i ever did that, i'd set-up in advance so
it wasn't necessary.

SO -- How the Hell do Ya dive Under a wave with a life-jacket on, if
you fall ??

Bille

Re: Are you ready for the waves???

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 9:17 pm
by Peter_Frank
Good point by Bille !

In big waves I would not wear a life jacket, as it would keep me floating on top of the whitewater for ages, not being able to breathe :o

Whereas I could dive or just get sucked out on the back easily, if not too much flotation :thumb:

And as the waves are typically close to shore, I dont see the idea of a PFD in waves ?

Some share this view, others dont - and then some of us just dont want to feel "strangulated" 8)

:D Peter