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I'm guessing you're at goose spit? If so, I don't think that's what your instructor had in mind when they said not to walk back. In that situation, with the wind going over the spit and blowing offshore, if the board is caught in the lee of the spit and isn't drifting downwind at all, then body dragging in 2" of muddy water until you're exhausted is a waste of energy and time. Stand up, get your board, and commence riding!

Body dragging upwind is an important skill to master for sure, but it has its limits. Ultimately it is about getting your board back without needing a leash....and so if it is shallow enough not to need body dragging, and you're tired, then walk back. I have been caught in a situation where the current was opposite direction to the wind, and couldn't close the gap. What worked: body drag to shore, walk upwind 50m, and then body drag back out, voila. Kiting again.

As well, in many hours of body dragging (unfortunately), a couple things learned: 1) depower your kite with trim strap, you will lose less distance downwind on the turns; 2) better to twist over and be on your belly, like superman style, rather than on your side like you're doing sidestroke.

Good luck and have fun!

[Caesar: Teabag is a long time kiter around here....I suspect this is someone borrowing his account]

rocktor wrote:

edt wrote:
are you kidding me? that sounds incredibly exhausting, no way am I gonna swim I just point at where I wanna go relax and moments later there's the board

swimming is for when you explode the kite

You recover your board so quickly that way though. Remember times when you body drag and miss your board by an inch?

Like most things in kitesurfing what might work for one person does not work for another. I found I was often 20feet max downwind of my board and combining a doggy paddle with the kite pulling me a bit on the edge made getting back to my board ALOT easier. Anyone finding that they sometimes find it hard to get back to their board should try it, or are in shark infested waters

I alway use the doggy paddle/body drag combo, works pretty well in all but the strongest winds...

Hey .just take long tacks out in the deep ... When you get a litle up wind from your board just tack in to the shallow water and retrive it. When you Get the hang of Body dragging ,you will just walk in the shallows.......

This has to be a joke thread right? Why the hell would anyone consciously choose to body drag through mud? If you are gonna' take body dragging that seriously then why stop at the muddy edge? Body drag across the beach...then body drag up onto the road...and finally body drag to your parked car.

But have someone open the car door first so you can body drag into the drivers seat.

^^^ +1

but seriously,
you can body drag through deep mud, where trying to stand up would be a mistake.
Like mud up to your hips. Not good stuff.
Don't know about upwind though...

I guess that I am a little late for this but I would like to say a huge thank you for your advices/hints/tips.

I can now body drag upwind in shallow water / mud.

The best was really to keep your body high so it doesnt touch the mud much, and steer/brake with your leg in the mud.

The opposite doesnt really work (leg oustide and body more in the mud.)

Tks again, I can now say with certainty that I have conquered body dragging upwind in mud. During winter 2013 / 2014. (took lots of practice though)

Ian

This was a legitimate question :

Caesar wrote:
Hello,

I don't understand- you both learned 3 months ago but posting here since 2009. Can you explain that? Just curious...

Cheers
Caesar

And here is Why i'd like an answer to Caesar's question ; this post
from TeabagVic , was made
Thu Dec 24, 2009 6:41 pm
from
Post subject: Re: Flysurfer Speed3 - The Ultimate Flying Machine

TeabagVic wrote:Thanks MountianKiker for the review. I am still looking more for someone that has tried both.
I am happy with the 15m Speed 3
(but I prefer the 15m Psycho 4 probably because I have been riding inflatable only from 2002).
What I like is the hang time of the Speed 3 15m, and was wondering ...
...

Yea --- you conquered body dragging alright ; like 13-years ago !


? : Bille

Peter_Frank wrote:
PS: I definitely dont agree you can bodydrag "upwind" in 3 inches of water - as if you have sufficient power to plane without any "keel" effect, you can not really go upwind.
And this thread is about that it seems - a board down at the surface where there is no wind pushing it, and he needs to bodydrag upwind to his board

Sometimes there are objects embedded in the bottom, it's not always wise to drag vulnerable body parts over them, especially in board short weather.

Toby wrote:deep and shallow water require the same technique.
So don't worry.
But the instructor is right, bodydrag as much as possible, to learn it and get good at it.
It might safe your life one day.

But, many people don't know this, and don't think about it:

I bring people their board if they are in need. And some are soooo happy, and they say they would never ever get back to it.
Then I explain the easiest trick: why not bodydrag to shore, walk upwind, and bodybrag back downwind to the board?
They look at me like I am from another planet...and then they say "oh, never thought of it" !!!

I'm with you Toby