Getting bogged down riding upwind; any tips?

[toyletbowl]

10-15 knots? You need a bigger kite or your friends are on really efficient boards and of course experience makes a big difference. More kite = more power = easier to go upwind.

Bob
www.kiteridersllc.com

[plummet]

yep. don't expect to be going upwind sub 16 knots at all on a 10m for some time. if you have current with wind of 4 knots that explains why the 18 knots low end.

ps light wind skill takes time to build. don't expect to be matching your more experienced buddies for some time. As a newbie you will need power to crank upwind.

pss 10-15 knots typically requires a monster kite and then its still pretty boring. the fun really starts +16 knots on the water.

[Westozzy]

Don't confuse the poor guy. the way apparent wind works is the faster you go the more upwind the wind points. so the slower you go the higher upwind you can point. in kite boarding we fall off a plane when we go too slow so if you want to pint upwind really far you can body drag. but pointing upwind isn't the whole story. suppose you want to go someplace upwind of you and if you body drag you can make it in one track but if you use the board it will take several tacks because you can't point as far upwind still way faster on the board because even if the upwind angle is less you are going way faster and make a lot more progress upwind.

there is some optimal speed that will take you upwind fastest go too fast and apparent wind decreases your angle but if you slow down too much for better upwind angle you don't make progress

I was talking about light wind riding. Yes I suppose there is a balancing act for sure.

[Westozzy]

yep. don't expect to be going upwind sub 16 knots at all on a 10m for some time. if you have current with wind of 4 knots that explains why the 18 knots low end.

ps light wind skill takes time to build. don't expect to be matching your more experienced buddies for some time. As a newbie you will need power to crank upwind.

pss 10-15 knots typically requires a monster kite and then its still pretty boring. the fun really starts +16 knots on the water.

13 to 15 for me man, at 75kg! Fun as!

[fokiten]

Just to fill out the thread..

When getting Nuked, near overpowered, one can just park the kite near twelve, lean back against the pull and rest, all the time you're resting, you'll be going up wind...

I discovered this by accident---but it f-en works like a two dollar whore..

Just saying
fokiten