I agree with jumpy that quad is a good first choice if you only have TT kite experience. But if you are after strapless in waves, thruster is the way to go and just forget about quads for now.
Jumping in kiting is fundamental. Not so much because you need to jump, but because you almost automatically know how to stop an "unwanted lift" if you can jump. Landing from being lofted is also a skill that can save you some broken bones. When I started snowkiting, I did not intend to ever jump. But I did wind up learning jump transitions and that lead me to the realization that jumping skill was a necessary ingredient for safely kiting.Crissssssss wrote: ↑Sat Oct 06, 2018 5:49 amI don’t have a lot of experience I’m already riding upwind but I still don’t know how to jump.
It is never too early to go out and try a different board in kiting. Just make sure you are in a very safe location where your struggles will not put you or anyone else in danger. Go for it now.Crissssssss wrote: ↑Sat Oct 06, 2018 5:49 amMaybe is to early for me to start trying strapless boards but I wanna give it a go to see how it feels and how hard is it
Ever watch a beginner get picked up unexpectedly and repeatedly? That is because they do not understand the concept of what makes them jump, other than moving the kite fast. To truly master not getting lifted by a kite, one needs to know what you do to make it lift you. If you develop a feeling for what the kite is doing when it is about to, or moving into a position to lift you, you can recognize and avoid that movement or kite placement.
I too like to stay upwind. I don't do too many downwinders unless something goes wrong. I would almost say that could be one of my weaknesses. But I do ride upwind a few miles to do a downwinder back to where I started, just no car rides.Hugh2 wrote: ↑Sun Oct 07, 2018 10:26 amJust as an example, last winter in Cape Town when there were few riders out, I encouraged the only two other riders out at kitebeach to come with me on a downwinder to Milnerton. They were competent TT riders, and able to get out through some fairly big surf, but had never ridden a surfboard, let alone strapless, and never done a downwinder. Once outside I traded my strapless surfboard with their TTs, and both of them got up and riding immediately and loved it. My only problem after that was actually getting them to go downwind. They had spent their entire kiting careers staying upwind and even would go back to shore and walk upwind after a while! I had to go in a yell at them to get back in the water and follow me downwind.
In places where the waves are side shore to the beach (regardless of the direction relative to the wind) it generally creates a strong side shore current in the direction you would be riding the waves. This means that it's very challenging to stay upwind and get good rides in. Sometimes even impossible. That is often why downwinders are very popular in certain spots.Matteo V wrote: ↑Sun Oct 07, 2018 3:55 pmSo here is my question - I was under the impression that doing a downwinder in breaking waves was expressly for the purpose of the rider not having to fight their way out to the outside. And if you do go to the outside, "doing a downwinder" allows you to stay on the inside while riding downwind until you see an opening in the break so you don't have to worry about jumping over a big incoming wave. An I wrong on that? If that is not the case, why would anyone ever see an advantage to doing a downwinder unless they were with some one that did not have the skill to make it upwind.
Slappy,Slappysan wrote: ↑Sun Oct 07, 2018 6:24 pmIn places where the waves are side shore to the beach (regardless of the direction relative to the wind) it generally creates a strong side shore current in the direction you would be riding the waves. This means that it's very challenging to stay upwind and get good rides in. Sometimes even impossible. That is often why downwinders are very popular in certain spots.
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