Twintip kiteloop tack (sweet lightwind transition)

[Ned Divine]

Fell in love with it recently, while learning how to kite in <12knots with my Vegas9m2 ( ). Here it is:

Slowly bring the kite to 11 (riding left) and drop most of your speed. Then, at the same time A/ turn the board upwind and look over your back shoulder B/ pull the bar for power and start looping the kite by pulling more with your original back hand, now becoming your new front hand. Keep your body as upright as possible.
The kite will perform a gentle loop above your head, you will rotate standing up doing a very low and gentle back spin and you will find yourself in your new direction, without line twist and having lost no upwind ground.
Common mistakes:
Strong wind: no gentle looping here! In strong wind this has to become a real backloop kiteloop transition or you will earn no points for getting yanked downwind...
Too much speed: teabagging, more difficult, lose ground
Leaning back: you will fall in the water on your back
Pull too much wth the back hand: pull constantly but moderately with your back hand to make the loop last a bit longer in order to come out powered (don't fishpole)
Pull too little with the back hand: the kite will head to the water travelling at the edge of the wind window with no power (looping it late or sending it up to save it from drowning will not save the move).
Failing to "lift" the board from the water: the right amount of low speed, kite power and - if you like - geeeeentle kick on the back foot , have to be found with a bit of practice to achieve the low hovering turn of the board without it sticking on the water.
There is a nice video on TT tack on TKB http://www.thekiteboarder.com/2010/07/v ... -tip-tack/ . The video does not show a kiteloop, the board goes higher, there is more speed and more wind than in the variation I describe. The variation I describe is a cheeky very low powered unglorious - but very stylish - variation intented for light wind.

[mpeachey]

For a nice gentle variation, add a water grab or pelican drag. Lean back coming into the transition, as you start your rotation, drag your upwind hand along the water as the kite comes up to 12 noon. As you reach 12 noon, you should be 1/2 way or more through your rotation, low to the water and dragging your hand. Pull your bar back hard to initiate the loop. You should get enough pop from the loop to help you complete your turn and give you enough lift to stand up and ride out on the transition without so much whang that you end up way downwind and traveling fast.