Kiteforum.com

Right,

I can go upwind at a really good angle at 15+ knots...

off the wind I am being eaten alive...

what's the key?

Thanks

Tony

???
What happens?
What board?
What kite?
Wat water condition?
15kts wind or 15 kts board speed?
GPS or guess?
etc.

what does "off wind" mean

you're an experienced rider tone, so I don't understand what you would have trouble with.

Sounds like raceboard problem to me. don't really know of problem of the wind either. on raceboarss it is tought to get the board to go downwind at first. this problem can be overcome by just throwing as much power in the kite as you can. the faster you get up to speed the easier to point it down.
off the wind sounds like reaching to me haven't had problems there.

that's gotta be it, he's reaching on a race board, you have good esp stefaans

edt wrote:that's gotta be it, he's reaching on a race board, you have good esp stefaans

that would be at "broad reach"

sorry should have got that it was raceboard from the subforum.
Yeh I would say go fast then turn DOWN decisively not gradually going lower from 90 deg until you explode.
Legs hammered? try to be lighter, bend knees, swing the kite around, and.. -get used to it?
Some pain may be inevitable.

Sorry guys, I should have been clearer.

I have been getting the hang of my new board, Temavento RC70.

I riding upwind really well, I think. Getting a nice 15-17 knots at about 50 degrees, so not really tight, but not bad.

The board is foiling nice and I feel in control.

Across (reaching) the wind I am doing OK, but finding it quite hard to get up to what I consider a good speed, but I can see that this will take time to find the fins properly. The board is flat and I am only occasionally getting lifted off the board. By that I mean, I know when I put too much pressure on the fins the board foils too much and kicks me off. Great crashes but when the air is 5C and the water about the same, it gets a little boring.

Off the wind (broad reaching).... Man... I pick up SO much speed that as soon as I put a tiny bit of pressure on the fins the whole board lifts off the water and I eat shit, hard.

I am riding the board in 4 strap mode, so am wondering if I should fit the 5th strap so that I can get my weight in over the middle/rear fin...

My theory is that I am pushing too hard with my back foot when riding off the wind which is why I am accelerating too fast and ending up being mauled by the board.

I have seen vids of guys running off wind and some guys come in on the board with the back foot and drive more with the front foot, some guys seem to just hang off the back of the board without changing strap.

I know it is all about practice and more time equals better skills but I ended up so far upwind last weekend that the only way i could get back downwind was to sit on the damn thing and float back.

The odd thing is, after my second session (2 hours in total) I can roll tack just fine, strap to strap and my gybing isn't too bad.

downwind? HELL NO!

After riding the Naish Venturi 70cm, the Temavento picks up speed SO much faster and foils SO much easier and controlled I can see the board is an amazing tool.

Just got to master the downwind and I might be able to race!

Thanks for your help.

Tony

wind speed was 10 knots, kite was 21m Speed3, water condition was flat

5th strap

And no need to push too hard going downwind,
just go deeper for VMG right?