Scared of Jumping anymore-need advice.

[esg]

I'm learning to jump and I've pulled off a handful of nice ones. Even when I crash. My landings have never been that scary. Even if I don't parachute down. I don't crash so hard that I feel like I don't want to ever try airs again, but just when I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. I decide to get aggressive and boost a really juicy one. It was really windy(gusting over 30 kts) and I was going really, really fast and the kite was super full of power, and that's when I decide to boost. I throw the kite up and catapult upward faster than I've ever done before. It was almost violent how fast I shot upward. When it's time to come down I just keep on picking up more and more speed and hit so hard I thought I'd broken both my legs. Honestly, I feel lucky not to be in casts and crutches right now. Anyway, besides limping and my ankles and knees aching, I'm ok, but now I'm nervous to try to catch air any more. I wasn't looking up at my kite to see where it was when I was falling so fast. I thought I had brought it forward and in the direction I wanted to land. I was just looking at my board attatched to my feet and how fast I was coming down for landing. What could have possibly gone wrong?. Did I whip my kite too far across the window and back again? Or my kite was just too high, or low? Why did I drop so super fast? I need to know what to look for next time so this doesn't happen again. Thanks.

[panchito]

There are many reasons ...


1) each kite size needs a different timing , not only when it comes to the jump itself but specially when landing so you are not to slow or to fast.

2) when jumping in high winds ( 7m and smaller ) Imo and experience the amount of " missed " jumps increases cause you either send the kite forward to early and land to fast or the gust is gone and you fall like a hot potato, in that last case , I get rid of my board cause I know it´s going to hurt .

3) C vs. Bow ... C jumps probably higher but you fall also faster , Bows normally have a better hang time and you land softer ...

Also when I do powered and really high jumps .... it is better to keep and eye on your kite , at least until your start going down.

Back to your question : high jump , gust was gone , small kite = hard landing

And then ... keep trying ... do not give up

Saludos


Franz

Ps. Oh ... and with smaller kites .... keep your hands in the middle of your bar

[Alan]

Only one explanation: You landed hot by keeping the kite too far forward (in the direction of travel) throughout the jump.

On a big jump you should send it slightly back of 12:00 and hold it there. This gives you "air brakes" and slows down your forward speed. You will still gain some speed from downwind drift, but very little. If you redirect the kite hard right before landing, and I mean right before, then you will land soft even if you go high.

But some people like to land hot.

Alan

[alsoares]

Here is what I do when jumping high in 25, 30 knots, even more:

1) Moderate speed and try to go upwind as much as possible to increase lines tension, that is, hard edging is essential. If you go really fast you'll land fast.

2) Then I pull the kite backwards and try to keep it next to eleven o'clock while ascending and partially while descending (I usually jump when sailing to the right) . When I'm approaching landing, I pull the kite forward from 11 o'clock, moving the kite swiftly through the zenith(12 o'clock) and forward, this reduces descending speed a lot, it is like commanding a new jump while in the air. Obviously, timing is the key to doing it right. You have to train until you achieve perfect high jumps with your kite.

If you pull your kite forward while high in the air, you'll land hard. If you keep it for a while at eleven o'clock or one o'clock(it depends on the direction you are going before you jump) as I explained above, the kite will also reduce your landing speed.

[PaulMcD]

All of the tips above are great and for the most part right on the money so don't need to add too much. I do want to emphasize one point above is that kicking the board off can turn what might be a nasty jump into one where you come up laughing and sputtering and amazed at how far you have to drag back up wnd to retreive your board. By realizing that you have this "out" it should take some of the fear away. Finally, when I am jumping and hit a high one I take a quick look above and keep the kite overhead while sheeting in and out and sort of fluttering down until I feel comfortable that I am not going to hit hard then I crank the kite in the direction I am going so I don't land without any forward speed. The better you get on timing the less you need to feather the kite on the way down.

[voodoospirit]

well, think that some peeps r learning on snow, hard packed snow and the failures are WAYYYYY more painful than water :p

[alex267]

Hard landings from jumps is because you send your kite to much forward and fast.

when i start to try big jumps i am afraid the landing , always dont land good.
so i never do big jumps. When i start to understand wat to do , in the same day i take 2 times more air and land good.
When you want to do a big jump you want a small kite and strong wind 30+ , just take the bar close to you , speed and in the same time agressive edge and agressive move of the hand ,
when you are in the air your hands moves very very slow and smooth and the kite at 12 , when you go for the land move the kite very slow a litle bit forward and dont afraid.
Just practice your landings dont practice you high and when you understand that , you go BIG...

[Anglian]

It's all in the timing, if you have the luxury of small waves, use them to boost high. This will allow you to concentrate on your jumps rather than the speed or pop. Look up at your kite whilst going up, if you are happy that the kite is stable, hold the bar in the middle with one hand and apply a cheeky borard grab. As you start to fall redirect the kite in the direction you want to go. Your landing will be soft and smooth.

[tautologies]

hmm, a lot of different answers here...

this is my take.

with smaller kites, it is much like bigger kites, but you can wait a little onger since the kite turns faster.

if you want to use small waves to jump, just know they do make your entry to the jump different.

I think you probably landed hard, as is mentioned above..because you had the kite too much forward. I think your should keep flying the kite..keep it moving a little...around noonish, and then just before you land...pull the kite forward pretty hard...coming down with a small kite will be faste tan on a big kite, but by throwing the kite forwards, it'll slow it down considerable, and you'll land with speed. Remember to point your board down wind...there is no magical solution, and you'll probably crash again, but as is mentioned above..you always have the option to kick the board...just make sure you manage to kick it off both feet..otherwise you can get seriously injured..and it still does not guarantee that it will not hurt...my whole arm turned blue after a bad landing. It will happen again. I think the best strategy is to take it slow..work your way up there...


a.

[dwarf]

Edge properly before you jump. Also just before landing take your kite a bit back first (slows you down) and then redirect forward for a smooth landing.