wedge wrote:I seem to out run my kite when riding down the line on waves. This forces me to turn out of the pocket to get tension back in the lines. It doesn't help that my spot has light winds near shore. Any tips?
Any other tips on wave riding appreciated!
Depends on what you like to do...
When you say "in the pocket" - you have almost revealed that you ride downwind on the waveface ?
Whereas, you could also stay in the sweetspot on the shoulder, and ride up and down (still using the wave force).
Doing this, you avoid the slack lines, but it takes a loooong time to get it right, and you can always improve more (a good thing, keeps it interesting).
If light wind and bigger kites, you have to make sharper turns so you go even more vertical, and a bit longer - in order to keep lines tight.
And fly the kite down really low and fast - this way you got all options and full freedom (when you've learned to master the kite instantly of course) to change direction and whatever you like
But you can NOT ride on the wave power alone if light - you have to use both the wave power, and do your bottom turn down in the flats, so the kite will fill out the "blanks" so to speak.
Awesome feel though, just a bit different - and you can really have a crazy awesome time in light wind doing it this way.
So try to avoid riding "steady" on the wave - go vertical up and down instead.
And fly the kite really low and aggressive, if light - is my advice
Peter