Postby cleepa » Thu Oct 02, 2014 4:45 pm
Switching from twintip to trying to learn strapless is quite a big difference. You might consider putting the straps on your surfboard for a bit. The straps on your surfboard will let you hold more power from the kite and will also let you jump waves. Riding without straps requires more finesse to get over waves. It is also harder to hold a lot of kite power, so you'll need to learn to ride with less kite. Once you decide you're ready to give strapless another go, here are a few tips for getting over waves (these tips are for side on/off or sideshore - onshore is a tiny bit different):
- slow down as the wave approaches. If you have too much speed, you might pull yourself off the back of the wave into the air and crash.
- raise your kite as you go up the wave and give the kite a small power stroke as you go down the back of a wave
- point the board downwind a bit as you cross the wave. Once you're off it, resume your direction. This will help you get over steeper waves.
- don't try to cross waves that are too close to breaking if you can avoid it. If you have to do it, cut hard upwind as you go up the wave, and raise the kite. As you come down the back of the wave, point your board downwind and do a strong power stroke.
- crossing the white water of a broken wave is kind of the same as crossing a small wave. For small white water, you can prejump and hold all your speed if you wish.
Getting out through onshore wind and waves is a bit more work, because you're trying to go upwind through the break. I find it helpful to have a bit more power in the kite than side shore. In side shore conditions, I ride with just enough power to get me upwind. Onshore, a little more kite will help. Other than that, most of the above tips apply, but you won't need to slow down as much or raise and lower the kite as much.
As for becoming proficient at riding a surfboard, you can learn that without waves. I learned to do it in choppy bay water. It's worth doing that before getting out into the surf. Things that are worth learning:
- s turns, moving the kite across the window as you turn. As others have said, turn the kite, then the board
- s turns, without moving the kite across the window
- toe side
- transitions: turn to toeside then switch your feet is easiest (I found it easier, anyway).
- jibes. Useful for switching directions without losing ground.
- transitions: switch your feet to toeside, then turn the board back to heelside.
Some people learn to do all this riding only in their natural stance. I think it is worth learning to do both goofy and regular, regardless of your wind and wave setup. That way you can ride waves left and right, facing the wave or not. Personally, I find it more natural to always be facing the wave, hence why I make sure my goofy riding is solid. The sideshore riding we have here is almost all rights with NW wind, but for the few S wind sessions, riding left for a change is really fun. I find it is great to have options rather than ride only in my dominant stance.
Hope this helps!