One thing I found with landing more consistently was not being desperate to get back on the water - rather than reaching down with the board and messing up your body position, keep your knees up, lean back and let the water come to you.

and go fast before you jump!
did any body else add that yet?

and if u r coming down hard and fast, raise your front foot to less-in the impact... you dont want to land with the board lying horizontal

was one of the things i was taught 25+years ago on a windsurfer:

"if you want to go high, first you have to go fast"

the part they left out was

if you want to go fast, it will cost you

in lots of ways

Hello Mr.Vin Stefanelli
Speed is not always a good thing, sometimes it works against you. You have 2 types of jumps:

1) Jumps that you want to go high up with lots of hang time
and
2) Jumps that you want to go far down but not with much high.

When I want to jump high up and and do any tricks, I'm not going to go fast at all, just enough so I can edge hard the last minute and pop so I can shoot up ward better then down ward.. The only time I am going to get lots of speed to jump is when I have to clear something for a long distance. This is the only time when I will go fast before I jump.
I have a new video coming up called: "EPIC ATTACK part 3". This video will have some high jumps and some long jumps clearing small islands.

actually,D-Man I have noticed that when flying a 2005 ozone frenzy (any size) ala' mountainboard i can go very slow and get plenty of height for more technically oriented moves
p.s. youdaman, D

It is the things that are not recommended that are the most fun!

For windsurfers it is a must to go fast, as they have no other ways converting wind speed to height, than by pure board speed and a ramp - the wind is almost no help, only a little bit as you can force the board to change direction, thus let the sail lift you up.

Whereas it is "easy" for us, we can redirect the kite even on flat water

But I disagree with you Dimitri - that board speed is working "against" you.

It might be way more difficult if very choppy and windy - in order to set the rail "correct", agree (meaning, for most riders it might be a disadvantage)

But if you redirect the kite sufficiently, and you use your forward speed to head up against the wind on takeoff - then you can always jump higher IMO and also experience

If it is really windy and small kites, the difference is small, agree - and control might make things easier with less speed.

But the lower the wind, the more important board speed (and upwind ability) is for jump height.

The most radical example is a freeride raceboard in 10 knots - it can jump quite okay because of its speed and apparent wind (energy = jump height).

The higher the wind, the less part the board speed plays.

But still a major player, as in 10m/s we still go faster than the wind, or about the same speed, so the contribution to height is enourmous here.

When reaching 15m/s, we might ride over 40km/h where the wind is 54m/s, giving you "67" in terms of height.
If you jumped without board speed at all, you would only have "54" in terms of height...
Not that big difference (+25%), but still there.

If the wind is light, say 10knots (5.2m/s), your forward speed is maybe 36-37km/h (10m/s) on a good board (I have logged these speeds when out).
Wind speed is 18.5km/h or 5.2m/s.
Giving you a height about "11-12".
Without the board speed, the height would be around "5" only.
A difference of +120% !!!

I assume you agree with this, and what you mean is, that for clearing long distances you "dont head up" towards the wind in the same way on takeoff, but keep your forward speed, and even better - increased speed almost on the verge to out of control

But the faster, and in control, the higher the jumps IMO

Although - of course the "loss" when you redirect, means that speed is less important in high winds, and you might jump almost the same with low board speed, thus preferred for control.

Peter

well i agree with dimitri's practical experience and peters maths.

for me there becomes a point of speed where you no lonnger load and pop effectively. Any faster than that point send you low and long,,, not high.

so. as fast as possible with still the ability to load up.

Or hit a wave lip. in that instance you can barrel as fast as possible because theres less need to load and pop.

My biggest jumps are when i have still managed to load and pop and warp speed. you get height and distance!.