Stance and kite position will determine the way you ride your kite. Discover how you can maximize kite control.
When you're flying your kite, you need to adopt a correct sailing stance.
Knowing that 85 percent of your weight should be on the back foot, make sure you ride with your front leg almost straight and your back leg bent.
Then, you should concentrate on maintaining your direction, controlling speed, and dealing with the waves and chops before turning and pulling tricks.
The position and the movement of your kite and bar will influence the lift, drag, and general power they generate.
As a rule of thumb, you should fly your kite at 45 degrees with little to no movement.
This creates a good balance between lift and drift and ensures good speed and rail control.
Flying the kite lower generates more drift and allows you to edge the board in strong winds.
If you feel you're sailing too fast, pull the kite to the top of the wind window, and/or press the rail harder into the water, and lean back.
Lift and Speed
Flying the kite higher generates more lift, which is useful in lighter winds.
In this position, the kite will lift you up, taking weight off your board for early planing in even the lightest breeze.
If the wind is light for the size of your kite, you can generate more power by flying it in sinus curves - the bigger the curve, the more power your kite will produce.
Additionally, if you keep the board flat, you will generate more speed. Remember that your head should be looking towards where you want to go.
In strong wind conditions, the kite should be moved as little as possible - every movement will generate power.
The position of your bar also influences the power produced by your kite - pull on the bar to create more energy or release the bar to decrease the power.
The kite bar was not made for you to hold onto it. The kite bar should be used for steering, although it is not a steering wheel.
If you pull down one side of the bar, the kite will turn to that side.