flew kite today at local park we had high wind warnings for tonight so i wanted to get a training session in before it got to windy started out good. wind 15 to 20 miles an hour im flying an hq hydra 3m good in that wind range then all of a sudden some super high gust came up to 40 mph next thing i know i went from a sitting position(trying to practice my mock starts) to skidding across the grass about 20yrds before i could depower or get out of the wind window.
tryed to adjust my brake lines at the bridle but still pulled super hard even in the 12oclock position at the edge of the window if i dipped down at all i was gone.So do i need a smmaller kite for the super windy days cause my next kite i want to be a 4meter not a 2 meter. also im very new to sport i probably only have 20hrs and 1 lesson under my belt.

The Hydra is not a de-power kite unless yours has been modified. 4 kite lines to a bar does not necessarily mean "depowerable" kite, it merely has "brakes", which are much different than "depower". Can you tell us more about the kite and bar combination you are using so we can try to give you more info?

Every new kiter will have trouble with gusts, and with a 40mph gust and not letting go, just be very excited you're not seriously injured!

We're all very glad to hear that you're new with a lesson under your belt, that's a great starting point. Can you give us a bit of info on where you're at so we can try and direct you to local knowledge? If you're learning to fly well inland then gusty winds will be a certainty.

ok sorry, i used the wrong terminology your right it just has brake lines. Im in yakima wa. yes inland. I never felt in danger as i have tons of room where i go no trees or obstacles in like 400sq yrds and i never got taken off my feet.
My main problem is there was either 0 or 100 nothing in between i felt like i tried to move all over in the wind window
trying to keep it out of the power zone and it was still 100
i know the kite is rated for 35mph or less so the gusts were probably to strong. I guess my question is how do you control the power so its not either full blast or nothing at all?
thanks for any responces im here to learn. And any advise on more lessons is also welcome.

Either with handles (where you can selectively apply some brakes) or with a depower kite. It's difficult to do with a fixed bridle on a normal bar.

Assuming you've got the wrist strap on, the best thing you can do in a gust like that is to let go of the bar, but is often the last reaction we have. Most times you just want to hold on tighter.(as in when you fall down learning to water ski,lol) Practice letting go of the bar in lighter winds, then recovering and relaunching. It's valuable experience, and teaches muscle memory.

The way to adjust the power with a fixed bridle foil is by kite position. On the edge, less power. Center of window, more power. The power constantly changes as you fly static, as the kite moves across the window.

Brakes will help a little bit, but the kite will still pull quite a bit unless the kite is moving quite slow. This takes a lot of pull on the brakes in strong winds. Very hard on the wrists, assuming you are using handles. If you are using a bar on a fixed bridle foil then you don't really have "braking" ability, just enhanced turning ability.

Sounds like there was a wind shadow behind you. Make sure you are flying in undisturbed wind, as best you can.

All or nothing wind is common inland. Only in the evening does it smooth out.

It sounds like you have the answers to your own questions . To reduce power with a fixed bridle you need to change size. To avoid trouble at the top end keep it close to the edge and avoid the power zone. Also avoid leaving the kite overhead. A gust will lift you. If you keep the kite low it will be better. The opposite applies in too low of winds.

As your skills progress you will get more comfortable holding down more winds.

That is a good trainer. Is your wind always that strong?

One tip for big winds, keep it low and go.

Dude! you are in Yakima! You have guys in your back yard that fly. If you can drive on a good windy day to the Tricities you can meet up with a couple of us and fly! U2U sent.

wow thanks for all the information looks like i need to take the advice and go practice.

My reaction to getting pancaked a few times flying my 3.5 in 30mph + (so gusts over 40mph) was to go and buy more body armour...

landboarding in that sort of wind speed i'm wearing helmet, knee pads, armour shorts and jacket. I think the extra pro makes me more relaxed and I definately fly better because i'm less worried about getting hurt.

I wouldn't bother static flying in those winds. get a delta stunt kite or something.

If you are just starting ot fly between 10 & 20mph - you will learn most in those sort of winds

great info now im thinking of two new kites probably a hq 2m and was thinking of the hq scout 2, 4m or the ozone pure 4m this might help cover more wind range. Im hoping to take up snow kiting this winter ive skiied for years but now i want to try snowboarding with a kite any suggestions on these kites would help
thanks to all that read and commented on my post you have been lots of help.

Pure 4M by Ozone will get you riding out of the box, it has basic harness, 4M Fixed Bridle Foil on a bar with chicken loop/safety. Depending on how much you weigh, as to how much fun you'll have. If you already ski, I'd stick with that to start out. Much easier to concentrate on the kite if you already ski. And easier to get going on skis, I've been told. If you are over 175#, you would probably be better off waiting for a larger de-power possibly used, as the new models come out. My 2 cents.

Welcome to the forum Cheryl . The translations are a little off but able to understand.

Depowerman,
IMHO I think not enough emphasis is put on kite control outside the powerzone, if you can take a trainer kite out in any conditions, within reason, and keep it OUT of the powerzone and under control then you are ready to fly bigger and more powerful kites which are flown mostly on the edges and only dipped into the power under full control.

This seems to pop up time and time again - folks wanting to know what kite to use in 35+ winds. First we need to look at the getting seriously messed up to fun ratio. I've had fun flying in 30mph and even close to 35mph winds but once you venture over that line you will undoubtedly run into a feeling of dred latching itself onto your fun until the fun is a dried up wisp of what it was moments earlier. At this point survival instincts are kicking in, adrenalin goes into absurd overdrive so as to give the eventual cuts a more spurting appearance and the panic a true feeling of, well panic. That's when the overwhelming urge to "stop this crazy ride!" takes over completely - letting go of the kite, pulling the safety, anything to get a state of control back. This is all fine and dandy if you can walk away and then tell others later of your near death experience kiting, but, big caveat here, but if for some reason the outcome of your experience is a massively tore up body and a feeling of "If I could of . . . things might have been different", no, they wouldn't have - my mantra on these things is "coulda, woulda, shoulda, didn't!".

All I'm trying to say is to know your limits playing within the realm of fun without going over the line - and most importantly - use common sense = if you walk out into a field and the wind is punching from 15 to 40mph just call it for the day - there will be other windy days I promise, better to have didn't than have an excuse of what you coulda done to not have your body in the shape it is now.

Flexi,
You have a gift of getting your point across but you just have to feel it to get it and hopefully come out with only lesson learned

Very well said Flexi...

I was wondering the same thing. If it's gusting to over 35 or 40, just call it a day. Just because the kite CAN fly in those kind of winds, doesn't mean you SHOULD. Even if you had a kite that was small enough to handle those wind speeds, it would be extremely fast turning, hard to handle, and if you got yanked into the air, very dangerous. This isn't just a rule for novices, it's a rule for everyone. When the wind starts to get ridiculous, the best thing you can do for yourself is pack it in and go drink some hot cocoa and watch kite videos or something. In the U.S., the average life expectancy for a male is 75 years. That's 27,375 days... We can afford to miss out on one of them. Or, we can press our luck in nuking winds and in that one day, ruin all of them.

I'd have to echo what Flexi said, for the most part. Generally speaking, if winds are gusting that hard, you might not want to be out there. I've had a couple fun sessions in winds like that, but most times, I just dont even consider going out. There will be other days where the winds are much more manageable.

To caveat that, I did have a kitesurfing session in 25 gusting to 40 conditions that was really fun. However, it was a case of "right tool for the job". A very small depowerable kite. Best of luck to you.

yup, I got my choice of several smallish foils for high wind. If you choose the wrong one, you're going to the hospital. Once the wind hits 25+, YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LIFE AND LIMB. That's why we like it,cause it's EXTREME. I have a 2m ace that will launch you like a missle in 30+ wind, and you can't tame it , it's too fast to control reasonably and safely.
Also, when you get storms that generate higher winds have alot of turbulents w/ them ,which makes flying any kite "not so much fun, more like work". And who wants to go flying to work their butt off w/ problems to sort all day and hope it doesn't end badly.

depowerman, not sure if stetson got you all the info, a good guy to get to know, he is a short drive east of you.
Fletch is in Yakima and is a good guy to hook up with and find the local hot spots. He can also share a bit of info with kites and buggys.
Bad time of year to head to Seattle(snow and the traffic) but we have a few parks to play in and a lot more guys in this part of the state that would be happy to get out and play.
Snow kiteing up at Snoqualmie pass is hot right now, I could hook you up with some locals.
u2u me if interested

Thanks for the kind words. I am interested in the snowkiting info at snoqualmie. U2U sent. Depowerman, wind should be blowing tomorrow and I am not working. You busy?

ya im workimg thanks for the invite if i had the day off
i would go in a second. winds here in yakima are 15 mph
right now at 6am supposed to be 25mph with gusts up to 50 mph today so i probably wont fly today at all lol.
just got a new 5 meter kite i would like to take out in low winds like 8mph to see how it flys.

cant we just track down some of these aholes and give them a nice bloody, violent beating?? i'll be first in line, bat in hand......

just a point or two to help you see where you are going.

fly to idle--- i.e. at the edge usually NOT 12 oclock esp. on land, you are not "just" flying a kite, you are pilot, with judgement for maintaining control AND conditions selection is the first step.

winds over 30knots can be very unpredictable with furious gusts and some microbursts, REALLY gotta put time in on the weather stuff with SAT and radar you can literally see them coming.

and you can ALWAYS just let go.
be safe

just a point or two to help you see where you are going.

fly to idle--- i.e. at the edge usually NOT 12 oclock esp. on land, you are not "just" flying a kite, you are pilot, with judgement for maintaining control AND conditions selection is the first step.

winds over 30knots can be very unpredictable with furious gusts and some microbursts, REALLY gotta put time in on the weather stuff with SAT and radar you can literally see them coming.

and you can ALWAYS just let go.
be safe

Phree
my point exactly (fly to idle) kite control is key to survival, a small person can hold a large kite at the edge with little effort

right on G, with FB and C-kites it just takes more pilot skill.

with depower units, this has distorted that point IN GENERAL throughout sport i believe. but ALL goes back to piloting for rock solid control