I finally got a good and proper waterstart this afternoon. Winds were 26 gustung to 35km/h so I pulled out the scorpion. As I was setting up, the winds dropped to about 22km/h and no gusts. I waited for ten and figured the speed would do. To my surprise the winds picked back up to over 30km/h as I reached the water. I pulled the trim a bunch cuz I couldn't walk upwind, and sat in the water. The board went on easily in shallow water, and I floated there for a minute to get my bearings. Remembering what I just reviewed in the progressions video, I moved the kite twice overhead and dove the kite straight from zenith. Up real easily I held a straight smooth line out away from shore. Holy fast!!!!!:o I was getting to where the water was over my head (250ish yards out) so I thought to ride back to shore. As I brought the kite overhead and started switching stance, I bit the dust. As I was falling I accidentally pulled the kite into the powerzone which threw me downwind 50ish yards from my board. The kite first inverted, then bowtied. In chest deep water, my board floated to me and I dragged everything back to shore. I'm really starting to see where that North Evo is gonna have its benefits while I'm learning. Really would have been hell if I was in the middle of the lake. Gawd I wish proper lesson weren't so far away from me.

The arc will hamper your progress in that respect
As for turning around bring the kite up to the zenith and park until u run out of speed and settle into the water and then worry about going back the other way I too had trouble with this trying to get ahead of myself
But if you slow to a stop and reset completely you will find that your board starts improve very fast and you feel more control over the kite as your instincts improve
Keep up the good work were a helmet and life jacket

yep point your board upwind to kill speed................let the kite hover over head and sit down until you have basically stopped then dive the kite from zenith and head back from where you came...................keep at it, sounds like your almost there!!

I think the arc would have been a bit tamer when the winds picked up. I definitely don't blame the kite. It was working great, but like you said, I was getting ahead of myself and tried to change directions too quick for my own good. I thought about changing directions that way once back on the beach I guess I'm not the first to do that, and it won't be my last bail that's for sure. It did feel so smooth to glide like that though. None of my other times getting riding felt that way.

bowties suck! you probably don't need much to water start. you'll figure it out for you kite and conditions. But if your board is pointed down wind and/or at the kite you'll get a hoppin good start, then you can edge in and turn up wind. At first most people just gun it and go from 0 - fast in an instant. but that's fun too, so long as there's no waves in front of you :D Start out small and see if you need more. If you get too much more that you need or are used to then you might superman or the board may feel super slippery.

Good for you!

What helped me with change of direction was watching a video by some guy who has since sold all his gear and gone back to windsurfing it was a helmet cam so I got a good view of what he did and when, and just copied ...

When you're still learning, you'll need a bit of space - don't save it till the last meter of water before the shore
Let the kite slowly go up to about 1 (we'll assume you're on a starboard tack, riding regular) and angle your board upwind.
As you start to slow down, edge hard and drive the board upwind to kill all your speed and almost simultaneously, send the kite back the other way ...
1:30 & 8:32 here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyx31GadUbc and a 'slide' at 3:55 which is what happens if you don't edge the board hard. It can be fun too, but you gotta balance it carefully, like sliding a snowboard downhill.

In higher winds when you're overpowered, you'll probably get lobbed a bit downwind - just point your board downwind and ride out the jump, being all cool cos you did it on purpose

I'll look for that other video too ...

Yikes, that video was only 11 months ago - I remember being so stoked cos I could change direction occasionally, without falling in and water-starting again now, I'm going to try rolls and am doing aerial transistions - sometimes :D

How things change!

I think this is the video ...

http://vimeo.com/13665787

And around 0:37 is a good one here too ... http://vimeo.com/13070582

That speed2 falling from the sky and filling with water is exactly why I thought to ride back the other way. I'm thinking being able to still touch the bottom is a good thing till my skills have advanced, even though I have a floatation aid. Funny thing is that when the wind picked up I was having a really hard time walking upwind to where I wanted to start off. On the board it was fast but I felt really solid holding my line, guess you can hold more back on water than land. Even a few days ago now I'm wishing I would have rode out a bit more and really felt through how the edging and upwind felt, so that I would have handled it better. I got in a haze of "holy #@%$#! I'm doing it, this is awesome" and forgot what I was suppose to do. Better luck next time, I guess.

If you're having trouble walking backwards with the kite at zenith, you may need a smaller kite :D
That's why you gotta keep going out - experience pushes your boundaries so you get used to stuff

Yep I think the winds were about 20mph, they were around 15-17 when I put my scorpion away for the speed2. As I reached the water (I was walking with kite midway up at the right edge of the window, I try not leave my kites at when not flying ) they picked up, and stayed up. I then wished I had put up the scorpion as it has way more depower for that wind and when I bailed I would have relied on the autozenith to do its thing. That's the sad part of how my winds work, one minute there is none, the next they are nuking. Got the kite dried up....... one evening this week I gotta check those lines for stretch.

I stretched them before I sent you and PZ the kite but am sure they need looked at.............. Easy to stretch the rear lines in with a strong anchor point................15 to 17 mph is the sweet spot for the 12......................

next time out edge hard upwind and as youre about to stall out just sit down...................hold the kite at 12, gather your wits and dive it back the other way..................this method work well until you get your transitions down

Yeah I think my wits are getting the test here for sure. This is the first sport I've tried on the water, so everything about it is a bit eery just yet. I keep telling myself that the float vest is there, so I'm not worried about that. I've been itching at a few people with access to boats to let tag along for a try at wakeboarding. Not that it won't be completely different with a kite, but maybe if I had something to relate to in terms of water riding, I might loosen up a bit. I'm trying to get to the lake for a weekend of wind, so that I can spend more than two-three hours working on things in one session, then not try again for a month like I have been. But my buddy keeps telling me that my snowboard experience will kick in and it will come together quick once everything starts clicking.

Quote:

Originally posted by Kamikuza I think this is the video ... http://vimeo.com/13665787 And around 0:37 is a good one here too ... http://vimeo.com/13070582

That first video made me think yeah I want a 12M speed 2. The second waterlogged one reminded me why I started flying tubes. Been there.

Yeah his foil skills were pretty non-existent I think - choosing a FSer for a first kite is a bit mad IMHO - like choosing a high-performance 2-stroke as your first bike get it out of the zone and it'll bite back hard.
Worse I've had so far (touch wood) is having to fly an evil handling FSer back to the beach - and I still rode in :D

Mmm ... it's like snowboarding really deep powder flat out.

It's just time - keep at it, get a mate to egg you on and try silly things. That's what I lack and why I'm still only trying to jump and not yet doing tricks Mr No-Mates that's me