Yesterday I finally got to take my 17 waroo out in the water for a little body dragging. This was my first time in the water second time with this kite. Last time was last winter on the ice. Anyway I launched flew for a bit and tried to drag and the only thing that would happen is the kite would get to the edge of the wind window and start to fall. Then being a big kite would not respond to turning back into the power zone to keep it in the air. I had a hell of a time, not and easy kite to get to relaunch when its upside down either. Maybe too light of wind? It sure took off into the air when launching. First time out kind of disappointing. Should I look for a smaller kite and more wind to make things easier?

that is quite common but more a function of learning how to fly a kite and knowing how to respond before it's too late. Kites need movement and pressure to turn and when you stand staic and fly a kite from side to side it's often still moving forward toward the edge of the wind window as you initiate the upward turn. In higher winds the kite can sit parked at the edge of the window and you can still slowly start an upward turn to bring it back. in lower winds if you take that kite to the edge of the window it will slow down and stall and fall to the ground. So when i see people static flying learning and they are flying in lighter wind the common thing that happens is they fly it to the edge when the kite stops moving forward and then they try to do an up turn and the kite just falls to the ground. So the option is to either run back a bit to put more pressure on the kite and get it flying to do an upturn or if you have enough height learn to do a down turn - which is very important to learn. If you kite is high enough turn down and gravity will help and do a sharp turn down and back into the wind window - this will save the kite from falling at the edge.

Now going to water, as you body drag you are heading toward the kite and as the kite gets to the edge of the window you have lost the kite speed and you don't have the board resistance to edge for power to do an up turn and the kite is stalled and will just fall. Again do a downturn as soon as you have any hint of the kite stalling. To do your usual up turn you need to know before the kite gets too close to the edge of the window and slows down to start your upturn while there is still movement and pressure with the kite.
I often see people trying to get a board on and there is a bit of wave action and what happens is you mentally get an idea of where the power zone is and the angle to dive the kite - but as they get the board on and waves slightly change their angle as they drift they now dive the kite at the edge of the wind window instead of mid power zone. So they come up on the board, the kite stalls, they fall back on their ass, the kite slowly comes up, they dive it at the edge and then no power to bring the kite back up and again back on their ass in the water and maybe the kite falls in at the edge.

it's one thing to stand on land and be able to move backward a little when needed - in the water you need to be on top of your light wind kite skills whenever you have the slightest indication of power loss - right away get the kite moving, get it high so you have room for big power strokes, start looping and fly the kite like mad if you need to, get the board flatter for planing surface and don't try and edge and take the quickest line to shore to save a swim.

Good to hear you were able to get out and have a go at it. What lake were you on? Your wind for yesterday in Brookings looks like it never got above 10mph. That low of wind and any wind shadows would probably be the culprits. An extra 5mph might have made a huge difference.

Now todays wind forcast... :o may have to go with a smaller kite today...

Very helpful markite. I will keep all of that in the memory bank for next time. Pongnut I found a great open beach at lake Thompson. Will be my go to spot from now on. I thought I had plenty of wind but didn't hit the water till later afternoon when it was slowly dying. Keep trying I guess. Markite any advise for relaunching this beast?

With any kite you need wind to be able to roll the kite over and the second thing (more so with bigger kites) is being able to have a bit of resistance to add pressure to the kite. Having a board on your feet to hold against drifting will add pressure instead of just drifting toward the kite. When learning many people go out in light breeze to fly a kite and there may not be good solid breeze or wind at water level so that can also make it harder to relaunch. With a big kite you may need to reach a little further up the outside line like an arms length higher up to pull in more on the wingtip to get it to lift and turn but be very careful about doing this if there is some decent wind, don't wrap the line around fingers, just grab higher up to pull and get the wintip lifting and let go of it after the kite turns. Sometimes in light wind you may need to kick a few strokes the opposite way to get a bit more pressure on the kite. If you get to shallower water and can stand, the relaunch will be easier. All about pressure on the kite, turning the bar to get the kite to start to drift sideways and then an extra pull on the wingtip line to get it to come up. The last thing is be prepared to reach up and give a tug on the centre lines if it's just about to launch but doesn't seem to have quite enough juice. This will just coax it up. But doing things a little too soon, the kite may still have water on the wingtip holding it down and the kite may not be fully rotated to launch and it will end up almost launching but rolling forward again nose down on the water.
Practice, practice, and then when you finally get it hopefully it'll become rarer and rarer that you actually need to relaunch.

If you are serious about learning to kitesurf get a modern 12m (or a 14m if you are 90kg or more). dont go out unless its 12kt + for body dragging practice or 14kt + if you are learning board starts. In mph i guess its about 15mph you should look for to get a productive day.

You need to go quite slowly to body drag upwind or you will just get a bunch of water in your face so keep the kite quite high and just do small dips into the power. Don't let it get low in the window and it won't stall.

Check your state of tune - front and rear line relative lengths... whatever they should be for that kite.

You'll have similar problems any time there's "not enough wind" for the size of kite... being a beginner, it's tough to know how much is enough. I recommend getting a (cheap) anemometer, finding out the wind range for the kite, then going when it's about in the middle.

You *can* body-drag upwind fast in fact, if you can't body-drag upwind, you won't be riding upwind cos there's not enough wind. For the future - remember that the wind is low and if you're riding downwind but MUST get upwind, get off the board and body-drag.


Body dragging... kite shouldn't drop below 45˚. Lower and it'll drag you downwind. Higher and you won't move :D

You should be flying with one hand; the other stretched out in front of you, lying on your side, making yourself as long as possible... kinda lying on your side. Eg. going to the right - left hand sheeting, lying on your RHS, right hand leading the way.

Control the kite's position in the sky with the bar. With one hand on it, you can't really turn so... sheet in, kite climbs; sheet out, kite drops.

The rest is practice.

As is relaunching. All kites are different though... Some kites, you just pull a rear line and they go to the side and go up, no matter how little wind. Some kites can reverse launch, some can't... good in light wind.

On YouTube, look for a video on "how to relaunch a C-kite" or any really old video that shows that technique. Basically, when the kite is LE down, you swim at the kite to get it to flip over onto its back. Then you swim to one side and tension that steering line (eg. the wing tip that is up) and the kite will relaunch... if there's enough wind :D If you've got a bar with a low-V (like Ozone) you can grab a front line, then the opposite back line and do the same thing but without any swimming...

Practice on the land in light wind is a good idea - or better yet, water you can stand up in.

Oh, here's one for you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGcYINoxI_0

And with a 5th line... you can do the same with opposite center/rear too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yjah8eUt0M

Thanks guys, all great pointers. The next time I go out I'm going to put the kite le down and go from their. Another problem I had was the kite collapsing in half. Then the top tip was in the water and I had trouble getting it to come out. As I was working the lines it would move out to the edge of the wind, then just sit folded up. Almost like the start of a bowtie, top tip out n front of the kite and stuck in the water. More wind might have helped this problem. All things to work on. I do think I was flying to low in the window to get a good body drag, well below 45deg. My next investment may be a waterproof case for my phone so I can keep you guys next to me when I'm in the water. "I'm stuck in the middle of the lake, what do I do now? lol!

Pump it up hard. Ping test the LE is ok but I prefer to pick it up a bit and try to bend it. I like hard kites so they don't collapse when I load them up.

Never go out in off-shore wind until you're much, much better :D

If I was to look for a 14m lei would another waroo that size be a good learner kite? Something that would turn faster might help me out. I'm 220lbs, but don't really want to have to go out in 30+ mph days to get me up in the water. I do have a 13 venom but I am way to scared to drop that in the water and have a big soggy diaper to drag in. I always seem to have bow ties with our on and off gusty winds here. At least if its a lei I have a fighting chance at putting it back up.