Perfect combinaton of steady onshore conditions and a day off work. Spent the afternoon learning how to control the buggy and kite. It's experience and time in the saddle I guess.

Had to use the kite-killers twice as I let the kite start to get behind me and i know enough to know that means Trouble.
I also started to out-run the kite a couple of time if that makes sense so I think I turned into the wind a bit ..not sure if that was the best thing to do.

Is the best way to scrub off speed to raise the kite slowly and begin to turn into the wind?

Here is a short video after I managed to co-opt a fellow kiter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb70NVp0beE

To slow down quickly, I violently (ie 70 degrees?) turn upwind as hard as I can.

I also keep the kite very low (not high as you stated).

I can change from 50 mph to stop in a few seconds. It is a very quick maneuver.

Of course, this is ALSO why I wear out a front tire 3-5 times faster than back tires! That front tire is turned full lock upwind while I slow down.

Paul

Bloody hell! You returned back exactly from where you departed, no walk of shame, straight back to base. The last bit even had you pointed far upwind and you still made it. Well done that man!
Did I not tell you that clean wind would accelerate your progress? Yes I did. :D

You should appreciate that this can take a long time for people to achieve, well for me at least. I spent some years trying to do this in a field before I managed it. I used to cannon ball in one direction and walk back for another go. The wind really sucked.

I noticed you edited out the part where you turned around in the distance. There's no shame in ballsing it up. You should allow us to analyze any faults so that we can laugh, I mean help you.

If you start to outrun the kite, simply steer the bug a little downwind to keep the kite by your side. You might experience an increase in speed.
To slow down or come to a complete stop, turn the bug upwind ( doesn't need to be directly upwind ) without raising the kite.

To turn around without stopping you'll need to conserve momentum, it doesn't need to be fast, walking speed should do. Turn upwind and slow down in the usual way, then gently raise the kite to zenith, do a U turn in the downwind direction until you're following your own tracks in the sand. While the kite is high above, redirect it towards your new direction of travel and gently lower it back down into the power zone and follow your tracks home, simple.

Yay! thanks jeepersjoey that is very useful,I've noticed it's very easy to pick up speed very quickly and not so easy to stop so I'll be practicing hard (ish) upwind turns next few times I go out and practicing keeping the kite low instead of raising it.

Hey RedSky made it before my goal of June! And yes, being so close to a beach has really helped as has getting good advice online and the kite-buggiers/fliers at said beach (shout out to Ainsdale Wind on Wheels) Many thanks to you Tom and to PKF members for their input and encouragement.

And it's great to get an evaluation from a kiter..that upwind turn...to my non-kite mates it just looks like I'm crawling along (well, I am actually). I started off a bit too upwind really.

Ahh, so it's downwind as an anti-dote to outrunning the kite, nice one.

I'm sure I will balls it all up sometime and if it's captured on vid then I'll upload it...like you say..for analyzing purposes ...but the turn was actually a good one (honest guv) , I cut it coz the vid was originally about 2.5 minutes and was boring to watch in the middle section.

I keep your "keep your focus on the kite" advice in my mind...it has replaced "bolero"..but that tune is never very far away,so funny, always makes me laugh