So today was the second time I took my 4m Scout out on the lake. I had takin it out in the field before there was snow. So the winds were 20km so about 10 to 13 mph. I set the kite out and strapped my board on and launched the kite. Flew it around the window for awhile while sittin with my board on the let it pull me up. Now here is my problem, say the wind is going south. Thats where the kite is taking me. As apposed to east to west it just drags me straight downwind? I ended up to far down the lake from my truck so I packed up the kite and walked all the way back. any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks.

When you first get going on your board you can start going a little bit downwind and then gradually lean against the pull of the kite and start heading slightly upwind. Also, you can't have the kite directly downwind of you. If the wind is blowing towards the south and you want to go east, put the kite downwind of you to the southeast. If you want to go west, put it downwind of you to the southwest. Like I said before its ok to go downwind at first but then gradually lean againt the pull of the kite and go upwind and perpindicular to the wind direction. If the kite is pulling you real hard downwind and you feel like you're going to faceplant, you need to lean back more.

If you could go directly downwind without the kite falling out of the sky, maybe you had too much wind for that size kite ...?

What power said is the ticket.
Cos I'm a bit soft in the head, this is how I figured out how to do it ...

Kamikuza's Holistic Kiteboarding Agency
Getting rolling
Figure out which way the wind is blowing - I've got a buzz-cut so I balance the wind on my ears :D Scratch a line in the ground to indicate wind direction and now you know which direction is crosswind.
You goal is to head upwind eventually, so make a note of whats directly left (or right) of your position ie. 90 degrees to the wind. Let's say there's a Port-a-potty at the edge of your field, on the left hand side.
Without the board, launch the kite, park it at the zenith.
From the zenith, dive the kite in the direction (ie. left or right) you want to go and note what background features the kite 'hits' when you have to turn it up away from the ground and send it back to the zenith. Let's say it was a pink flag on the mini-golf course in the next field.
Get your board, point it across and down wind at the pink flag.
Dive the kite like you did before, aiming at the pink flag ...
... and here's the key ...
... as you start moving and get some board speed, apply heel side edging to turn the board upwind and point it at your Port-a-potty.
The tricky bit is timing it right so you keep the tension in the lines and the kite doesn't stall, but instead has enough speed to fly to it's 'parked' position and continues you to pull you across wind ... too late and you shoot down wind, the kite stalls and you stop. Too early - your board stops and the kite tries to yank you over it ...

(Considering the interconnectedness of all things, it's easier to get boarding in good strong clean winds with a big kite on a draggy surface like a beach ... but of course it's a bit more dangerous and much harder work on your arms and legs.
The drag is useful because if you roll fast on a surface like say a packed dirt baseball pitch, then you shoot off downwind and over-fly your kite. That means your turn upwind has to be done almost as soon as the kite pulls and you start moving. On the beach, you can wait a bit longer or make a slower turn.)

Once you're rolling, look at your Port-a-potty target and as you gather speed, aim slightly upwind of that ... if you loose board speed, aim the board slightly downwind to pick up some speed again. Hopefully you'll arrive at the other side of the field, directly across wind of your starting points.

... it's a balancing act between speed and direction, all the time keeping tension in the lines ...

Stopping is lesson 2. Please insert coins to continue ...

A 4M kite in 10-13 mph winds isn't much kite. In that wind I use a 19M Synergy. You might need more juice to lean against to edge. With that 4M if you lean back to edge you'd probably just fall over. Just even the statement "Flew it around the window for awhile while sittin with my board on the let it pull me up" means you are underpowered. Time for a big kite I think!

Yes, I think you are underpowered and not able to edge enough against the power to get going upwind.

Try and pump along making a sine wave with the kite in the side of the window you are trying to travel. Edge against the power each time you dive the kite and just try to keep tension on the lines as you take it back up. Even your track should make a little sine wave until you can park the kite to ride. If you get moving apparent wind will assist you.

Running downwind like that is not uncommon in low wind and learning. A bit more wind a bit more technique will make it all come together !

Quote:

Originally posted by Kamikuza Kamikuza's Holistic Kiteboarding Agency

Sorry for the hijack, but nice Douglas Adams reference, Kam. Good topic - I'll be watching this one. This winter I plan on giving snowkiting a try. My early buggy attempts were similar to what bladerunner said- long zigzagging downwind runs followed by a walk of shame. Then it clicked (well mostly- still crash kites into parked cars occasionally.)

If you work the pants off the kite you should be able to get enough power to ride cross wind...maybe not upwind but across for sure. I've had my Rage (4.7) out in sub-20k-ish winds and was able to get back to where I started BUT I did have to work the living daylights out of it. Good lessons to learn so don't feel that you need more winds to play.

I was out yesterday in 24-28km winds babying a blown back so I was underpowered intentionally. I had to work the pants off the 10m Guerilla to get rippin' but it did the job. Lucky for me too 'cuz I did indeed push my luck and sent the kite back - luckily too small to get me airborne......the back needs a bit more RnR before I go pick up where I left off last winter

This is a buggy help guide from Angus at Coastal Wind Sports, but the basics are the same. Should help. Helped me.

http://www.coastalwindsports.com/BetterBuggyBasics.html

1 m/s = 3 km/h = 2 knots-ish ... yes?
My best landboarding wind with my 5m is about 5 m/s or 15kph or 10 knots ... y'all must be fatter than I am :laugh: more than that and it's getting too fast for me and less is hard work ... 3 m/s or less is a waste of time even with the Blade III 6.6 I had which is why I sold it :D

Look after your back, Mac ... keep it stretched and get your core toned up but keep active I look at buggy riders all twisted round and my spine does flip-flops

How much do you weigh and what was the condition of the riding surface (ice with snow, lots of snow, no snow)?

I weigh 145#s and if the surface is fast then 10-13mph is plenty for a 4m on skis so I'm assuming OK with a board too.

Typically one can't get back upwind when one is either overpowered or underpowered. You may have been underpowered while sitting on the surface digging in with your edge but if it was pretty icey you may have quickly become overpowered once up on the board. It sounds like you were underpowered but I wouldn't jump to that conclusion without knowing your weight and the surface conditions as well as how good a snowboarder you are.

I weigh 185-190 lbs depending on the day haha There was probably only about six inches of powder on the ice it was not hard so I think that could have affected things.