With my safety problem solved,(rings on the center lines and a longer leash) and a new stiff DD, out I go for another try...

Winds 18mph quartering onshore, waist high waves. Went out to my favorite spot just past the first sandbar.. Couple of false starts, need to be more aggressive w/ the kite..

Next try, get up and make a couple sines w/ the kite but gradually slowing as I'm going....

Next try- Good power stroke and im off.. Speed up on the down turn and slow up on the up..... Bounced over a few big waves and kept on going.. Ended going bout a half mile before i fell...
I really couldn't get powered up while on the board, I think my kite management was probably poor.. Practice, Practice, Practice..

Made a couple very short runs back up the beach, but unless I body dragged way out i ran out of room before the beach met me.....

So I walked the rest of the way back, pretty darn happy...

If each time gets a little better I will be a happy camper ...

It's sure nice when you wipe out you find the kite waiting for you when you pull your head out of the water...Kite has yet to get wet....

Time to eat pizza and drink a beer:singing:

you want the kite high as you leave the peak to break through so you can power through the trough with a down stroke(soon to be a jump ,right). really aggressive kite work to get the speed up and carve through.
the walking will be less , LOOK a little past your up wind mark. try and get your hips around that way as well.. practice edge control and power stroke timing . sometimes off and on pressure keeps it flowing better.

keep at it! you only have more fun ahead, promise.

Went for another try at my usual spot... Wind 15 kts quartering onshore.. Synergy 12, 158x40 board....

Usual false starts at first then a couple underpowered runs...I think im not edging enough... Try going the other way, but the beach meets me rather quickly...

Get a good run, noticeably heading away from shore, fastest i've gone... Over a big wave into the air and crash... First time kite has hit the water... Taco relaunch, first time trying.... Pull on the bottom back line, it opens up and starts to fly... Sort of. It is just hovering straight down wind not wanting to move anywhere ..Steer it back and forth and eventually it goes overhead...

Is this common for a wet kite??

Few more short runs and im back even w/the car... Beer and pizza time...

I had the tip straps 1/2 way, the center 1/4 pulled in and the vpc on the knot closest to the leading edge.... Any thoughts???

I stall landed the kite for the first time.... It went to about 2 feet off the ground, I turned it so the safety line was on the bottom and let go of the bar.. Wouldn't want to do that in much more wind......

More wind forcast for tomorrow, which also means bigger waves... Wheeeeee!!!!!! (crash)

pull/jerk/snatch about a foot of the main should get things going. and yes a wet kite is not so smart. couple quick passes and all should flow. watch line tangles and loops on relaunches.

sounds like a good go for you.

5 mph makes a lot of difference.. Wind 19-20 instead of the usual 14-15.... Waves were building so I shirked my duties and out to the beach before it gets too rough for me....

With this little more wind kite is standing at attention overhead waiting to play.... Dive the kite, away I go and not struggling to keep the kite flying... Bounced over a few waves, and see the beach getting farther away from me, hmmmm... Time to turn around, time for my first gybe.. Bring kite overhead, wave crashes on me from behind and im in the water as usual....

Try to work my way back up the beach, but not much room before shore runs into me... Cant get edging enough before shore gets too close.... Quartering into the waves seems much harder than quartering with them..

Bunch of short runs I get back to where I started, Waves are getting alot tougher to deal with...

I see surfers heading out at the pier, I know its time for me to give this up for today...

Good day-
Much better when the kite has the wind it wants...

Kite must be allergic to water too, no matter how I crash or screw up it just stays in the air...........

Gotta love them arcs !!!!

(Only 1 other guy out, on a 12 waroo. I saw him walk back to his starting point twice, so I dont feel so bad)

I'm going to Cabo in June surfing, would like to be comfortable to do a little kitesurfing there too..... We'll see

12m arc in 15knots sounds like not enough sail up to me - unless you're a real light weight. 12m in 20 sounds a bit better
Use your knees like shock absorbers and let your feet ride up and over the waves, bending your knees ... I've yet to encounter waist-high waves though :shocked2:

There's some tips for going upwind on the Youtube if you search ... or I can find them in a millisecond for you