Macboy spoke of how important scudding was and that it was awhile before he figured it out.

Well for us, that time was measured in years. Oh sweet thang and I done our fare share of it but mostly by accident. Until we met Phree and Tridude in Charleston this year.

Thats the first time someone ever said do it to learn the kite and get a feel for its power.

Let me tell ya, us noobs need to be told just how important learning to scud really is. Now I feel it should be one of the first things you should learn.

I know its always mentioned but never stressed. Especially for peeps like me that buy to much power to start. The scud can help tremendously. Its better to scud than run and face plant.

I wish I had paid more attention to it and what was being said years ago. Scudding has got to be one of the sports best tricks to learn.

So you guys/gals who know scud, lets hear about it. How you figured it out and why. Also when you think new kite people should start trying. I need to learn more about it also.

I'm uploading a vid of sweet thang at JIBE when she found the 5m wasn't such a big deal. At 125lbs she has been afraid of this kite for ever. Now she loves to fly it.

Its done already!!!

Scudding was one of the first things I learned. What a blast it is to dip the kite deep into the power and go sliding downwind! Its a GREAT way to get a feel for the kites power! *coughvenom19cough* dude, that kite has some grunt!!!

The way I scud is sort of like barefoot skiing. Bend at the knees at about a 90 degree angle, transfer my weight behind the ball of my feet, lift the toes slightly all as I'm starting the dip into the power. Once I'm in the power, I juice the kite as much as I can and goooooooo!

Oh yeah, forgot to mention I lean back while in the scud...no faceplants please and thank you!

I love scudding! I find it helps me know if I've put up the right kite for landboarding becasue if I can get a good scud off the launch I know I have enough power to ride.

I ride in a soccer field that is right next to a skate park and thus I get a lot of curious kids stopping by to see what I'm doing. At one point or another they usually ask if they can fly my kite and they get the usual response that it is too big/powerful for them to learn on. When I get protests of "I'm strong enough to hold that down" I'll crank it though the power lean back and get a good scud to make my point.

HR I love it when you call Dana "Sweet Thang". I can tell it is a term of endearment.

I like to scud too. I learned it early on and think it really helps in progression and understanding what the kite is doing. I like to have enough power to have sinewave continuous scuds where you just keep looping through the power fast enough that you never really stop scudding till you can't hold on anymore. Yes, the position is much the same as barefoot waterskiing.

I can't do it much anymore. Old knees, and kites don't mix. I get a short scud to see if the kite is the right size than it's off in the bug.
I leave the scudding for the younger kids, who still have good knees.

But I do butt scud, that still works fine

It is important to learn scudding for safety as soon as possible.
Like many have mentioned. If I can't scud I need a bigger kite and I usually start out small. It is a quick and easy way to tell if you need to size up or down. It's one of the safest ways out of a bad sitution.

My only peeve is when people get stuck on it. Like it is a sport unto itself and not just an important and fun skill to work on as you move up the ladder.

While we are talking about things that beginers should not put off !

GET A HARNESS :ticking:

right on rocky, nice vid.

This is a small part of my video. i love to scud, tht is how i started out, with my 1.5 mighty bug on the washington coast line in 50mph

Thats a nice long scud kiteon. Takes a bit of strength in the soft stuff like that.

Using it to see if you need a bigger kite? Haven't look at it like that but I can see where that would be a nice gage.

I agree with a step on the ladder to wheels or water. But if there's no water or your field isn't large enough for wheels / your skills, then its an added bonus for static.

Wish the wind would kick up!!! Its so calm outside I could see a squirrel jump in a tree a half a mile away and that sux when your a couple away from a pot of squirrel dumplings.

Scudding is what started it for me and still gives me the best thrill of all. I still remember scudding with a stack of Hawaiians on my back and flying up-eyes-down. FYI, mine goes by Curly Girly

Scudding is what kept me from demolishing myself with my homemade kite skates. If I hadn't done some scudding to get a feel for the kite I'm sure I would have put the skates on too soon in too high of wind and been taken for a real ride. Also, I agree it's great for learning a new kite or seeing if the kite is right for the amount of wind. I finally got to take my Twister II 7.7 out and got to scud around a bit with it!

scudded the very first time i launched a power kite--even though its not recommended, i have always launched directly downwind and scudded with it--i have some shoes i buy at walmart that are great for scuds--tennis shoes dont really work for me on grass, but they work on sand......sometimes i will fly back and forth in the window and scud like that........these days with my 10.5 blade, i scud in a crouched position--very cool--there are all kinds of ways to scud -all of them fun--in the snow sitting on on of those round discs--on your butt--i even have sat in a utility bin when the winds were xtreme and scudded like that--usually i fall out and get up laughing--

Quote:

Originally posted by newtokiting ~i even have sat in a utility bin when the winds were xtreme and scudded like that--usually i fall out and get up laughing--

That brings back memories. flying in a hailstorm

Quote:

Originally posted by geojones ~i got launched forward about 100 feet at breakneck speed while sitting in a utility bin~

hahaha yes that was me and i had embellished the story to make it sound more exciting--even so, it was fun and while i wouldnt go out in hail again, i def would use the bin to scud---perhaps not for everyone, but i can easily point to 50 stories on here that are/ were far more xtreme---to each his own i say---some people on here are very cautious and wont try anything remotely exciting, while others are pure adrenaline junkies.....i tend to lean more towards the latter--obviously, there are all sorts of kiters between the 2 extremes.......ive never been hurt seriously, so i'd like to think ive got a pretty fair handle on the conditions i fly in--contrary to some "expert's misguided opinions.......not singling anyone out in particular,to each his own---i fly safe for my abilities, and help people all the time and teach them about kiting......

Some great points here. I love scudding at the beach. The soft sand makes it easy on these beat up knees. On grass fields I really feel it on the knees and try to avoid scudding if possible.
Went to the beach today to buggy but the wind was on the low end and the direction was only good for downwind and I was'nt gonna walk back, so did a little scudding......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfm3on7K6pk

Just saw this Jaymz, a little scudding? You could have went to WalMart. Nice