I went out today and got my first good rides today! I am super stoked. Winds were light and so started with my 17. I used my buddy's 180 slingshot board that is super floaty and wide. I wasnt really able to go up wind but could I could ride across the lake and back ok. The wind picked up so I went to the 11 Neo1 and was amazed that I could go upwind with it. Had some Park and ride runs too. I kept trying different transitions and rode toeside for a little bit but not very well. Next I tried to carve upwind and then directed the kite to the other side expecting to get pulled that way. Suddenly I was in the air looking down with my legs churning, left the board behind. Friends said my feet were well over 10ft off the water which is huge for me. Too bad they didn't catch it on video. Winds were still picking up so I went with a 8m Neo1. No park and ride but I could work the kite and still get good runs. What was amazing is that is was my first really good rides and I rode three different kites today and did fine. I just wanted to share the stoke.:wee:

Glad to hear you had a good day, will this be the last one before the snow fly's?

WAY TO GO !!!!!

It's all upwind now !!:bouncy:

Nice! Always new the NEO would go upwind well

Good stuff! Mega-stoke eh they ol' "Whoops! Where the planet gone?" move huh - impresses the chicks no end damned seat harness I got usually goes exploring when I do that though, so I try to avoid it :o

IMHO rather than change kites, change your board or work harder on kite control via board control ... the locals here swap out kites left, right and center when the wind changes a few knots. Being a lazy bugger with only one real viable board, I just go out in whatever.

Spent some time at the start of my session on Saturday playing with using the board to control my speed and the power in the kite. It's doable and I can see now why people will ride a C-kite with little depower ... with that in hand, when the wind picked-up I could make speed and power then simply throttle or choke it by board control, rather than sheeting in and or out and relying on depower. So I was on my 16m still when the ickle locals were on 9's

ParS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-n'ride is where it's at

Oh yeah and - it only gets better and better!

Be sure to watch instruction vids and try something (or several somethings!) new everytime you go out ...!

Sounds like you went from beginner to intermediate in one day....

Keep it up, it only gets better......

Park n ride, whats that?? I should try that, I only get 8 or 10 sessions and have to replace my chicken loop line.....

Let's see some vid, stetson........

Quote:

Originally posted by borntofli Sounds like you went from beginner to intermediate in one day.... Keep it up, it only gets better...... Park n ride, whats that?? I should try that, I only get 8 or 10 sessions and have to replace my chicken loop line..... Let's see some vid, stetson........

Videos by the guy who just bought your bigfoot.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-G7FHP0o9c



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mpa1wl1hrE



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhulylWatyA



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq-8if0ZN8s



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYVZRbacyhs

closest weather site
http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.as...

rode from about 5:30 to 7:30

nice go ! nice recovery on the kite , it has to be like that! quick !

keep at it !

Good stuff! Looking good in part 3 there

Some tips, if I may ... from someone who recently went through the same thing :D
When waterstarting, keep your knees up into your chest - when the kite pulls you, sit up then stand up. Also, as the kite starts to pull you, point your lead foot at the kite and push that leg out ... you'll be able to handle a heap more power when the kite dives without superman-ing downwind ...

Tips are very much appreciated. The main difference I made on that day is I used a big wide floaty 180cm board from my buddy. I am not sure I would have been up and riding on my board so tips that might help that are great.

Yeah you quickly learn that board speed is important ... get up, get planing then you can noodle around figuring things out. The other option is stick with a bigger kite ... but that has it's own safety issues. Things will sort themselves out with experience