Hi. I'm newbie and have been doing a LOT of static kite practice during my lunch hour the past few months. I finally got out on the landboard yesterday (for the 2nd time ever) and had an AWESOME 4 hour session. Perfect conditions: Sunny, 65 degrees, low tide, 10 to 15 mph east wind on a 1.5 mile stretch of hard packed sand. A few other folks out on buggies and boards but there was plenty of room for everone. Details: I was using my ozone flow 3.0 fixed bridle on a control bar and I weigh 197 pounds. Here are my questions - maybe you folks can help me out...

1) I had no problem zipping up and down the beach but I was not able to "park" my kite very long in the power zone. I could park it for maybe 10 seconds but then had to bring it back up to 1:00 (when going towards right) and swoop it back down to get more power. Same problem going the other way - had to swing up and down (does that mean sine??) So.....am I doing something wrong? Swooping kite up and down to get power worked fine but I thought I would be parking the kite at one spot and go go go. Maybe the wind wasn't strong enough? Maybe I should have used a bigger kite? I also have an Ozone Flow 5.0 but was a little nervous about being overpowered if wind suddenly picked up (I'm old).

2) Is it difficult to go upwind in a straight line? I start going upwind but then the kite starts to die out so I had to go downwind a bit to get some speed and then direct the board upwind. Kind of like making an "S" pattern on the beach instead of a straight line. This worked fine but I thought maybe I could just go up wind in a straight line (even though I'd be going slower). OR maybe I'm doing it right and just don't realize it yet?

3) I ended up kite landboarding for about 4 hours straight with no breaks (it was too much fun). I have a harness but still haven't used it yet - want to be real comfortable with kite & board before I even think of hooking in. My question is - shouldn't I be tired?? Shouldn't my arms and shoulders ache? I woke up today and feel fine. Maybe I don't need to use a harness or maybe the wind wasn't strong enough? I'm not doing any jumps or anything crazy. Just going back and forth along beach. I figured I'd be very sore today when I woke up.

Thanks and sorry if my questions are so basic. I am so new but COMPLETELY HOOKED on this sport. It's a blast!!

Were you at Nahant yesterday flying the blue kite?

I was the one towing my kids on the landboard.

Welcome!

Let me start in reverse order. Before I started flying depowers I flew on handles and its a lot easier to ride longer when moving on a good surface (like yesterday) then it is to constantly fight the kite in deep snow or when flying static. If your arms aren't sore - don't worry. I have nerve damage in my wrist and I could go for 3-4 hours without a harness too and usually woke up the next day feeling fine too. harnesses are a huge help and comfort but aren't necessary. Figure I flew for the better part of 2-3 years without relying on one.

You generally won't go up wind in a straight line. Its a balancing act. Build speed by dropping slightly into the wind and then lean back on the power and then lean into the wind and then back. If you are fully powered you can go in a fairly straigt line but usually its a bit of an S patten. Helps a lot to look where want to go as that will position your hips to get you there - but to do that you need to be able to fly the kite without looking at it. Speed and space are the key to getting up wind.

Don't worry about parking the kite - did you see me?? I was sine'ing the heck out of it to get upwind with my kids in tow and generally sine it on the down wind run to to control speed - dip to increase - up/ back to decrease. Its fun to be able to park / lock the kite but again, that's for the fully powered days and on a board I don't often "park" the kite and ride the beach. It too is a balancing act and to prevent you from building constant speed you need to sine the kite and make adjustments as you go.

I thought you were doing good and was surprised when Dave told me it was only your second day with the board. If you are that good after two days, just keep doing what you are doing and you'll be fine real soon.

I'm Brian, by the way and from now until it snow's I'll be there every other weekend (or more), weather and schedule permitting.

1) Yup. you had to work the kite in that wind and is sounded like your are doing fine. A 4-5 meter would likely have given you that "park and ride". A 5m kite will prove to be very versatile and your 3m kite will be your high winds kite.

2) Depends. It is normal to have to harden up (turn upwind) and fall off (ease down wind) as the breezes change. In steady coastal wind you can go up in straight line with the right size kite. You are learning that insamuch as the wind window is always direct downwind of you, you can change where the kite is in the window not by moving the kite (sometimes you cannot do so easily) but by changing your heading. You will find that the faster you go, the higher upwind you can go. Speed begats more speed, so start off more on a reach (across the wind) then as you build speed you can harden up more. but as you found out, harden up too much and you run out of gas and have to fall off. With more kite or more wind, that upwind park and ride will be easier.

3) So you are in good shape. And you had a smallish kite in Goldilocks conditions for an easy ride. With more kite and going upwind like we talked about in #2 above, your grip will tire and your arms will get longer. Sounds like you will be ready fora harness and strop when the time comes.

Great post. Good luck. sounds like you are doing well.

Welcome!

... what they said :D

Hi Brian. Yes - that was me with the blue kite. I'm the guy that doesn't know how to make turns yet!! Just went up the beach, stopped, and then went back the other way. I'll work on trying to figure out how to do a turn this weekend. I would LOVE to be able to do powerslides like the guy with the white kite was doing. Very cool move!!

I did see you towing the other person. The passenger looked like he was having a blast!! Yes I'm very new to kiting but I am also avid "high wind" windsurfer so that experience seems to help with my landboarding skills. But I still got a LOT of learning to do!!

I will also be at Nahant pretty much every weekend from now until it snows. FYI - I live about 1 mile from Lake Quannapowitt so once it freezes and we get snow that will be my "go to" sport for snowkiting. Have you kited there before? I've seen some folks out there this past winter. I'm REALLY looking forward to this winter!!!

Hopefully I'll see you this weekend at Nahant.

Dave was the one doing the power slide transitions on the white frenzy. Helps if you are powered and you need to be comfortable throwing the kite back low in the window so it can drag you through the turn without launching you. If the kite is super fast I find it more difficult as it completes the turn around without pulling you all the way through the turn.

I live in Dracut and generally kite ski on lake masscuppic on the dracut / tyngsboro line but (the other) Brian, Paul, Dean and several others frequent lake Q in the winter. If that becomes the new local hang I will certainly join you there this winter.

I agree with all of the above in my experience with ozone kites if u will add just a little brake once u build speed and turn up wind the kite will set just off the edge and feel like u hit the turbo button that's where I find the park and ride experience I wish I was out there with yall sounds like awsome conditions I ride on pavement and with my 3 m little devil I can park and ride in under ten as long as I add the little bit of brake
The more u ride the more it will fall into place especially when u learn to let the kite take ur weight in a harness it really feels safe and locked in
I love speed :bouncy: