heres the deal,, i was out a few months back and was flying my 3.0 and ended up getting lifted pretty good and came down and sprained my ankle real bad. Since then i have healed up for the most part but everytime i get the powerkite quiver out again i absolutly have no confidence and feel just out of wack. Only thing i can seem to fly without a big issue is my 2.0 and that wont power a buggy unless it is really windy. Tried to fly my 5.0 yesterday and was scared to death. winds were only about 5-8 mph but it seemed dangerous. Can anyone share any advice on how to build confidence level up and gain some expierence so i feel better about this whole thing. Getting ready to take the easy way out and sell the buggy and all whole quiver. Cant seem to want to do anything without the kite killers on and they get so tangled so easily and then it just gets frustrating to fly anymore. Any suggestions????

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Conquer your fears. Just get out there and fly. Start small, work your way up. Come to the Wildwood Buggy Bash, and fly with other folks. Having a bunch of guys apply peer pressure will definitely help you get over your fears and go for it...

Aside from that, keep flying the smaller kites in lower winds until you feel comfortable with them again. If you "work" the kite hard enough, you might get some movement out of it...

first fly static until you get your confidence back

ok this is going to sound crazy, but it is much safer to use a larger depower kite while riding. if you get lofted the kite will be big enough to float you down. you also don't have to use them in high winds like you would a small 2m kite. those small kites love to flick you into the air and then drop you onto your joints hard.

also most depower kites are closed foil designs these days. this helps keep the kite from collapsing on you if you do get lifted into the air. I know a lot of guys will get mad when i tell riders to use larger depower kites vs those small foil kites. most of the way those small kites get lift is through their incredibly fast speed. they shoot across the window lifting you into the air and then drop when it hits the edge of the window.

larger kites are much slower through the air, so you get your lift through the kite shape/design vs out right kite speed. sine the shape of the wind may induce lift, all you have to do is park the kite above your head and enjoy the float down. I feel much safer on a larger kite when the wind is bumping instead of the small wicked fast kites

this may seem like bad advice, but you hear more and more stories of guys getting hurt on those small wippy kites

I hope this steers you in the right direction

like ragden said, just alot of practice...... a cautious mindset is good,but excessive fear isnt because you need to have a clear idea of what to do if and when something adverse happens...... panic can get a person hurt badly--just take your time and gradually push the envelope and come to wildwood, there are tons of kiters there, all more than willing to lend a hand.......

Definitely stick to flying underpowered for a while, you'll be moving slowly but have more time to react and less force to control if things go wrong.

it will help to practice to control.

letting go of the kite! in all positions and speed in the window, all sizes. just drop it.

stay relaxed, breathe through nose slowly and deliberately when tense moments arrive .

relax grip, shoulders relaxed, head back , eyes to horizon and terrain, not the kite .

grip strength, not squeezing , like "hooks" using fingers .. this allows for it to just slip away when the gust hits. practice this finger grip balance. like a pull-up hang and just let go. like rock climbing.

focus on what your fingers are telling you. talk to someone while you're flying/ walk up wind and talk, your reflexes will sharpen as your brain gets out of the way.

a tether on the brakes would be nice keeps things tidy and not so messy.

as things ramp up in confidence, hook in (if your on that track) walk up wind idle kite at the edge just above ground. keep it happy tight lines , if it luffs back into the window can always fly into the ground, let go, or run it in.

know the weather! if its lumpy expect a bumpy ride .

get to the fun parts! then stop and celebrate. rinse and repeat

what surface are you riding on? If grass ... maybe try something different like hard pack sand or dirt field. This will allow you to roll much easier. So you will be able to ride under powered but still get moving good in the buggy.

For me it worked trying to do some scudding at the beach and also on the sandy area of a baseball field. Once I learned how to disipate the kite's power I was more confident in my ability to fly. And scudding is also fun!!!

Where in PA are you?

I'm feelin' ya. I bounced on my melon a few week back and was still hawky and overly cautious when I got to Harper for FBBT... It takes time to build your confidence back.

There's no graceful way to crash ( unless your name is CoolBreeze ) but there are a hundred things you can do to ease the impact and most of them have to do with controlling the flight speed and position of the kite inspite of your physical disorientation. Corey Lama calls it Kite Chi, I call it survival skills, I'm told eventually it will become second nature if you really work at it long enough. In this game, Experience is the only teacher and like nocando says, expreience is something you get just after you need it.

I'm horrible with internal gyroscope malfunctions and I don't heal as quick as I once did so my Chi is weak as rice paper. FEAR has everything to do with that.

Just a suggestion... Take it or leave it.
Gear up like you're about to tackle a cyclone, sit down on the deck and get busy !!! Don't intentionally launch yourself into orbit but don't be afraid to scud on your belly a bit until you figure out how to dump power when you need to. Let yourself get towed around and out of position, just stay on the deck. Use your safety A Lot !!!

If your ankle is still giving you trouble, suit it up as well.
http://www.ultraankle.com/zoom-ankle-brace

I run these on both my sticks when I play.

If you get bit by a dog basic instinct is going to keep you from going near that dog again and maybe all dogs. Try to identify and isolate what you might have done wrong and what you would do differently the next time.
Keep flying to rebuild your confidence.
There is something to be said for flying bigger vs smaller. With a bigger kite you can do more with less wind , you can jump and float more easily , if you get pulled out of controll it is less violent and at a slower speed. Try to do those same things with a smaller kite in higher wind and bad things happen more quickly with greater force.
As always its a balance of picking the right kite for what you are doing , the wind conditions , and your abilities. Smooth wind makes it all look easy , gusty wind is more demanding and unpredictable.

Quote:

Originally posted by PHREERIDER letting go of the kite! in all positions and speed in the a tether on the brakes would be nice keeps things tidy and not so messy.

what is a tether??? anything to help the constant tangle of the kite killer system would be great!!

Quote:

Originally posted by Tib Where in PA are you?

near pittsburgh....

Quote:

Originally posted by DAKITEZ what surface are you riding on?

mostly grass field....

try a harder surface. You will be amazed at the difference. Make sure you size down on your kite than you would normally on grass. Get your smallest kite and try. This will get you moving again, regain confidence, and give you joy to rmind you why you started this in the first place

Thanks for the great advice! Please keep it coming. I mostly ride alone and that for starters is a bit challenging in itself in case something goes real wrong. Had a heck of a time wrapping up all of the gear when I sprained my ankle with no one around. Also I have no other riders to learn from which makes everything that much harder.

u should really try to make it to wildwood next month--there are plenty of people that can help you and you'll have a great time as well!

tether= leash

on one brake line or both, up the line the length of the kite for flagging.

kite killers are a type of leashing system.
handles will be messy most ways you try it.

its gonna wreck the lines into a mess but a nice trade for sparing body parts any day.

Quote:

Originally posted by wheresthewind? u should really try to make it to wildwood next month--there are plenty of people that can help you and you'll have a great time as well!

i will be there this weekend for AKA. Do you think there will be anyone there buggying or too crowded?

maybe one of the locals will answer your question--i really dont know......

The best thing to do is to get some more gear! No not kites, you got plenty of those, I am talking about some body armor, heavy duty knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, shin guards, wrist guards, high top ankle support shoes and a serious helmet. Getting padded up is not only the smartest thing to do but will let you relax a little knowing that if the @#$% does hit the fan, You're not going to be hobbling away in pain. MX racers don't go practicing 50' jumps without wearing their gear! Bicycle BMX riders don't hit the half pipe in shorts and a t-shirt.... Extreme sports require a little more protection - power kiting can very much be classed as an extreme sport, the protection to your body should be no different.

Had you had all of this gear before, chances of your ankle getting sprained would have been minimized and instead of being a little scared now (which is actually a good thing), you would be pushing the limits even more.

Once you know that you can take a few tumbles without heading to the hospital, it is easier to push those limits and take those tumbles.

+1 for Kent's mention of buying safety gear! anything that will help cut down on lumps is a good idea.

Next get some balance. When you fly static, is one foot out in front as to help keep your weight back, and limit the amount of forward pull. Balance is the hardest part to master. I think of it as making my body part of the equation. I use my entire body when I fly static. or buggy! I can now fly most of my kites without having to look at them while in the buggy ( except to make sure I am not going to hit any obstacles) I can tell just by pressure in my fingers, hands and arms just about where my kite is at all times. This comes with many hours of practice.

Don't fly the kite directly in the Power Zone, keep it out on the edges and a little higher. Then ease your way back in to the Power Zone once you feel a little more comfortable. Then keep moving it further down, as much as you can handle.

Next when you are in the buggy, make sure you are using your body to help keep yourself in the seat. Don't lean over the side rails, especially on the kite side. Lean back use your feet to push into the foot pegs and dig in!

Once you have practiced static flying and feel more comfortable, the rest will start to make sense and start coming more natural.

Not saying that it is going to avoid all catastrophic moments, but you can definitely cut down on the number of them.

You may see someone buggy out on the beach at AKA, doubtful though, and they would more than likely be pretty south of the boardwalk!

let's look at this...... You got lofted by a 3.0 beamer..... That tells me you were flying in some Nukin winds. Beamers are not lifty kites. You were probably flying in conditions you don't yet have the skillset for.. Just keep flying the little ones until you get the feel of it. Watch the gust speed,use the correct kite for the gusts.

Quote:

Originally posted by WELDNGOD let's look at this...... You got lofted by a 3.0 beamer..... That tells me you were flying in some Nukin winds. Beamers are not lifty kites. You were probably flying in conditions you don't yet have the skillset for.. Just keep flying the little ones until you get the feel of it. Watch the gust speed,use the correct kite for the gusts.

Right on the money. I made a stupid mistake a couple of months ago flying my 5m in "stupid" gusty wind. I got lofted faster than I could drop the handles and summarily dropped. It sucked but I learned a leason about flying in gusting winds!

Don't sell your gear hang in there, pad up, and don't fly in gusty conditions.

I watch the wind pretty closely - if trees are moving about a lot, that tells me it's gusty. If they're really moving, I won't even take a kite out of the bag. If they're bent over in the wind but staying pretty still, that tells me it's smooth wind and it's time for some fun

I learned pretty quickly that trying to scud on grass was going to end in a sprained ankle. So I will avoid the power zone if I'm on grass and there's any power in the wind. Sand is the best - if you can get to a beach. And a smooth on-shore sea breeze is absolutely magic to fly in.

Keep kiting in light winds, but not gusty winds and build your confidence back up. If you cannot hold your ground against the kite, swap to a smaller kite.

Remember, YOU are in charge. The decision on the wind conditions is yours. You make the kite selection. If you are careful, there is absolutely NO reason to get lofted, dragged or yanked about the place. When you start pushing the limits of your ability, that's when things can go wrong.

Don't put any pressure on yourself to fly - if conditions are nice, fly and enjoy it.

Confidence is a really tricky thing if you lose it. Keep thinking of all the things you did right, and the bits that you really enjoy. Keep to gentle conditions - ease you're way back into it.

Best of luck.

I think most of us take a licking at 1st. It makes you realize this game is real ! Those who don't get injured early can get a false sense of security.

DON"T turn your back on the sport! It gets much more fun. Just fly underpowered and work the kite harder.

For me , pads are required to boost my courage level.

We generally don't use kite killers in Vancouver. ( it has been discussed ) Are there roads or power lines down wind of you? As unpopular as it is to say , there is no law that says you must use them. If you have proper room downwind letting go of on handle , if you must , flags the kite. The other handle will shoot downwind so not a good move in populated areas. Proper kite control means you should rarely ever have to let go.

P.S. Most of us get so scared / excited that we are not ourselves just before a good session. It is that " am I shaking 'cause I'm afraid or excited ?" feeling that draws many of us to the sport!

Tx, you watch that twister!

Go with Peter!

John
When the big trees are rockin it's just right for a PL arc=super session

Good info in this thread folks

ok so everytime before i launch my kite i get on edge. scared, excited, anxiety, and adrenaline all hit me at once right after i got spanked by a 3.5 ozone cult. before that i didnt have a problem. once i start moving i gain back my confidence in myself and my abilities. i do respect the wind though. many times i have unpacked the 2m flow and found i needed my 5m. respect the wind. if you go to small pack up the kite and go bigger. you can always go bigger its much harder to go smaller if your laying on the ground with a broken arm. have faith in your abilities though and whatever you do dont give up.just like aything it takes time and practice.