Hi,

I am getting a series of proper lessons and just tried body dragging the other day. No doubt getting addicted. Apparently I am taking to it quite well, according to my instructor, but feel frustrated because I keep messing up. Main problem is that I am not quite getting how to bring the kite back to overhead (is that zenith?) when it starts getting low. Usually ends in a sudden (to me) crash.

I don't want to waste everyone's time asking a bunch of newbie questions, so I was wondering if there is something I can read on the basics of moving the kite. I was told to get a foil and practice a lot with that, then someone told me that there is no point, sinche the "big boy's" kite behaves differently.

Please let me know. Web would be best - I am having another lesson in a couple of days and would love to make some progress.

Try going to coastal wind sports it should help you out.

coastal wind sports is acampbell,s site you should check it out.

I did, thank you. Does explain the wind window very well.

Still, I can't figure out what to do (the instructor was telling me what to pull, but I think there was a miscommunication) in this case: I am in the water, being dragged by a kiteboarding kite (the kind with one edge as a tightly inflated tube). Doing figure 8's, going pretty good, but then figure 8s start going lower and lower and it crushes. I think the wind was partially to blame, it was around 7:30 and it was dying off.

How do I bring the kite back to zenith in low winds? And thank you once again.

I do not know much about depower kites. But when I fly my kites, I pull hard on the power lines and it goes back to the zenith. This is unless you are in really low winds.

That's another thing - which ones are brake lines and which ones are power lines? Stupid question, I know...apologize in avance

you are flying with a bar right.

Yes, yellow on the left, etc.

Pull the bar close to you that should power it up.

Start here

http://www.kitesurfingschool.org/

Then here under downloads , trick of the week

http://kitefilm.com/eng/index.asp

`There are 2 sides to the trainer kite argument. I'll ignore the wrong one :wink2:

It is WAY easier to get fly time in with a trainer. You can fly it just about any time. Even when there isn't enough wind to get out on the water. Fly time under your belt is KEY to handeling things well. You want to be able to fly your trainer ( and therefore your water kite ) without even looking at it. If you can do that then dealing with everything else becomes WAY easier without worrying about the kite. That only comes with hours and hours under a kite.

Working almost everything out on a 3m trainer has less consequences if the you screw up. I feel that at 3m foil kites start to react similar too their big brothers. Smaller than that and they become so zippy it is less realistic. Don't be fooled a 3m foil is = to about a 5m C or hybrid and has TONS of power !

You will want to introduce the sport to your friends and the only safe way to do that is with a proper trainer.

Trainers are just so darn FUN ! They pack up to almost nothing so are easy to haul around.

If you buy a good quality trainer and for some crazy reason want to sell it you will have no problem. Not many folks do so re-sale is easy and losses are minimal.

You can pick up a trainer for less than one lesson. Money well spent in my books !

The Beamer TSR has just dropped in price and would be a good choice.

Stick with it and you will have the time of your life !!!! :singing:

With your water kites it may be better to think of the back ( brake ) lines as steering lines. The front lines in both cases are your flying lines. On depower kites you can trim the front lines to adjust the kites angle of attack.

Fixed bridle kites get hooked on to a bar opposite depower kites. With a fixed bridle you fly + steer on the front lines . The brake lines only come into play for reverse launching and and backing the kite down.