So, I've felt crazy winds and had many "better pack that up and grab something smaller" days yet I still do not believe that I understand what it means to ride "powered up". I ask because I do feel that I'm still not putting enough ripstop up when I ride. Because of this I think I'm either working the kites too hard or missing out on some great opportunities to experiment with freestyle. The Coyotes are so agile I can only imagine the possibilities if I were holding onto the right kite.

I guess the question comes from watching all the landboarders on YouTube that seem to be leaving the ground at will with seemingly little forward speed only to come back to earth, turn to come back and then leave the ground again. True, it could be camera tricks but I wonder if I need to / should be getting used to flying big kites and using them more out at the windows' edge. Any words of wisdom before I end up buying a SA17? :singing:

get that ace 7m out in 20-25 mph and you will be powered up. No joke. If you fly that kite in 10-15 mph than no your not powered up. You will feel power, but you won't be like those guys in the videos.

I just used the ace as an example, because thats the kite I know best out of your quiver.

just my 2 cents.

Hey Macboy,

I think you'll probably get a lot of different answers to what "powered up" means because I think everyone has their own definition as to what that means to them.

I for instance, feel powered up when I'm able to sit in a buggy and park the kite and carve a hard tack upwind or go screaming down the field without the feeling of getting tossed out of my buggy at any moment. That is what I call over powered and at that point I'll put up a smaller kite.

I don't do much freestyle yet but I remember these guys at Ivanpah putting up a 14m Best kite (starts with an "H", but can't remember the name) in high 20's sometimes low 30's winds and getting mass airs on the wooden ramps. Those guys would probably say they were powered up but if I tried to fly that kite, I would definitely feel overpowered.

I would definitely start slow with the jumps and not worry about getting huge air. Transition slowly and soon you'll be popping those big airs as well. Just continue to get more comfortabe with the kites you fly and eventually as your skill level increases, you'll start reaching for those bigger kites and getting sick air.

Good luck.

I was challenged by this same issue.

"powered up" and "overpowered" (this is a WATER and ATB perspective)

After hundreds (500-600) hours of kiting in the pass year. without any instruction this is what i have come up with, and any pro i welcome your input.

selecting a kite within its range of use, controllable launch, able to move around with the kite at it zenith, like walk backwards(depower all the way out, c-kite trimmed to depower).

and the lifty feeling when you are idle at the zenith, but controllable. when the bar is pulled in on depower it easily picks you up when all or almost all the way in.

IT IS A TRUE "BALANCE" OF POWER. balance with the rig and ride has to found or instant trouble will be arriving

agood sign is you can make big hops when moving around quite easily even backwards.

with c-kites a little more care and regular use of the trim. so when you hit the water let it out and hit it! and when you are ready to come in pull it in.

it is an instant feeling when the kite goes up to its apex.

another point, when you feel you are more on your toes than your heels when ypu are moving around....YOU FEEL LIFTED UP, and the harness is engaged with out doubt.

also when the treetops are "dancing" without bending the trunks is a good sign you will be powered up, when the trunks are bending a smaller kite or don't go. at this point it is over 30mph and very easy to get beat up on land.

LUNCHBOX is right , definitely smooth out and control the transition with speed control,( edging and kite position). even on a run you may have lift to roll back and kite will hardly move.

being able to have that kind of power is the difference between wind TOOL and wind TOY.

like they say and write"kites can be dangerous" this is the level of power at hand. when you REALLY RIP IT there will be no mistake in you mind what powered up means.

total kite mastery is a must. YOU have to KNOW what is going to happen, no matter what.

i have to say also, like you already know MACBOY, getting used to conditions to fly a good sized kite to get huge airs, is gut check point and skill checkpoint. (your weight, kite size and conditions have to be matched for what you want to do)

Staying focused while it's HOWLING. (safety reflexes, knowing what is going to happen with the kite and your momentum on the ride)

Remain calm young jedi and your effortless freeride with the wind will flow.

Wow goldendmd, with 5-600 hours, you've probably forgotten more than most of us here have learned. You were certainly making that PL do its job at Jekyll. You had a 16m kite up and you were totally at ease. Like I told you, you made the landboard look easy and effortless, well till you hit that soft sand. ;-) But even then your form was ready to deal with the board sliding out. I was impressed and hope to get the chance to learn from you in the future.

Thanks, i am always game to get outside, I love to see and do.

This is a great sport. It fits me. truly timeless when I'm on.

time, persistence and the unwavering desire to progress.

i needed a break from the inline speed, biking and house restorations. not to mention the wife, she needed me to be occupied with something.

the JIBE thing is coming i would advise prepare to stay late when the wind picks up, the wind in Sept. is not so cooperative, here's a picture of no wind fun my 5yr. old taking a ride with bike power. this makes for good balance practice. Her weight isn't enough to actuate the board trucks effectively so it a tow combo. never got anyone to pull me but it entertained her and my wife.

One thing to remember, lighter winds builds skills, stronger winds builds muscle.

It is always best to ride what you are comfortable with. Don't concern yourself with others saying that you are not riding with enough power, if it is working for you then that is all that matters. As your skills grow you will know more of what powered up riding is like and how to control it. If you push the envelope to quickly...well...the guy in Florida a couple weeks ago was well powered up, right up until he hit the buildings.

i must of properly powered up at least once. i was buggying with 3m Beamer III and had plenty wind for it.
:frog:family/friends show up cameras in hand...yep, get the big kites out for a show, idiot. :karate:i rolled out 7.5m frenzy(the smallest of the big kites).
anyhoo-i was on my tippy-toes with the kite at full zenith at full de-power. just had to swoop kite a little to side and up to get air. did not have to pull any bar unless i wanted to go higher. bar was like a jump/height throttle.
never let non-kiters show up with cameras:evil:
-ed w/atb was there that day (a little ways away from us) and brought his 13m Psycho3 for the first time since broken arm. he actually set it up (i wouldn't have) about the same time i set up fenzy. i saw him struggle with for a wile then it looked like he was rolling it up but he didn't until after it tea-bagged him pretty hard. i did not see the wipe-out but the folks around said he got slammed pretty hard. derek went over to help him roll it up. nice looking kite.
Paul

wow, that sounds like a let go. All the way out at idle, the launch had to be hot!

OH i remember a few times full on stupid crazy and the bar just rips out my hands.

cameras... i try to avoid it, not the type, it extracts stupidity from the most skilled and wisest
i will fly away in the opposite direction when i see one coming as fast as i can.

i always get in the water pretty fast if the power is strong. on land with a hot kite and too much wind is difficult(and severely dangerous) for any skill level. getting hurt just ruins next week play time.

For me, Properly powered for any giving kite is when it will sit nicely at the edge of the window ( trim strap 50 / 50 %). At that point you should have all the power needed to ride + jump. Totally powered ( to me ) is when you have trouble holding ground with the kite at the edge or lifted up to such a degree that you can't hold your ground when it is overhead. With depower it is when you get lifted when the kite sits overhead and you just pull in on the bar.
Speed is your friend when jumping. I can get nice lift when moving at a good rate in the same wind that I would have to chuck the kite to get off the ground in a static jump. Well powered is when I am moving at speed and just need to send the kite overhead and pull in to get lifted ?
I'm also just at the learning to jump proper stage. A good way to start getting off the ground is a transition jump. With the Coyotes I get up speed then cut hard upwind laying back against the kite and then sending it in the opposite direction. I get yanked up and travel downwind. I land on a mostly downwind position with the blades. When I am lucky, I carve it off and ride away in the opposite direction. I find that easiest to do with my bigger Kites.

Usually a good indicator that I am" well powered " is that the lines start singing !

"With depower it is when you get lifted when the kite sits overhead and you just pull in on the bar."
that's kinda how i figured it'd work from watching you-tube. i haven' t had the 13m Pulse and the 12m Pulse2 in the right wind yet:wow:

When that powered you either want to get out on the water or get a smaller kite !

My 10m Psycho 2 was bad for this . I have been there with my 13 P3 but not with the 7 Pulse yet.

ALWAYS leave room for the gusts !!!

Quote:

Originally posted by revpaul "With depower it is when you get lifted when the kite sits overhead and you just pull in on the bar." that's kinda how i figured it'd work from watching you-tube. i haven' t had the 13m Pulse and the 12m Pulse2 in the right wind yet:wow:

i should have mentioned that it was when the gusts hit that i was on my tippies. i still had to maneuver kite a little to jump. couldn't just pull bar for jumps.
Paul