Kite Surfing Techniques - Piloting the Kite
In this section, learn the basics in piloting a Kite Surfing Kite:
Use the Kite Surfing Control Bar to pilot the kite from one side to the other. Do not use your Kite Harness for the first few times and use a small kite.
When piloting a kite, always use a safety leash. Should you let go off the control bar, the kite will not fly away and it will lose all its power. More importantly, a Kite Surfing Kite on the loose can cause harm to others. For instance, it can be tangled up in the kite lines of another kitesurfer.
Before you start piloting, position yourself with the wind in your back. You should feel the wind blowing against the back of your head. The kite is piloted by creating a difference in tension between the lines. Slowly pull the left side of the control bar towards you. The kite will fly to the left. Then, stretch your left arm and pull on the right side of the control bar. The kite will fly to the right.
It really is a matter of pulling and pushing, so pull on one side while pushing out the other side!
By piloting slowly, the Kite Surfing Kite will stay near the edge of the Wind Window and will not generate too much traction.
The kite stays in the blue area - the neutral zone. As long as the kite is near the edge of the Wind Window, it will have the least amount of pull. This is a nice area for beginners to keep their kite.
Practice letting go of the bar. In a dangerous situation, you must feel comfortable doing this.
Exploring the Power Zone
When you feel comfortable with basic kite piloting, it’s time to explore the Power Zone.
The technique used in this exercise is the same as the last one, only the piloting is faster. By pulling harder on the side of the bar, the kite moves further down through the Power Zone. Anticipate the traction by using your body weight. Lean back just before the kite starts to pull. Otherwise, you will be pulled over.
Counterweight
The more you pilot the kite through the Power Zone, the more counterweight you will have to provide.
Practice piloting the kite faster without being pulled over. By experience and practice, you will get to know the traction your kite will generate when you start piloting faster. At a certain point, the generated power will be so great that it will almost pull you over. Try not to let this happen, but let yourself be dragged through the sand. Just like on water, you will have to let the kite drag you through the water instead of letting it pull you over the Kite Surfing Board.
Perform this exercise only on bare foot when you are sure there are no sharp objects in the sand. A better option, though, is to wear shoes.
Hooked in
After you are very comfortable with piloting the kite while unhooked, it is time to hook in.
The same exercises that were done while unhooked can be done hooked in. When hooked in, be sure you know how to use the safety system. Practice using your quick release a couple of times.
Try piloting the kite with only one hand on the bar. You have to be able to hold your board in one hand and pilot your kite with the other hand. Slowly pilot the kite from one side to the other.
After skiing on the sand, walk upwind and position the kite at the top. Be sure to look backwards to avoid tripping over obstacles.
Tips and Tricks
A frequent mistake is to operate the control bar as if it is the steering wheel of a car. Pulling with both hands on the bar and turning your whole body to pilot has no effect. Turning the bar does not influence the direction that the kite will fly. The Kite Surfing Kite will turn if you pull on one side of the bar.
Knowing how to fully control your kite is one of the first things you should do. Basically, piloting your kite and maneuvering the board are the two main actions done in kite surfing. Therefore, master piloting first before proceeding with the succeeding Kite Surfing techniques.
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| cedrik |
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This animation is very usefull. But in the part, in which the kite is pulled in the powerzone we don't see if the kite is going to the front left or just to the front of the man. Reading the explanation and looking closely at the bar, i thinking that the kite is going front left but the camera point of view is not ideal to see that.
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These are all the Kite Surfing Lessons covered in this section:
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Basics & Backgrounds
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