What should I be practicing?

[glipzcom]

I am looking for advice on what I should be doing when I get out on the water. I can't stay upwind, and my turns are very inconsistent, so I basically go to alameda, and get ready, launch, spend 40 mins up-down-up-down till I end up down at the end of the beach tired/exhausted, self rescue, carry the kite all the way back up to boardsports shop, and pack up tired and ready to go home and sleep.

I have now have had my kites for 2 years, but each season it's difficult to get a lot of days on the water. I think last year I only made it out on the water 7-8 times so maybe all my problem is I need to be out there more. Part of me feels like the gear I have is slowing my growth, but I hate blaming gear. I currently own 2 Naish torches (what the shop sold me and later learned are fairly "technical" kites)

I guess I feel like I am hitting a wall and not really sure what I should be doing to break this pattern.

The Questions:
Should I not even worry about upwind, and just focus on turns/direction changes without stopping?
Is there any type of "drills" or things to do over and over on the water to improve faster?
How much do people mess with the depower on your kites? I never know if I should be "triming" all the time or is that just wasted time?
Should I consider more lessons? I don't have any trouble with waterstarts, and going, just feel like turns and the desire to not lose so much beach slowly drifting down wind.
Anyone have a similar experience and know what got them over the next hump?

I really would love to hear peoples experience through this period.

[dontfeedthenerd]

Honestly, after 2 seasons you should be going up wind.

There needs to be something you tweak either with body positioning or technique so that you're going upwind. You need to really turn and look in the direction you want to be traveling instead of looking at your kite. Make sure you set that edge and turn your upper body.

It may be worth getting a lesson, so somebody who has been trained can point out what you need to do. 8 sessions a year, 2 years in, you should be going upwind consistently and being at the point where you're comfortable hopping off of chop.

As far as trimming and such, it depends on feel. Do you feel overpowered, mess with trim and depower a bit. Do you need more? Well then adjust trim again.

[WindMuch]

I totally remember those times - I didn't know what I was supposed to be feeling. Is the kite pulling me too much or not enough? Where should the kite be in the window? How do I ride this silly little lunch tray of a board called a "twin-tip?" (I came from surfing and windsurfing).

There shouldn't be anything wrong with your gear - I learned on Naish Cults (the Helix's slightly slower little brother) - those kites have lots of wind range and plenty of depower.

If you're up and water starting, it's really a matter of body position and kite position to start staying upwind. Don't hesitate to lean back and really edge the board against the pull of the kite. The answers to 'Where do I put my weight on the board - more weight on my front or my back foot? Where are my hips and shoulders pointing when I'm riding?' can be easily answered by a good instructor (or a savvy friend who doesn't mind mentoring you). Don't keep the kite too low (think ~45 degrees?) as a low kite pulls you more laterally and downwind, making it harder to stay upwind.

And the wind... the wind makes all the difference in the world when learning. Alameda isn't known for consistent or strong wind. While it is shallow and user-friendly, Alameda can be challenging due to lack of consistency. With all but a few days, I'd say your 11m Helix is gonna be your go-to kite and even that's a bit small for most days there. Of course, check with several folks on the beach about the wind and kite size before choosing a particular kite.

It certainly wouldn't hurt to do a downwinder or two with someone like Nat of Edge Kiteboarding (775) 721-1132) or Donny/Sany of Kitopia (209) 480-2067 up at Sherman Island. The wind is usually stronger and more steady than Alameda and with boat support, it's just as safe for learning. If you go that route, tell 'em I sent ya...

Kirk out

[Kyle]

hey dude, I can definitely sense the frustration but don't give up! We've all been there. I have a few recommendations pretty much in line with everyone else's.

1) When learning, I think it really helps to devote consecutive days to lessons and/or riding on your own. If you're just going out once a month, it will be much harder to get that muscle memory and every step forward can be followed by two steps back. Take some days off work and do lessons locally. Or, go to Baja or SPI and take a camp away from the distractions of home. Maybe you're beyond this need, but it was really important for me to have consecutive days on the water. Once you get it, it's like riding a bike. I'm not proud of it, but I have gone months between kiting and felt like I never missed a beat.

2) As Kirk points out, it's probably your body position. The thing that finally got my fiancé going, and me as well: Let yourself go downwind before you try to go upwind! Too many people focus so much on riding upwind, that they stall the kite and never get enough speed/power to ride. Drive the kite, let it pull you down wind and generate speed, THEN focus on edging back up. Do not try to start going upwind, very common mistake.

Good luck. I'm sure you'll find lots of good advice here.

[Tunces]

It certainly wouldn't hurt to do a downwinder or two with someone like Nat of Edge Kiteboarding (775) 721-1132) or Donny/Sany of Kitopia (209) 480-2067 up at Sherman Island. The wind is usually stronger and more steady than Alameda and with boat support, it's just as safe for learning. If you go that route, tell 'em I sent ya...

Kirk out[/quote]


This is exactly what I was going to say, but Kirk beat me to it. I spent two years of frustration, until someone recommended a downwinder with Nat. You might consider a lesson with him first, and then the downwinder. The nice thing about the downwinder for me was that it took the chaos of the launch out of the equation. Nat takes you way up (or is it down) river and helps you get out onto the water. Once there you have solitude to concentrate on what your doing.

One note of caution, you need to be comfortable coming into the beach directly downwind. The launch at Sherman can be a bit of a zoo.

[WindMuch]

Tunces wrote:
"One note of caution, you need to be comfortable coming into the beach directly downwind. The launch at Sherman can be a bit of a zoo."

I believe Nat will do an "assisted down winder" where he will monitor and follow you in the boat to make sure you launch AND land safely.

I recommend calling him and explaining where you're at in the learning progression so he can make a good call for you.


Kirk out

[mighty]

I struggled similarly in the beginning - a couple of years of scattered sessions at Alameda on equipment (SS Rev 2008) I wasn't comfortable with and unable to go upwind or get to a point of being comfortable at other sites (I did a couple of downwinders at Sherman, but was too kook'd to deal with coming in on the beach and walking with the kite back to the launch area).

Then I spent a week in the Caribbean where the wind blew every day, all day with kite boys to walk your kite back up the beach... I got more quality time on the water in one day than in the previous two years. I also got on equipment (CB SwitchBlade 2010) that I had a better experience with. After a couple of days, I was going upwind without a problem; by the end of the week I was transitioning and jumping (sometimes on purpose).

Don't give up hope! SF is a hard place to learn and get comfortable! But once you do get comfortable, it's an amazing and diverse area to kite!

[Col.kiteman]

A common observation of mine is that beginners can have a difficult time differentiating between "upwind progress", wind direction, and proper reach. This is especially true with more side on/ onshore conditions. Continue to evaluate wind direction and adjust your reach accordingly. If u are so concerned with giving up "upwind progress" in relation to the beach, you 1. Are most likely attempting a close reach, without building any speed, you will not be able to plane out unless you line up on a broad reach first as the others stated 2. This results in your kite sitting too far to the edge of the window where there isnt much power. You can stroke the kite to get up but not enough power to plane once u park it.

I would question the advise of a quiver of torches for a beginner, but they will work. I learned on more agressive vegas'. In all honesty, without the advise of the good people in the benicia kiting community, id still be frustrated with the rsport. Dont give up though. Sounds like youre close! I think chris with benicia kite and paddle does downwinders and lessons as well. Check him out

So, disconnect the shoreline and the wind direction. If any of the above terms were foreign to ya. Look into the theory of kiting. Many slam instructional books. I definately agree that there is no replacement for lessons, and most "lesson packages" are inadequate, however theory is critical to the learning process. Most of us out there are willing to make suggestions, although there is a lot of beginners advising beginners so be careful who u ask. Ill pm you to let u know the next time i head out to alameda. I can spend a few minutes watching you and give pointers if u like. The learning process really just begins after ur lessons, and without support and feedback, these simple concepts can be incredibly challenging to wrap ur head around.

On a sidebar im still on a high from my wetsuitless 14m and a skimboard alameda session yesterday from 230-530. Had two hours of glass and 8mph winds untill it picked up to maybe 12. 80 degree temps. Woohoo summers here!

[glipzcom]

Thanks guys! That was the kind of thought and advice I needed. Sounds like I need to sign up for one of those downwinders, and maybe even try to spend a weekend out near Sherman Island. I don't think I have ever gotten out on the water 2 days in a row. Is Sherman Island pretty much rideable any weekend for those assisted downwinders?

Some of the thoughts you guys mentioned totally click with my experience. I feel like I end up with my kite way to far to the edge of the wind window and don't know how to back it up, seems like I probably need to go downwind a bit more before edging.

Also the relative shoreline/wind-direction thing really screws me up all the time. I have trouble separating down the beach from true downwind, particularly because in Alameda they are often close, but that is the danger of perception.

Ok, you all gave me some motivation to keep trying and redouble my effort to sneak off to the beach when the wind is blowing.

Thanks for being a great community!

[ozreiuosn]

7-8, 40min sessions per year isn't much honestly. That's what, a session a month? For as little as you've gone out, you're actually at the level you should be for not kitesurfing regularly.

Like what everyone else said, you just need more time on the water.