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I took my straps off my surfboard in April and only put them back on for one session (8 ft. /5M day at Tuba). I've learned to float over whitewater taller than my head without losing my board or missing a beat. I'm at the point where I feel safer and more in control without footbelts, not to mention that all those bonus waves I snag when the guy upwind of me blows his jibe.

I was hanging yesterday at the beach with a few other guys who've been riding strapless exclusively since about the same time, and we were talking whether or not we would be able to keep going without the footbelts once the waves start to get really big.

Last year in late October we had a 3xOH day on the coast and in late November two days in a row with 20 ft. faces. As Wade said, the season doesn't end...the waves just get bigger. I'm excited to see what the upper limit of strapless riding is for me.

That is inspiring Bulldog! I am riding my directional strapless at 3rd in the channel and love it, and find it much easier to carve upwind toeside. I have pretty small feet, and have trouble getting a good toeside push with straps (can't seem to get my foot far enough over the toeside edge with straps on) - is this just poor technique with straps? Anyway, love the freedom of strapless and I am not sure I will go back to straps, but I do like to jump! Maybe I just need to learn strapless air technique! :shock:

Continuing with the strapless theme - this is my third full season and first riding a directional/strapless. It took most of the summer but I'm finally hitting most of my jibes and feel like I'm starting to get a sense of how to really use the board and fins in combination with the power from the kite.

Consider me a convert along with bulldog and mark, not sure I would ever go back to straps, it is that much fun.

What's next - I ride mostly in the bay/delta and would love to catch some late summer swell at the coast before it gets huge, and eventually hoping to be able to get into some real waves - also working on strapless airs and tacking.

CdoG wrote:mE TOO
MAKE N IT BACK TO WHERE I STARTED....
WITH MY STUfF

Funny you say that. I met an SPI a couple where the woman did not want to learn upwind. She would have an instructor on the boat follow here. When we talked I said she will probably be able to go upwind soon, but she made it clear that she has no interest in ever going upwind. Who said life is not easier when you are rich?

i think as long as you have some fun and dont get freaked out too much
just kite
and if you need to progress then push it..
its all good

12 ft. and counting...still no straps needed.


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baypirate wrote:I really like aerial transitions, and I think they're great to learn as they require aggressive kite flying. In the beginning, think about it as "a lame jump with an awesome landing". Shave off speed, bring kite up, pop just a little, then redirect the kite HARD to the other side, all the way down to water surface; turn your board downwind to help plane away easier. Idea is that in the beginning you don't want too much momentum in your "coming" direction that you need to arrest, nor do you want too much height that you need to land from with speed. Have somebody at 3rd watch you and give you feedback.

Pulled it off! Only went about 6" high (slow approach and "lame jump" goal)... but I guess it still counts, I changed directions for sure. Thanks for the tips! Will work on fine tuning it now.

Wow....this year was a bad one..... I did do a back to blind, not very consistent though. Pretty much the only thing on my original list that I accomplished. Dialed in most of my other tricks though. Hopefully 2012 will have better winds to work on things.

How'd everyone else do in 2011? new stuff landed? Whats in store for 2012?

ramsey wrote:Wow....this year was a bad one..... I did do a back to blind, not very consistent though. Pretty much the only thing on my original list that I accomplished. Dialed in most of my other tricks though. Hopefully 2012 will have better winds to work on things.

How'd everyone else do in 2011? new stuff landed? Whats in store for 2012?

That's cause you've been progressing as a father. :)

ramsey wrote:Wow....this year was a bad one..... I did do a back to blind, not very consistent though. Pretty much the only thing on my original list that I accomplished. Dialed in most of my other tricks though. Hopefully 2012 will have better winds to work on things.

How'd everyone else do in 2011? new stuff landed? Whats in store for 2012?

That's cause you've been progressing as a father. :)