How to hold an extra board when kiteboarding

[Aming]

A few times I saw a kiter dropped into the water and the board was far away behind him. I tried to pick up the board and bring it to him, but I didn't know how. Every time I just sat into the water then picked up the board, then clumsily took the board a little downwind so that the kiter could get it easily.
Do you know how to make this process smooth? Thanks!

[adamrod]

it's actually pretty tough. takes some practice. some tips:

1. be pretty powered
2. use a stopper ball so that when the bar sheets out, it still has powered, so you can use one hand to steer and not have to hold the bar in too
3. bear downwind, get lots of speed so you can lock the kite in one location


I'm by no means great at this, but this is what I do:

Sit down next to the board, grab it in my non-dominant hand. Pull the stopper so the bar can't sheet out very far. Then, dive the kite hard to get lots of speed and bear downwind. then I carve a big sweeping turn to get downwind of the guy and let go of the board.

[windhorny]

hard only if under powered. But grab the board and bring it behind the bar. Hold the bar with your hands-normally-but use your thumbs to grab the straps and if it has it the center handle.

What sucks is picking up people's homemade 20lbs plyboards. And to top the weight people who make these boards dont use handles.

When you are powered, just hold on to the center handle and use your stopper bal like adam said. Unless your good, it is hard without it.

[Kraemer]

I put the board I'm rescuing on my knees, and hold it down with my elbows until I get going

[bobbyboom]

If there is a handle it's pretty easy. I stop in the water and grab the board with handle in my left hand and then put my left hand on the left side of my bar. So the board is going in the same direction as the bar and my left hand goes around my bar and then the board handle. I then simply dive the kite and ride. The board is in my left and and once I get going it's easy to manuever around.

If there is no handle I just try to ride by quick and grab a footstrap and let the other end skip along the water as I drag it just down wind of the rider and drop it off. Enjoy.

-Bobby

[knyfe]

I put the board I'm rescuing on my knees, and hold it down with my elbows until I get going

That sounds nice, I will try that next time.

Other than that I have an extra line in my impact vest which I attach to the board and get away.

[Aming]

it's actually pretty tough. takes some practice. some tips:

1. be pretty powered
2. use a stopper ball so that when the bar sheets out, it still has powered, so you can use one hand to steer and not have to hold the bar in too
3. bear downwind, get lots of speed so you can lock the kite in one location


I'm by no means great at this, but this is what I do:

Sit down next to the board, grab it in my non-dominant hand. Pull the stopper so the bar can't sheet out very far. Then, dive the kite hard to get lots of speed and bear downwind. then I carve a big sweeping turn to get downwind of the guy and let go of the board.

Thanks for the reply! I will try to use the stopper next time.
There are still some questions: When I held a board and got some speed, I found the wind blew the board hard and it made me clumsy. How do you position the board when riding? When you make a carve turn, do you put two hands on the bar? Also, your non-dominant hand will become your dominant hand, do you switch hand to hold the board? Thanks!