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Wave crash technique

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Created by Jhana > 9 months ago, 15 Jan 2020
Jhana
WA, 120 posts
15 Jan 2020 9:51AM
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I am on a strapless surfboard when I crash coming down the face of a wave I dump the kite in the waves, any tips on how to avoid dumping the kite when I crash?

SaveTheWhales
WA, 1869 posts
15 Jan 2020 11:52AM
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If you know where your kite is without looking at it - Loop it to get line get line tension and pull you up out of it.
Not to be used if falling into your lines... and not for every wave situation or close to shore line...

A good training technique for for this - would be to body drag loop to get the feel.
Then body drag loop under a small breaking wave, so it's a known feel / outcome... which is better than OMFG panic each time

Plummet
4862 posts
15 Jan 2020 5:50PM
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Yeah, looping is a good technique. But not always possible. It depends how much hurt you are goung through in the washing machine.

Another technique is hand in the middle of the bar, bar out and give as little input as possible. When you get through the works the kite is often at the edge waiting for input.

Or when crashing jump into a body drag position and actively body drag your self with the whitewash. That can save you sometimes.

Or swing the kite out to sea dive into the wave and use the kite powere to punch you out the back of the wave.

Nutdip
WA, 64 posts
15 Jan 2020 7:26PM
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A slack line stable kite and the ability to relax!
If your kite has been dropped in the waves it's probably lost it's stability in the air due to a slightly stretched canopy and will Hindenburg to one side with slack lines.

This has happened to my 6m Neo but it's a great kite still.

cauncy
WA, 8407 posts
16 Jan 2020 8:56PM
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Don't dump the kite in the waves

cusman
WA, 1 posts
18 Jan 2020 12:34PM
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I crashed me kite out at margies boat ramps yesterday arvo..after 4 unsuccessful relaunches I got a chance to self rescue..nice slow scenic ride back to shore with legs in tact

Ozone Kites Aus
NSW, 884 posts
Site Sponsor
18 Jan 2020 4:09PM
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Select to expand quote
Jhana said..
I am on a strapless surfboard when I crash coming down the face of a wave I dump the kite in the waves, any tips on how to avoid dumping the kite when I crash?


If the wind is side on to onshore, yep thats very easy to do because you will be riding towards your kite, lines will go slack and unless you can ride away from the kite quickly (not often possible because the breaking wave will clean you up anyway) or Have the kite high enough in the window that you can DOWNLOOP your kite. You need to be really in tune with your circumstance though and anticipate whats going to happen next. And always be steering the kite down and forwards as much as possible.

Side shore downlooping is still a very useful option to get out of trouble and offshore generally you won't have this issue, but you can get yanked off your board if you get too far behind it.

And even the best riders will crash in waves sometimes because sh1t happens ha!



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"Wave crash technique" started by Jhana