| So you have reached the point in your kitesurfing | | | | intuitive advice for kiteboarders learning to kite surf |
| where you want to learn to kite surf a surfboard in | | | | on a directional kiteboard. |
| the waves? Kitesurfing in the waves is a thrilling way | | | | The second tip for learning to kite surf on a |
| to take your kiteboarding to the next level. You will | | | | surfboard is to use a slightly smaller kite than you |
| use a lot of the same skills as when kiteboarding on | | | | would normally kiteboard with. This is because |
| a twin-tip, but there are some subtle differences that | | | | surfboards have more volume, thus float more. On |
| I will point out. By following these 3 tips, you will learn | | | | your first few days you will be so heavily focused on |
| to kiteboard on a surfboard in no time. | | | | controlling the surfboard, that you do not want to |
| The first time you attempt to kite board on a | | | | have to worry about being overpowered. |
| surfboard, I recommend NOT doing it in the waves. | | | | The third tip involves how to turn. Before trying to |
| You will feel that kite surfing on a surfboard is like | | | | turn on a surfboard, I recommend riding out as |
| learning to kiteboard all over again. The first few | | | | normal. Stopping, switching the board around, and |
| minutes, you will feel that the board is very bouncy | | | | riding back to the beach. Once you do this a few |
| and wants to move all over the place. This is why I | | | | times, you will be able to determine which leg you |
| recommend not heading immediately into the waves | | | | are most strong with as your front leg. After you |
| to kite surf. After a few sessions of kitesurfing on a | | | | establish which direction will be your normal stance |
| directional board at your local kite beach, you will | | | | and which will be your toe-side stance, you can think |
| become comfortable with the feeling. From here you | | | | about jibing. Jibing just takes practice. The easiest |
| can head into the waves to start doing your basic | | | | kite surf gybe is to go from toe-side back to your |
| kitesurfing turns and kitesurfing jibes or gybes. | | | | normal stance. |
| The first tip involves the most common mistake | | | | After you kitesurf jibe, simply take your back foot |
| kiteboarders make when first learning on a surfboard. | | | | out of the strap and place almost near your front |
| This is to do a kiteboard waterstart with both feet in | | | | foot. From here, remove your front foot and place it |
| the foot-straps. But believe it or not, you only want | | | | near the back strap. When you are starting to do |
| your front foot in the strap and your back foot | | | | this, its best to have the kite at 11 o'clock or 1 |
| directly on the board in front of the rear strap. If | | | | o'clock. This is so you still have some forward power, |
| you have both feet in the straps, you will have so | | | | yet the kite is always pulling you up out of the |
| much weight on the back of the board that you | | | | water. |
| cannot generate enough power with the kite to do | | | | Once you have mastered your kitesurf water starts |
| your water-start. In addition, as you ride with your | | | | and turns on a surfboard, you will probably want to |
| back foot directly in front of the rear strap, you will | | | | start thinking about taking a kiteboard vacation to |
| kitesurf upwind much better. This is standard, but not | | | | find some waves to satisfy your new kitesurfing skill. |