Deep water struggles

Ok, I must admit that its not that easy to do stuff in the deep water.  Body dragging in the deep water is not fun because you get water in the ears and it boring.  Here's the problem with starting as beginner in a sport when you are already advanced windsurfer.  Who wants to drag in the water.  Few things learned:

1. Keep the kite up -45 - when body dragging and specially light wind.  Do not get the kite down when light wind
2. Self landing a 5 line kite - finally did the self landings in 18 knots and it works.  Aggressively pull the 5 line is the key and keep pulling even if the kite doesn't land 

Deep Water Water Start

My first day water starting in deep water.  Thought I had more kite control than the level I actually had.  One of the main problems in deep water getting on the board is loosing your board so it's a good idea to keep closer to the beach rather than trying to get it in one hit.  So here are my key lessons:

1. Focus on one direction at a time
2. Do not swing the kite opposite directly, rather move up and down in a sin motion
3. let the kite pull you on to the board rather than using the arms
4. Wait until on the board before straightening your legs
5. First go downwind before trying to edge

All in all need  more time controlling the kite with board on feet before trying full on board.

1. control the kite while on board without looking at the kite
2. slowly drift towards one side with partial down strokes
3. As soon as on the board get kite to 12 o clock and fall back
4. Need to master above without looking at the kite

First Try water start

did as the instructions said..
take the board to knee deep water and slowly increase power ..idea is not to superman so you have more time practicing getting the power stroke right ...as a beginner you don't have a feel for the right power ...this takes a while and acquiring this skill in stages makes sense rather than trying to do it in one go..
So the key learning objective is kite control whilst having a board under your feet...once you master the this you can focus more on getting on the board..

1. board downwind (side kick towards the kite)
2. let yourself get pulled by the harness rather than arms
3. bend your knees

Important to go deep enough in one direction so you have room to practice on the other direction

mistakes...

1. board not downwind
2. kite not back up to 12 

First time water start on my own

No need to introduce what I'm trying to do here...water start...
After researching many hours on what's the best way to start water start I have the following steps:

1. In knee deep water put board between on and keep the kite overhead 1 and 11...move slow with first both hands and then with one hand...idea is controlling the kite while drifting down wind with a board.  Prerequisite would be downwind drifting without the board.  Here one hand control in important as the board could move away.  Tips...Keep line tension, let the pull from harness, light overhand grip
2. In knee deep water dive the kite lightly to one side and back up to 12...important to get the kite up to 12 before doing the next dive ..it's a bad habit to learn swinging the kite straight after other direction as this will slow down the board going in one direction. Also before the next dive control the kite....Key word CONTROL.  Feel the pull of the kite from harness and not arms.  Now increase the dive gradually until you stand on the board. Once one the board take kite to 12 and fall back in water. Keep knees bent.Do this for both directions. Roll onto the board rather than pull on to the board with arms
3. Now dive the kite and angle the board down wind...but instead of getting the kite to 12 sine the kite in one direction. Focus on kite pulling form harness and front leg straight
4. Now focus on stance - shoulders back front leg straight ...once get going with planing try to edge upwind

Tips

1. Feel harness pull
2. Light overhand grip
3. Board downwind
4. Knees bent
5. Tension on lines

Common mistakes

1. No line tension when kite parked on 12 - kite will fly out of the window and crash
2. Legs straight rather than bent - board will skid sideways on water
3. Board sideways - will skid side ways on water
4. Pulling from arms - superman over board - no control
5. front leg not straight - board will sink or no planning

Can you teach old dogs new tricks?

I was pondering on this since started kitesurfing maily becuase to learn anything cool you have to take some risks.  See how many people ride their bike but so few kitesurf, motor bike or any extreme sport. To be successful in extreme sports you got be able to take risks.  Risk taking is not an exact science when it comes to sport.  Most of us grew up taking risks but never analysed it intellectually...for good or bad.  Once we older our cautiousness and analytical side get in the way of learning as we think more than we do. This is true of all our activities...jobs, relationships and travelling included. But mostly a big negative impact of learning when risk taking is a necessary and fun part of the activity.   Its your choice...live a life without fast food, drugs or anything considered risky or have an interesting life though shorter...
How do you apply this practically...start by asking a basic question everytime you are faced with a risky out of the Cfort zone situation.  Can I act now and think later...?

Kite looping

I have been wondering about kite looping for a while..not as a freestyle trick but to generate apparent wind is a scenario where the prevailing wind is not enough to plan.  There seems to be two types of loops:

1. Forward loop
2. Back loop

Difference is forward loop, loop the kite upwards to generate power while the back loop drive the kite down to generate power.  It's easy to explain these moves than actually doing them.  So what learning steps can we do:

1. Looping with a trainer kite
2. Looping with a small kite in low wind
3. Looping while on a board
4. Looping while boosting

Like most things in kite surfing it's hard to bridge the gap between theory and practice as there are few safe options to practice.  Most kiters learn the tricks when they are young and stupid rather than learn them from theory. That's true for most Adrenalin sports say dirt bikes and skate boarding, how many tricks old people learn? Can't teach new tricks to old dogs....

Tips on Self Launch and Landing

Last post I have provided the detailed steps and since then I have tried the steps. Here's my thoughts

Self Launch

1. Do not come too forward and keep the tension
2. Use both hands and control the kite with top hand
3. Steer the kite down first before getting up to 12

Self Land

1. With a five line kite - first touch the wingtip on ground before pulling
2. Pull red line 3 handfuls
3. If the kite drift downwind keep pulling so only 5th loaded
4. In high wind punch out from 12
5. With 4 line - from 2 o clock drop down whilst pulling the back bottom line