Important lessons you should know before hitting the beach

The Body drag

Once you have practiced for a few hours on the beach and you feel comfortable using the kite, the next step is to learn how to maneuver the kite when you are in the water.

Aside from being a lot of fun, the Body Surf or Body Drag is a necessary way to learn how to control the direction of the kite.  You should be comfortable turning in all directions, performing figure 8's, landing and water starting the kite from the water.  Do not attempt this while hooked into your harness lines unless you have gills like a fish or enjoy receiving a large quantity of water in your face.  (Some did learn that lesson the hard way and swallowed more than their fair share of ocean).  Always Body Surf with your arms extended.

Launch the kite before getting into the water as in the prior session.  Walk slowly into the water until you are at least chest deep.  With your control bar at shoulder height, pull hard right or left and let the power of the kite pull you through the water like a water skier without skis.  When you get out too far, simply turn around and surf back in the opposite direction.  Practice purposefully landing the kite on the water and re-launching the kite.

The big moment has arrived.  You’ve practiced using the kite both on the land and in the water.  You feel comfortable landing and re-launching the kite on the water.  You can easily make the kite drag you left and right.

Prior to launching your kite, position your board and leash next to your control bar.  (You may want a partner to help you on your first tries). Once the kite is airborne, walk in the water with your board under one arm and your board leash attached to your leg.  Contrary to popular belief, when learning to KiteSurf, the Water Start is easier than the Beach Start.  The ideal spot should have at least waist high deep waters.

THE WATER START

Leaving yourself plenty of room (before hitting a jetty for example), you can prepare yourself for the Water Start.

With the kite above your head hook into your harness lines, and with one hand on the control bar steer the kite to keep it stable.  With the other hand, position your board perpendicular to the wind.

Put your front foot in the foot strap, and your back foot on the back of the board out of the strap.  Unhook your kite and quickly dive the kite and allow the forward momentum to pull you up on the board (think water-skiing from a helicopter).  Advanced riders, sometime, particularly in strong wind conditions will stay hooked to the harness when doing it.

As you will pivot above the board, you should not forget to focus on the movement of the kite.  Indeed within a matter of seconds, you will have to compensate to avoid having your kite hit the water.

You should exercise caution with the speed of the descent of the kite, as a sudden increase of power would result in an ejection, or a sudden loss of power in sinking. 

Without loosing focus on the kite, being careful that it does not touch the water nor reach the edge of the wind envelope, transfer your weight toward the front foot.  You should always focus on the kite.  The position of the board will usually be taken naturally following your body’s stance.

Launching your kite

Depending on your environment or the wind strength as well as your level of familiarization with your kite, you can decide to go either for a side launch (requiring a steady wind and a specific positioning of the kite) or for the downwind launch which in strong wind can be violent.

Downwind Launch
Although the most commonly used the downwind launch is not the softest one nor the most efficient.  It is however the easiest one to set up.  

Once your kite is inflated, return the kite to the ground and re-weight it as before by putting sand on the trailing edge and having this one facing the wind.

Return to your control bar wearing your harness and sneakers.  Your control bar should be located upwind of the kite and when grabbing it you should have the wind in your back while facing the kite on the ground.  Take it firmly in your hands – you may want to have a partner spotting you for the first attempt.

Walk carefully backwards until there is no more slack in your flying lines.  With a sharp tug, pull the kite towards you to knock off the debris, and utilize a series of short quick tugs to deploy the kite into the air.  As going straight up will put you into the power zone, as soon as possible, you want to direct your kite to the windows’ edge on either your right or your left.

If you try to go straight up, your kite may start to deflate making it more technical to raise it in the sky  - a step pattern will be then required to ease the rise of the kite to the neutral position (straight above your head and facing the wind.)  It, also, if the wind is strong enough can suddenly overwhelm with the power developed when crossing the "power Zone".

Side Launch
The Side Launch is easier on the equipment and on the rider.  It is by far the most controllable and comfortable of the two.  It does however require a good technique as well as a consistent and sufficient wind.  To practice and to learn it, the help of a sidekick who would hold it should be greatly appreciated.

Once mastered, the Side Launch offer a controlled and soft way to self launch even in strong winds. 

Once your kite is inflated, return the kite to the ground.  To maintain your kite in place, it is usually advised to hold it down with a few handful of sand on the inner edge (the closest one to your position for take off by putting sand on one of the side folding the kite over this last one so the resulted fold is in line with the wind and the rest of the kite is floating downwind of it the belly down.   

Return to your control bar wearing your harness and sneakers.  Your control bar should be located side wind of the kite and when grabbing it you should have the wind on your side while facing the kite on the ground.  Take it firmly in your hands – you may want to have a partner helping you holding the kite for the first attempts.

Walk carefully backwards until there is no more slack in your flying lines.  As you will pull on the lines (progressively,) the outer edge of the kite should inflate and start rising. Automatically, the kite will stand up on the inner edge handicapped with the sand. As the resistance increase, the kite will take off completely dropping the sand in the process, eventually, with a sharp tug, pull the kite towards you to knock off the leftover of sand or debris, and utilize a series of short quick tugs to deploy the kite into the air.  The kite should raise softly along the wind windows edge to the neutral position.

Contrarily to a logical belief, it is harder to launch your kite when this one is resting on its tail.  The ideal positions are when it is laying down on its belly, on its back or on its side.

Our kites can also be launched by the rider with or without a Helper.

Complemints of f-one kites. Check out http://www.f-one-usa.com for more info on kite boarding