Land Boarding

[air stiffler]

Just brought myself an air deck but i'm having a few problems.

I have got a BII 4.9 and BIII 6.6 which i have been using. only been out twice and am finding it hard to go in a straight line as when i catch a gust my body weight moves forward thus turning the board towards the wind, how can i counter act this. Also when catching these gusts that are so cool yet so scarey i take off like a rocket and go hurtiling off across the feild (body armor needed!!) how can i slow the board down until i develop my skills.

Me; 13 stone 6ft

[the_lone_wolf]

can't slow it down, unless you learn to slide the back of the board out and scrub off some speed, you free this week anytime, me and rjw will be out and could show you some techniques for slowing down/turning etc - not a lot but it helps to see someone do it than hear someone describe it:)

 

let me know your number and i'll give ya a bell before we go out (looks good for tomorrow afternoon:D)

[air stiffler]

Thanks bud but i'm staying down in devon so would be a bit of a mission, have'nt managed to find anyone around here that can help me out yet but me be a trying!!!

[The Flyin Scotsman]

To slow it down try reducing the tyre pressures slightly, not too much though, other than that, lean back against the kites power, go with the flow and power slide it when you get too fast.

 

Kev

http://www.KiteATB.co.uk

[the_lone_wolf]

oh yes, keep the kite high to go slower but don't swing it behind you or you'll take off:)

[The Flyin Scotsman]

Was gonna add that in as well, beat me lol

 

Kev

[woodsy]

slowing down and stopping......

 

ive had a few issues with this myself! the best way, as has been said, is to slide the back of the board to bleed some power.

 

but i can hear you think "how the hell do i do this when i am getting lurched on to my toes?" ok... this bit sounds back to front but i reckon its the all time best begginers advice..... keep the kite low.

 

although more powerful, you get a lot of horizontal pull which is easy to power slide against, instead of vertical which isnt because you feel like you will face plant.

 

if you keep the kite low it will eventually work its way ahead of you and over to the edge of the power window. then you can just fly the kite out of the window whilst carving up wind and stop.

 

if you keep the kite low you will also be able to go up wind much easier as you will hold your line much better rather than getting pulled upwards and losing friction on the ground.

 

finally, when those gusts hit, the kite will lurch froward when low rather than YOU lurching onto your toes when the kite is high and a gust hits.

 

some geezer told me this in the park when i was learning and it sorted me right out. hope it helps you too. have fun

 

woodsy

 

ps i once couldnt stop, didnt have any kite killers so let go of one of the handles which promptly shot off at a hell of rate and nearly killed someone. not good.

[air stiffler]

thanks for all your advise.

Woodsy i'm not to sure what you mean when you say that the kite lurches forward instead of you when you hit a gust, i've always found that when the kite catches a gust and your body weight is not enough to hold it you go into a scudd or get air, (if your really lucky you get both.) what i have noticed some times is that when i catch a gust and speed up rapidly i over take the kite causing it to luff and drift into the middle of the window, been trying to steer up wind but when the kite refils i often get pulled from the board.

[woodsy]

sorry, not too clear was it!!!

 

i meant that if you have the kite low and are already travelling pretty quickly, when you get a gust, rather than getting pulled onto your toes, the kite will accelerate you and the kite will also accelerate in the direction it is going. the board will grip onto the ground but generally won't skid out (unless its a big gust!)

 

so assuming that you have the kite pointing toward the direction you are going rather than toward the sky, it will accelerate towards the edge of the window and be much more controlable.

 

if you have it high then yes you get blasted with uncontrolable power and end up overtaking it resulting in luffing and trouble when the kite ends up falling into the power!!

 

hope that explains what i mean.

 

hard to explain you will know just what i mean when you get out there, and you will definitely find it easier to stop/slow/and go upwind.

 

have fun

[akamini]

You need to lean back more using the handles/bar to hang off, and keep you hips lower. Try not to think of standing on the board, but hanging off the lines with the board on your feet. As soon as you get too straight and the power comes on you are going over-the-top, and we aint talking trench warfare here (although potentially as dangerous!).

[air stiffler]

i understand what you mean now woodsy, sounds good, just have to wait for the wind to drop a bit before i get my boarding kites out, got gale force where i am at the mo which means all i have to use is a 8ft stacker.