Forums > Kitesurfing   Newbies / Tips & Tricks

Cant put the board on

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Created by Watermate > 9 months ago, 25 Sep 2016
Watermate
18 posts
25 Sep 2016 2:55PM
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Hey guys. So i am a bigger guy120kg 190cm with a blister where 6 pack supposed to be.
And no matter what i do i cant put the board on my feet before water starting. I tried both methods with handle and footstrap.
And before i put it on i am facing opposite way. Also when trying to bend in my hips my gut is getting squeezed in the harness.

Please help guya because i really enjoy this sport but i seems to hit the wall.

FoS
TAS, 1664 posts
25 Sep 2016 5:50PM
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The proper term is excersise some but definitely like pizza and ice cream.
Im 125-130kg and 194 cm..

What i find works is front foot aimed at the kite, slot that in.
Then i push it away a bit and focus on keeping the kite in the right spot, over the front foot while i get the back one in.

Im a newb to this but hope it helps

Watermate
18 posts
25 Sep 2016 6:03PM
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Thanks mate. Ill keep trying and will do some stretches.
Any recommended stretches i should do?
When puting the board on do you grab the board with the upwind or downwind hand?

cauncy
WA, 8407 posts
25 Sep 2016 7:38PM
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As a water start, take board into knee deep,
Align board parallel to kite, standing on it to sink the board slip feet firmly into pads, sit down and start your water start,

Kamikuza
QLD, 6493 posts
25 Sep 2016 9:49PM
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Assume you can't touch the bottom and want to start and go to the left...

Floating sorta upright
Hold the bar and fly the kite with the left hand
Hold the right strap in your right hand with the board pointing down wind

Get yourself balanced...

Tilt the board onto it's edge and rotate the downwind tip around towards your left side
Float onto your back a little
Bend your left leg and put it in the left strap
Let go the right strap and let the board rotate downwind
Put your right foot in
Square the board up...

Dive the kite and go.

Watermate
18 posts
26 Sep 2016 1:53PM
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Will try to follow your method. Usually i get the first foot in, but strungle with the second one.

Are there any extensions that are avialble to hold the board a bit better?

cauncy
WA, 8407 posts
26 Sep 2016 2:01PM
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Select to expand quote
Watermate said...
Will try to follow your method. Usually i get the first foot in, but strungle with the second one.

Are there any extensions that are avialble to hold the board a bit better?


Reduce your gut

Kamikuza
QLD, 6493 posts
26 Sep 2016 6:25PM
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Select to expand quote
Watermate said...
Will try to follow your method. Usually i get the first foot in, but strungle with the second one.

Are there any extensions that are avialble to hold the board a bit better?

Just use your first foot to hold the board out where the other foot can reach...!

Fly on da wall
SA, 725 posts
26 Sep 2016 7:39PM
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Just niggle it in the straps! Niggle it... niggle it

loftsofwind
QLD, 226 posts
26 Sep 2016 9:39PM
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If the water's shallow just place the board on top of the water and put 1 foot in at a time into the straps (board should sink and hit bottom) all while you are still standing up. Then lean backwards and you'll fall into the water ready for the kite dive.

Once you get good at it, you can get the right timing between getting your balls wet or getting the board stuck in the sand.

VRBones
130 posts
26 Sep 2016 11:16PM
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Just an addition to the other suggestions:
Once you are floating in the water, the kite will drag you downwind. Your priority is to keep facing the kite with the board out in front of you (like a water start in skiing/wakeboarding), otherwise the water will catch the board and end up rotating you onto your back. If you focus on keeping the board in front of you and keeping your body position facing directly downwind, you will find there is heaps of time to get your feet sorted.

When starting out you'll also need HEAPS of water downwind of you. Try to find a starting spot with at least 50m of water directly downwind of you so you have plenty of time to get your board in place, your kite ready and mind focused on the launch.

daveisthekotz
NSW, 111 posts
27 Sep 2016 10:41AM
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Maybe loosen your pads until you get comfortable. It will help you get your feet in faster. You will learn to use your body to steer you and keep you facing down wind. Keep the kite straight above you as well. Learning in shallow water will help a lot.

psychojoe
WA, 1804 posts
27 Sep 2016 1:55PM
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now this might not help at all,
but you don't necessarily need both feet in the straps to waterstart
if you get the first foot in and then just sit your back foot on the outer heel side
it's not too difficult to manoeuvre your foot into the strap once you get going smoothly.

Good Luck

Neves
WA, 13 posts
27 Sep 2016 8:37PM
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Go online, check some videos and practice, practice, practice...

MozKiter
94 posts
27 Sep 2016 8:52PM
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Select to expand quote
psychojoe said..
now this might not help at all,
but you don't necessarily need both feet in the straps to waterstart
if you get the first foot in and then just sit your back foot on the outer heel side
it's not too difficult to manoeuvre your foot into the strap once you get going smoothly.

Good Luck


Good advice here. I sometimes do it after a wipeout when I am too lazy to put it back on properly. Sometimes I just jump onto it with both feet and wiggle them feet in.

daveisthekotz
NSW, 111 posts
28 Sep 2016 2:37PM
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Select to expand quote
MozKiter said..

psychojoe said..
now this might not help at all,
but you don't necessarily need both feet in the straps to waterstart
if you get the first foot in and then just sit your back foot on the outer heel side
it's not too difficult to manoeuvre your foot into the strap once you get going smoothly.

Good Luck



Good advice here. I sometimes do it after a wipeout when I am too lazy to put it back on properly. Sometimes I just jump onto it with both feet and wiggle them feet in.


Not for someone who hasn't even done a water start.

MozKiter
94 posts
28 Sep 2016 2:52PM
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Select to expand quote
daveisthekotz said..

MozKiter said..


psychojoe said..
now this might not help at all,
but you don't necessarily need both feet in the straps to waterstart
if you get the first foot in and then just sit your back foot on the outer heel side
it's not too difficult to manoeuvre your foot into the strap once you get going smoothly.

Good Luck




Good advice here. I sometimes do it after a wipeout when I am too lazy to put it back on properly. Sometimes I just jump onto it with both feet and wiggle them feet in.



Not for someone who hasn't even done a water start.


That is true I admit

Watermate
18 posts
28 Sep 2016 5:18PM
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All great suggestions, i will try and practice.
What do you all think about impwct vests that float? Will it help in putting straps on because it will float me easier?

I really want to get into kiting...

FoS
TAS, 1664 posts
29 Sep 2016 6:05AM
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Select to expand quote
Watermate said..
All great suggestions, i will try and practice.
What do you all think about impwct vests that float? Will it help in putting straps on because it will float me easier?

I really want to get into kiting...


I think a good fitting vest makes it easier in the water, and protects against those things you didnt bargin for.

Make sure you get one that allows for a harness

Puetz
NT, 2172 posts
29 Sep 2016 9:52AM
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... hey Watermate and fellow bigger guy,

Welcome to the darkside. Learning to kite can be the most rewarding and frustrating thing you can do but sooo worth it in the end. If there is any consolation, the hassle you have with getting your feet in is normal thing and you'll out grow it in no time.

Just adding a little more to the discussion, the common thing I see with people learning and who have trouble putting the board on the feet is they tend to over steer the kite and try to do it too quickly. Like many things in life, slow down, relax and make your movements deliberate.

A suggestion that helped my missus when learning was to holding the bar, with fingers around the chicken loop rope then slightly pull the bar in, just enough to steady the kite perfectly at 12 o'clock ie hold bar with pointing finger one side of rope, middle finger the other side. Use other hand of course to put board onto feet.

"insert others info here"

Once feet are in the straps, then place both hands on bar as normal and carry on with your water start.

The idea with the hand or rather fingers around the chickloop rope as you hold the bar tends to help you 'not' over steer the kite off centre. An over steered kite then generates a bit more power of course will start pulling you downwind more, even starting to rotate you. Ahh bugger, now you have to start again. A steady kite at 12 o'clock will help you concentrate with the feet now.

Anyway, good luck and have fun.

cheers,

Robbie :)

daveisthekotz
NSW, 111 posts
29 Sep 2016 4:07PM
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Select to expand quote
Puetz said..
... hey Watermate and fellow bigger guy,

Welcome to the darkside. Learning to kite can be the most rewarding and frustrating thing you can do but sooo worth it in the end. If there is any consolation, the hassle you have with getting your feet in is normal thing and you'll out grow it in no time.

Just adding a little more to the discussion, the common thing I see with people learning and who have trouble putting the board on the feet is they tend to over steer the kite and try to do it too quickly. Like many things in life, slow down, relax and make your movements deliberate.

A suggestion that helped my missus when learning was to holding the bar, with fingers around the chicken loop rope then slightly pull the bar in, just enough to steady the kite perfectly at 12 o'clock ie hold bar with pointing finger one side of rope, middle finger the other side. Use other hand of course to put board onto feet.

"insert others info here"

Once feet are in the straps, then place both hands on bar as normal and carry on with your water start.

The idea with the hand or rather fingers around the chickloop rope as you hold the bar tends to help you 'not' over steer the kite off centre. An over steered kite then generates a bit more power of course will start pulling you downwind more, even starting to rotate you. Ahh bugger, now you have to start again. A steady kite at 12 o'clock will help you concentrate with the feet now.

Anyway, good luck and have fun.

cheers,

Robbie :)



Good advice here. You can never learn to split the lines early enough.

Scrubes
VIC, 115 posts
1 Oct 2016 5:55PM
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When I use to use a reel leash, i found the strap on the board good to get the feet in, so id put one foot in then use the strap attached to board to help wiggle the other foot in.

Kit3kat
QLD, 139 posts
1 Oct 2016 11:53PM
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I assume the coast is portside here to you.

The trick to not spin is to use the board as a rudder while you drift downwind, that way you can correct spins of up to 90° before you have to doggypaddle.

You need to start off with turning slightly to starboard as the waves are gonna make you spin towards the coast. You then put your left foot into the strap and apply a bit of pressure with your left foot. That will hopefully counterspin you even further. Now put your right foot into the strap. Now adjsut your spin with your feet only. Dont doggypaddle, you will need both hands on the bar.


stan1169
32 posts
10 Oct 2016 8:23AM
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I'm still very much new but I have exactly the same problem although in my case it was due to age and lack of flexibility. By the time I managed to get the board on my feet I had gone 100m downwind and/or lost control of the kite whilst concentrating on getting my feet in.
I had more lessons and the instructor finally got me to rest the kite at the edge of the window resting on the water whilst I got my feet in.
I then re-launched the kite and was in a position to try the water start. t works for me.

LittleFella
WA, 132 posts
10 Oct 2016 6:15PM
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Buy some cement instead of a snag next time you are at bunnings.

terminal
1421 posts
23 Nov 2016 6:34PM
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If you are right handed,
hold the left footstrap with the left hand while flying the kite at 11 o'clock with the right hand.
Put the right foot in the right strap.
Move the kite to 12 o'clock and put the left foot in. If you have to, you could put your left knee on the left end of the board, before moving the kite to 12, then put the left foot in.

kiteman69
QLD, 97 posts
24 Nov 2016 12:03PM
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Get a seat harness brah. These waste harnesses are for little kid size blokes.

Gorgo
VIC, 4911 posts
25 Nov 2016 12:35PM
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Watermate said..
...I really want to get into kiting...

That implies you are not "into kiting" already. First thing is to not worry too much about what you can't do. It's all new to you now and you won't have practiced enough to acquire the skills to do things easily. It's a common thing for newbies to say "I can't do ....! Help!". Just do it more and it will all come with time.

Being a fat guy might be complicating things for you. You might want to practice at home in the living room, or the back yard, and make sure you are physically able to contort your body to get your feet on the board.

winwil
VIC, 79 posts
26 Nov 2016 8:35AM
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Hey mate

You'll get there with persistence. Don't let anybody, especially your own inner voice tell you you can't do it because you carry a few reserves for a rainy day. You actually don't need to be very flexible or thin to get into your straps but a flexible person may do it differently to the way you end up doing it. But once you have worked it out you will do it as easily as the skiniest person out there.

I remember when I was first learning my instructor trying to get me to do both feet at once while holding the the board by its handle. I couldn't do it and I probably still can't do it that way. For me letting go of the idea of doing it the way I was first shown was actually the breakthrough I needed. Doing one strap at the time and managing to prevent the board and your body rotating too much was the trick. Try to problem solve what is going wrong for you and don't forget to enjoy being in the water on the beach learning this stuff.
I see many slight variations people do. If one thing does not work try something else. Eg Some people like to have the kite slightly off 12 and use the pull it generates to get the feet in one at a time. The first foot gives a little rotation and the second foot has enough time to get in and gives the balance to stop the rotation. I have seen others not hold the board at all. They position the board at right angles to the wind floating downwind in front of them (by stepping backwards a bit) and let the kite drift them towards the board and get both feet in more or less at once.
Once you have tried some methods and still don't get it , don't fret and just break up your session with something else - eg body drag or stand on the board in shallow water as someone suggested and practice the waterstart that way. Then get back to trying it again. In kiting there are many little micro adjustments you end up learning that will come as second nature in the end but are difficult to explain to a newby. Even though you might feel you are not progressing you actually are by spending time learning to manage your kite , board and body at the same time with all these micro adjustments. Once you get it you have it for the rest of your life. A great investment for you that will give hours of pleasure and you might even lose some kilos doing it.

Good luck and enjoy



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"Cant put the board on" started by Watermate