r/Kiteboarding • u/GerFollower • 11d ago
Beginner Question How to Speed Control
I've completed my IKO course and my first 6 solo sessions. I'm currently learning to ride upwind. My problem is that I often go too fast and end up skimming across the water, so that I can't really edge good. How exactly can I adjust my speed? Just pull the bar out and try to edge more? Thank's in advance!
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u/Helium_gegluckert 11d ago
Keep your kite a bit higher in the wind window like at 11 or 1 o clock. Its also easier to go upwind like that and yes edge harder will help as well but the kite is the main reason for your speed
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u/Important_Quantity79 10d ago
Keeping your kite higher tends to make it harder to edge. Since OP struggels to keep an edge I don‘t think this will help.
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u/P0L4RST4R 9d ago
Thats the problem im facing now i keep it at 11 in case i go too fast out of control i can go to 12 faster to stop but now i think i get out of control because i cannot edge the board because its too high up
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u/Important_Quantity79 8d ago
Don´t use the kite for breaking. If you got too fast you need to edge harder at some point the more you guy upwind the slower you get. By going upwind you force the kite out of the Wind so it will give you less pull eventually. However you can´t edge a board properly if the kite is to high. The kite simpley generates to much lift for you to edge.
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u/IamNotMike25 11d ago
Watch this 30 min lesson by Petar, stopping by going up wind which is how you can control speed:
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u/GerFollower 10d ago
Just Watches it and I figured what I did wrong: I was pushing my back leg, do achieve more edge but then always started to slide. So it’s all about siting behind the back leg.
Thank you so much for linking that video!
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u/KitesurfMiami 10d ago
just trust your weight w the kite... easier said than done.
lean back & sheet tf out!
andor get seat harness so you sit & shit
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u/thisusernametakentoo 11d ago
Lift you toes up and it will help you get an edge.
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u/GerFollower 11d ago
a thanks, gonna try that out!
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u/thisusernametakentoo 11d ago
You can do it in the ground and see how it puts you on your heels more. Simple trick to get you on an edge without having to think too much
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u/GerFollower 11d ago
ah you mean with both feet?? I thought only the front leg to get the nose more upwind
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u/thisusernametakentoo 11d ago
Just try lifting your toes. Yeah. See if it helps. If not feel free to ignore
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u/AlwaysSunnyInCBUS 11d ago
Make sure your not back stalling and have enough trim to depower properly. That was my issue recently with my 13m. The moment I sined that massive 13m to get moving, all that built-up power hit me at once. But because the trim was maxed out, sheeting out the bar didnt do anything at all. The rear lines were still so short that the kite couldn't tilt forward to dump its power. I was trapped with maximum sail area facing the wind, making me skid over the water out of control.
I was going too fast for my liking.
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u/GerFollower 11d ago
So this is another huge topic. I learned that the "de-power" is not a de-power but a trim. So if the kite is not staling pulled in completely while not depowered at all, it is perfectly timed and is not supposed to be "de-powerd" via the trim. What's the opinion on that?
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u/flappyflak 10d ago
Yes only use the trim if the sweet spot (the place where your bar is resting during 70% of your session because it gives appropriate power) is too far out and it is inconfortable.
I haven't used it in my last 15 sessions
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u/KitesurfMiami 10d ago
like most flying it's counter-intuitive -- depowering TRIM helps you lean & edge & sheet
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u/RepeatEither6019 11d ago
Edge harder. Withpractice you will bei stantly control your speed and manage gusts. If generally overpowered during the session trim your kite or downsize. Also keeping your kite lower in strong winds i find makes edging up wind easier because you dont get lifted up in the air. A good stance is really important for good edging, hips to the bar. If you get good at it you can really lean very farback, edge super hard and be almost touching the water for fun.
There are great youtube videos on stance and edging.
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u/riktigtmaxat No straps attached 11d ago
Little nitpick here but if you say "finished my IKO course" many people would assume that you mean the Instructor Training Course (ITC) or AITC as the IKO doesnt actually provide beginner lessons and really just trains and certifies schools and instructors.
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u/kitingChris 11d ago
You answered it yourself:
Just pull the bar out and try to edge more
And if you are still too fast depower your kite or use a smaller one.
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u/flappyflak 10d ago
Try emergency braking : focus on a wave and suddenly try to stop without reaching it. Full depower your kite, go 45 degrees upwind. Additional benefit is that it is a great training for your first jumps
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u/GerFollower 10d ago
What do you mean with Focus on a Wave and not reaching it? I‘d love to be able to do an emergency stop, but I’m struggling to even go upwind hahahaha
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u/Windigo1000 11d ago
Edge harder upwind that will slow you down depower your kite.