If you ever decide to buy a kite-surf board, it is better to know that you are buying. We’re going to give you a few ideas to understand that kind of boards. Kite-surf boards – how to kite-surf
Kite surfing on a kite-surfboard without footstraps is one of the funniest things you can do when you already sort of control a twintip, but before getting into surfing waves you should first know a couple of details regarding that type of boards.
The first topic that has to be undone is that since it has more volume than a normal kitesurfing board, meaning a twintip, you will be able to navigate in light wind and since it has large fins you will be able to upwind easily
Both statements are untrue. No doubt, a surfboard has more volume than a twintip type of board, but in this case the volume is not exactly what makes you ride in very light wind, nor will you ride upwind more than with a twintip.
Logically a small twintip, type 130 × 39, for example, in light wind has not a chance. That type of board is effective from 12 or 14 knots and obviously your weight matters a lot. A person of 60 kgs with a 12-meter kite in those 12 knots will get planning and even slightly upwind.
A person of 75-85 kgs with that same board at 12 knots, will kitesurf but barely planning. It would be the best choice to ride a surfboard? Well, no. It would be a much better idea to ride a kiteboard twintip style of 160 × 44 or even better a 170 × 50. You could also try it with a 150 × 45 twintip board by instance. Everything depends on your weight, the size of the kite and how consistent or inconsistent the wind is.
What makes you riding in light wind is the hull, the length and width of the board and its subsequent behavior, more than the volume of that board.
Why ride with a kite-surf board
Once this volume issue is clarified, let’s go to the next step. What exactly is to ride a surfboard when we are going to practice kitesurfing? The goal of a surf-board is basically surfing the wave, and for that matter the kite is just about taking us until the wave, once in the wave the goal is to keep the kite at a point at about 11 or at 13, where we do not need the kite traction and we will only try to keep it at that point of the wind window and thus be able to surf the wave through our kite-surf board.
And for this the surf-board, thanks to its particular shape and its fins is ideal. Can you surf a wave with a twintip? Well, yes and no. We will surf in the wave but it will be with the help of the traction of your kite because without that traction, the twintip board, for its very sharp edges and its lack of volume -and its shape, of course- will not allow us to surf the wave by itself.
There is another reason why some kiters use a surfboard when they do kite, and it is because they are going to do maneuvers while jumping, so that without footstraps they hold the board with their hands, change their position in the air and land in turns, they hold the board between the legs, etc, basically circus show. But summarizing and without wanting to annoy anyone, of course. Where there are no waves, a kite-surf board makes little sense.
Learn how to get on a kite-surf board
To start surfing with a surfboard, we must take into account that we do not have the help of footstraps, therefore, start kitesurfing will require more technical than we originally thought.
It is advisable first of all to start in flat water or in a day with small waves and try it when you are already in water up to your knee. Place the board near you and adopt a sitting position on the water.
Place your feet on the board and apply pressure with the heels while gently sending the kite towards the back of the wind window. This will allow the pressure against the water to be created at the bottom of the board to keep it against the feet. When you are ready to start, simply send the kite forward and direct the board slightly downwind.
You should try to keep your knees bent when you get up. Once you are up you can apply pressure on the edge of the board, balance it and try not to take it too edged and you will start to navigate.
A next step is to start your ride without having to sit, for this, with the water by the knee, place the board in a downward position and try to jump up, first one foot and immediately after, the second foot, with a difference of tenth of a second between putting one foot and the next, with what you will have to tune to not sink the tip or do too much pressure on the back of our kite-surf board, with that, the nose of the board would lift and you will not get out into the planing, etc …
VIDEO SHOWING 3 DIFFERENT METHODS
Starting with the front foot already on the board you can control the direction of it until it is pointing a bit downwind.
Place the kite at the top of the window and launch the kite forward while placing the back foot on the board. Once you have incorporated you have to try to keep the front leg stretched and press with the back leg until little by little you are correcting the course and beginning to tighten.
Finally, when you are able to go out standing, you can try to jump with both feet at the same time on the board while you are launching the kite forward.
