Another killer weekend at the coast?

gabe · Since 16 May 2005 475 Posts Obsessed

Here are some tips for getting out through sizable waves. I had to learn all this strapless, which was (and is) a total pain at times, but all of this applies to twin tips also, it will just be less of a problem. I am far from a wave expert, but I have had to suffer with this issue more than most probably and it may help some people.

Sure, you can jump the wave, but you better make sure you clear it. And you will lose ground doing this. Also, you can chicken gybe, which I am very jealous of, but at some point you still need to go through them, you can’t always retreat. So, assuming you aren’t always doing those things, here are other key techniques I have found.

In general, I think you can get over waves at any point except for when they are almost vertical and beginning to curl to before they crash. So even when they are close to vertical it is possible (size dependant of course). Also, as soon as they turn to white water it is possible. of course, the further away you get from those points, the easier it is. So the biggest thing then is timing, but you can’t always control this with closely space beach break waves. As PJC said, slowing down and waiting for a wave to break is one of the best things to do. a flat kite and floaty board really helps this—you can almost stop for a while without sinking. Going over white water isn’t that hard (with straps), but sometimes it looks and feels like you are riding over a car. Having the kite fairly high to enter, and then lowering it as you go over helps to avoid flying off too much.

You can also try to race the wave to get over it before it breaks. But when it breaks earlier than you think you are totally screwed. Learning to read the waves is a huge thing, and I think it’s partly local knowledge. My worst experiences are when you are really far out past most of the breaks and you see a huge swell jacking up, but you think that no way will that break—it’s too far out, it will just steepen and keep on going. And then it starts to curl… that’s when I say holy shit.

For going over steep waves before they curl, i found 2 ways to do this. If it is fairly steep, but not extreme, a good way is to go over the wave diagonally, riding somewhat downwind. This is like taking a switchback trail instead of a vertical trail up a mountain and makes it much less steep. It also can be fun if you are near the curl. If it is almost vertical, I approach with some speed but then carve super hard upwind and over it. This slows you down and you just push over it without flying off. Bend your knees and all that.

The other big technique is deciding where to go over the wave. You will see a peak, and then breaking down one or both sides. Oftentime a curl is ahead of me but 15ft downwind it has just jacked up, so you bear off with speed and ride over that section (with the diagonal technique). Yes, you can lose a lot of ground this way (but less than if you lose the board and chase it 200 yards in to the beach like I often do). Also, oftentimes the upwind part of the wave will be less steep so you can carve up super hard and go over that section. A surfboard and flat kite really helps this because you can point really high when you need to.

If you can’t gybe, but are facing imminent destruction, you can do a toeside carve (unfortunately on the bad side for most of us) and then carve back once the wave has broken. I need to get more comfortable doing this instead of doing the deer in the headlights approach at times.

In real life, you end up combining all of these. Timing when to hit the wave (slowing or speeding up), where to hit it (upwind or downwind of you) and doing little techniques to get over the white water or jacked up face.

This is all obvious stuff for wave kiters, but good things to think about if you haven’t been in waves that much, or have not had to deal with sizable and chaotic beach break waves. Learning all this is still very fresh in my mind.

jdk · Since 21 Dec 2005 333 Posts Obsessed

Thanks!

- grasshoppa Very Happy

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

Great post Gabe. Lots of good details in there. I've never thought about it this much before. And, you're right about jumping over the waves...you gotta make sure you can clear it. Once the tail of my board hit the wave and it really did feel like it hit a wall. Similar thing as belly flopping from a high dive I guess Smile

gabe · Since 16 May 2005 475 Posts Obsessed

Part 2. What to do when you lose your board in the surf zone? I pretty much do this continually. Goals, in order, are to not drop kite, not get pummeled by wave (which can lead to dropping kite), get back to board as fast as possible. your board will wash in really really fast. Just one wave can take it in over 100ft. if you don’t see it, just pull yourself in and you’ll find it. if no waves are bearing down on you, just body drag bag to it fast. Really fast. It will usually go downwind of you, so you don’t need to drag upwind. Just sine the kite like crazy with both hands and get your body planning—almost at kiting speeds. The sooner you get to the board, the less far you will have to go in to get it. it's a race to get it before the next wave. This can actually be fun as you start bodysurfing over waves.

Okay, that’s pretty simple. What happens when a wave is almost going to break on you? Dive through the bottom of the wave head first and have the kite pull you through. hold your breath. This is easy. It does 2 things: you don’t get washed over the falls of the wave (and you avoid the turbulent water), and your kite keeps tension on the lines. As PJC said, this is key. If your kite is pulling you in, and a wave pushes you from behind the lines can go slack, kite drops, and now you are totally screwed because you can easily get wrapped in lines. #1 thing to be terrified of. The more powered you are, the less likely lines will go slack. Now, it’s better to try to outrun waves by body surfing fast, but if it is going to catch you, then you should at least raise the kite, or better yet, redirect it so the wave tensions the lines instead of slackens. Also, keep the kite sheeted in so it doesn’t drop. The weird part of this is that you have to occasionally go away from the beach, in order to get back to it safely. These are the wave survival skills I heard before I went to the coast, and they are essential. Also, carry hook knife. Dakine sells a new model for $8 that attaches to the front of the harness so you can grab it really easily.

One other thing: when in the water getting back to your board, never let the board get between you and the waves. The waves will knock it into you 10x harder than you think. Even the smallest foaming stuff has tons of power. I almost sprained my thumb 2 weeks ago doing this. Grab it when the water is flat, or from the wave side. Shorebreak same deal. A piece of shorebreak pushed my board into my foot in hawaii when learning, and a tennis ball sized bump popped up. If holding onto your board and a small wave or whitewater is coming at it, raise the board in the air, or submerge it under the wave into the still water. That way it won’t get ripped away.

Final thing: having a really fast, no brainer “put board on feet and waterstart” is key. Many times you will get to your board and have a couple seconds to get out of there before the punishment begins all over again. You have to get yourself moving immediately. Many times I have just gotten feet on the board as big whitewater covers me, and I pull myself out of it. If you fail, you lose the board all over again. Fun times!!!

I am just talking about summer swell. I’m sure the Florence guys have some hairy winter stories…

jahmbi · Wed Aug 16, 06 5:33 pm **knifes**

i kite with a sky diving knife ,it is hooked..you can,t get the tip of your finger in it. Also its easy to grab..Obviously i bought it at Pacific Wave...503-861-0836....cheap investment for a life time of fun.... i have noticed alot of people don,t have knifes on them Twisted Evil

you might need to save a bro some day and might not have a knife ? then what will you be saying to yourself.???.Remember the picture of Pete Cabrina with the BIG ASS BOWIE KNIFE STRAPPED TO HIS LEG???? In an early issue mag..Troll Twisted Evil

gabe · Since 16 May 2005 475 Posts Obsessed

hein, where did you post go? disappeared. learning to jump the surfboard is really good practice for getting over white water. my feet learn how to get back on the board etc. good skill builder!

dream move is jump 6ft, switch ft in the air, land, then rip carving transition.

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2025 Posts Windward

When getting worked in the waves ,which used to happen quite a bit a while back ,I came to the conclusion that I would rather get yanked than go in(same direction) with a wave (lines loose) a beginners lesson is always keep your kite towards the waves and strings will stay tight (good) but it's not always possible if you are going fast towards shore in a wave as the kite is falling in the same direction so if any tension is left Swing the kite(hard).
I took it up a notch and if I'm getting worked now I swing kite violently the opposite way and get yanked out .
The first time I did this I was on an old Da Kine seat harness with clips and the clips gave way and the harness was around my armpits ,very hard to find my next move.(oops)
now the harneses are without the clips and will withstand a yank(get ready)
But for me avoiding the issue is the best solution (chicken gybe)
If you want to jump waves and don't quite make it you can ride the pitch as well just keep swinging the kite and keep your tip up and you can ride right up it(scary).
But if no way to stop , let wave pass by you (you through it) and like magic you will standing on the other side board on and ready to start over.
Be like surfers ,all that kite shit gear life-jackets, helmuts and leashes is just quick way to drown ,if you need to ditch and swim you had better be clean and smooth as you will need to dive through the wave towards the sea and let it pass and return to the shore after it's by.
YOU CANNOT FLOAT IN THE WHITE WATER ,you can't breathe that foamy shit either don't think you can , being worked on top of the waves is for sure your last choice unless you like being held down, underwater .
Pick your waves and you will love the feeling of being in touch from the womb which we all sprang (supposedly)
And one thing at Florence your gear goes out and if you are on the wrong kite, (too much power or too little) you can't drag and get it either,you will need a pal

boardrider · Since 05 Apr 2006 1034 Posts Ventura, CA XTreme Poster

Thanks for the tips. Hopefully the forcast will improve for Sunday. -C
P.S. any advice on a good coastal/ cold water wetsuit. 5/3 - 5/4/3 - or 6/4/3 - it's time for a new one.

J.P. · Since 10 Mar 2005 638 Posts Addicted

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1313 Posts Possessed

Sorry about the disappearing post. It was late and I couldn't get it edited
the way I liked so I just deleted it. Weren't any nasty comments or jabs in it.
Sorry to disappoint you, J.P.

I ride backside 'cause I'm goofy. (in more ways than one) and I've always
thought that it allowed for better kite position especially when the wind is
side-on. I've been working on my frontside (switch) when I'm not too
powered. But when I go for the lip, my kite is in an awkward position over
my left shoulder. Since I'm toeside it forces me to really twist my body.

Gabe, where do you put your kite when you are going down the line?

-Hein

J.P. · Since 10 Mar 2005 638 Posts Addicted

gabe · Since 16 May 2005 475 Posts Obsessed

i would bet that's because you are riding switch, which will just be awkward in general. have you ever ridden a place where you can ride regular, frontside? yes, the top turn pull me off the wave and kind of twist the body, but i think that's partly the point. i think down the line means differnt things to different people. the classic sweeping the kite thing for bottom and top turns is what i am working on, but at times you can raise the kite kind of high and just ride straight down the line. but i find this isn't always so stable with the kite, so i tend to do more boring riding this way. what i like to do is kite outside the breaks, find a big swell coming in, gybe in front of it and let it follow me in, ride down it at mach 5 as it begins to jack up, bottom turn while raising or sweeping the kite, top turn by redirecting the kite, and then downloop the kite on second bottom turn to go for the face/lip the second time. the downloop keeps you closer to the face and gets you there faster b/c the kite keeps the same direction of turning and you can do the whole sequence with one hand (same hand). then, if the wave is still good, you can do a couple pivot kite loops, and ride right down the line or up on top of the curl.

i don't know, i am just a student of all this, and i think good wave riding technique is not well documented, and not always visible in videos b/c they don't show the kite and oftentimes they are in side-off winds which changes everything.

video at the bottom of this page shows the style which is considered world class at the moment: http://www.surfingwithkites.com/

they are raising the kite high in bottom turns, not sweeping it low. and redirecting it way before they hit the lip

Mike Hawk · Thu Aug 17, 06 5:54 pm

J.P. · Since 10 Mar 2005 638 Posts Addicted

[quote="Mike Hawk"]

jahmbi · Thu Aug 17, 06 8:56 pm

jahmbi · Thu Aug 17, 06 9:04 pm

[quote="J.P."]

J.P. · Since 10 Mar 2005 638 Posts Addicted