Riding in surf

[Travis Cook]

Last week I was down in Barbados and got some riding down at Silver Sands. Real nice spot. Wind was pretty good with a 12M. All the regulars were acting like it was a problem and it was light wind. Ha. 12M is fine.

Anyway, I was up and riding but it was only my 2nd time in surf. And I wasn't really getting it down very good. So I'm wondering what the tips and tricks are? The wind was essentially a sideshore wind. Heading out I felt like I could edge nicely and keep my upwind tack steady. But when I turned to come back in, I couldn't keep my edge, speed much less upwind tack. And so I kept losing ground. All the ground I'd gain heading out would be lost coming back. I was wondering if this is common in surf where the water is actually moving into shore and thus reducing my actual speed/edge? If so, how to compensate for this? It could have also been a new kite (new to me), the kite wasn't great in terms of getting deep into the window, new board (to me). Thoughts and tips?

[Kenny]

Travis,

It probably has a lot to do with the wind direction. My guess is that the wind was not as side-shore as you thought, so when you were heading out, you might have been losing just as much ground as heading back. So your perspective was that you were going upwind one direction and downwind the other, I am telling you that you were going downwind both directions. The trick is a larger board or kite OR you really pay a lot of attention to staying upwind (which is no fun IMHO).

Surf definitely adds an additional drag on your board. I have had the wind slowly peter on me until there was a point that I could stay upwind near the shore in the whitewater, but I didn't have enough power to get through the break. The holy grail for surfing is a kite with a lot of depower that will just hang there while you are riding the wave, but has enough power to keep you upwind and powered when riding through the break.

My advice to my fellow flatlanders:
1. Start with smaller waves if at all possible.
2. Don't try to crash through a wave, go downwind a bit and/or send your kite a bit when going over a wave.
3. Don't ever try to ride through a wave while it is closing out. The force is incredible and it can snap your board and/or leg like a matchstick.
4. Give surfers and other water users a wide berth.
5. If there are other kite boarders there, learn the rotation for riding the waves before going out. Ask for advice and if there are any obstacles (coral heads can ruin your trip).
6. Watch some experienced riders. You can learn a lot more by watching than going out there and playing in the washing machine.

Waves are awesome because they add a 3D element to your riding. Of course, we are super spoiled with an incredible snowkite 3D wonderland in our backyard, but surfing in the water is pretty sweet as well.

Kenny

[Ralph Morrison]

Kenny's advice to flatlanders is very good. I will echo Kenny and say that the wind was probably somewhat offshore. That way if you are going directly at the waves on the way out, you are actually going downwind. Then if you are riding the wave straight in, you are pointing into the wind and could have been stalling. In that situation you should have been pointing hard on the way out until you have to go over some big waves, then give some ground to carry enough speed to make it through, then point again and do tacks on the outside to get upwind. When you choose a wave and you first start riding in, you want to point upwind as the wave builds up underneath you. When the wave is steep enough, you turn off the wind and surf the wave down the line. If the wind is side onshore it's a whole 'nother ballgame.

If you've been watching, you know how many waves are in the sets (it varies but usually there are four). The first one is smaller, the middle ones are bigger and the last one is smaller again. If you want the biggest take the third, if you want the smallest take the last. Being on the backside of the set has the advantage that if you fall you don't get pummeled by the rest of the set or when you finish your ride you can go back out through the lull between sets.

It takes a long time for inlanders like us to learn how to kite in surf. Many years in my case. My advice would be to watch how others are doing it. Don't go out in anything bigger than your ability. Stay out of others way (if somebody is on a wave it's their's, keep going out until you get your own). Respect the locals and understand their rules. Enjoy being out in the waves and try to learn alittle each time. Also there are alot of articles on how to manage your kite while on a wave.

[Jon Manwaring]

There is also a very strong current running From the N to S ( from your Left to Right, as you face the water) at Silver Sands Beach. This will carry you a long way, as you are coming back in. Barbados is a Wonderful place to kite. Next time give Long Beach a try. It's just up wind a mile or so from Sliver Sand and Silver Strand Beaches. See a lot of Turtles?
Jonmzee

[Travis Cook]

Thanks for all the tips. I really appreciate it. I definitely wasn't bothering the locals as I was way downwind of them. 8| Way. In fact, on my last FAILED ride when I was on a big kite (that I wasn't used to) and a surf board (which I have never tried before) I couldn't get edging at all and went way down past both beaches, headed to Venezuela. And then the wind dropped and the kite had real bad water relaunch (Liquid Force 15M I think). So I was heading out to sea. Did the whole self-rescue (again. I'm getting way too good at it), managed to find my board out there and did about a 1.5 mile swim ONE ARMED as fast as I could because of current and I had to hit the beach not the rock and had to swim against the wind and current. Let me tell you-- I was exhausted and it took about 45 minutes-- but I couldn't stop. So I had to either ditch my equipment and just make a break for shore or drag it in slowly. As long as I was gaining ground and not feeling like I wasn't going to make it kept the equipment with me and just kept swimming. Yikes. I don't know if was a KITEMARE or not because I was very calm and collected about it and making good decisions, but I was definitely worried.

As to the surf, it probably was less side shore than I was thinking and I was losing ground on both directions. But heading out I could definitely get and feel my upwind edging happening. I wasn't getting that feeling while coming back. But then to your points, I was probably trying to head directly to the shore as if that was the correct upwind tack, but in fact I was too upwind and killing the kite speed. But it also seems like the moving water kills some speed too.

As to waves, what do you do when you having crashed and a wave is approaching and you're in the wrong spot-- i.e. its going to break on you. If you can't launch and send quick enough you're going to get pounded. Maybe face in shore and put the kite over there and get it pulling you in that direction? Having the wave crash on you is rough cuz its ripping the board off your feet, maybe spinning you around and you've got the kite to fly, all the lines and the bar could be a mess, etc...

Didn't see any turtles. I'll post a brief video of my rides there as soon as I get home.