3 tips for better kiteboard Control

A guide to help you put the "boarding" into your kiteboarding
This is part two of the master your kite and board videos. Last week, I covered a new angle on how to control your kite with the edge of your board. I’m going to expand on this now, and help you really get control of your board and riding position.
Kiteboarding is funny because unlike other board sports we have a lot more going on with controlling the kite. The thing is, It seems like a lot of kiteboarders never learn how to ride a board properly and it actually holds back their progress. Even boarders who cross over from other sports pick up some habits while learning that make things harder later on.
In this video, I’m going to help you get a better understanding of board control. This is going to make all of your tricks easier, they are going to look better and kiteboarding is going to be a lot more fun and easier for you if you can get these skills down.
Quick Reference Guide to Edge Control Applications
Jumping applications
When jumping, you can come off your edge a bit, and set the kite deeper
When you send it up, it will be deeper in the window and you’ll pick up speed for a bigger jump.
You'll be able to edge more tension into the lines for power too
Balance the kites lift on harness vs edge of your board
In light winds, lay in harness more to hold your weight
In high winds ground yourself with the board to reduce lift
You can use fins for drive or dig your edge
Balance of weight over feet makes a difference
All weight on the back foot slows momentum & reduce power
Balance on both feet to accelerate speed and improve pop
Riding upwind
Don't edge too hard
Keep pressure between both feet
Don't go too fast
Keep the kite forward in the wind window
Slowing down
Use back foot pressure and a hard edge to set the kite too far in the window
Alternatively, you can ride so far downwind that it drifts to the edge
This is why I say land downwind to take power out of the kite. Yet, you can also edge power out of the kite. You can build speed by coming off your edge a little. Remember, agressive edging makes for an agressive kite. Slow controlled edging makes for a mellow kite.
Wave / Foiling
This is why you see some wave foil crossover kites. Regardless, these skills will help on any kite.
I'm going to cover some basics but I want to note that I am not a wave expert. There are too many variables to draft up a step by step wave guide in one video. You can however, take these concepts and experiment with your kite in different wave conditions. The goal is to have edge control and be able to set your kite with intention. Ideally in a place 2 seconds ahead of your surf maneuver.
Use your edge to keep a little line tension and set the kite in advance
Think 2 seconds ahead of the maneuver when setting the kite
The goal is to position the kite so you can execute the surf move
While cutting downwind your carrying so much speed, you could almost drop the kite
With the right path and edging, you can get your kite to stall as you travel as you travel in the opposite direction like it's flying backwards
Can cheat this by downlooping the kite to stop it from falling.
If you use the edge method to “stall it and keep it in the air, it will be like a parachute downind
This will take practice with your specific kite and the wind / wave direction
Practice edging your kite on and off the waves so you can place it with intention
With foiling, you do a lot of the same things as the waves but there is less going on.
With the waves, you need to control the kite and position it so you can stay on the wave.
Drifting kites have a lot of forgiveness, all around kites you’ll need to use your edge control to set the kite in the correct position.
So, when dropping in. if the kite doesn't drift, you might need to edge / steer the board a little to regain line tension. The kite may shoot back as well staying in the sky. It’s a game of keeping just a little tension in the lines so you can control the kite.I could do very deep on this but it all comes down to getting the basics down and getting in tune with maintaining a little line tension. Keep the kite in the right position so it hangs there while you surf the wave. Occasionally, you may need to downloop to set the kite and pick up a ton of speed. Lead with the kite. Keep it ahead for top & bottom turns. Think two seconds ahead with the kite movement. For example, you might let it drift forward while dropping in, As you edge a bottom turn, the kite will shoot forward. You might need to counter that and send the kite back deeper a little as you carve up a wave. There are too many variables for me to do a detailed wave guide and frankly I'm not a wave expert. My best advice is to practice and be mindful of what your edge is doing while riding waves.

[@ianravera]

I’m really liking these more technical videos. I’ve been stuck around 10M with my jumps and now I think I know why. Time to go focus on stance->speed and proper takeoff. Thanks Rygo!

[@robertmccarthy3702]

Thanks for the tips as only been doing KB now for 5 months and starting on jump transitions and I can see I am lacking in gaining speed prior to loading up. I think your tips will definitely help me with that. KZbin tip for you. If you make a video series with numerous parts to it, always place a link in the description linking all the previous parts to that series so the viewer can easily find the full series which will benefit them as well as your KZbin rating;-)) Happy riding.

[@barbigoldberg9487]

Excellent tips thank you so much ✌️👍👍🤙🤙🤙🤙

[@inflakd]

I agree with Ian Avera. These technical videos are really good!

[@TantrumX]

Great, great advice!

[@nwkitesurfer]

Excellent video. Thanks!

[@dpwild328]

This is exactly what I am doing, and exactly what I needed. Thank you!!🤙🏼

[@MACkiteboarding]

Glad it helped!

[@Andreas_K_]

Nice review!

[@EugeneK88freeride]

Good one!

[@pd6732]

Cheers for the video! Noticed you have the vadatek bindings on your refraction, can we expect a video soon :D? I'd really like to see the difference to normal boots or even hyperlite system's, especially with getting into them in deep water!

[@andreborismaia]

Can you share the link of the first video you mentioned?

[@Ziwisky]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnKXdYuJpq-UY68

[@karldaschner2751]

good info!

[@alexcelli2545]

Hi Rygo, I think this tutorial covers the most important topic when talking about unhooking: thank you for sharing your knowledge about something that seems to be "a secret" (looking at the infos you can find around). I kite since 2005 and it was a long time ago when I started to think that the angle to approach the trick (that influences board speed and lines tension) is the key for success: I'm very happy to see that a lot of my ideas are right. There is just a last point that's non really clear for me and that I can't understand well from your tutorial: by my experience the approach you describe is perfect when you're in the sweet spot of your kite and with an optimal power/speed (also the video where you talk about about how to pop, and you explain how to do it "underpowered" is totally clear and perfect) the "problem" is the technique/approach when the wind became stronger and the power of the kite increases. Wich kind of approach do you think is the best one? Where is the optimal spot in the wind window to place the kite? You describe very well the principle for kite control by using the edge of the board, you said that there are two different ways to reduce kite power (going straigh downwind or edge so hard with weight over the back leg to put the kite really forward in the window), what do you think is better or wich one do you prefer? (I know it depens also on the type of kite but more or less the technique can be almost the same and I'm using crossover kite at the moment). With both methods I have some issues. If I try to slow down by edging a lot hooked in to shoot the kite forward in the window (like in the older days with no depower C kite) I finish to ride upwind: when I release the edge and go for unhooking (pull the bar in) the kite drift back so hard that is difficult to mantain a controllable speed and, also waiting for the end of the acceleration, generally as I start to edge after unhooking I have so much power that became impossibile the set proper edge (I literally fly away with the kite). On the opposite if I start to ride more dowwind (than cross the wind like you describe for the correct approach) I soon reach a super high speed: I generally cut and control that speed by passing toe side and aiming the board more down wind than the kite, then the speed decrease and became manageable (I feel the kite is to the side instead in front of me) but at that moment the lines tension became so low that I have to do a long edge before to regain power. In this case I dont fly away but goodbye slack becasue the explosiveness of the pop disappear.

[@alexcelli2545]

I don't know if I've been clear enough, but every tips for unhooking in powerd conditions wil be really appreciate. (I'm still waiting for a video for passing in the air...)

[@davidsuzukiispolpot]

Beginner here..... About edging more and getting the kite forward in the wind window. Could this be a valid way of looking at it?: As you edge more, your direction is less downwind, which puts the apparent wind a bit more upwind so now I have shifted the edge of the wind window a bit more forward?

[@MACkiteboarding]

Sorry for missing your comment from earlier. 🤙🏽 Do you still have questions that we may help with? -Aaron

[@davidsuzukiispolpot]

​@@MACkiteboarding No, thanks for asking though. Your videos have been quite helpful in my progress!

[@leo_perigee]

Could you go into a bit more detail? I am a military-trained freefall parachutist... Kidding! Makes perfect sense! I can't wait to try getting on the water! I get the kiting! I have power kites, LOVE THEM! Getting dragged is a rush! I grew up water skiing and wakeboarding, I want to combine them! Bought a place with access to wind from north and south recently, it is time. Why have I waited until I was 49? Maybe now it is all just disposable income! Any of you guys want to come to the Chesapeake?

[@MACkiteboarding]

Hahah! stoked for you! Sounds like you have the right place and set up. - Rygo

[@pabloetchepare7160]

Everything ok. Maybe, too much talking for my taste. Thanks

[@MACkiteboarding]

Ha! Thank you, Pablo. 🤙🏽 We are a chatty bunch over here. Maybe too much coffee before that one? -Aaron

[@Nilz4FR]

0:35 are you wearing a face mask? wtf?

[@MACkiteboarding]

Sun protection haha. This was well before masks were a thing. - Rygo