The raley is the best trick to learn proper technique and how to set an edge for most other unhooked tricks, so I would probably start there. Get them dialed in well and then move on to back and front rolls.

My biggest tip is learn how to set a deep consistent edge and commit properly to the trick. Keep your hands in the centre of the bar, bear off the wind slightly to unhook, then set a progressive edge. Don't edge too hard straight away, you want to progressively dig your rail harder in the water. When you feel the kite wanting to rip you off the water throw your legs behind you and let it pull you out.

Obviously this takes some practice but the first part is the hardest, once you get started you want wont to stop.

sir ROWDY said...
The raley is the best trick to learn proper technique and how to set an edge for most other unhooked tricks, so I would probably start there. Get them dialed in well and then move on to back and front rolls.

My biggest tip is learn how to set a deep consistent edge and commit properly to the trick. Keep your hands in the centre of the bar, bear off the wind slightly to unhook, then set a progressive edge. Don't edge too hard straight away, you want to progressively dig your rail harder in the water. When you feel the kite wanting to rip you off the water throw your legs behind you and let it pull you out.

Obviously this takes some practice but the first part is the hardest, once you get started you want wont to stop.

Also remember to rig up your leash properly... I forgot I had mine on the 100% depower line so... when I let go of the kite had to chase the bar up pretty quickly to stop Mr. Tangles

You should to be getting down a hooked in backroll first before progressing to unhooked.

First depower the kite and attach to suicide. Practice bearing off and unhooking and riding along then hooking back in a few times.

A raley needs speed and load hard on the edge with kite at 45. I recommend for your first unhooked move try the backroll. Moderate speed, kite high and scoop upwind (rather than load and pop) into the backroll. It's easier to follow the momentum and doesn't need as much commitment as a raley.

Also try front rolls then raley. These 3 moves are the basis for more advanced unhooked moves.

Yer I'm in that boat to iv got double backrolls hocked in fine and front rolls fine hooked in raileys or what u would call that basic transitions and some toe side air

Might try the unhooked back first thanks for all the help guys

stamp said...

Nuking said...


A raley needs speed and load hard on the edge with kite at 45. I recommend for your first unhooked move try the backroll. Moderate speed, kite high and scoop upwind (rather than load and pop) into the backroll. It's easier to follow the momentum and doesn't need as much commitment as a raley.

this is exactly why you should learn a raley first. your edge and release should be the same for all tricks. learning to do a proper raley will teach you how to pop with the board and not the kite. learning an unhooked backroll without commitment and kite high will only instil bad habits.

there is no shortcut to learning a raley. unlike back and front rolls, you can't do them hooked in to get the feeling because it's totally different. as rowdy says the power generated by your edge should yank you off the water and force your body to stretch out flat from your hnds right through to your legs. you can't replicate this hooked in.

dafrog said...

stamp said...

Nuking said...


A raley needs speed and load hard on the edge with kite at 45. I recommend for your first unhooked move try the backroll. Moderate speed, kite high and scoop upwind (rather than load and pop) into the backroll. It's easier to follow the momentum and doesn't need as much commitment as a raley.

this is exactly why you should learn a raley first. your edge and release should be the same for all tricks. learning to do a proper raley will teach you how to pop with the board and not the kite. learning an unhooked backroll without commitment and kite high will only instil bad habits.

there is no shortcut to learning a raley. unlike back and front rolls, you can't do them hooked in to get the feeling because it's totally different. as rowdy says the power generated by your edge should yank you off the water and force your body to stretch out flat from your hnds right through to your legs. you can't replicate this hooked in.

Hmm I disagree somewhat with that, I think there is an intermediate step that will help getting the timing right: the Gay-ley... it's a hooked-in jump that replicates the raley while still being hooked.

Basically... tac hard and gather a fair bit of speed and try to have your bar half depowered like if you were going upwind normally but fast and edge hard into an oncoming chop and pop while keeping your kite where it is (halfway up in the window, the goal is distance not height) but getting the power fully in... this should result in a full speed jump lasting 1 or 2 secs, you won't go high but long, the speedy landing will help you get used to the sort of speed of a raley landing.

once you master this then a raley will be easy and you shall land it first time... The gay-ley is also good to do grabs, rolls in a safe fast manner and will improve your landings generally while increasing your reflexes, it's more like skate and snowboards jumps. If you **** up let go of the bar. no issue and as you don't go high it's pretty safe.

I hope this helps, it's a transition but will help you build confidence... In the end the raley is the **** and it's actually pretty easy if your reflexes are good.

Totally agree I spent maybe 2 hours doing the hooked in version, learning how much I needed to bear away, how aggressive the final edging needs to be and springing off my heels to generate the pop.... Without Crashing my kite on every attempt.

That said I agree with rowdy that the raley is the first unhooked trick u should learn, get that nailed and u have the basis for all the other clever and mind boggling stuff the good guys at the forefront of the sport are doing

You can't do a proper raley hooked in. And in my opinion it will only hinder you learning to do a proper one. As you take off hooked in and extend into the gayley you will almost certainly sheet out, making it an entirely different feeling. Not to mention you will be loading from your harness not your arms.

A proper raley isn't that hard to try with your kite up high. Just man up and give it a shot, what's the worst that will happen? It's just water.

sir ROWDY said...
You can't do a proper raley hooked in. And in my opinion it will only hinder you learning to do a proper one. As you take off hooked in and extend into the gayley you will almost certainly sheet out, making it an entirely different feeling. Not to mention you will be loading from your harness not your arms.

A proper raley isn't that hard to try with your kite up high. Just man up and give it a shot, what's the worst that will happen? It's just water.

Agree with this, I've started trying unhooked tricks last season and have manged a few good flat water session this season. You won't learn heaps trying hooked in gayley's there's way to much of a difference in flying the kite hooked vs unhooked.
Just get out there and give it a go and if you can kite flat flat water it will make it heaps easier getting the feeling of when the edge and pop

I am at about the same level as the original post. Can land the back roll hooked in every time but up hooked get scary. re the pop right foot forward left foot back I pop really well left forward right back it's like I need a disabled parking tick on my car. I really need reworking this...

Hi Jmart
Like Rowdy says the raley is where to start.
This is something I wrote last year in reply to a similar topic.
Maybe it will help if I regurgitate it again. Sorry to be boring if you already read it.

"Getting good pop is not just about the release, but the set up is equally important.
For the first few times start out on a kite that is not overpowered, but is just comfortable, towards the bottom of its wind range, but you dont want to have to work it.
Sail at the fastest point of sailing, just off the wind with the kite at 45 deg, (no higher or you cant edge so hard and it will feel dangly). Have both hands in the center of the bar next to the chicken loop.
Now beer off slightly more, to relieve the line tension and unhook. This also drops the kite further back into the window and gives you something to pull against. As soon as you've unhooked carve hard into wind and pull hard against the kite. As you do this the kite will also accelerate towards the edge of the window generating even more pull, push hard with both legs to spring off the water, letting you legs swing out behind you as you leave the water.
Look down at the water to spot your landing, and get your legs back under you to land going downwind towards the kite. The kite lines should be slack as you land, and you can hook back in again.
So what is important here is to get the kite to drift further into the window as you beer down wind to unhook and then pull hard against it to accelerate it back towards the edge again.
If it feels like you are dangling you are steering the kite up, try to pull more with your front hand to stop the kite moving. It should feel like you are weightless for a fraction of a second.
Once you have done this you are well on your way to unkooked unhooked kitesurfing."

Hope this helps
Juicerider

juicerider said...
Hi Jmart
Like Rowdy says the raley is where to start.
This is something I wrote last year in reply to a similar topic.
Maybe it will help if I regurgitate it again. Sorry to be boring if you already read it.

"Getting good pop is not just about the release, but the set up is equally important.
For the first few times start out on a kite that is not overpowered, but is just comfortable, towards the bottom of its wind range, but you dont want to have to work it.
Sail at the fastest point of sailing, just off the wind with the kite at 45 deg, (no higher or you cant edge so hard and it will feel dangly). Have both hands in the center of the bar next to the chicken loop.
Now beer off slightly more, to relieve the line tension and unhook. This also drops the kite further back into the window and gives you something to pull against. As soon as you've unhooked carve hard into wind and pull hard against the kite. As you do this the kite will also accelerate towards the edge of the window generating even more pull, push hard with both legs to spring off the water, letting you legs swing out behind you as you leave the water.
Look down at the water to spot your landing, and get your legs back under you to land going downwind towards the kite. The kite lines should be slack as you land, and you can hook back in again.
So what is important here is to get the kite to drift further into the window as you beer down wind to unhook and then pull hard against it to accelerate it back towards the edge again.
If it feels like you are dangling you are steering the kite up, try to pull more with your front hand to stop the kite moving. It should feel like you are weightless for a fraction of a second.
Once you have done this you are well on your way to unkooked unhooked kitesurfing."

Hope this helps
Juicerider

This is one of the best explanations I've read.
Nice one
Though I usually wait to beer off for when I've finished for the sesh