rumblefish said...harry potter said...^^^^ try to avoid drilling holes in your board and use one of the above suggested methods. Once you have improved a bit more and water starts become simple second nature then you will probably not need the mod.
I am assuming that part of your problem ( aside from the half working feet ) is that it takes you a little while to get the kite sorted and you are waiting in the water trying to keep the board on your feet for 10 -20 -30 seconds whilst you get the kite ready. This would be particularly difficult if you cannot raise your toes... however...........
Once you have the water starting down pat, you will basically put board on feet dive kite and away you go a 2-5 second process and you will not have that need to hook your toes and keep the board in place whilst you sort out what you are doing.
Its all possible... think of how the guys ride strapless or a wakeskate ...waterstarts with no straps at all.
Good luck with it
More fantastic advice, thanks all!!
Have a few ideas to try but never though of the strapless thing so I'm sure I'll get there.
Have managed to get both feet in but of course my feet want to sink and the board float so they tend to fall out again.
My old board has no handle at all so going to put one in. Also a mate has suggested a thin piece of shock cord around the heel of the bindings, just enough to hold my feet in while I get the kite sorted.
Once I'm in I should have no issues, spent 1/2 an hour with the kite flying and trying to get into the straps and only crashed the kite once!!!
Those Cabrina bindings look great, any ideas where in Perth I can look at a set??
Cheers again all,
Kite Addiction is the Cabrinha dealer for Perth
Unit 1/17 Hulme Court,
Myaree megaplex,
Myaree, WA 6154
Ph 9329 9333 or 93299339
When you are trying to get your feet on the board, first body drag with the board in your front hand out well past the shorebreak and upwind of other kiters - basically so that you are not in the way.
Decide which way you are going to head, and lest say thats to the left. Grab the board by the rail at the opposite right hand end and put left leg onto board, wiggle it as quickly as possible into the strap.
You kite should be overhead or slightly off to the right when you do this, left hand in the centre of the bar on the left side of the centre hole, but very close to the centre line.
Once you have your left foot on the strap, steer the kite up a little, by pulling a bit on the bar, and at the same time pull the board and lift your right foot onto the board. At this stage your right foot does not need to be in the strap just on the right side of the board.
Now grab the bar with both hands and wiggle the board back and forth until your feet are in the straps.
I wear a very restrictive knee brace and have some muscle wasting in my left leg, this is how I get on the board, practice makes perfect. I'm sure you will work it out in time if you are very passionate about learning to kite.
