Anti-Pendulum techniques

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

So I've been running into a problem with some big boosting jumps: I can only keep the kite downwind of me for so long before I pendulum underneath it. I know from watching a bunch of videos that you are supposed to get the kite upwind of you about mid-jump to slow your downwind speed quite a bit so that you can land it, and get the kite back downwind of you before actually hitting the water.

My question is, exactly how do I make this happen?

I got the pop, boost, float part down, but sometime after boosting I need to do something to get the kite upwind of me for just a sec or two to slow my landing speed down.

How long do I wait after leaving the water, what sort of feedback am I supposed to get from the kite or react to?

Some help would be greatly appreciated, the painful high speed impacts I often get off of big air are making it hard to progress in that department (yes I have an impact vest Wink

).

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

Send the kite further initially and/or don't redirect it forward so early. that might be it, hard to know without seeing ya.

registered · Since 12 Jul 2005 1319 Posts tsunami Sandbagger

You can wag the kite to. It helps to do a few micro sines to help keep your jump /decent in the sweet spot.

When your coming down hot send it back a bit(very small redirect) then come in clean and comfy.

pdxmonkeyboy · Thu Sep 24, 09 7:16 am

LOOP IT!!!!!!!!!

krazedkiter · Since 08 Jun 2009 183 Posts Florida Stoked

On big air your gonna come in hot. The reason your getting big air is because there is big wind. WHen you get airborn long enough, your kite (and you) will begin to fly with the wind (and approaching the speed of the wind).

Looping it after you reach the apex (to avoid a powered kiteloop) will bleed off that speed. Small kites in big wind will always make you come down rippin hard. Big kites in lighter wind will give you more lofty floaty jumps.

Good luck.

C Johnson · Since 17 Apr 2009 854 Posts Seattle Opinionated

wow that makes a lot of sense. no wonder I was coming in hot the other day. small kite = faster landing.

I'm guessing that has to do with the drag of the kite and lines is more significant in higher winds.

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

Thanks guys! I think I'll try sending it a little farther, I usually rely mostly on the pop to get big air and never really get the kite behind me, this might fix that. I guess the tricky part is not to send it so far that I end up falling straight down Shocked

. Hopefully there will be enough wind to try the micro sines too, though I'm not sure if that willl slow my landing speed, maybe just extend air time, always a plus too Cool

Once I get reliable landing in on the really big air, then I can start doing some more interesting things up there other than just dangling Very Happy

pdxmonkeyboy · Thu Sep 24, 09 10:30 am

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

wut I do,
is send at 10 to 2(jump) back to 12 (dangle)and then to 2 (land)
sheet out on the way down before strings go slack ,(kite regains flight)
pull in just before landing.(rotate the wing)

as far as small kites being different (except for turning faster)
they are not
it's your technique
or perhaps it's mine
I rarely land hot (too far forward )
but fall out by not sending the kite forward.

I don't own a bigger than 10.0 ,
c kite.
but I've owned some big turds and it was the same,
timing just different
Small adjustments (wagging)do have use as far as keeping a feel for the direction of the kite all the time

krazedkiter · Since 08 Jun 2009 183 Posts Florida Stoked

Onad · Thu Sep 24, 09 12:12 pm

krazedkiter · Since 08 Jun 2009 183 Posts Florida Stoked

Yeah. And hes not comin in hot on that 5 meter is he?

C Johnson · Since 17 Apr 2009 854 Posts Seattle Opinionated

depending on the kite and how prone to backstall it might be I found it helps to keep the bar pulled all the way while you are still climbing. then let it out a little bit to steer the kite where you want it and then pull back in on the bar all the way just before you bring the kite low for your landing. kind of breaks your fast decent before you actually hit. if that makes sense.

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

registered · Since 12 Jul 2005 1319 Posts tsunami Sandbagger

Think gliding in for big jumps after the apex.

Watch some of the youtube kite gliding and watch the wagging to orient oneself for a controled landing. Idea

However with wagging the kite higher and coming in soft may not look as aggressive or badass but it does look like you are in control and maybe an old guy. Twisted Evil

krazedkiter · Since 08 Jun 2009 183 Posts Florida Stoked

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

So I bailed on work and went to south beach today (7m, awesome Very Happy

) and tried sending the kite a little further, and it helped, A LOT! I would say I got consistently 50% more air than I normally would get, easily many 25ft+ jumps (taking into account that it felt like 40 ft but probably wasn't). It also helped keep my landing speed down, thanks for the tip Phil Thumb's Up

! I did get a few vertical plummets when I sent it too far though Embarassed

.

Next I will have to try wagging the kite (this weekend), I think I do it a little already; on sunny days I can tell by the shadow of the kite, but am not confident enough to actually look up at it long enough to see it wag since I loose directional awareness if I do and usually end up crashing, but I do pull the bar left and right to try and control the descent and landing trajectory (more out of feel than actually knowing what I am doing). How extreme is the wagging? is it a quick hard left hard right (full bar steer), or more of a mellow left right wag?

Thanks again for the help guys! But I will stay away from looping the kite other than the downloops during descent until after I get this part down Cool

.