Hi guys, general info about me as a rider:
- 38 Years Old, 72 kg, 172 cm
- Fit, medium rider (ride alone, basic jump, jibe on a twin-tips board)
- Former Windsurfer
Last month I bought a Slinghshot Celeritas 5'8" and I decided to get into wave riding.
Yesterday I went out with a North Evo 11 mt and about 15/20 knots gusty and my Celeritas. It was like the first time I tried to Kitesurf 4 years ago. I started my first ride (left side) and I ride for about 500 mt, super over powered and I felt very unstable. I had the following problems:
- First, the Kite was too powered but I couldn't control it like I do with a Twin-Tip by lying back
- Very hard to control the board, I am using both footstraps but I think they are too far one from the other
- As soon as I started to add more weight on the front of the board, she behaved like a bitch and going really really fast
- Tried a water start on my right side, "impossible", I end up body dragging back to beach and start again from left
I thought it was hard, but not so much. I also believe that I was too much over powered.Any suggestion guys on footstraps position, how to water start with a surfboard?
I can Kitesurf, I can Surf, I do SUP and I Snowboard but damn, riding a Surfboard with a kite it is really complicated. 
Sound too powered at 20kts im starting to think about my 9m.
Im 10kg heavier and in boots
So @NickT do you think that the major problem was due to the fact that I was too over-powered?Right now I am using a 24mt Bar, and I have 1 Evo 8mt and 1 Evo 11mt. In your opinion what should be the correct wind range for me if I am using a Twin-Tip or if I am using my Directional Surfboard?
Well, obviously going out in less wind or with a small kite is a better idea to start with. Try a kite that is 2 to 3 meters less than what you would normally use with your twin tip.
You are most likely trying to ride the board too flat going downwind too much and if your footstraps are in the middle of the board (width-wise) that actually won't help and would explain why you gain so much speed and have no control over the board.
You need to dig the rail of the surfboard in so your heels are best to be positioned close to the rail of the board. Might also be worth taking off the straps which will give you all the freedom to position your feet wherever you want and allow you to trial a few positions to see what works best.
Just like a normal water start, you need to point the board downwind first putting a bit more weight on the front foot, take off with the board flat, then gradually turn the board upwind putting a bit more weight on the back foot and dig that rail in.
Even when overpowered you should be able to control your speed on a surfboard with the right technique. Try to slow your speed down by turning your hips and feet upwind, which will help dig the rail in, you'll gain more control and best upwind performance. But for this to work your heels must be close to the rail.
Christian
CBulota
That's a pretty damn good explanation. Thanks a ton. Here where I ride there are a lot of riders but they are all freestyle and nobody has experience with directional surfboards so yesterday nobody could give me a "technical" explanation.I would like to ride strap free, I went to Cape Verde last year and everybody, even the kids, ride strap free there, but to me it looks pretty early right now. But maybe I am wrong. I can give it a shot during the week.
Bene313
Here is how I put my footstraps, I centered them, which means two holes up and two holes down. This was the explanation in the Slinghshot Celeritas Manual but maybe for me the position is wrong. Truly I am sure that the major problem is the distance between them, too far for my legs, it was very hard to put into the strap the front foot, almost impossible.
I have the 5'6 Celeritas! :) which i am learning on, and ride strapless. To learn waterstarts on it I went to the Pond where it was super flat (and quite during winter), that really helped. Once I got the knack in flatwater, I took it on the road in chop. The trick for me was to keep the kite moving gently back and forth at 12, to keep a bit of pressure between my heels and the board, before I dived the kite. It might be good if you can go somewhere flat to get the knack for waterstarts :)? I took the straps off as soon as I got the knack for waterstarts as I find it easier to ride it if I can move my feet around, you might find the same :) I also get overpowered on the strapless surfboard more easily than I do on the twintip :)
Select to expand quoteBronnieren said..
I have the 5'6 Celeritas! :) which i am learning on, and ride strapless. To learn waterstarts on it I went to the Pond where it was super flat, that really helped. Once I got the knack in flatwater, I took it on the road in chop. The trick for me was to keep the kite moving gently back and forth at 12, to keep a bit of pressure between my heels and the board, before I dived the kite. It might be good if you can go somewhere flat to get the knack for waterstarts :)? I took the straps off as soon as I got the knack for waterstarts as I find it easier to ride it if I can move my feet around, you might find the same :) I also get overpowered on the strapless surfboard more easily than I do on the twintip :)
Ah, good to know. Well where I ride is flat near the shore and very shally (half meter) then it gets choppy/wavy and deep 2-3 km offshore.The problem is that the wind is always inshore, so you have to workout a lot to reach the waves 
I will try, I think at this point make more sense to keep only the front strap, just to get into the water start and then get rid off also the front strap all together.
Bronnieren I have a question? After you "got the technique" did you came back to your twin-tips anymore?
The North wind range widget might help you with the wind range:http://www.northkiteboarding.com/products/kites/evo/
It suggests a 9m kite for your weight and wind range. I know the older Evos (pre 2014) are plenty more grunty so that would be worth taking into consideration.
The tips by cbulota are spot on. Well worth reading a couple of times before you next go out.
Select to expand quoteraffaeu said..
I would like to ride strap free, I went to Cape Verde last year and everybody, even the kids, ride strap free there, but to me it looks pretty early right now. But maybe I am wrong. I can give it a shot during the week.
You don't need straps to learn to ride a surfboard, that's a myth! But if you insist on using them, make sure you don't wedge your feet right in, especially if you have small feet, you need both heels in contact with the rail at all times. So just put your toes in the strap not your ankle all the way in.
To me the footstraps look too far forward, foot strap positions are critical on kiteboard and you need to get that dialed in.
I would definitely move them both back at least 1, maybe can we see where the straps are in relation to the fins.
the water starting is just more practice and definitely drop the kite size until you get a feel for it.
I ride both strapped and strapless but mainly strapped now, however I did learn strapless: Strapless makes your water start a bit harder to learn when you come off a twinni but you will get in with less kite power and if you try strapless for a few times you will be able to work out where your feel are and place the straps accordingly.
summary from Daz is move those straps back 1
practice water starts
as agreed with other posts smaller kite and even be under powered to learn for a couple of sessions
try both strapped and strapless don't just stick to one
personally I think its both straps or none otherwise you risk ankle injury by having one strap only. also keep the straps looser and not tight then if you fall off your feet can slip out easier :)
Daz
Hey Raffeue, I had to ride strapless only for a few weeks due to a knee injury and I really learnt to love riding the strapless Celeritas <3. It's so fun and goes upwind really easy! I thought I would never go back to twintip! ;) Then when my knee was better I went back to twintip for ages to work on learning to jump and also heelside to toeside carves on my weak side. Now i am trying to get back on the strapless and learn to switch-feet gybe so I don't have to get off and waterstart evertime I want to change stance. Switching feet is a really challenge for me! :) I will be super stoked when I finally get one. With your windsurf background you'll probably get it quickly :)
CBulota
Again thanks for the tips. I think I have more a mental limit than not a physical one of removing the straps but hearing you guys I think it would be better if I start to remove at least one with the mindset of removing both.
Dazza
Yes, I am 100% sure that I was overpowered. Plus I am using a 24mt bar which gives you a bit more power. My 11mt is a 2013 while the 8mt is a 2014. The 11mt is quite a train, I don't know if you get the picture but it's like a Rebel. It keeps pulling you even when de-powered. Great for small waves and light wind but surely it was not ok for 15-20 knots and first day on a surfboard
Bronnieren
It took me years, windsurfing, to learn, not to master, Jibe and Tackle and still I can't do them "in a clean way". And under your feet you have 100lt board. The Celeritas is only 28lt if I am not wrong, so it will take again ages to learn jibe but it's my challenge for 2016.
So as a summary from Dazza and CBulota I will
- Remove the straps, at least one
- Go down with the kite size, stay also a bit depowered if necessary
- Work on my body position
- Spend a couple of sessions in only mastering water starts in shallow and deep water, both side, right and left
True wavekiters quite often use waves to go upwind and only have a kite for some auxillary power. I've been out on my 12 before and they are on their 8m kites. Apparently surfboards perform poorly with too much power anyways.
Select to expand quoteNickT said..
Sound too powered at 20kts im starting to think about my 9m.
Im 10kg heavier and in boots
^^^^^^ agreed im 75KG and i struggle to hold my Evo 10m down in less than that? i put it down to my lack of body weight.
As Dazza said, that front strap looks way too far forward.
I personally would go either 2 straps or none. I hurt my ankle quite badly riding with one strap through the wave twisting the board around skewering my ankle.
Also try doing a down winder if you have a suitable location. Its a lot easier getting used to riding the board if you don't have to try to get back up wind.
CHeers
As said above those straps are way to far forward.
When you use straps on a surfboard you get more control over the board but less choice of fine tuning you stance.
Personally I would actually start with straps full back and consider if you have the balance to move you feet worked out, to start with only front strap leaving your back foot free and forward of back strap.
This should make waterstarts easier letting you get away with less power making riding a wave easier.
Also consider spending a fair bit of time on flat water to refine your technique and turns.
Take the straps off. You don't need them and they encourage poor technique.
You need to move around on the surfboard- You'll find you'll need to stand further forward and over the upwind rail when taking upwind, and further backwards on a wave. The straps also limit how much you can rotate your hips and upper body which further complicates things.
With your skills and experience you'll find you'll subconsciously find the correct stance to suit the conditions and direction of travel.
Twintip is ridden with weight on the back foot
Surfboard s ridden with more with on the front foot.
Guys thank you for the useful info.Right now I have a week or so with the following wind conditions: 
So an entire week to give a shot to my Evo 8 mt. with the Celeritas.
I think I will do as following:
1) Move the front strap backward, probably the first 2 holes
2) Spend a day or two to just learn the water start with footstraps in
3) Remove the footstraps and again try to learn water start
Hopefully in a week or so I'll get it the right way
I have never tried strapless so can't comment, but when I started I found it a lot easier being underpowered while you learn where your weight needs to be on the board.. You will absolutely get thrown off a heap of times and it really isn't that fun t start with but once you get it, it is really addictive.. Def go flat water before waves..
Id try to ride natural on your preferred side and goofy in the other direction while you are starting out too.. its a lot easier I found than riding natural everywhere..
I still ride a TT and take both boards down to the beach whenever i ride.. Good luck Raff, its fun riding surfboards. :)
Straps or not - when going up wind I reckon your back foot should be just in front of where the back strap is - Id never ride upwind with my back foot in the strap ! When you do ride strapless you will naturally take on a wider stance so I'm not sure about all of the above comments about the front strap being too far forward ??
You will always have more weight on the leg that is bent more than the other ie - if your back leg is more bent than your front like when riding a TT you will have more weight on your back leg - and visa versa !! Try standing on level ground and while keeping one knee straight, bend the other and see what happens to your weight distribution!!
To settle the front of a windsurfing board ( so it doesn't bounce all over the place ) the technique is to load up the mast base pressure using more weight on the front hand on the boom.
To stop the front of a SB bouncing around all over the place you need front foot pressure - possibly equal front and back foot pressure (at least at times!) - and that means both legs need to have around the same amount of bend - just look at a surfer !!!!
The technique to riding a SB is very different to a TT - but once mastered its a whole lot of fun!!
F*CK the straps off, right now, and move you feet forward so the board rides flat.
This should stop you 'squirelling' the directional because youare in the straps with too much weight on the stern.
Straps (and mainly just the front one) are mainly needed when either a) the wind is so strong its starting to lift you off the board, or b) when you are doing some serious waves, and occasionally c) a downwinder in case a) and b) occur.
This is not a TT. The straps are an accessory, not a necessity. A directional is more like a dinghy. You move yourself around it - so on a reach I will have a bit more weight on the stern quarter, ect. When it howls, I will use the straps.
Try standing by the board in shallow water, with one foot near or just infront of the screwholes where the front strap used to be. Dive the kite, and just at the moment it 'pops' n the power zone, jump on, and put your rear foot between the front and reardeck pads.
This should get you going.
Select to expand quotealverstone said..
F*CK the straps off, right now, and move you feet forward so the board rides flat.
This should stop you 'squirelling' the directional because youare in the straps with too much weight on the stern.
Straps (and mainly just the front one) are mainly needed when either a) the wind is so strong its starting to lift you off the board, or b) when you are doing some serious waves, and occasionally c) a downwinder in case a) and b) occur.
This is not a TT. The straps are an accessory, not a necessity. A directional is more like a dinghy. You move yourself around it - so on a reach I will have a bit more weight on the stern quarter, ect. When it howls, I will use the straps.
Try standing by the board in shallow water, with one foot near or just infront of the screwholes where the front strap used to be. Dive the kite, and just at the moment it 'pops' n the power zone, jump on, and put your rear foot between the front and reardeck pads.
This should get you going.
I am gonna give it a shot on this technique over the week-end.I tried again yesterday, most of the time in the water, trying to get confidence with the board. Taking the board with my back hand on my feet, try a water start, then again on the other side.There were like 10-12 knots and I went out with a 8 mt, just to get confident with the board as much as possible.The week-end promise 20 knots or so, so I will go out again with my 8 mt and let's see if I can get some fun.
Select to expand quoteraffaeu said..
....
.The week-end promise 20 knots or so, so I will go out again with my 8 mt and let's see if I can get some fun.
....
show off! been a long time since I've had a nice 20kn weekend...
TAKE THE STRAPS OFF I also use to totally rely on straps but you will find that riding strapless gives you much more freedom also strapless makes it much more easier to go upwind as you are able to walk the board to readjust your stance I position my back foot up infront of my tail pad and my front foot also upfront as much as I can every board has a sweet spot and you will find that sweet spot much faster also easier when you get rid of them straps
You will also learn much greater board control also how to read the waves much more strapless cause after spending more time body draging back to your board will be a big learning curve then if you can't get the knack of gybing (like myself) just jump off ya board spin it round and a quick water start does the trick
one last thing about strapless strapless is heaps more fun catching waves it's more of a "surfing with a kite" feeling
LOOSE THE STRAPS
Id agree with no straps, but atleast move the ones you have further back and ride them loose. tjat will allow your feet to shift around a bit. THE BEST ADVISE, is to keep at it. It will come naturally after a few sessions. and to answer you "once you go wave, do you go back question" I found that Im more selective with were i ride now. I only ride my twinny when it's proper good twin tip conditions and if the waves are cranking, and if the waves are cranking, It surfboard all day
Hey raffaeu,
I've been riding strapless for several years and I'll reiterate some of the points that others have raised. I've never ridden with straps on a surfboard, so some of the below is based on observation:
If your ultimate goal is to ride strapless, then go straight to it. If you learn to ride with straps, your overall progression will end up slower.
-> You don't get the opportunity to position your feet correctly for surfing and get used to moving them around (which you do a lot when you're in the waves)
-> Once you get used to riding with straps on the surfboard, its hard to go back and then go strapless again once you've started to enjoy yourself smacking a lip with straps on. You will try and do the same things as you did with straps on and be disappointed for quite a while. Also when the swell size increases you'll find excuses to go back to the straps.
- > One strap runs the risk of an ankle injury as Dave W says. Another great thing about strapless is it is hard to really axe yourself - if you stuff up then just pop the kite and then body drag to your board.
- > Its mentioned above, but i'll reinforce it - 99% of kiters on surfboards are riding with kites that are too large. You can get away with this with straps on, but it becomes a lot harder with a larger kite to ride a wave well strapless. To give you an idea, my largest kite is a 9m, and i ride it under 5% of the time. 95% of my sessions are on a 6m. I'm the same weight as you, and would be on my 6 in 15 knots or higher. Not saying you should jump straight to that, but if you can get in a mindset of 'do i need a smaller kite' rather than 'do i need a bigger kite', then you will benefit.
It will definitely suck for a little while during the learning phase, but the great thing about riding strapless is that it keeps you interested as the progression is really challenging and satisfying (as bronnieren has kind of mentioned). The first time you stay on clearing some whitewater, or throw up a little spray, or land a tiny jump, is hugely rewarding.
My final tip, try and spend a bit of time riding switch (your non-dominant foot at the back) every session. This is a super valuable skill for riding upwind and ultimately for being able to ride a wave in any direction. If you start it early before you have really cemented in the muscle memory on your dominant foot, it will pay off hugely!
Lose the straps and you lose the ability to use the power of the kite to jump. You might save your board and your knees in the long run though.
Select to expand quotesamokta said...
Lose the straps and you lose the ability to use the power of the kite to jump. You might save your board.
real wave kiters ride STRAPLESS who cares about saving ya board just go buy cheap n nasty second hand boards then if n when you destroy it who cares STRAPLESS IS KING
Select to expand quotesamokta said..
Lose the straps and you lose the ability to use the power of the kite to jump. You might save your board and your knees in the long run though.
Or ya might not!
