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big chop

Are you killing it on your surfboard? Have a question about riding styles or a trick? What surfboards work, what doesn't. This is the place to talk about your surfboard gear.

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big chop

Postby eabmoto » Sun Dec 02, 2012 9:14 pm

this is my first winter kiteing and I just got an 8mtr. kite to use when the wind comes up. I've been going strapless since the beginning and I really want to continue that way. So my question is, when it is really windy and choppy is it realistic to stay on a strapless board? I'm kiteing in the Seattle area in the Puget Sound, playing in the wind swells. The Sound gets really choppy.
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Re: big chop

Postby tungsten » Mon Dec 03, 2012 5:24 am

Hi eabmoto, yes it is realistic, but you would want the right board. I kite strapless usually from 12 to 35kn of wind, with zero swell, only wind built chop and break (Mediterranean).

A good board for chop + high wind is rather thin (low volume), especially in the front, and rather gunny (not wide). Sharp rails are better than round rails, and single concave works well.

Chop:
-even a wide board like a skim works well in chop when it's thin enough and has sharp rails. Some rocker required though, not a flat water skim, otherwise it keeps pearling.
-High volume is always bad, because the board bounces like a cork and is hard to control.
-deep single concave makes the board fly like a carpet over the chop. Very comfortable

High wind:
-high wind kiting is about controlling your speed. If you're able to keep the speed low and controlled, it's all good. Why? wind force grows with the square of apparent wind. As you're going faster, the driving force grows bigger, until the point of equilibrium (or wipe out :D)
-little width is king. You want to be able to kill speed by putting in a rail and using the tail brake (stepping on the tail of the board). With a wide or high volume board, you can't dig in that rail or tail. with a thin board you can.
-Sharp rails and concave help controlling that board.

Rule of thumb: How wide is wide? From my experience, anything over 18.5" is too wide for high wind, at 85kg. If you weigh less, go smaller. So for an allround board, I'd go 18 to 18.5, depending on your weight. If you use a special high wind board, go 17.5 to 18.
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Re: big chop

Postby Lonny » Mon Dec 03, 2012 8:47 pm

Hi eabmoto,

In addition to all the outstanding feedback tungsten gave you, when riding strapless in heavy chop it definitely helps to relax your stance a bit, don't lock your knees, and keep your kite a bit higher in the wind window. This will allow you to glide over chop a bit more easily. If you keep your front leg loose almost like a shock absorber you can go over chop without absorbing the impact as much on your body. Keep in mind you will reduce your speed a bit by doing what I am recommending but your body will take much less of a beating, and over all can end up being faster since you are less likely to fall. Now, if you want to air in chop then loading up is the way to go, but for general riding in heavy chop this is a good technique to master.

Lastly, pretty much we mainly get a lot of heavy chop and wind swell here in South Florida. And I am very familiar with the conditions you are describing. I have not owned a strapped board in over 6 years, and have ridden everything from 10 knots to 40 knots (just as recently as hurricane Sandy). It is realistic, and it is completely possible. Just a matter of whether you wish to or not.... As long as you are having fun that is what matters....

Keep ripping...
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Re: big chop

Postby eabmoto » Mon Dec 03, 2012 9:24 pm

that's what I was hoping the responses would be. controlling my speed is what I need to work on. It's a lot more fun looking forward to being able to stay strapless in those conditions. My two kiteing buddies are always telling me I need a board with straps, so now I can say I still don't need them with confidence. my board is a Liquid Force kite fish, which is very heavy and has pretty thin rails. I'm 215 lbs so I hope I can keep it under control.
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Re: big chop

Postby tungsten » Tue Dec 04, 2012 6:31 am

What Lonny says. If you're a skier, think mogul slope.

A last thing: as you're on a fish, make sure you ride a well forward stance. Fish is not the ideal board for chop, but works best ridden from the front foot, not the back foot like most modern short boards. Think snowboard, stance is 60/40 on the front foot, and keep the front foot forward, over the center of mass, which is forward of the middle in a fish.
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