This guides explains kitesurfing using one hand to control the kite,
how that enables you to recover objects, and how that can improve your safety.
Basic piloting of the kite can be done with a single hand.
This should be practised during your first lessons.
You can control the kite from a single point on the bar.
The bar can be twisted to apply extra tension to a single steering line.
The bar can be pulled in to apply more tension to both steering lines.
The entire bar can be pushed out to apply less tension to both steering lines.
You can also move your hand around freely to aid in the steering of the kite,
you do not need to cling to one point on the bar.
You can move your hand left to steer left. You can move your hand right to steer right.
Note, be careful about leaving your steering hand on the side of the bar.
If you’re distracted and you simply tense that steering arm, while holding
the side of the bar, the kite can steer quickly. Moving your hand to a side of the bar can enable
faster steering of the kite without needing to use grip strength or twisting of the bar.
Let’s look at riding the board using one-handed kite control.
It’s fairly simply to switch to one handed control when you’re already riding.
You just place one hand near the middle of the bar.
Generally, placing the back hand just above the center lines should work well.
From there you can twist the bar to steer the kite higher or lower as needed.
You can pull in the bar to speed up. You can push out the bar to slow down.
Waterstarting using one hand is more of a challenge.
Let’s look at a waterstart while underpowered in light wind.
In this example the steering hand is moved around to enable faster steering of the kite.
This waterstart is going to go to the right. So the kite is steered towards 11 in preparation.
This gives more room for the power dive to the right, and it means the kite
should stay at a higher angle throughout, providing more lift during the waterstart.
To dive the kite to the right, the steering hand is placed on the right side of the bar.
Once the kite turns to the right and starts diving, the steering hand is then
quickly moved to the left side of the bar. This is because we need some tension in the
left steering line to stop the power dive and stop the kite diving too low.
Then the kite is parked in position.
Let’s look at a similar one-handed waterstart riding to the left.
The kite is steered over to 1 o’clock. Then the kite is power dived to the left.
Then the power dive is halted before the kite dives too low.
Then the kite is parked in position. With practice, waterstarts and
other kiting manoeuvrers can be completed with one-handed piloting.
As you have seen one-handed waterstarts enable you to pick up a board.
When picking up a board stop crosswind of it.
Pull in the lost board and tuck it between your spreader bar and hip.
Use one hand to hold the board in place. Use the other hand to control the kite.
Note, if you’re going to rescue someone’s board you need to assess whether you should.
In most cases the owner will be bodydragging back towards their lost board
and you could easily just get in their way. So only recover a board if it’s clear the
owner has lost it, or the board is very far upwind of the owner.
Also, you must be sure of your ability to keep your own kite in the air,
and your ability to avoid other kiters and hazards.
In this example the lost board is far upwind of the owner.
The owner is struggling with gusty wind nearer the beach.
There are lessons setting up near the lost board.
And, the retriever of the board is experienced enough for the job.
The board is picked up using one-handed kite control.
In this case the rider controls the kite from a single central point,
using grip strength and twisting of the bar to steer the kite.
Next, the retriever has to travel downwind to return the board.
The kite is steered continuously enough to maintain line tension during this downwind run.
When returning the board care must be taken to avoid crossing lines with its owner.
In this case the owner of the board is a beginner so the kite is liable to drop
anywhere in this zone crosswind or downwind of the pilot.
The retriever stops just before riding into this area, and then pushes the lost board downwind.
The board ends up roughly crosswind of its owner, which makes it easier for them to reach.
This is a good moment to mention how important one-handed piloting is in general.
Moving your hand around teaches you that you don’t need to cling to the bar.
The habit of always clinging to the bar can quickly lead to accidents and injuries.
Learning to comfortably pilot with one hand also means you can launch
and keep one hand on the chicken loop eject. You’re then more likely to release the
bar if needed and more likely to eject the chicken loop if needed.
Note, every time you grab a control bar you should check the bar’s not flipped.
Check that the steering lines are not crossed and check the bar’s colour coding is correct.
Generally, that means red should be on the left. Thanks for watching and safe kiting to you all.