This tutorial looks at basic hand drags, then builds up to hand drags
combined with backroll transitions and loops.
The simple hand drag is a great way of learning how we use the kite to seemingly hover
over the water.
The first step is to steer the kite backward across 12 very slowly.
This slow movement over your head, holds your weight and allows you to slide.
While sliding on your back hand, gradually pull in the bar just enough
to support your weight.
When you loose your forward momentum, steer forwards quickly to regain speed.
Let’s look at that riding the other way around.
Now let’s look a bit closer.
You don’t want to edge hard before a slide.
Just ride crosswind with good speed and minimal edging.
Get the kite moving backwards using some back hand pressure.
But then you have to remove your back hand ready for the drag.
Leave the front hand centred on bar, but try to keep steering backwards across 12.
Just before the kite reaches 12, you can raise your legs and lean back to touch the water.
Gradually pull in the bar, just enough to avoid sinking.
Only when you loose speed, steer firmly with the front hand.
Bend your knees and drop your legs to get back in position.
Let’s see that riding the other way.
The simple drag will help you iron out mistakes.
If the kite is steered up too quickly, the kiter jumps.
Here the kiter edges the board too much.
This firm edge increases line tension at take off, giving a more vertical launch.
Try not to edge this hard when sliding.
Here the kiter tries to slide too late.
But because the kite has already passed 12, it slows them down quickly.
With this experience under your belt, you can move on to hand drags with a back roll transition.
For reduced risks, we learn these without a kite loop.
Let’s look at the kite control.
You use the back hand to steer slowly across 12.
As the kite passes overheard, you can slide on your front hand.
Creep in your old back hand to support your weight.
Only once you’ve rotated to see the kite, and your speed has dropped, do you steer up
and down firmly to pick up speed in the new direction.
Let’s look at that riding the other way.
Now let’s look a little closer.
Minimal edging and steer back slowly.
Just before the kite hits 12, lean back into the harness, and swing your front arm back
firmly.
If you swing your arm, and turn your upper body with it, this will give you plenty of
rotation.
Dragging your hand harder in the water will also help your body turn around.
Creep in the bar to support your weight, but don’t steer firmly yet.
Only once you can see the kite and your speed is low, do you commit to steering the kite
quickly up and down.
Doing this same trick with a loop, will help extend the slide.
But I strongly recommend you make your first attempts in wind that’s so light you can
hardly ride.
Steer slowly with your back hand and gradually creep in the bar to support your weight as
you slide.
Once the kite passes 12, you soon loose speed.
Wait until you’re about to sink, and you can see the kite, before starting the loop.
During the loop you should steer as hard as possible.
This will give a tighter loop that ends sooner.
Let’s see that kite control riding the other way.
Finally, let’s look more closely at the looped hand drag.
Steer slowly, with the back hand.
To start the rotation, lean back, and throw your arm behind you.
Gradually pull in your old back hand to support your weight, but don’t steer quickly.
Only when you’re about to sink, do you steer hard with your old back hand to loop.
Steer as hard as possible for a quick loop and aim the board downwind to follow the kite.
You can’t fight the pull of the kite while it loops, the kite will win.
Loops can cause injury of course.
But if the wind is light, and you wait until your speed is gone, and you steer the kite
quickly, the loop will be less powerful.
For shorter slides, you generally ride slower and let the kite cross 12 a bit quicker.
For longer slides, ride much faster for extra momentum, and steer the kite back extremely
slowly, so it spends much longer crossing 12, where it supports your weight.
Good luck learning to slide and safe kiting to all of you.