Water start question

[pk]

I'm a beginner and had a good training session this weekend. However, I was having trouble getting up on my board. My question is, when you start (dive the kite, etc.), is it best to be hooked in or unhooked ? I was doing it hooked in.

I would appreciate any advice.

[V]

Couple things:

Hooked in vs. Not hooked.

It is "easier" to get up unhooked, because your arms give you some distance to be forgiving of the kite. So if the kite pulls too hard, you can lengthen your arms. If it doesn't pull enough, you pull on the bar harder and pull yourself up with your arms, instead of the kite.

You should learn to get up hooked in, though.

One trick you can try. Instead of diving the kite, do the opposite. Start the kite at the edge of the window at about 30 degrees. Crank the kite upward. As the kite goes up at a rapid rate, it will pull you up and out of the water. Then as you get up, the kite is already up at the top. Now you can dive it to produce more board speed and you're already up on the water so you can learn to edge more easily that way.

[pk]

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the tips, V.