Your First Waterstart!

Let's go over how to waterstart kiteboarding.

The moment every aspiring kiter dreams of....

You’ve mastered kite safety and control, and are now ready to take the final step towards becoming a kiteboarder! The Waterstart is the most pivotal step, and requires the same patience, determination, and control as the rest of your learning experience.  

Breaking it down into steps will allow you to maximise your learning curve and get you cruising ASAP!

Step by Step Guide on How to do the Kiteboarding Waterstart:

1. Begin by controlling your kite at 12 with your dominant hand.  

2. With your other hand, position the board in front of you and insert one foot at a time into the straps as quickly as you can. Read: How to put a kiteboard on your feet.

3. Put both hands back on the bar while keeping the kite at 12 . Read: Kite Control Basics

4. Steer the kite slightly in the opposite direction of travel. (1 o’clock or 11 o’clock)

5. Dive the kite quickly in the direction  of travel to generate power. Read: Powerstrokes

6. Keep your core tight in order to maintain position and line tension.

7. Begin to stand up and point the board downwind towards the kite.

8. Continue to power stroke the kite to generate momentum.

9. As momentum is generated, Start applying pressure to the heel side of the board and  

direct the board across the wind rather than downwind. Read: Proper Body Positioning

10. Once you have control over the power and speed of the kite, fly it slowly to the

12-o'clock position to stop. Then sit back in the water and try the same routine in the opposite direction.

Practice makes perfect!

As your confidence increases, you will be able to focus on proper body positioning that will eventually help you ride upwind, make proper transitions, and Jump! Good luck on your progression sessions.  We’re here for you if you’ve got questions.

Next Step:

Now that you can generate the correct amount of power with the kiteboarding kite, let's move onto the infamous waterstart!