Strapless kitesurfing 1: hard start in strong winds

Twintip lessons were over and this year I start a supervised/independent kiting, after switching to a strapless directional board. Removing the front strap was a game changer… making a board control so hard. An open half-hook didn’t help much, yet gave a mark where the front foot should be placed. I kept looking at the feet position and losing the kite control, followed by immediate wipe-outs. Like to start kiting all over again... Luckily, no injuries as feet are not locked by straps, and no body dragging was needed - a surfboard drifts straight downwind and easy to collect. A large 55 cm bar was not a good option for a small 7m kite, resulting in oversteering. Also, a deeply planted ‘twintip’ reflex to load the back foot pressure caused a ‘galloping’ rather than riding. Overall, strong winds and a twitchy wave surfboard (with quite a rocker) is not for the first steps in strapless riding.

3 things I’ve learned:
1. Riding strapless requires a gentle kite steering to avoid dragging away from the board
2. Falling from a strapless board is safe, unlike a twintip, where the feet are firmly locked by straps
3. Riding balanced and centered on a strapless board is an entirely new skill after a twintip