How to Slow Down Your Kiteboard Safely in Over Powered Conditions

Push Your Bar Away
Wildly overlooked, the easiest method is to use the inherent built in depower safety system; simply push your bar away from you to slow down your speed. This should always be used first. If you need more braking power, then combine techniques with the push.

Float Your Kite to High Noon
The higher your raise and fly your kite, the less power it produces. If you feel over powered, try flying your kite higher into the sky. If needed bring it to 12 0’clock while bearing off your board’s edge. While this will bring you to an easy stop, you’ll end up going downwind.

Point Your Kiteboard Downwind
If you’ve thrown your bar out and you’re still traveling quickly, try pointing your board downwind for a moment. Decreasing your edge will help bleed off speed. Once yo slow down, take this opportunity to edge upwind and regain control

Stomp Your Kiteboard's Tail
Opposite of the point and more powerful, stomp your back foot and board tail hard into the water. This will dig your board against the flow, forcing your kite the wind’s edge, reducing forward flying speed.

Drag Your Hand
With your back hand holding the bar right next to the power line, take your front hand off and stick it in the water like you’re trying to wash off you palm. This opens your chest to the upwind direction while rotating your hips. The increased drag helps control speed. Caution! Be sure not to pull too hard with your back hand, or you’ll end jumping spontaneously.

Pull Your 5th Line Safety (if available)
For those kites with 5th line safety systems, use them as kite brakes. Just grab your leash connected to your kite’s 5th line and pull hard, the kite will tilt forward and dump off the wind as it flies towards the wind’s edge. Once you have control, slowly let the 5th line back out and power back up.

Drop Your Hips Into the Water
Similar to the hand, you can really increase drag by sticking your rump down into the water. You’ll be able to keep both hands on the bar for total control while obtaining maximum drag.

Jump to Release Kite Power
Now this one seems a bit scary at first and is for more experienced riders, but when you leave the water, line tension actually decreases during overpowered situations and speeds slow down. While you can boost big, a simple low hop will drastically slow you down and land you softly. Trick is in the timing since your kite moves faster with more wind underneath it. Be sure to slowly send your kite up and keep it at 12 o’clock before jumping.

When All Else Fails, Pull Up Your Kiteboard & Skip On Your Back
If you’re totally about to loose control and nothing else is optional, pull your board up and out of the water as you roll onto your back. You’ll start skipping across the water like a stone, but the drag will force your kite to neutral. Trick is to keep you board out of the water so it’s not ripped off your feet.