All Kitesurfers are expert body draggers (also known as body surfing) even the pros. Body dragging is where you use the power of your kite to pull you through the water without your board.

You have to be able to body drag to recover your board when you fall off, to get yourself back to land if the wind dropped or if you lost your board completely.

You can body drag in the following directions:

  • Directly downwind or straight downwind.
  • Directional, to the left and the right but slightly downwind. 
  • Across the wind or very slightly into the wind.

One of the easiest ways to start body dragging is to make sure you are on your front and not on your side. This makes learning much easier as you are on top of your bar and your legs are trailing behind you which helps keep you stable. 

The secrets to body dragging

  • Keep your bar pulled in at least half way for some power and control of your kite. 
  • Keep your kite in the direction that you want to go.
  • When using a power stroke, pull each end of the bar firmly and in a rhythm to make sure the power stroke is small and focused.
  • To stop, move your kite to 12.

Directional body dragging

The most commonly used body drag is cross wind or upwind body dragging to retrieve your board after a fall. 

With your back to the wind, to body drag to your right, use a small, focused power stroke towards 3 o’clock in the wind window. To body drag to your left, use a small focused power stroke towards 9 o’clock.

Downwind body dragging in action

However, there are times when you will need to body drag directly downwind. 

The safest way to body drag directly down wind is to use a small power stroke at the top of the wind window between 11 and 1. You can body drag directly downwind by flying your kite directly through the power zone in light wind but it is more difficult and in stronger wind it could be dangerous. This is because you will be pulled with great force because your kite will be directly in the middle of the power zone. 

Remember to come to a controlled stop, move your kite to 12 or let go of your bar if you are out of control. 

Body dragging across the wind

This is also known as upwind body dragging or board recovery and it is the most commonly used of all the body drags. It is where you fly your kite at the edge of the wind window and take one hand off the bar to help you move across the wind.

To avoid drinking seawater (a very common complaint) keep your head above the water as shown in this photo.

To body drag across the wind to your right

  • Move your kite to 2.
  • Use your left hand to control the bar and hold near the centre of the bar.
  • Keep your kite at 2 by 
  • Pulling the bar in to move your kite higher and 
  • Pushing the bar away to move your kite lower.
  • Take your right hand off the bar and put it in the water in front of you like superman or super women. 
  • Stay on your belly with your legs trailing behind and not on your side

To body drag across the wind to your left

  • Move your kite to 10.
  • Use your right hand to control the bar and hold near the centre of the bar.
  • Keep your kite at 10 by 
  • Pulling the bar in to move your kite higher and 
  • Pushing the bar away to move your kite lower.
  • Take your left hand off the bar and put it in the water in front of you like Superman or super women.
  • Stay on your belly with your legs trailing behind and not on your side.

Body dragging made simple

  1. You go where your kite goes, keep your kite low and use tight power strokes.
  2. Keep your kite low in the wind window around 10 or 2
  3. To stop move your kite to 12

Board recovery

Board recovery is also known as upwind body dragging. 

It is absolutely essential in Kitesurfing to be able recover your board in deep water. 

Imagine you are in deep water and you have fallen off your board. Your board is now upwind of you some ten meters or even further. You cannot use your kite to pull you into the wind and you cannot swim back to your board and If you keep your kite at 12, you are drifting downwind. The secret is to remember that your board is also drifting downwind. Yes your board is coming to you so all you have to do is body drag across the wind and your board will magically appear in front of you!

Your board is also being blown downwind so all you have to do is move across the wind far enough away from your board that when you return your board is in front of you.

How to get your board back in detail

  • Move your kite to 10 or 2, whichever side has no obstacles is best. 
  • Take one hand off the bar, lie on your front and body drag across the wind with one hand in front of you.
  • Body drag across the wind for at least ten to fifteen meters in one direction.
  • Change direction by moving your kite slowly over the top of your head, through 12 in the no power zone as this will stop you from being pulled downwind.
  • Change hands when your kite is just past 12 towards your new direction. 
  • Body drag for at least ten to fifteen meters in the opposite direction.
  • Continue body dragging left and right until you recover your board.

Common mistakes with board recovery

Getting dragged further away from your board is usually the result of 

  • Not having your kite low enough in the window – Your kite must be at 10 or 2 or a little lower.
  • Crashing your kite too often – Pull your bar in to get control and to keep your kite in the air.
  • Not traveling far enough away from the board – You must travel at least ten to fifteen meters in each direction before changing direction.
  • Trying too hard to get back to the board by being on your side – Stay on your front and relax, know that your board is coming to you as long as you go across the wind.
  • Not doing enough passes across the wind – If you are a long way from your board then you could need to make five or more passes before you can get your board.

Losing sight of your board is usually the result of 

  • having a white or blue board – Get a bright colourful board.
  • Not checking where your board is – Look over your shoulder or pull your bar in at 12 when changing direction to lift you out of the water to help you spot your board.
  • Waves or current taking your board downwind of you – Always check downwind of you as well as upwind of you if you can’t see your board.

Crashing your kite during body dragging is usually the result of

  • Not pulling the bar in enough.
  • Holding the wrong side of your bar, remember that red always goes on your left.
  • Holding the bar at the end and not nearer the depower rope.

Board recovery made simple

  1. If your kite is on your left, fly your kite with your right hand, If your kite is on your right, fly your kite with your left hand, pull your bar in to move your kite up and push away for it to move down, aim to keep your kite low at 10 or 2
  2. Stay more on your front and not so much on your side
  3. Change direction slowly and move your kite over your head and through 12 using small gentle movements of your bar

Body dragging with your board

If you are unable to ride your board when you recover it due to your board being broken in some way such as a strap that has come undone or if the wind drops so much there is not enough to stand up, then you need to be able to body drag back to the land while holding your board. 

Body dragging with your board is the same as body dragging across the wind.

  • With your free hand, hold the handle of your board and hold your board out in front of you with the front of the board slightly out of the water.
  • Keep your kite low, either at 10 or 2.
  • Point your board towards your kite

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