Short Arms?
Behind every problem, there is a solution.
Remember, early on in your kiteboarding progression, learning that if you let go of the bar, the kite stops pulling? This wonderful feature is employed by riders of all ability levels. How nice is it to release the bar to set the kite down on a wingtip while you roll out your shoulders and refocus? This move frees both hands for a quick ponytail readjustment or a tightening of the laces on a pair of boots.
The Issue
However, the whole system breaks down when you go to retrieve the bar and find that it's barely out of reach. Instead of convenience, it becomes an annoyance. Additionally, on some bars, access to the depower cord is located about an arm's length up the center lines, making powering up or depowering the kite a bit of a stretch. Anatomically, many women find that their wingspan is a little bit shorter than that of the archetypal kiteboarder, making the question of how to reach what's just out of reach? a common topic among female kiters.
The question was posed in our group by Nikke Iturrino-Suárez, who wrote:
Please recommend a bar for my kites, I’m 5’1, and it’s difficult to reach sometimes, thank you.
The Solutions...
We went looking for solutions to the short-arms-can't-reach-the-bar situation within our community to make this gripe an issue of the past. Our amazing community of smart and helpful women kiteboarders went above and beyond, chiming in from all over the world to provide advice based on their personal experience. If you’re struggling with reaching the bar or the depower, you’ll find some great advice in this article. Read on for our top tips!
Try Different Brands and Models
Some bars just work better for short-armed people. If your equipment isn't working for you, it might be time to try something else. To help you figure out where to turn, we have recommendations from our community about the control bars and accessories that ride like a dream.
Your Kiteboarding Harness Can Make a Difference
The relationship between your harness and your bar influences how far you have to reach. It’s important to make sure the harness isn’t the problem. Consider playing around with which harness you use and the size and style of your spreader bar. Many harness companies offer different sizes and styles of spreader bars. Make sure your spreader bar fits your harness and that the whole system fits your body and style of riding. For wave riding a waist harness can be preferable because it allows the hook to move more easily from side to side, allowing the body to get into more natural positions when riding toeside.
I couldn’t reach the bar at the beginning and my instructor figured out that my harness was the problem... the metal part (spreader bar) was sticking out a bit too far …
Have you tried a seat harness? When I used to teach kiting I found this to be an excellent solution...
A seat harness will put your center of gravity much lower to the ground, which is fine for free-riding and foiling. But if you like to jump, then you should go with a waist harness…
Make Adjustments to the Bar
After adjusting my North bar- i am happy with it now- it only took me 5 years to acknowledge that it can be modified to personal needs... and it was so easily done as well- i was struggling so much before cause the bar was just too far away- and with my Dice, i really didn't feel that i lost any depower.
I just learned... you can make the depower shorter on most bars. Just did this with mine.
-Katie Loo
You can try a shorter chicken loop PU, you can potentially gain up to 3 cm. Also, I use a slider spreader bar for my harness (great for waves and it gives you more body position freedom, especially for the toe side). The rope for the slider spreader bar needs to be very tight so that you gain some centimeter(s) in comparison to a harness hook. Kid bars with the shorter bar throw are also an option but you lose depower.
-Linn Nordhagen
Few things you can try to reduce the length.. @if your harness bar has a thick padding behind, remove it. If you worry about the bar press into your belly, add a strap and tighten it with the harness. @2nd, Don't use a bar, use Shackle. If you don't do unhook. You can use a shackle with a quick release. @3rd, cut the chicken loop shorter @4th, remove Cabrinha power system, custom your own trimline system ( or if you have a new Cabrinha bar, the rope still kinda short, remove it and replace a much longer rope ).
-Cavian Cav
Try a Short-Throw Bar
At first, making modifications to your equipment setup—such as adjusting the length of the throw—can seem like a dramatic step. However, if you think this might help you have a more enjoyable session, find an out-of-the-wind spot, pull out the owner's manual, and give it a try. If you are adjusting the length of the throw, remember that the tradeoff on some models is that your kite might not depower as much when the bar is fully out. The same tradeoff comes into play when you are using a stopper ball on the depower: the bar won't slide all the way down the depower lines, so it will be easier to retrieve, but the kite won't fully depower when you let go of the bar.
With Experience Comes Knowledge and Comfort
Experience helps in so many areas, and it definitely helps with the short-arms-hard-to-reach-the-bar situation. The more time you spend on the water, the more comfortable you become as you relax and figure out small adjustments that can make a big difference. So, keep riding!
"Not sure if you are a beginner kiter but.... I had the same issue.. when learning and until ... I was more comfortable, way more comfortable.. the bar is still a weird reach but as my kite skills got better so did the bar reach.. sort of."
"When I first learned I used an older version of the Cabrinha bar, I could never reach the bar once I lost it. After that, I tried the bars with an adjustable stopper ball. It works well when I kite in a more consistent wind condition. And I could rest my arms while riding because the stopper ball holds the bar for me. But I couldn't quickly dump the power by just simply letting go of the bar and pushing the ball away, sometimes it got stuck. Then I tried smaller chicken loops like most of the female-specific bars. But I hated the smaller chicken loop while practicing unhooking. So now my choice is no stopper balls and big chicken loops and just use this technique in the video. For grabbing the bar, just pull the whole front lines below the bar."
Changing Your Posture May Help
Making small adjustments to your riding position can make reaching up to your center lines easier. Try leaning back into your harness, and ride with your kite a little lower (which also helps to keep the harness from riding up).
"North Click Bar with small chicken loop. I move the stopper down too, confident that if there's an issue the stopper will move. I can't cope with the seat harness and heard that the depower below the bar is hard to pull - no leverage. I tried a Recoil Bar from Cabrinha but it didn't really help. Get a good fitting hard shell harness, preferably designed for women that doesn't ride up so much and work on riding position - lean back!"
--Susan Scott-Knight
"You could move the stopper or even better change your posture"
--Lucila Alexandre Dupey
Choosing the Right Gear for the Conditions is Key
Riding overpowered means you're always looking for opportunities to lessen the pull. Depowering the kite by pushing the bar away can put you in an awkward position—it makes it harder to dig your heelside edge into the water because your arms are reaching toward the kite, which pulls you off the edge. Rigging the right kite for the conditions can help alleviate this situation. If the conditions change, remember that it's easy to go in and quickly change kites!
You might also be riding overpowered (kite oversized for wind) and/or need to trim (move your depower so the bar is in a comfortable position before you start riding) your lines. I found those two things were affecting my riding. And don't worry, you'll be transitioning (turning) before you know it!
-Samantha Lippiatt
Conclusion
At this point, you've probably realized that there are as many solutions as there are shades of the color blue. You can try a different bar, shorten the loop on your current bar, adjust the length of the depower throw, try a different harness, or adjust your posture. And of course, keep at it because experience helps. If one solution doesn't work for you, try another. The bottom line is, you don't need to sacrifice your safety or comfort.
Stay awesome, and stay tuned for our next article!
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