G'day, During my last 2 sessions a was faced with the situation where i needed to help a fellow kiter out by retriving their board. Though both times i tried i ended up putting myself in bad situations.
How do you pick up a mates board? Do you do it on the run or stop before collecting it? etc .
Hi Lex,
There are a number of ways to approach a board depending upon your riding skill level and also the way the board is positioned ie upside down or right side up.
If it has a handle and is right side up, I approach at a moderate speed and grab the handle whilst steering and keeping the bar in for full power. This will be easy on a kite with low bar pressure and easy responive turning. You dont even have to lift the board out of the water and in fact can ride your board and push the other board along the water (planing) with your hand on the handle.
Alternatively, you can stop and plop in next to the board and then place the board across your lap in a water start position. This takes some practice when beginning but again you need to be able to sheet in, hold power and steer the kite into and out of a power stroke with one hand.
Be careful grabbing boards that are upside down as you can easily cut your hands on sharp fins (personal experience), like the old North boards fitted with the TFC fins which have the sharpest trailing edges around. 
Good winds,
There are a couple more options other than that mentioned above:
1. Rest board on your lap. dive the kite with both hands on the bar and as you stand up grab the board off your lap (not as difficult as it sounds) with one hand.
2. Hold the board handle with 3 fingers and use one finger and your thumb to hold the bar and dive the kite, then once you are up and riding, let go of the bar with the handle holding the board (probably the easiest method for beginners)
#2 of these is probably the easiest for most riders because you keep for control over the kitebar so most riders are comfortable with this.
Has there ever been a fun event at a kite comp involving board retrieval?
Maybe a short line off a buoy velcroed to a board, rider starts at beach, kites out, grabs board and kites back to beach. Fastest time is winner?
If you went from the beach you could have different starting points depending on skill level. Start downwind for good riders and slightly upwind for newer guys like me...
u could even use treats to retrieve the board.. works with my dog when it gets away
I find the easiest way is to go along with speed and pick it up by the handle. It is made much harder when people take off the handle. (why do people do this? they weigh stuff all).
I've seen one person put a board on top of his lines/bar and kite in with two hands, and the board on top of everything. Seemed to work.
use ur board handle as a grab bar so u can get inot ur car/van/truck/ute/tractor/boat/helicopter
? Thats no excuse.
MAYBE! if we all kited with mankinis, then perhaps we could put the board underneath the shoulderstraps, they would definantly hold it in place...
