Here is a short (unedited) clip from my trip to Sharkbay last week.

I'm working on putting something better together later on but here is this in the meantime.

those are good tacks!

Maybe I have been tacking or more so trying to tack the wrong way. Or is a tack and a duck tack different, and if so is there an advantage to one or the other?

Your spinning so you face upwind.

where in this video the bloke faces downwind

The first clip Airborne is doing duck tacks. This is when your body stays facing upwind, you'll see most of the top riders tacking this way. I think they call the other way a jump tack when your body spins the other way ie facing downwind, not really sure why one is better than he other but I'm sure there is reason. For me the quickest tack is any way to stay out of the water. Ha.

Both ways of tacking work, I think Airborne's way looks easier and a bit quicker.Only problem is having to spin the bar to un-twist the lines every time.Great videos, keep them coming.

thanks for the props guys


SydPete i actually tack both ways. If i am comfortably powered then i do the back roll type of tack that you see in the vid. If i am under powered or in really choppy water then i tack the other way (facing down wind)

I learned to tack facing down wind first and i find it much easier to tack this way. But i find it easier in good conditions to get the board back up to full speed heading in the new direction tacking like i do in the vid.

I suggest to people to learn to tack facing which ever way they want (although i do think it is easier to learn how to tack facing down wind 1st)

Also most people get too caught up in focusing on what they are doing with their feet and forget about what they are doing with the kite. The secret to a good tack is 80% kite control and only 20% board control! So if you are struggling to get your head around tacking maybe have a closer look at what you are doing with your kite.

That video is not edited i just cut 3 mins of raw footage and posted that as i didn't have time to edit it properly. I am working (slowly) on putting a properly edited video together and i will try to include both types of tacks and gybing as well.

PS please don't call it a duck tack because it is not a duck tack!

Hi Joel, I tried the V4 and personally found the footstraps too stiff and bulky. I like really soft and easy to get in and out of straps, particularly while I am learning. I buy a nice one from NSI in Maui - the light kite race strap -

www.northshoreinc.com/store/pc/msg.asp?message=207

Also at the nationals, Johnno Keys had some more substantial straps, but still soft and easy to move your foot around in - could pm him.

Positioning of your straps is something you will play with for a long time. I have recently move my rear strap in a little and opened it a little, so I can stay in my outside straps downwind. In high wind though has resulted in some specy crashes!

hehe no dings on the board :)

looks fast. been working on my tacks no luck so far. but only been trying damos style. will give the "down wind" version a go. - gotta work on the actual terminology for these things.

any chance airush/airborne will offer the "race" bar set up you are using. i find i can always use a bit more depower on my 17m VXR. if not can you post a guide to BYO for those of us that are keen to make the mod.

thanks

Great Stuff Damo.

Is that V4 sorted for me?