So I have myself a surfboard with straps that I want to start using. I have heard that I should take the straps off and just start using it strapless as it will make me a better board rider. I tried and failed at that. Not sure if my failure was due to me being a surfboard newbie or if I have been given bad info on strapless. Does anybody have an educated opinion on the best way to transition to a surf board? The other thing is that this surf board is super floaty and not sure if that effects my ability to get up and go.
Exactly the same methinks.. except more wriggly quicker turns and stuff.use straps !! thats what u r used to.switching direction on it is nteresting though....normally a chance to have a nice sit down
Timmy can I assume you were drinking when wrote your reply? I have read it three times and still I'm not sure what you are trying to say.
Select to expand quoteHolysmoke said..
Timmy can I assume you were drinking when wrote your reply? I have read it three times and still I'm not sure what you are trying to say.
Holy I think your Surname may be the right answer 
Russ knows me best noone ever understand what I write !!
Use straps
And good luck with the switch transition...on surfboard...its a good chance to sit down have a smoke
And just remember its a bit more wobbly...the sboard.think thats what I was trying to write..teaching english was many many moons ago
Select to expand quotetimmybuddhadude said...
And just remember its a bit more wobbly...the sboard.think thats what I was trying to write..teaching english was many many moons ago
Holy ****!!! You were an English teacher timmy!!!!
There will be some confused kids out there if you were haha
Select to expand quoteHolysmoke said..
So I have myself a surfboard with straps that I want to start using. I have heard that I should take the straps off and just start using it strapless as it will make me a better board rider. I tried and failed at that. Not sure if my failure was due to me being a surfboard newbie or if I have been given bad info on strapless. Does anybody have an educated opinion on the best way to transition to a surf board? The other thing is that this surf board is super floaty and not sure if that effects my ability to get up and go.
Should have let you play with my Nugget in Augusta just before Chrissy when we met there. When I was injured I bought one and learned to ride it strapless, with no sb experience. Doing gybes was pretty easy as the volume let's you do it in slomo i.e. walk around on the board until your feet found the right spot. Wicked. Tacks took a few more sessions. So much fun, and gives you such a great light wind option (I went out today on my 12 Reo in 10-13 knots and I am probably about your weight). So just persist, like everything it takes some practising but I am sure you'll love it, eventually.
Front strap on back strap off, gives a lot more freedom when repositioning, but your still able to lock in that front foot which for me helped
Also type of kite , a lesser powered kite keeps you more planted, and a faster reacting kite at the cock up points helped,
Finding a flat spot of water to refine also helped, downwinders to link everything together and get more fluid helped
Was short lived for me as I really missed the tt, but looking at getting back into it soon
Thanks Guys,
I will try both methods and see what works for me. Russ next time I meet you I will get you to look at the board that I am using. I have heard that those nuggets are good to start with.
No probs mate let me know when you are near Shoalwater/Safety Bay. There are other good sb similar to the Nugget I am sure. Need to have quite a bit of volume (my 5'2 has 29L), so chunky, wide, thick. Some use their surfboard but make sure it is not a skinny pointy big wave board as it will require a lot of wind. Which will slow down your learning.
I personally would not use straps unless you need to lift your board over waves, or jump or ride big waves. And of course once up and running and you prefer a more powered, fast ride through chop and waves. When learning straps may just hurt your ankles or knees as the board is moving around uncontrolled. You will be able to move your feet around freely hence position them intuitively in the perfect spot, and when falling off, it is a no pain exercise, strapless. Just try someone elses board, in flat water, point downwind. Bring the board close to your bum, bend your knees, just like with a tt. Hold the board by the edge, sine the kite, extend your front foot downwind. Again very similar to when you learned on a tt. If the water is only about ankle to knee deep you can as well point the board downwind, and just hop on it and hammer your kite. Takes a few attempts but with a chunky high volume board you will have just enough float to make it happen.
Also, as cauncy said, a smaller agile (wave) kite in higher wind may make it easier as oppose to working the crap out of a huge truck, which may respond delayed and by that time the board is under water or not pointing downwind anymore
Apply a bit more weight on the front foot i.e. don't edge as hard as on a tt as you will kill all the power. Keep the board much flatter on the water. Once up and running it goes upwind like crazy so don't worry about it too much.
Enjoy. Cheers, Andy
My advice is flat water. I have seen people take their surfboard to a surf spot in their first day and wonder why they can't do it. I did not really plan my transition. I was at the beach, not much wind, a bit bored and thought I'd jump on my paddle surfboard. Back and forth for 30 mins, then some downwind S turns to simulate a wave and I was sorted. Looking back, it was a good approach as my paddle surfboard is more floaty than many kite surfboards and made it easier to adjust foot position when I didn't get it quite right.
Good luck
