Be powered up.

I've only been chop-hoppin' for less than a year, but the one thing I've learned is that when fully powered up it just happens automatically. I'm going to guess that you bury the nose because you pull up too much with the legs, i.e. "ollying" (a skateboard)? That's what I used to do. When powered up the sail does most of the lifting, although a nicely timed depress in the trough will greatly assist.

Let yourself float/turn slightly downwind too, to stay on the plane.

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Slowly broke my old board in half by landing badly. I improved too much on getting height without mastering my landings. You can softly land the nose first if your jumping more horizontal, however I never did master this and am just as likely to nose dive followed by a catapult.

For me, I prefer to land tail first. Find my ramp, lift front foot while pushing down on back foot, sheet in, tuck feet under me in the air, tilt bottom of board slightly into wind for more lift but be rdy to push feet down on decent (soft knees of course to cushion). Just like evlpanda said, land slightly downwind which also helps avoid spinout. My head on jumps are now pretty nice, irrelevant of the height, but still working on good landings for when the waves are side on, where I have to jump upwind and cut back mid-air. All timing I guess.

Best tip for me was actually concentrating when airbourne, instead of just going for it. Really working out where I am and what my body is doing.

I broke my board landing huge jumps almost flat, so it may be better to either bail mid-air or nose dive if you think this may happen.

I still can't jump right foot forwards. I know what to do it just doesn't happen.

Leman said...
I still can't jump right foot forwards. I know what to do it just doesn't happen.

Practise on your/a kid's scooter

Go for a holiday to Coronation Beach for 2 weeks..

wormy said...
While building confidence I found it better to actually slow up a bit giving myself time to position the ramp in the optimum position, also giving myself time to direct the nose of the board slightly downwind after launching then laying the sail back so it nearly acts as wing.

So does that mean I need to pull the sail over me? For example, if sailing left-foot back (starboard tack?) as I travel up the ramp, pulling my right (front) hand in? Do you rotate your upper torso too?

Though this would effectively sheet the sail in, right?

After take-off and during flight, tuck your knees and elbows into your chest. Creates a strong and controlling body position.

Point your toes (ie drop leeward rail) to get wind under windward edge of board.

Remember, you continue to sail through the air, remain sheeted in while in flight.

Sheet out as you approach the water, this softens the landing.

Just before you land, poke your back foot down to break the surface tension with the tail of the board and avoid a bone-jarring, flat landing. Sheeting out as in previous step aids with this.

unhooked

Hit the ramp amped

Pull a face and stick your tounge out

Throw head back, sheet in to the max

Control your speed,,,settle your board,,, often hitting ramps to fast puntches you through the ramp,,,,,, use your wave ramp as a spring board. Go up,,, sheet in....lift legs to chest and or execute the move , stopping forward momentum at the top of the jump, and use the sail to float down

If all else fails just

Whip it and then whip it good

pump the sail at the sumiit for a bit of extra juice