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Chris 249 said..

boardsurfr said..

But if you stay too long on a huge board, you can start developing bad habits.

Plenty of people have developed bad habits by getting obsessed with moving to a smaller board, as well.

Anyone can develop bad habits from anything.

The worst habit is similar to the one in tennis of switching rackets blaming the equipment. Any board can make you improve if you focus, if it is in your ability range...

One of the guys here who is pretty good, when he doesn't jibe, says it's way easier to heli-tack than do a regular tack on his lower volume wave board. Might be worth trying. My heli-tacks are pretty trash but I did pull off my first one yesterday.

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Heilbuth said..

Sandman1221 said..
Tacks get tricky with lower board volume, need to keep your feet as close to mast base as possible when stepping around, otherwise the nose will go under water. But that is an advanced board, so they expected the rider to be gybing, and gybing is a lot more fun than tacking and faster so you keep your stability by staying in motion, as soon as that board stops moving it looses a lot more stability than a bigger board.

Yep the nose quickly dived when I tried to tack. Was actually thinking I would give gybing a try next time and ignore the tack for a bit

Plenty, probably most, smallish board riders don't and can't tack.

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John340 said..

Heilbuth said..

Yep the nose quickly dived when I tried to tack. Was actually thinking I would give gybing a try next time and ignore the tack for a bit

There is plenty of volume in the nose of the Ride, but not enough to linger there. The trick I've learnt is not to look at your feet as shuffle across in front of the mast.

Ah right. I still have the bad habit of looking down. When I attempt the tack again, I should probably practice the footwork at home so I dont need to look down.

But for now I will just concentrate on the gybes

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Heilbuth said..

John340 said..

Heilbuth said..

Yep the nose quickly dived when I tried to tack. Was actually thinking I would give gybing a try next time and ignore the tack for a bit

There is plenty of volume in the nose of the Ride, but not enough to linger there. The trick I've learnt is not to look at your feet as shuffle across in front of the mast.

Ah right. I still have the bad habit of looking down. When I attempt the tack again, I should probably practice the footwork at home so I dont need to look down.

But for now I will just concentrate on the gybes

Where you look is where you go... same will apply to jibes. The sooner you learn not to look at either your hands or feet, the better. (Instead, look out where you want to exit.) Learn to trust them, they actually know where the boom, etc. is. If you do practice your tacks, do it on a lightwind and flat day. It's a lot easier. Look up some videos because the shortboard tack is just a touch different from a bigger board tack in where you cross sides. If you try to do it like a big or long board tack, you're making it much more difficult and it's already hard enough. Good luck!

Yeah, for my Bolt 135 I found the best way to tack is to cross the clew over the tail of the board to my side, and then I step around to the other side keeping each foot (first front foot, then trailing rear foot) right next to the mast base.

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Sandman1221 said..
Yeah, for my Bolt 135 I found the best way to tack is to cross the clew over the tail of the board to my side, and then I step around to the other side keeping each foot (first front foot, then trailing rear foot) right next to the mast base.

Had a short session yesterday in light wind (barely 8 knots), so I had the oppornunity to practice gybing and had my first successful gybe on the board
Also felt a lot more comfortable on the board

So to answer my original question (is this board too big a jump):
Certainly not!

I'm actually surpriced at how fast my progress has been so far.
Thanks again for all the answers

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Heilbuth said..

Sandman1221 said..
Yeah, for my Bolt 135 I found the best way to tack is to cross the clew over the tail of the board to my side, and then I step around to the other side keeping each foot (first front foot, then trailing rear foot) right next to the mast base.

Had a short session yesterday in light wind (barely 8 knots), so I had the oppornunity to practice gybing and had my first successful gybe on the board
Also felt a lot more comfortable on the board

So to answer my original question (is this board too big a jump):
Certainly not!

I'm actually surpriced at how fast my progress has been so far.
Thanks again for all the answers

That could be your first planing board. I moved down from the 150 beginner to a 135 freeride board (much like the one on the photo, perhaps even older) long time ago to start planing and I went into the straps (with instructor's help) a couple of months later. I learned water starting with that board as well. It was not until few years later when I moved down to a smaller FSW board. I am 90kg. That all is to say that you made excellent purchase and it should help you progress into the advanced territory. Just don't hesitate to start learning immediately those beach starts and transitioning into planing asap.

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Tony K. said..

Heilbuth said..

Sandman1221 said..
Yeah, for my Bolt 135 I found the best way to tack is to cross the clew over the tail of the board to my side, and then I step around to the other side keeping each foot (first front foot, then trailing rear foot) right next to the mast base.

Had a short session yesterday in light wind (barely 8 knots), so I had the oppornunity to practice gybing and had my first successful gybe on the board
Also felt a lot more comfortable on the board

So to answer my original question (is this board too big a jump):
Certainly not!

I'm actually surpriced at how fast my progress has been so far.
Thanks again for all the answers

That could be your first planing board. I moved down from the 150 beginner to a 135 freeride board (much like the one on the photo, perhaps even older) long time ago to start planing and I went into the straps (with instructor's help) a couple of months later. I learned water starting with that board as well. It was not until few years later when I moved down to a smaller FSW board. I am 90kg. That all is to say that you made excellent purchase and it should help you progress into the advanced territory. Just don't hesitate to start learning immediately those beach starts and transitioning into planing asap.

You're spot on

Thats exactly where I'm at. Got the board planning for just a bit today and I have started attempting Beach starts. Not succesful yet, but I feel that I'm fairly close

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Heilbuth said..


You're spot on

Thats exactly where I'm at. Got the board planning for just a bit today and I have started attempting Beach starts. Not succesful yet, but I feel that I'm fairly close

BTW you may try lowering your boom specifically for beach start practice. It will get you closer to the board and let the sail go more vertical, getting more pressure.

But, to get planing in lighter wind you'll want to later raise the boom.

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aeroegnr said..

BTW you may try lowering your boom specifically for beach start practice. It will get you closer to the board and let the sail go more vertical, getting more pressure.

But, to get planing in lighter wind you'll want to later raise the boom.

Thanks. I will try that

I got all excited thinking I was going to see some hardcore big air action and wondering why this was not in the wave section. Bugger.