decrepit said...
It's a matter of balancing an asymmetric wing. You have the board and the sail to play with, somehow you need to get the load under the center of lift, otherwise you'll start rotating.
I normally sail with the rig raked backwards seems to give me more speed, but if I carry this position into a jump, I have to sheet out, to stop pitching forward. (The center of lift is behind me)
I guess it's not leaning the sail forward, in front of you, but moving from behind you to above you.
It also has to lean to windward, or you'll start rolling (mast tip going downwind).
When you achieve balance you can sheet in and glide to a certain extent.
The windward rail and nose also have to be tipped up, to get lift from the board. If you let them point down, you'll go into a power dive, this can happen in strong winds if you aren't careful.
If it starts to go wrong, unhook before you land!
I have bailed out but if it's busy out there it's best to hang on, the rig will blow a long way down wind. You won't be very popular if it lands on somebody.
Good info! I'm quite a competent vertical jumper (close to landing backloops) but haven't really developed skills to extend my air time with more horizontal jumps. I think this comes from some really nasty nose first landings when I was first learning. Your descriptions make a lot of sense, I particular like the idea of an almost parachute landing. I'll work on it next time the conditions are right. Thanks.