NOTE: Inexperienced wave sailor questions

I am not sure whether I have started off with a bad habit or whether its because I have mostly ridden freestyle wave style boards, but when I am about to turn and go down the line (or at least attempt to go down the line ) I pull my back foot out of the strap so I can move it around closer to the rails.

Is this a bad habit or acceptable practice?

I recently purchased a (smaller than my weight) twin fin and of course its a full on wave style board. Should I still pull my foot out (which I have an overwhelming urge to do) or should I try and keep it in the strap?


also when I get into the wave zone, on the way out, I find that there seems to be a distinct lack of wind, is this normal or am I clenching my sphincter too hard and losing track of which direction I should be sailing??

I'm a noob wavesailor too. My experience is that you keep feet in footstraps. Never seen anyone really sail with the foot out. However, when i started in waves, I was using a 96L freestyle board which didn't turn that well and was wide at the back so I did take my back foot out and place it on the leeward rail to help turn a bit better. Bit of an exception I suppose. I think if you are using your new twinser you should leave your feet in the straps.

And yeah, lack of wind in the break, is pretty much the norm. Waves tend to disturb the wind.

feet in straps,

maybe off set the back one.

bear off a bit on wave zone heading out

Back foot out means you're not commiting and looking for a bail out gybe if it all goes pear shaped - it is a bad habit.
Everything you read or watch says getting weight forward is the key (except back hand which goes as far back as you can...go figure). Back foot out of strap gives you no hard connection point to the board as you push everything forward (including yourself) to drive all force thru the mast and engage the rail - check any good bottom turn pic and you'll see almost all of the board rail is engaged in the wave face to within 1ft off the nose.
Happy ripping.

AB...

i'm a beginner wavesailor as well. prior to last summer my only experience in waves was on a freeride board. even when i changed the straps to have only one at the back i found it more comfortable to have the back foot out. i've now got a waveboard and had no problem leaving the back foot in. i think with a waveboard you'll be surprised how comfortable it is leaving the foot in.

back in the day when i was learning i had the strap too tight - open the back strap till it is stupidly large and your foot will get over the centre line of the board

to give you an idea of how far you can go - MR Jaeger Stone actually has his foot go all the way through the strap sometimes on wipeouts - a scary set up but his surfing is unreal!!

Hey Grumps,

A little off topic but where are you hitting the waves now?

Agree with mr holder, just loosen your back strap. If you coming from flat water your straps should by way looser than your flat water set up.

I put my back foot in my front strap, and my front foot in my back strap.
Its like playing Twister. It's awesome

I don't even use the straps, there USELESS, I sold them on ebay.

But I am the most awesomest windsailor around.

Yes what reflex said open up the strap.
Err between boris post and mine did anyone else hear a faint F4RT ?

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oli37 said...

Hey Grumps,

A little off topic but where are you hitting the waves now?

Oli, currently on holidays, had two weeks at Corros, but I think I was a bit early in the season.
Sailed quite a bit, but only really 4 days in what you could call jump and wave type conditions.

Currently in Lano, back home on Friday, then back to the usual haunts.

Grumplestiltskin I was out Lano mainbreak on a black Tushingham on Tuesday between 2 ish and 6 ish. Were you out then? what gear were you on ?

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Rider5 said...

Err between boris post and mine did anyone else hear a faint F4RT ?

no, that was a deep gasp in reaction to how insightful my posts are

Back foot in also means you need to look at how you turn on waves - get the boom way forward on a bottom turn or you may find you'll spin the tail out due to lack of rail pressure and too upright a turn - look at some bottom turn videos on windsurf websites - once you do you'll never look back - I started out doing the same thing - now I can't imagine not being in them - no straps = poor board control on a wave and hitting white water and losing your back foot side ways and getting a fin jammed in your date is not a good experience - in my humble opinion.

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Rider5 said...

Grumplestiltskin I was out Lano mainbreak on a black Tushingham on Tuesday between 2 ish and 6 ish. Were you out then? what gear were you on ?

A red and silver/white combat and a jp twinser or sometimes a FSW.

I was only tooling around the edges and my fitness levels aren't that great so I only make fleeting appearences.
(old looking coot with a beard and black gath)

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grumplestiltskin said...

NOTE: Inexperienced wave sailor questions

I am not sure whether I have started off with a bad habit or whether its because I have mostly ridden freestyle wave style boards, but when I am about to turn and go down the line (or at least attempt to go down the line ) I pull my back foot out of the strap so I can move it around closer to the rails.

Is this a bad habit or acceptable practice?

I recently purchased a (smaller than my weight) twin fin and of course its a full on wave style board. Should I still pull my foot out (which I have an overwhelming urge to do) or should I try and keep it in the strap?


also when I get into the wave zone, on the way out, I find that there seems to be a distinct lack of wind, is this normal or am I clenching my sphincter too hard and losing track of which direction I should be sailing??

as above with what guys say about the footstraps

But i think you are running before you can walk by buy a small twin fin with your experiance.
A floaty single fin wave board would have helped more with the learning progress and also help with the lack of planing you will experience through the break

Who recommended you buy such a small board for your first wave board?

^^^ Gazzy nobody recommended it, it was my choice.

I do have an appropriate sized single fin, which is my "usual" board.
The twin fin was for days when it gets too strong for the "floaty" single fin which suffers from too much bounce in chop.

I was using it on Tuesday because it was the first time I have had a chance to get an extended run out of it.

The questions were still relevant to the single fin.

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Rider5 said...

Yes what reflex said open up the strap.
Err between boris post and mine did anyone else hear a faint F4RT ?

Im entitled to my opinion. Take from it what you want. If you don't take my advice though, you are very silly, as I said earlier, I am the most awesomest windsailor around.

The bottom turn is the key to everything in wavesailing.

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Reflex Films said...

The bottom turn is the key to everything in wavesailing.

thats one way to make the wave look double mast

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grumplestiltskin said...

^^^ Gazzy nobody recommended it, it was my choice.

I do have an appropriate sized single fin, which is my "usual" board.
The twin fin was for days when it gets too strong for the "floaty" single fin which suffers from too much bounce in chop.

I was using it on Tuesday because it was the first time I have had a chance to get an extended run out of it.

The questions were still relevant to the single fin.

Fair call
its just that i've switched to a twin fin last year and they do take some getting used to

my reasoning for a suggesting a single fin over a twin fin was the bottom turn.

A single fin will give you a longer flowing bottom turn where as the twin fin is more sensitive to foot pressure.Get the foot pressure wrong and the board will change direction and could send you to to places you really don't want to go.

its just that if your removing you foot from the foot strap then chance are you havent got you bottom turn sorted either and this is where a single fin will help.

i hope the twin fin doesn't make the progress slower or harder for you thats all as board choice in the early stages of wave riding can make or break it.

Good luck and keep that foot in the rear strap and you will be fine

as

The first dtl turn can be the tricky one as there is a lot going on.
Once the board has built up some momentum the turns seem to get progressively easier. At times on the crappy waves I sail that first turn is just a pivot near the top of the wave with the sail almost back winded. This gets the board high on the wave and sets you up for later turns which hopefully are more stylish.

I also find rigging big is great for drive through the bottom turn though it can make the top turn hit and miss.

Familiarity with you local wave is probably the most important thing, if you know what the wave is going to do, that’s half the battle.

(I am not much more than a beginner myself)

I started wave riding back foot out too, but both feet in the straps really extends the whole experience.
Agree, rear strap loose, and or offset it if your board has that setup.
Try leaning forward and pulling down on the boom, feels awkward at first.
Putting the mast foot forward can help in the early stages, but move it back as you get better at distributing your weight forward, and keeping the board on the plane throughout the bottom turn.
Setting up the bottom turn and getting that leeward rail buried/set properly is the key, and you can do it with more confidence with both feet in the straps.
Always look where you want to go and the rest will follow.

My lightwind setup, very easy to ride in the straps with its big/step tail.

I remember decades ago forcing myself to bottom turn with my back foot in the strap; it felt bad but I knew it was necessary if I wanted to do aerials. It only took a few waves to feel good, and now I wouldn't consider riding even the weakest wave without it in. But it's no wonder it feels odd at first - even after you've been riding that way for years, try to enter a gybe with your back foot in and you'll recreate that awkward feeling.

Grumps,

The other reason back foot IN is a good habit to develop: later when you want to do aerials or even a more aggressive top turn like a tail slide etc you can't do it with the back foot out.

Somebody mentioned weight forward being good (yes) but when back hand moves back along the boom it seems inconsistent?
It is not really inconsistent..... back hand moving back and front arm extended helps the rig move forward which increases rail pressure up front.

Best way to really get a feel for it is at a cross off or cross shore spot (semi onshore in Perth doesn't cut it) as you can concentrate on the rig forward, weight forward, rail burying bottom turn.
Trying to get it right in Perth is hard as when it is onshore you are not doing an ideal bottom turn, it is real fast and not so weight forward. In any given bottom turn by the time you have it all together it is time to sheet out and get the weight back.
At least when it is cross-off the bottom turn is longer (and easier)

I agree all feet in footstraps whilst waveriding, however what about Bart David who wave rides without footstraps all the time in 35kt + cross/onshore conditions. Bloody freak!
Unfortunately I cannot find vidoes of his feats, however I know MA would be able to find them. I am sure its on Youtube somewhere.

Before injury with straps. Awesome sailing:

You put your back foot in...
You put your back foot out...
You put your back foot in and you shake it all about.
You do a little jibe and you turn around... and that's what it's all about.

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Reflex Films said...

The bottom turn is the key to everything in wavesailing.

Ahuh looks like you scored the late sesh Matt
Cross off and super fun down the line wave sailing
WOOT

definately in - always.

i found moving the back footstrap back will allow you to really get the toe-side rail in on a bottom turn. you need to be in the strap to get enough weight over the rail.

also drop that back hand back on the boom to allow you to really rip into the bottom turn, then when hitting the lip bring the hand forward on the boom again.

bows

Daivd bart strapless waveriding in second half

massive loops in this video, which you can't really do strapless.....

Keep that back foot in, and if at first you don't suceed, try try again.......