Boards Requiring More Rear foot pressure

[ed257]

For those of you who have ridden a number of boards, have you noticed that some boards seem to require a lot more back leg pressure than others to go upwind in the same conditions, with same kite and rider? Other boards you can ride with a more balance weight and pressure distribution and go upwind fine.

Why is this? What board design characteristics seem to influence this phenomenon? Flatness, rocker, outline, rail shape, flex. lenght, width, fin size, fin position, etc.

Eduardo

[fokiten]

I'd say length is a big factor,

even out your wieght on a 110 cm board and your going down, period, your splash may go upwind ?

[Francis]

I have noticed the same thing and it is not all dependent on the board length. I have ridden longer boards (150+)that take so much rear leg pressure to keep a good edge and go upwind that I get tired out really fast. I have also ridden some shorter boards (130) that I can keep close to even pressure on both feet and edge hard and not dig the nose in. I think a flip tip will help. Also a fairly straight edge profile will help as well. No sure about the rocker though?

[macca]

In have a 130 Mutt, which "Burns" your back leg after a few hours of pushing the fin in the surf, used mates 138 Vegas which was like wearing carpet slippers, very easy under foot, supper smoth. Good flex and length helps i think, one of those things it hard to put down to a specific element.

[abel]

The distance of your backfoot to the end of the board is one of the main reasons that make you press hard to go upwind. Fo is right, if the board is long, then the distance is bigger !
Try to move the strap towards the edge. If you can't, then put your foot a bit out and shift the heel towards the back end. Also try to lean your body backwards and balance your weight between both legs (as possible) to relief the preessure on the backfoot.

hope it helps

[Francis]

I paid more attention to different riders and boards I see on the water today and noticed that some boards ride with almost 40% of the front end out of the water while others ride with only a little of the board out of the water. If 40% of the board is out of the water then your back foot is only slightly behind the center of the portion of the board that is pushing against the water (center of pressure). You have very little leverage thus it takes a huge amount of effort on the back leg to push against the board while your front foot is not helping at all. I guess spreading apart the binding will help, or a shorter board will help also.
For a given length and width, the rocker, profile and flip tips probably will all affect the way the board rides. I guess that is where the magic comes from.

[Hernan]

The word here is center of effort. The rear foot pressure depends on how much board (edge in fact) and fin you have on the water.
Flat rocker, parallel outlines and big fins increase the " ride at the back" feeling of a board, rail shape and stance have they role but is a bit more complex to analize.
If you have "meat" behind your back foot you will need back foot pressure.