Point #1 Yep that was me!OzBungy wrote: ↑Sun Jul 08, 2018 1:50 pmAbsolute number one mistake people make on directionals is to have too much weight too far back. They ride along with the nose of the board flapping up and down and waste half their power.
The solution is simple. Get your weight forward. Move your head and shoulders forward. If the wind is light then move your back foot forward towards the middle of the board. You shouldn't have to move your front foot unless you're a total klutz and have it in the wrong place to start with.
You can go strapless if you want, but it's not something I would recommend. It makes sense in clean surf. It makes much less sense in choppy slop. Even worse, incompetent strapless riders in a crowded break are a menace. They constantly fall off and dick around in the middle of everything and get in the way.
An expert strapless rider is awesome. But if you're expert then you wouldn't be asking these questions.
Even if you ride straps, you need the skill and confidence to move your feet around on the board and do whatever it takes to have a great session. Quickly and smoothly swapping stance are essential skills.
As far as straps go, I like no straps, but put my front one on because I'm not having great success turn yet and I pretty much have to waterstart after every reach. Once I get my turns dialed, ill probably forgo the straps just because I am finding that I do like to move around the board.