adamharr wrote:So im down to about my 30th session on the race board so i got all the jibes down but that roll tack i just cant get it from starboard to port i cant even get the board front to the wind and from port to starboard i kind of rotate but fall so i do a 360 rotation but always fall so any tips?
Another thing is i got right tune of fins but sometimes its not even 20 knots and im eating shit on the raceboard with my 9 or my 11 meter full depower so i cant even imagine these guys at egypt 35+ with 9m one day.
Also going upwind normally i go in choppy water but i start for a few seconds on a good angle and with a point of reference and i start going downwind as a reach more and more and explode and crash so any tips?
Thanks, cheers ohh and i got an RRD krapida and a cabrinha 12 i got as gift last year both on tectonicsT43k
Hi Adam,
You should check out the thread about handling choppy water:
viewtopic.php?f=159&t=2379807
There is some good info there.
Using the same Size fins you are comfortable with in Light winds when it's howling is very difficult.
We use smaller fins when the wind is strong.
Roll Tacking and straight tacking are pretty much de same difficulty. In my opinion the straight tack is more risky as you can get lifted away from the board especially when it's windy. The Roll tack is safer as you keep at least one foot on the board at a time.
There are a bunch of how too videos on the Web so have a look at those.
All I can offer you is this one that shows a straight tack in slo mo. :
https://vimeo.com/24867381
On a roll tack there are a few key things that might help:
1) The faster you are going when you go into the tack, the easier it will be to plane out of the tack.
2) You need to push the board hard around into the wind before you even take your foot out of the back strap. Lean back as far as you can as you initiate the carve into the wind. The pressure should be on your back foot.
2) Try doing it one handed. Keep your back hand on the bar as close to the middle as possible, especially with small kites.
3) When the board it pointing directly into the wind you want to step forward out of the back strap and step forward into the new front strap. Do this with some momentum as this will help to push the nose of the board around the rest of the way by pressuring the front strap.
4) DO NOT POWER UP THE KITE WHEN ITS AT 12!!! Keep it depowered though the tack until the board is pointing in the new direction. If you are dropping in the water during the tack, you have not been going fast enough.
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Gunnar