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Straps or strapless poll

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junebug
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Re: Straps or strapless poll

Postby junebug » Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:53 pm

Foil wrote:
Thu Aug 16, 2018 3:08 pm
In a few weeks I will have 2 boards that will be exactly the same,
apart from one of them will have 3 straps,
the other board will have just one back strap,
I don’t know about you, but the straps on my board are removable, so I only need 1 of each kind of board...
:D

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Re: Straps or strapless poll

Postby TomW » Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:37 pm

Peter,

I think you have to distinguish between straps and hooks. Hooks I use only to help water starts ( laziness), then I am out of them while riding ( strapless).

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Re: Straps or strapless poll

Postby mig27 » Mon Aug 20, 2018 7:31 pm

Rode strapless on my hydrofoil from day one for 3 seasons now.
This spring I rode 3 sessions with footstraps, to see if it is any better...and broke my foot because one foot got stuck in the front strap while doing a jibe in marginal wind...

After the cast was off back to strapless again...but still I want to ride strapped too

So for now:

Strapped 0
Strapless +1

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Re: Straps or strapless poll

Postby Adolfo » Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:32 pm

I don’t know how to answer. My fuselage is very heavy, so I need the straps to water start.
So I have 2 straps in my board. The back one is in the further back position, and the front ones is set perpendicular to the cord of the board, as further front as possible. This setup gives me a lot of empty space between them.
I use them to control the board in the water, but I take my feet out of the straps during the power stroke, and ride strapless at all times.
So I guess it’s ½ and ½ ?
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Re: Straps or strapless poll

Postby Peter_Frank » Tue Aug 21, 2018 10:32 pm

It seems you prefer riding strapless Adolfo?

It wont take long till you can waterstart easy without any straps or hooks, even with the heavier fuselage/mast - no problem if you get used to it in my experience.

Put the board up on its side with your rear hand, and dive the kite and get the timing right - that is all there is to it.

I think using the straps to position will slow your "waterstart" learning curve down a lot as you simply use them instead of correct timing - just take them off and start saying to yourself you are a total beginner for a while again :naughty:

It wont take long till you can start in a jiffy without straps :thumb:

8) PF

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Re: Straps or strapless poll

Postby Adolfo » Wed Aug 22, 2018 4:53 pm

Hello Peter.
Thanks for the advice.
Actually I can waterstart without straps in ‘normal conditions’, and I take them out now and then. But in marginal wind, when the kite is waiting to fall out of the sky at the first chance, I rather have both hands free to move the kite overhead, change the AOA or give a pull the center lines if I need to, and manage the board with my feet. On those conditions my priority is to get out of the water and flying as soon as possible.
But my point is that, in the position I use the straps, they really don’t bother me at all. I never stand there with or without straps anyway.
Another plus, is that the front strap in that position makes a nice handle for riding sitting down, or to bodydrag to deep water!

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Re: Straps or strapless poll

Postby Peter_Frank » Wed Aug 22, 2018 5:23 pm

Aaaah, okay that makes perfect sense.

In marginal winds you have to work your kite and the timing when you can dive it is a LOT more difficult, and the slot is very narrow.

Then it might be good to have straps/hooks so you dont have to time the "board up on the edge one hand flying" spot on, but got a much larger or infinite window.

You know this, but the other way could be to get a lighter foil - as then you will never have to use the straps like you do, as it is so much faster to put up on the edge with one hand, and furthermore you get A LOT more time before it sinks down.

An expensive luxury, and you know that of course.

I understand the reason why you use straps in these conditions now :D

Having said that, I still think practise makes master, so the more you omit the straps, the better you will get at starting in marginal winds even with the heaviest foil :thumb:

8) Peter

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Re: Straps or strapless poll

Postby mig27 » Wed Aug 22, 2018 7:17 pm

The only reason I want to use straps occasionally is that you can hold more power from a kite.
Without straps there is a limit of grip. That is the huge difference I noticed.
Still I love strapless riding! But I am one or the few around here. Everybody rides strapped here. And indeed most things are much easier with straps.

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Re: Straps or strapless poll

Postby bay surfer » Wed Aug 22, 2018 8:33 pm

Hooks best of both worlds, help yanking the board around and skeg up, and you can still Jump! while still being able to move your feet freely around the board.

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Re: Straps or strapless poll

Postby Johhnn » Thu Aug 23, 2018 1:07 pm

Strapless. I've had the straps on a couple of times to try jumping, but the whole setup feels heavier and somehow clunky. It's much nicer to have a clean deck. Starting is easy, once you know how. And you can rest the board upside down on the beach instead of putting the foil on the sand.


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