Tacking a surfboard - unstrapped

Ryan · Since 14 Jul 2005 538 Posts Oregon Addicted

I have been trying to get a tack dialed on my surfboard cannot get it. anybody have any wise words and/or a site that has a step by step for doing it.

I keep getting messed up when i try and hang from the kite, just for a second, to switch my feet. I see the footage of Ian Aldredge doing them and they look so smooth.

cheers,

ryan

Mark · Sun Feb 08, 09 4:41 pm

Step quickly and decisively. Make sure your straps are off the board. They really mess u up. Also keep some speed in the board. Practice practice practice. Oh yeah, I also find practicing over cold water is a great incentive! Laughing

pdxmonkeyboy · Mon Feb 09, 09 7:32 am

step one is to definitely get rid of the straps. Then you have to stretch a little in order to effectively do the jibe two step which for me, and allot of other people i watch, goes something like this.

your going one direction, keeping the kite pretty low.
start to turn your kite in the other direction and start to initiate a turn to go down wind. like mark said, the more speed you have the more stable the board is going to be.
When your pointing downwind, or any direction near it really...

Take your back foot and put it next to your front foot, BUT WITH YOUR TOES POINTING THE OTHER DIRECTION...One. Then simply put your front foot on the back of the board...two.

Its kind of like a figure skating move and isn't the most natural thing in the world but if you practice a little in the living room and keep your speed up on the board, you'll soon realize that it really isn't that hard. Its two separate moves but its kind of like one smooth action. once you do it a couple times, try doing it before you initiate your turn. or once your going in the opposite direction. Also, I generally don't jibe with the kite way high in the sky, trying to pull me off the board....

TWIN-FIN · Since 24 May 2006 805 Posts Portland, OR Hot Monkey

ryan wrote

cosmodog · Since 06 Oct 2005 205 Posts Stoked

I can hit them often.
Here's a couple of things that work for me:
- start in flat water
- helps to be pretty powered
- head hard up wind, but keep speed
- slow down a bit, push with your back foot, pull with your front
- quickly switch feet send your kite back
- play around with kite timing - it makes a difference (I had to change the timing from waroo to switchblade)

Ryan · Since 14 Jul 2005 538 Posts Oregon Addicted

I practiced last night for about 2 hours, attempting a tack everytime.

it took me about 1.5 hours to figure out that most of the move is in the kite, making sure to bring it right over head, and a quick switch of the legs. Cosmodog is spot on with his description as i have experienced it. its a fun turn, fun to come out of it with power not even get your feet wet.

Monkeyboy, for the record, a tack is an upwind turn and a jibe is a down wind turn. Wink

ryan

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

FunShui · Since 16 Jul 2006 146 Posts Really, really Stoked

Windian · Since 28 Apr 2008 902 Posts Newport, OR NEWPORT OG

Sky Solbach does the smoothest, quickest, and most stylish tacks I have ever seen.