Directional board newbie - Binding setup, initiating jibes
-
- Contributor
- Posts:10
- Joined:Fri Mar 30, 2007 4:24 pm
- Contact:
I recently purchased a 6' surfboard while in Maui to use in Alameda on light days. (Most all of them) I've never been on a directional before, and I took it out last Friday for the first time...and sucked! I had my bindings setup like my twin tip and they were too tight. Without the handle and with it being so much more buoyant, I couldn't even really get my feet in.
So my first question is, how loose do people run their bindings? It seems like I'm going to have to make them very loose and then start with my toes barely in while the board is flat on the water and then wriggle them in once I get up. Kind of like the starts I saw people in Maui with NO straps doing where they just put their heels on the board top for a water start.
Second thing is that I think I want to try riding with my left foot forward all the time instead of switching. I know this will be tougher toeside, but all the same I think I'll give it a try. This means jibing, and so to jibe on a directional board how is the turn initiated? Kite first, or board first?
A guy in Maui told me to "follow my kite", but he never explained how to initiate.
Thanks for any advice,
Tai
So my first question is, how loose do people run their bindings? It seems like I'm going to have to make them very loose and then start with my toes barely in while the board is flat on the water and then wriggle them in once I get up. Kind of like the starts I saw people in Maui with NO straps doing where they just put their heels on the board top for a water start.
Second thing is that I think I want to try riding with my left foot forward all the time instead of switching. I know this will be tougher toeside, but all the same I think I'll give it a try. This means jibing, and so to jibe on a directional board how is the turn initiated? Kite first, or board first?
A guy in Maui told me to "follow my kite", but he never explained how to initiate.
Thanks for any advice,
Tai
- fearlu
- Resident
- Posts:965
- Joined:Thu Mar 04, 2004 9:24 am
- Contact:
Loose footstraps (at first at least) will help moving around from tack-to-tack. You can switch your feet anytime-- before, during or after the jibe. With practice you will feel the timing and it will vary based on water texture, swell, wave choice, etc.
Start by slowing down, bring the kite overhead as you initiate the turn, stand pigeon-toed (very briefly) while the board is pointing directly down wind, set the "new back foot" on the rear pad, slip your toes into the front strap and finish the board-turn and the kite-change to the new tack. You're off.
It's easy, just practice. You will eventually be switching the foot-stance on all tack angles, at all stages of the jibe based on individual preferences/circumstances.
Pretend you don't have another board for a week or two. And, don't just drop in the water and "hand switch", try every time and impress your friends. A surfboard adds at least 5 knots in terms of low-end IMHO.
Start by slowing down, bring the kite overhead as you initiate the turn, stand pigeon-toed (very briefly) while the board is pointing directly down wind, set the "new back foot" on the rear pad, slip your toes into the front strap and finish the board-turn and the kite-change to the new tack. You're off.
It's easy, just practice. You will eventually be switching the foot-stance on all tack angles, at all stages of the jibe based on individual preferences/circumstances.
Pretend you don't have another board for a week or two. And, don't just drop in the water and "hand switch", try every time and impress your friends. A surfboard adds at least 5 knots in terms of low-end IMHO.
Last edited by fearlu on Mon Jul 02, 2007 6:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Go bigga'
- adamrod
- Old School
- Posts:1534
- Joined:Fri Sep 15, 2006 5:35 pm
- Location:SF
- Contact:
question 1: very loose. really really loose. once you're good, then you could consider tightening them down, but you should really keep them really loose. as loose as they'll go. it shouldn't require any wriggling.
question 2: i think you're confused. if you ride left foot forward the whole time, then you're NOT jibing. this is easy as riding toeside on a directional is pretty easy with those big fins. i would recommend jibing though. it's a good skill to learn. a 6' board should be relatively easy to jibe as well. find someone on the beach and ask them for pointers. it's too hard to explain in text.
i switch my feet when the kite is overhead and the board is pointed downwind (just like fearlu said). in one step, take your backfoot out and put it so it's touching the front footpad (so you're really pigeontoed) while your front foot is still in the strap. then, slide your old front foot out and put it near the back pad. it's much easier said than done, and it requires a good deal of kite control. the key is to do it while you're moving so the board doesn't sink and get tippy.
for me, jibes go best if i take my time. don't try to switch your feet really quickly. you should be able to spend at least a second in each position. slow deliberate steps and you'll be fine.
the easiest way to get on the board initially is to not even grab it with your hands, just stick your feet out, press your heels on the rail of the board and it will flip the rail into the water. using the pressure of the board against the water, put your feet in. for practice, try doing this on your twintip.
like all things kiteboarding, it's takes a lot of practice. windsurfers spend years mastering jibes, so don't expect to be a rockstar after your first day.
question 2: i think you're confused. if you ride left foot forward the whole time, then you're NOT jibing. this is easy as riding toeside on a directional is pretty easy with those big fins. i would recommend jibing though. it's a good skill to learn. a 6' board should be relatively easy to jibe as well. find someone on the beach and ask them for pointers. it's too hard to explain in text.
i switch my feet when the kite is overhead and the board is pointed downwind (just like fearlu said). in one step, take your backfoot out and put it so it's touching the front footpad (so you're really pigeontoed) while your front foot is still in the strap. then, slide your old front foot out and put it near the back pad. it's much easier said than done, and it requires a good deal of kite control. the key is to do it while you're moving so the board doesn't sink and get tippy.
for me, jibes go best if i take my time. don't try to switch your feet really quickly. you should be able to spend at least a second in each position. slow deliberate steps and you'll be fine.
the easiest way to get on the board initially is to not even grab it with your hands, just stick your feet out, press your heels on the rail of the board and it will flip the rail into the water. using the pressure of the board against the water, put your feet in. for practice, try doing this on your twintip.
like all things kiteboarding, it's takes a lot of practice. windsurfers spend years mastering jibes, so don't expect to be a rockstar after your first day.
Liquid Force Kites/Boards
ShredReady Helmets
ShredReady Helmets
-
- Contributor
- Posts:10
- Joined:Fri Mar 30, 2007 4:24 pm
- Contact:
Thanks for the help/advice guys. Guess I'll go home tonight and loosen those babies way up!
BTW, I'm pretty sure any downwind turn is technically a jibe. It's not about stance, it's about which end of a sailing craft (in this case your board) passes through the eye of the wind.
Funny about some of these sailing terms as applied to kiting. Most intermediate or advanced kiters know you have the right of way if you're right hand is forward. But I'm not sure how many would know that the reason you have right of way is because you're on a starboard tack. :)
BTW, I'm pretty sure any downwind turn is technically a jibe. It's not about stance, it's about which end of a sailing craft (in this case your board) passes through the eye of the wind.
Funny about some of these sailing terms as applied to kiting. Most intermediate or advanced kiters know you have the right of way if you're right hand is forward. But I'm not sure how many would know that the reason you have right of way is because you're on a starboard tack. :)
- CdoG
- Old School
- Posts:1485
- Joined:Sat Jun 16, 2007 6:12 pm
- Location:AlAmedA
- Contact:
HimmMmmm salty tAlK.
and a tac would put the nose of your crAft Up wind though the eye.
salty TaLk.
also
and a surf board puts you more 'UP RIGHT " standing on top of
try to time your up stroke with your "new back foot movement."
i put both feet in the front straps..
or like dave said duck or pigan toed
head down wind in the frist part of your carve..
then up stroke and pull or put your "new back foot to back strap area"
well
that what works for me
,some of the time.
and a tac would put the nose of your crAft Up wind though the eye.
salty TaLk.
also
and a surf board puts you more 'UP RIGHT " standing on top of
try to time your up stroke with your "new back foot movement."
i put both feet in the front straps..
or like dave said duck or pigan toed
head down wind in the frist part of your carve..
then up stroke and pull or put your "new back foot to back strap area"
well
that what works for me
,some of the time.
-
- Contributor
- Posts:10
- Joined:Fri Mar 30, 2007 4:24 pm
- Contact:
- CdoG
- Old School
- Posts:1485
- Joined:Sat Jun 16, 2007 6:12 pm
- Location:AlAmedA
- Contact:
- adamrod
- Old School
- Posts:1534
- Joined:Fri Sep 15, 2006 5:35 pm
- Location:SF
- Contact:
-
- Valued Contributor
- Posts:218
- Joined:Mon Jul 11, 2005 9:05 am
- Location:Bay Area
- Contact:
-
- Contributor
- Posts:53
- Joined:Tue Jul 03, 2007 2:04 pm
- Location:San Francisco
- Contact:
It helps to have plenty of traction using a pad or surf wax, sucks slipping all over the deck of your board on a jibe
Photo Page: www.pbase.com/tmerrick
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests