Tips for Switching Feet on surfboard

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14Toeside
14Toeside
27 posts
27 posts
1 Jan 2013 1:31am
I weigh 210 kgs. Only ride in Ocean. I am having difficulty switching feet from Toeside to heel BEFORE I make my turn. Don't seem to be making progress. I have also tried turning while riding Toeside then switch to heel. Any advice or things I can do to improve would be helpful. Thx in advance.
COL
COL
NSW
554 posts
COL COL
NSW, 554 posts
1 Jan 2013 9:26am
Do your turns natural foot at the back. ie on your heel one tack switching pre turn, & on your toes the other tack switching post turn. Always move your rear foot up to meet the front foot toe to toe & then move the old front foot back. Practice on flat water is helpful. It needs to be a quick but smooth movement. Kite should be turned aggressively ahead of your carve and from low down to keep it powered as you are moving downwind. Look for some sort of face to bank against. Your rear foot should be snug against the kick of the pad for any turning for sensitivity of control and a more aggressive carve. After you've done a thousand you'll have 100% confidence.
Good luck
Col
BurkeyBoy
BurkeyBoy
QLD
549 posts
QLD, 549 posts
1 Jan 2013 9:36am
14Toeside said...

I weigh 210 kgs.


Don't wanna be rude or insensitive, but surely this is a typo?
Gorgo
Gorgo
VIC
5124 posts
VIC, 5124 posts
1 Jan 2013 12:01pm
It doesn't really matter whether you switch feet before or after the turn. Whatever works for you is fine. I am more comfortable left foot forward so I do a toeside carve then switch, or a switch then do a heel side carve going the other way.

As far as switching your feet goes, rule number 1 is to always have your weight pushing down through the middle of the board. The vast majority of people have way too much weight on their back foot when kiting, particularly on directionals. Load up the front foot then trim with the back foot.

You bring your back foot up to near your front foot. Transfer the weight to that foot, then move the old front foot back.

When it's perfect you can do it as a single, smooth motion. Sometimes you need to dab the foot you are moving back to keep stable.

Don't try too hard to get your feet into the straps. You can deal with that when you're established on the new tack ... or not use them at all. My front foot automatically slides under the strap and the back foot goes somewhere on the deck.

You can do two things to practice goot switching. One is to ride downwind and practice having both feet up around the middle of the board, slightly offset. You can do little heel/toe carves.

The other thing is to imagine a line going down through your body, through your front foot, then up in a straight line through the chicken loop and the front lines all the way to the kite. If you master that then you will never fall when you are moving your feet around.

The other factor is the width of your board. A kite surf board needs to be about 19+" wide to be stable. If your board is down around 17-18" it will be wobbley. You can still swap feet but it's not as easy as a wide board.
cel23
cel23
QLD
175 posts
QLD, 175 posts
1 Jan 2013 12:47pm
Gorgo said...
It doesn't really matter whether you switch feet before or after the turn. Whatever works for you is fine. I am more comfortable left foot forward so I do a toeside carve then switch, or a switch then do a heel side carve going the other way.

As far as switching your feet goes, rule number 1 is to always have your weight pushing down through the middle of the board. The vast majority of people have way too much weight on their back foot when kiting, particularly on directionals. Load up the front foot then trim with the back foot.

You bring your back foot up to near your front foot. Transfer the weight to that foot, then move the old front foot back.

When it's perfect you can do it as a single, smooth motion. Sometimes you need to dab the foot you are moving back to keep stable.

Don't try too hard to get your feet into the straps. You can deal with that when you're established on the new tack ... or not use them at all. My front foot automatically slides under the strap and the back foot goes somewhere on the deck.

You can do two things to practice goot switching. One is to ride downwind and practice having both feet up around the middle of the board, slightly offset. You can do little heel/toe carves.

The other thing is to imagine a line going down through your body, through your front foot, then up in a straight line through the chicken loop and the front lines all the way to the kite. If you master that then you will never fall when you are moving your feet around.

The other factor is the width of your board. A kite surf board needs to be about 19+" wide to be stable. If your board is down around 17-18" it will be wobbley. You can still swap feet but it's not as easy as a wide board.


why the red thumbs, COL is 100% correct!
Good answer COL
bobajob
bobajob
QLD
1535 posts
QLD, 1535 posts
1 Jan 2013 12:49pm
^^^Just what they said and pactice. I do exactly that as explained, I didn't set out to do it that way it just sort of developed that way, so it must be the easiest way.

Stick at it and it will click
Puetz
Puetz
NT
2186 posts
NT, 2186 posts
1 Jan 2013 12:43pm
BurkeyBoy said...
14Toeside said...

I weigh 210 kgs.


Don't wanna be rude or insensitive, but surely this is a typo?


... I reckon he ment to say 210 pounds and not 210 kgs, so he's actually 95 kgs! Just a guess!

cheers,

Robbie
coastflyer
coastflyer
SA
601 posts
SA, 601 posts
1 Jan 2013 2:50pm
I have been going through the same learning curve using a surfboard, and I found this article from seabreeze reall helpfull.I'm now getting about half of them successful now!
www.seabreeze.com.au/Articles/Kitesurfing/How-to-gybe-a-surfboard_2165971.aspx
sir ROWDY
sir ROWDY
WA
5378 posts
WA, 5378 posts
1 Jan 2013 1:58pm
I didn't read all of what was posted, but if you want to switch from heels to toes (i'm presuming is what you meant) before the gybe here's an easy way.

1. Keep your kite high so you can balance from it a bit.
2. Use your front foot to shoot the board forward a tiny bit quicker than you are going.
3. At pretty much the same time as step 2, lift your feet off the board ever so slightly and pivot on that front foot.
4. Plant your new front foot and push forward with it to keep momentum.

It's like a push a hop and a step.
pintofpale
pintofpale
SA
229 posts
SA, 229 posts
1 Jan 2013 6:34pm
Try carving a little upwind slow the board just before you switch feet - kind of like you do when you boost on a twin tip. At the same time fly the kite over to the other side and switch feet as the kite goes over head. The trick is to commit to the gybe. The kite goes B4 the feet switch.
PelicanPete
PelicanPete
QLD
67 posts
QLD, 67 posts
1 Jan 2013 10:48pm
caution kites website have videos and tips.
14Toeside
14Toeside
27 posts
27 posts
1 Jan 2013 11:44pm
Thank you for all the great tips. I did mistype. I'm 110 Kgs. I seem to have two problems. 1. I loose almost All board speed while I am trying to switch. 2. I'm not getting the board to follow the kite w a good carve. It seems like I can't turn the board because of no speed. I can do the Heelside carve over to Toeside and switch then pretty good. It's not pretty but I get it done. It's the kiting Heelside then attempting to switch my feet to Toeside Before my turn so after the carve I'm riding Heelside. I ride a Custom 6' 5 Surf that's 23 in wide.

Thx for the input already and anymore is welcome. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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