No power toe side. Help with technique pls

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kitcho207
kitcho207
NSW
865 posts
NSW, 865 posts
8 Jan 2011 5:03pm
On flat water I can stay up wind and land small jumps. Not so good at the beach yet in the waves with a bit of chop. The last couple of times I tried at the beach I couldn't get any power toe side and ended up getting blown down the beach for a good walk of shame. Might be the lack of orientation with no landmarks and need to start reading the water better on toe side. I'm from Wollongong and  goofy so in the NE wind I start off on toe side. I have a short directional board, straps and small nose fins. Naish Cult 12m 2008 and weigh about 95kg (sounds a bit like a personal add) hmm
I know more practice is needed but with a new bub and being under the thumb, I thought I would write this thread to  maximize my time on the water. And it has been bugging me for next time I get out. 
I was thinking the kite could have been choked up too much as I was finding it hard to sheet out far enough. Also should I be riding slightly down wind a little more and getting more speed up before trying to edge hard? (I tried this a bit but was loosing lots of ground.)   
Anyway even though I ride crap I'm loving every second of it. 
Any comments and help welcomed. 
Cheers
Kitcho
KIT33R
KIT33R
NSW
1716 posts
NSW, 1716 posts
8 Jan 2011 5:55pm
OK Kitcho

Toe side is my favourite stance believe it or not. I ride a Shinn Wave board with small nose fins. There are a couple of things you need to do to make toe side comfortable.

First up - getting to toe side. You can either carve around from your heel side in a transition or pop (slide) the board around to toe side while on the same tack, either way you may find you are heading downwind unpowered. Dive the kite to get a bit of power and then you need to lift the heel of your back foot. This is very important. And drive hard off the ball of your back foot, pushing it way behind you. Transfer a bit of weight to your front leg and lean out to get an edge. If your back foot heel is on the board it won't work. You should get a serious burn in the quad muscle of your back leg, if you don't you're not doing it right.

You'll need to be proficient at riding one handed as well because you will have dificulty holding the bar with your far side hand because your shoulders should be square on to where your going.

A sliding hook on your bar helps enormously (Jar Bar, see other threads on this topic). This will allow the pull of the kite to come from your hip and not from out front.
Work on this and it will click pretty soon. You may feel as though you're dancing on your toes but use your knees as shock absorders over the chop and you'll get to love the stance.
kitcho207
kitcho207
NSW
865 posts
NSW, 865 posts
8 Jan 2011 6:19pm
Hey. Thanks very much for the tips. I have had a few good rides toe side and love it on flat water. I'll try to get out in the next couple of days and give your advice a go. I do carving turns. Not up to popping just yet.
Thanks again and will let you know how I go.
T one
T one
NT
321 posts
NT, 321 posts
8 Jan 2011 11:12pm
my 2c...
not sure what sort of "short directional" you're riding, but this works for my 5'2" choptop... take your back foot out of the rear strap and move it forward a bit.(sometimes a lot)... this will transfer your weight to the middle of the board and get it planing better. you can move it (your back foot) off centre to the "engaged rail" a bit to get more purchase on the rail. you want most of your weight on the front foot maybe 75/25 certainly more than 60/40... the rear strap position on a directional is generally the "slash and smash" position and is not where you want it for upwind riding. if you are getting dragged screaming downwind ie, well overpowered, put it back in the strap, edge hard and recover, then move back to the upwind position...
hope this helps...
NSW, 4382 posts
9 Jan 2011 9:32am
www.kitepower.com.au/

Those Dynabars made a huge difference for me, maybe consider one of them?

Also check your front lines have not stretched.
kitcho207
kitcho207
NSW
865 posts
NSW, 865 posts
23 Jan 2011 10:07am
Hey. I finally got back out there yesterday. Tried a twin tip instead of the mutant and went better. Also I was trying to fly the kite too far into the edge of the window on toeside. Yesterday I dropped it back a little and I was off and staying up wind. Didn't quite get back to the place I launched from but so much better. Only lost a bit of ground.
KIT33R
KIT33R
NSW
1716 posts
NSW, 1716 posts
24 Jan 2011 12:45pm
kitcho207 said...

Hey. I finally got back out there yesterday. Tried a twin tip instead of the mutant and went better. Also I was trying to fly the kite too far into the edge of the window on toeside. Yesterday I dropped it back a little and I was off and staying up wind. Didn't quite get back to the place I launched from but so much better. Only lost a bit of ground.



Good work. Once you get all the angles dialled in, it's only practice from now on. A good thing to try now that you have it sorted is to practice a deep water start straight onto toeside. As you dive the kite, instead of heading off healside, turn the back around so that you're straight onto toeside. Very useful in the surf when you want to jump straight onto a wave toeside without having to do the hop around.
kitcho207
kitcho207
NSW
865 posts
NSW, 865 posts
24 Jan 2011 3:26pm
I had the toeside start down last season. I just lost it all over winter n my wife just had a baby at the start of this season. So no practice. I seem to be on the right track now but still welcome any tips.
Last night I got a twin tip, so no excuses for me now. Haha. Nobile 555 135x40
samS74
samS74
NSW
7 posts
NSW, 7 posts
13 Feb 2011 11:26am
Gotta stop bringing your handbag it's throwing you off balance,,,, lol,,
on a serious note your doing great we will get you out there again soon and spend a day practicing. all part of learning, it wouldn't be fun if you could just do it, besides it's good for a laugh.
kitcho207
kitcho207
NSW
865 posts
NSW, 865 posts
14 Feb 2011 7:33pm
It's not my fault my board is fluro pink on the bottom. At least it's not white and blue. Hope you don't lose your new board too soon.
I'll bring my skirt next time. It will balance out the colours in my outfit. Ha
Let's go thurs
samS74
samS74
NSW
7 posts
NSW, 7 posts
15 Feb 2011 5:21pm
OK big girl, think we should put a little wager on this one, i dared you to wear a skirt next time we head out and i don't think your up for the challenge. let's see what we can come up with. lol
yellowvtr1
yellowvtr1
NSW
45 posts
NSW, 45 posts
18 Feb 2011 2:22pm
id like to see that too i think a nice pink skirt to match that board would go down a treat
hope we get out on the water soon
cheers
kitcho207
kitcho207
NSW
865 posts
NSW, 865 posts
19 Feb 2011 10:18pm
hey guys, thankyou to all who gave advice. it all clicked today and was making good ground on both sides.
sooooo happy, had a great day
back out there tomorrow if the wind is up
Cheers
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