staying upwind riding toe side

> 10 years ago
Reply
Register to post, see what you've read, and subscribe to topics.
suface2air
suface2air
QLD
701 posts
QLD, 701 posts
10 May 2010 4:36pm
Any one can give us some tips on riding toe side and going upwind i stay my ground maybe lose a little down wind but just cant seem to get weight right to go up wind or keep power in my kite HELP PLEASE . Need to get this right just got a rocket fish directional and i dont want to ride switch .
Paradox
Paradox
QLD
1326 posts
QLD, 1326 posts
11 May 2010 6:36pm
Practice, Practice, Practice

I still suck at it. But getting your weight on your front foot helps - raise your back heel to do this. Also try to swivel your front foot around to face as close as you can to the direction you are travelling, rather than side on.

Keep your kite high and your board as flat as is practical and still keep the edge. watch your wake and make sure you are not throwing too much water and the board is sitting properly.

I always need way more power to go toeside on a TT, and it always feels awkward.

Ultimately you will never be able to go toeside upwind as well as you can heelside, but you should be able to hold ground at the very least.
suface2air
suface2air
QLD
701 posts
QLD, 701 posts
12 May 2010 9:02am
Thanks paradox i will give all what you said a go . Feels awkward i feel like a pretsel or I look like a freesh doggy do do all twisted up and you say have a look at my wake . That would nearly be as closest thing to have no neck bones or going the other way with my head could be close to riding blind but i will give suggest a go . you said hard to go upwind toe on tt what is it like on a directional do you go upwind or again just hold ground .
Paradox
Paradox
QLD
1326 posts
QLD, 1326 posts
12 May 2010 11:30am
I guess I meant the wake immediately around the board. Often when you are out of good trim, the water thrown off the board just looks wrong. It's just a thing I use to help get my weight and balance right.

I think TT's are a little harder as they have less boyancy than most directionals and therefore your board trim is a lot more important to keep speed up. The strategy is the same for a directional, but it should be a little easier.

Sliding spreader bars and a kite light on the bar can help with toeside as well, although they are not that common really. Having the hook on your hip stops you twisting, but it does make it impossible to use two hands to any extent - hence the "light on the bar" comes into play. Probably more common than a sliding bar is wearing two rashy's and have a loose waist harness so the whole thing moves. I drink too much beer for that to work for me though
KIT33R
KIT33R
NSW
1716 posts
NSW, 1716 posts
27 May 2010 3:06pm
Paradox said...



Sliding spreader bars and a kite light on the bar can help with toeside as well, although they are not that common really. Having the hook on your hip stops you twisting, but it does make it impossible to use two hands to any extent - hence the "light on the bar" comes into play. Probably more common than a sliding bar is wearing two rashy's and have a loose waist harness so the whole thing moves. I drink too much beer for that to work for me though


All of what Paradox says is true. I use a sliding spreader bar. It is the only way to really effectively go hard toeside. I borrowed a harness without my sliding spreader the other day and had a real hard time toeside.

Ride with one hand, light bar pressure kite, lift your back heel, and push hard behind you with the ball of your foot. Transfer a bit more weight forward, turn the upper body upwind and you'll motor! You'll develop quads like Arny after a few weeks.
waxhead1
waxhead1
VIC
172 posts
VIC, 172 posts
2 Jun 2010 8:42pm
All of the above, and most important lean forward, as far forward as you can without the nose of the board catching the water.

Cheers
QLD, 481 posts
6 Jun 2010 10:10pm
Hi guys if you can do it heelside you can do it toeside the board and kite are the same or close to it, the difference is us, dont get me wrong it feels harder toeside and most people are better heelside but, its just practice and technique(myself i ride toeside both ways and i wear a seat harness so im not too certain about whether you need a different harness or not, but lighter bar pressure helps to start off with). My advice matches everyone above keep your weight foward, think touch the water forward of your board, away from the kite as soon as you've switched it will help.
Have fun
George
Please Register, or first...
Topics Subscribe Reply