It has been glassy all week hasn't it....and today's looking great.

I will be down at St Kilda beach today if you would like to join me.

Here's a vid that I took of myself a while ago showing my typical turn.

Drag the paddle one side..Step back..a few wide sweeping paddles on the other side and you're around..

This was in the St Kilda marina..

DJ

PM sent.

Today the bay was like glass untill about 11am...then a light breeze came in from the south and caused some chop..Half an hour later it fadded..but still left chop.

I normally work weekends..I had taken this w/e off to go to the F1's..and because the bay was like glass I gave the F1's the flick..

They were racing only a few minutes walk from where I paddle so I paddled to the sound of eeeeeooooowwww.....also all the plane flyovers etc where just above me.

Join me tomorrow if you can..but I will be heading off to watch the race on the telly before midday...Go Webber!!

DJ

Nice one fellas, the glass water has been great lately hasn't it

Kezza...I'm certanly no expert on all this..but the stepping back to turn is not a rail thing..(I don't think)..It's more to lift the nose a little using the tail rocker and reducing the area of the board touching the water..the shorter the board or contact area the quicker the board will turn..I often wonder about the rail thing..My guess is that using the oppisite rail at that slow speed would be best for a quicker turn..Sorta like the old windufer flare jibe.

I think if you can paddle with enough speed you might be able to carve a turn using the inside rail..But I tend to drag the paddle on the inside of the turn and slow right down before putting the paddle on the other side and do a wide sweeping paddle strokes..this gets the board around quicker..for me.

So yes..sinking the tail is providing a pivot point.

Also re going straight I would use about 3-5 strokes each side before swapping..although I can paddle continuisly on one side and hold a straigh line..But you soon get tired on that side and need to change sides.

Some people find they are stronger on one side..maybe right..and so they might paddle 6 times on that side and only 3-4 times on their left side..That sorta thing.

Also re the turning thing..Check out this vid..at about the 1.22 mark Ivan does a great sink tail pivot turn..Does it look like he uses one rail or another..I don't think so.

I hope that helps some....others might like to add their thoughts on this...

Here's the vid... ://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=37290

DJ

I like the idea of the tail sink pivot turn - is that an appropriate name? I can see hours of fun falling into the drink during winter practicing this in the bay... Better get that wetsuit.

Another nice sink tail pivot turn shown here by a pretty girl in a bikini..It's about half way through the vid..

DJ