Ive been jumpin over chop lately and loving it ,
just wondering if there is a technique or a tip i can use to try and get bigger and longer airtime ,
and maybe start bustin out sum moves in the air lol
furthermore , what moves can i do from little bits of air , i know it would be limited but it would be nice to tell my mates that i landed a ( insert kool trick here ) the other day

Cheers
Mav

Thats ok im only 19

goodbrewster said...

Just keep in mind that this is hard on the knees and ankles.

bvgger me, not as hard as what most windsurfers will eventully do, landing 20 footers or bouncing over chop at 35kn !!!!!!!


Main tip is weight on back foot *just* before the ramp (to sink the tail a bit) then lift the rail so the chop hits underneath the board. When in the air keep windward rail up a bit... but mainly pull back leg up under your bum and slightly to windward. That levels board off and makes it look higher but more importantly makes the board land lightly downwind (broad reach) so it will stay on the plane and reduce spinout. Positive also is it gets you steering the board in the air and is sorta precursor to a flatwater forward!

[<<<<
but theres far more dangerous things to do when sailing so i think i will be right.
>>>>>>>>

That's a better attitude, as Mark say's there's much more dangerous things to come.
It's a matter of managing risk, and achieving a balance between wrapping yourself up in cotton-wool (giving you no life at all,) and doing very high risk/damaging things, stuffing your body up while still young.

Tricks?... The old school garden variety jump gybe is a good one. Its an upwind chop hop with extreme prejudice. The other jumpy spinny tricks require a different kind of pop.

MavericK040 said...

Ive been jumpin over chop lately and loving it ,
just wondering if there is a technique or a tip i can use to try and get bigger and longer airtime ,
and maybe start bustin out sum moves in the air lol
furthermore , what moves can i do from little bits of air , i know it would be limited but it would be nice to tell my mates that i landed a ( insert kool trick here ) the other day

Cheers
Mav

I'm in the same basket as you. Been enjoying flat'n'fast, and some chop.....now keen to try some air! Just need WIND now?!?

MavericK040 said...

Thats ok im only 19

do it now while you can still enjoy it

As to the knee warning, I was involved with a 21 year old a week or so ago in an active sport. In the locker room he told me about his knee injury. Of course he wasn't windsurfing and was using a motorized vehicle when he was injured. However, we went out and were warming up for a bit. Another group of competitors joined us, and he headed for the locker room. A guy wanted to scrimmage and since our 21 year old could even up the sides asked me if he was going to play. I went into the locker room and he was undressing. It just was too much for him. I can't see how he wasn't finished in serious athletics for the rest of his life. You are more prone to having these kinds of injuries at your age IMHO. However, I didn't break a bone until well in my 20's and have been breaking more joints since I turned 50 than in all the years before.