I a beginner (have been learning for the past 3 months) and am able to get hooked in and planing. My problem lies in getting into the straps. I will be planning and as soon as i attempt to get in i loose all speed. I have been trawling through the posts and have found various thoughts on what foot first - without bringing up that dicussion again, can i have some tips on why i would be loosing speed. I try and keep the weight off the back foot so i dont sink the board but i am still having trouble.

When i am planning i am going pretty fast (well it feels fast anyway)and i am fighting to keep the board in a straight line - am i going to fast to try and go for the straps...should i be going earlier?

Also can someone explain 'pumping onto the plane'- it is as it sounds, and when you are nearly there you pump the sail as if you were repositioning the batons?

any help would be greatly appreciated

I always jump in front first very quickly followed by the back foot. When getting into the straps its very important to hang your weight off the boom. This unloads your feet so that when they do get into the straps you are not unintentionally turning the board.

David

Same happenned to me, try going slightly downwind, sheet-out and get your front foot in. I found that I kept turning upwind and "dunking" myself as the power dropped off...

Once you're in the straps and planing, you'll find it alot more stable and you'll know why you took up the sport!!!

As you move your feet back into the straps you are probably leaning the mast towards the tail therefore as you move your feet back move the mast towards the nose of the board at the same time. Front foot in first then back then hook in.

I can definetly relate to the 'dunking' that you mention sailhack. When i hook in, point the toes and lean out i do fall back too far and have to stand back up...it is only when i am flying than i can really lean back but then it is not that controlled as i am just trying to stay on.

So i definetly think i am dropping the mast back and turning upwind...loosing all speed...that would also explain why the rail diggs in so far!

ok so i have some things to look at...now can someone explain the 'pumping onto the plane' question

heres 1 technique, visulise it before hitting the water, picture yourself in your mind doing what you need to do, if you cant nail it in your head, its not going to work on the water!

Once you have it mentally, just look ahead, keep the balance undisturbed on the board, and slip the foot in, I generally put the front foot in just as I feel its about to get planing, once it is planing the back foot goes in, the most important thing I think, is just let the board continue doing what its doing, so no unbalanced movements, distribute weight so you can unweight the front foot.

The more you think about it, the higher the chance of muffing it.

>>can i have some tips on why i would be loosing speed.

When you are in the straps?
You may be pushing the board down on the edge. Concentrate on using the straps to tilt the board to bring the windward side up, especially with the back foot. The flatter the board is on the water, the better it will plane.

makesurf I get in the straps either too early when i am not going fast enough so i just sink or i go for them too late when i am going too fast. i need that happy medium.

Thanks for all the tips. I need some decent wind so i can practice and utilise some of them. Hopefully the coming days will be kinder to me, the past week has been nothing but frustrating.

...and yeah decrepit..thats what i meant rolling the sail.

quote:

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Originally posted by Juzz

WOOOOHOOO - Got in harness, straps and was planing last night. I had so much more control once i was in the straps. Was a good feeling, it actually happened a lot easier than expected as i knew what to avoid doing.

Thanks for the tip guys.

......and now...onto learning to waterstart and gybe

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Congrats Juzz,

I know the feeling, I was at the same stage as you only a few months back, I was enjoying it before then, now I'm down-right obsessed!!!

Good luck with the w-starts and gybes, this forum's a great help for beginners like us...