I usually land on my head. Much less stress on the board.

But aside from that, try landing slightly more tail first, rather than flat. And try not to land on a big piece of chop.

I agree to some extent, but bearing off the wind slightly is definitely gonna give you a high risk of catapult situations. Try that once you have learnt how to time the landing. It's all in the timing. Better to stay on your original course and also use the power in your sail to control your descent, so you come down softer, rather than hitting the water like a rock ! I know if i am underpowered it's much harder to control the air time and landing.
Tail first is good advice, but also try to keep your legs relaxed and absorb some of the impact on landing. If you're too stiff in the legs it'll be a big 'slapper' landing. Knees bent helps too.
Thats an abridged version ! hehehe
Oh and keep practicing, practing, practicing......
17 years of jumping and i still get it wrong sometimes, but thats what i love about windsurfing !

Just as you leave the water and get airbourne, push sail hard towards nose of board and quickly turn head to look at back heal.

this should stop board slapping the water to hard.

Katy,

the advice from WA66 is good. It is many moons (over 240) since I first jumped a board and that was a 12 foot whale of a thing - and yes it is possible!! .

You really just have to get out there and try it and get the experience landing flat, front and rear !.

Try and find a nice soft spot, bit a soft break around a point can be a good learning spot where the waves are 1-3 ft. I remember a few sessions as Shoreham (the pines) when I used to sail in Vic that were great. Point break, as you get more confident you can head into to the deeper, steeper waves of the point.

As for landing and sailing in general - soft legs is a great tip.

Think and concentrate when you are siling of keeping your hips locked in and letting the board move under you - relax your legs and let the board move up an down with the swell, use your feet to exert pressure for control - what I call "going with the flow"

When you have this under control you will be able to land your jumps and sail away better.

From experience, there will be time when you are trying to land a jump and a piece of chop appears that dictates you land front first and also situations where you will land "flat" and tail first.

Learn form your trials - no one can land perfectly every time!!

Dr J

Well done Katy!!!

I'm still off the water after my last catapult... loaded up the car with board and gear yesterday, went down to the lake, walked around for a bit, read the paper, did as much of the cryptic as I could, watched the wind, walked around, massaged my knee, did some squats... then drove home.

Going to nail that gybe as soon as I get better though!

Well done on the jump! Can't wait till I get my first one

Just a side note.

Aaron at Torquay on Tuesday, jumped his Beast off a 2-3ft ramp and managed to gain 1.5masts worth of altitude then sail away as if it were only 2-3 ft.

For those of us that can only dream of that. congrats you are now a full member of "barstards incorporated".

best winds
Tony L

Ahhhh thank you for the wise words

Tis windy in sunny perth so will go and try out the fun. I will experiment with a range of landings including head first

Nebbian - more injuries? i'm starting to share in some! When up north, i was trying to waterstart when something went snap - I'd managed to acquire a bit of groin strain when kicking too hard with one leg. Being unable to waterstart/uphaul with one leg I merrily drifted along. It was a bit comedy trying to explain the nature/location of the injury to my lovely rescuers who of course kindly offered to "rub it better"...

You heading to the river Katy? I'll be there about 430 but depending on the wind will head to dutchies. Need a good amount of wind to demo my new 93L JP Freestyle Wave Mmmmmmmm very excited . Lucy will be on the river.

Groin injury was it Katy? Hip flexor? I'd love to help!

Where is all this Perth wind Katy. We had two no wind days this week and then two days of marginal 7.5 weather over the last two days (on the river anyway).

Have been thinking about heading to the coast to try to get some more consistant winds, but every time I talk to someone about it I get scarred off by talk of rampant car breakins and hidden reefs.

Someone mentioned Dutchies was pretty good and safe, with room to park a trailer (big mistake that was!). Trouble with a new spot is that unless you know people down there who know the ropes it can be very off-putting.

Hey Katy,

A good trick for low wind when you can't waterstart is to uphaul. Damn those salesmen who told me that the only way to get my almost sinker to go was to waterstart... in light winds uphauling is the key! Sure you look like a noob for 20 seconds, and you need to get the balance right otherwise one end of the board heads for Davy Jones's locker, but when you get it right you can sail away.

Sure beats drifting (or swimming to shore with the uphaul rope wrapped around your big toe)

Looks like good wind tomorrow at the train, if anyone sees some guy limping around with a blue Mistral board then come up and say Hi

Where abouts is Dutchies?

Hi Haircut. Sunday was good. The world must know when i have a big night. My phone started at 5.30am with people saying "it's windy, are you coming sailing". Was on the water just after 7. Rigged a 4.7 and sailed at the alley in some VERY large waves. Eventually the hangover won, the wind droped and i washed up on Palmy ready to do the Shuffle. When is the next patch of wind? Im partying again on Sat nite. Should be epic Sunday.

Aha! I have sailed there once. Just didn't know it was called Dutchies.

Broke my fin.

oh dear, the wind is on holidays for the next couple of weeks

did this last year at this time too