Author Topic: Learning to tack  (Read 7150 times)

VB_Foil

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #15 on: July 17, 2020, 01:13:23 PM »
Here's a video I just put together from my flat water / light wind session yesterday.  I included a few unsuccessful tacks in there.   I think once I figure out the motion of steering the wing through the eye of the wind I will be in business with more consistency.  I often get the wing stuck and it pulls me back to square one. 

I think beginners might be able to glean some tips out of the video as well.  Especially the pump method I use for really filling the wing with wind and building apparent speed while still on the water. More of an elliptical pump, rather than up/down up/down, which can backwind the wing easily.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irYzzzDrdec
« Last Edit: July 17, 2020, 01:20:17 PM by VB_Foil »
I’m a 5’9” 65kg rider:

Boards:
   4' 27L Armstrong FG Wing/Surf
   4’5” 34L Armstrong FG Wing/Surf
   4'11" 60L Armstrong Wing/Sup
  
  

Foils: Armstrong HA525, HS625, HA725, HA925, HS1050, HA1125, HS1250, HA1325
Wings: BRM 2M & 3M, FreeWing Nitro 4M, OR 5M & 7M Glide

obxDave

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #16 on: July 18, 2020, 01:39:55 AM »
Here's a video I just put together from my flat water / light wind session yesterday.  I included a few unsuccessful tacks in there.   I think once I figure out the motion of steering the wing through the eye of the wind I will be in business with more consistency.  I often get the wing stuck and it pulls me back to square one. 

I think beginners might be able to glean some tips out of the video as well.  Especially the pump method I use for really filling the wing with wind and building apparent speed while still on the water. More of an elliptical pump, rather than up/down up/down, which can backwind the wing easily.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irYzzzDrdec

Nice attempts! I take it from the video and the front strap your using you’re not a switch stance rider (?).   So your forward foot is locked into that one position for every different maneuver you might try?
« Last Edit: July 18, 2020, 01:41:36 AM by obxDave »

VB_Foil

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #17 on: July 18, 2020, 03:55:07 AM »
Here's a video I just put together from my flat water / light wind session yesterday.  I included a few unsuccessful tacks in there.   I think once I figure out the motion of steering the wing through the eye of the wind I will be in business with more consistency.  I often get the wing stuck and it pulls me back to square one. 

I think beginners might be able to glean some tips out of the video as well.  Especially the pump method I use for really filling the wing with wind and building apparent speed while still on the water. More of an elliptical pump, rather than up/down up/down, which can backwind the wing easily.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irYzzzDrdec

Nice attempts! I take it from the video and the front strap your using you’re not a switch stance rider (?).   So your forward foot is locked into that one position for every different maneuver you might try?

Correct,  strictly surf stance currently. I can go upwind almost as good toeside as I can Heelside. I just adapt more of a slalom snowboard stance going toeside. The vast majority of my sessions are in bumpy water where I’m focused on surfing and carving. I will learn switch stance one of these days though. Only tried it like 5 times so far.
I’m a 5’9” 65kg rider:

Boards:
   4' 27L Armstrong FG Wing/Surf
   4’5” 34L Armstrong FG Wing/Surf
   4'11" 60L Armstrong Wing/Sup
  
  

Foils: Armstrong HA525, HS625, HA725, HA925, HS1050, HA1125, HS1250, HA1325
Wings: BRM 2M & 3M, FreeWing Nitro 4M, OR 5M & 7M Glide

Phils

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #18 on: July 20, 2020, 06:34:47 PM »
Finally pulled one off today.  Touched down but foiled away.  Very happy.  Thanks for all the advice.   It’s a pretty aggressive move bringing wing to other side. I was too cautious in the beginning.

Thatspec

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #19 on: July 20, 2020, 08:26:33 PM »
Finally pulled one off today.  Touched down but foiled away.  Very happy.  Thanks for all the advice.   It’s a pretty aggressive move bringing wing to other side. I was too cautious in the beginning.

Congrats Phils, are you throwing a few board pumps in there during the hand switch? Finding that helpful if I haven't gone in by the time the nose of the board is through the wind. Also find it's pointless for me try much new after the first 45 minutes or so  ::)

obxDave

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #20 on: July 20, 2020, 11:00:04 PM »
Finally pulled one off today.  Touched down but foiled away.  Very happy.  Thanks for all the advice.   It’s a pretty aggressive move bringing wing to other side. I was too cautious in the beginning.
cool! My first one was was plop down at zero speed, practically fall off, pump from scratch to get going in the other direction. Yours sounds way smoother ;).  On your way..

Admin

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #21 on: July 21, 2020, 01:30:18 AM »
Finally pulled one off today.  Touched down but foiled away.  Very happy.  Thanks for all the advice.   It’s a pretty aggressive move bringing wing to other side. I was too cautious in the beginning.

Stoked Phils! How awesome is that?  I saw you working on these and I thought that they all looked very solid. 
« Last Edit: July 21, 2020, 01:53:19 AM by Admin »

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #22 on: July 21, 2020, 03:55:38 AM »
Hi Guys,

I haven't tried any tacks yet but Phils success has me stoked to get started.  I envision myself starting toeside first.  In this vid (yeah, I have posted it 3 times now) at :29 he looks to be letting go with his back hand first before he starts carving (maybe even going downwind a little) then goes all at once with the carve and the wing push and rests the canopy on his head.  Is that expert only stuff?  What would you suggest for a first timer?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEhfJ0a_t-Q
« Last Edit: July 21, 2020, 04:15:48 AM by Admin »

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #23 on: July 21, 2020, 04:33:51 AM »
It looks like he does the same as me, only more graceful.

I don’t do the rear hand push. I just let go with my back hand. With my front hand I just flip the wing over my head and “forward” of my head. You want it forward, because you are carving forward into the wind. Complete the carve, which takes me 2/3 of the way around. At that point, I have to do the full hand switching quick to avoid the touch down. The front hand switch is normal and you will do that without thinking. Grabbing the rear handle is the weird moment in the whole tack. The boom wins tacking.  ;D

https://youtu.be/TAjLZfO1I1k
« Last Edit: July 21, 2020, 04:35:33 AM by Dwight (DW) »

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #24 on: July 21, 2020, 05:26:27 AM »
Very clear Dwight.  I'll try some today if it stays mellow.

Phils

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #25 on: July 21, 2020, 05:40:41 AM »
Admin, I saw one of your 360 attempts yesterday and I can tell you that you will get this tack much easier than I did.  Breakthrough for me was watching that new Gunnar video, especially the move starting at 2:40.  It does look like he starts his carve well after the wing is swung over but I think it just looks that way because he is so smooth.  What worked for me was an aggressive one handed wing movement and starting the carve almost at the same time.

In reflecting on my attempts, I now realize that in the beginning my brain could not focus on the wing movement and the board movement at the same time.  So focusing on the wing, I really had no idea what my board was doing.   After a bunch of attempts, I found I didn't have to focus so intensely on the wing and could actually concentrate more on riding the board through the carve and that's when it started clicking.  Now to work on staying on foil. 

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #26 on: July 21, 2020, 07:54:06 AM »

In reflecting on my attempts, I now realize that in the beginning my brain could not focus on the wing movement and the board movement at the same time.  So focusing on the wing, I really had no idea what my board was doing. 

Yeah, me too. I just kinda followed the wing automatically around. Send the wing, torso twists, board follows, you’re around most of the way.....now panic and reach for the handles. Haha

obxDave

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #27 on: July 21, 2020, 09:57:41 PM »
And just think, you get start all over again doing the not-as-easy heel to toeside tack, and then of course you need to work on continuing both tacks into a continuous 360. Then you’ll have three different 360 options to keep yer brain spinning......

blueplanetsurf

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #28 on: July 22, 2020, 12:19:27 AM »
I found it really helpful to practice tacks on a skateboard or landboard, you don't have to worry about the foil and you can just focus on getting the wing handling dialed in.  I can tack heelside to toeside no problem on land but on the water I'm still working on it, I find that the motion can be hard on my shoulder if the wing transition is not smooth.  Toeside to heelside tacks are just as easy as jibing for me now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmWSwXBIPCE
Robert Stehlik
Blue Planet Surf Shop, Honolulu
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http://www.blueplanetsurf.com

Admin

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Re: Learning to tack
« Reply #29 on: July 22, 2020, 02:23:11 AM »
And just think, you get start all over again doing the not-as-easy heel to toeside tack, and then of course you need to work on continuing both tacks into a continuous 360. Then you’ll have three different 360 options to keep yer brain spinning......

...and the Hoss tack...tried one on a swell yesterday and got destroyed.  That ending is going to have to happen quick!

 


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