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Author: Subject: I need help, I¥m a slapper!
ajdesq
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posted on 24-3-2003 at 11:24 Reply With Quote
I need help, I¥m a slapper!

...well, apart from the obvious.

Or rather, my board is a slapper.

If you¥ve read my 2 diary bits from 22&23 March, you¥ll see I have a problem keeping the board under control when I hit chop head-on, I¥m up & down, skidding & slapping till kingdom come, and it ain¥t pretty!

Has anyone any tips for keeping the board under control? I find lifting my back foot and sending my back leg into a bandy-leg stance helps.

Also... what¥s the procedure if you want to jump the wave? (On purpose, that is, not like my involuntary hops & skids!)

Cheers all,

Andrew

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justal
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posted on 24-3-2003 at 22:03 Reply With Quote
I think it really boils down to confidence on the water as it becomes a little bumpier. The key is to relax, keep the knees flexed and let them absorb all the bumps and then the board just rides over the chop. Trouble is, if you're not used to it you tend to tense up involuntarily and that just makes the chop feel worse...you get more tense etc. etc.

As you get more used to more 'extreme' conditions then you'll learn to relax in them and just 'go with the flow'. For now, just really try to loosen the legs and let the knees bend and act as shock absorbers. As you're sailing over chop, don't try to go flat out, but just relax and take your weight off the board a little. You'll find you stay in control better and probably end up going faster because of it. I'd say relaxation is da key!!... I'm sure others here will have their own ways of dealing with chop.

Jumping... When you say 'jump the wave' I presume you mean jump OFF the wave??. Well, can you bunny hop on a bike?? Its the same sort of thing... As the nose of the board hits the wave/chop, push down with your legs which partially sinks the tail of the board and forces the nose upwards, then as the tail is just about to leave the top of the wave, physically jump up, which takes the weigh off the board so that it corks up and into the air, the jumping action should then pull the tail of the board up underneath you so that it levels off in the air. You now want to bear away in mid air so that you don't spin out on landing, straighten the legs a little to bring the board down tail first and then bends the knees on impact...Easy!!

You probably will spin out most of the time to start with...Just be ready to pull your back foot upwind and increase MFP to recover from the spin out. The sail away...Not forgetting to look round to see if anyone got it on film

Have fun and mind your back!

Al.







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ajdesq
A Force-of-Nature *



F-O-N Champion 2003





Member #: 6
Posts 214
Registered: 24-7-2002
Member Is Offline

Mood: Living to kitesurf :-)

posted on 26-3-2003 at 18:04 Reply With Quote



Cheers Al, shall try all that and report back!


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