get into footstraps w/out rounding

teddyb3350 · Joined: 04 Sep 2001 Posts: 6

I just learned how to use the harness without getting flung. The next thing Im working on is getting into the footstraps. Problem is, every time I move back to them, the board rounds up or it comes off plane and the tail sinks. Ive ben out mostly in 6.0 conditions is it that I need more wind? I weigh 190 lbs and sail on 130 ltrs.

spyder · Joined: 24 Sep 1996 Posts: 2790 Location: oahu

Lots of things can do this, but generally, make sure you have enough speed before trying to jump in the straps.

Keep the board flat, and bear off onto a broader reach to gain speed. Gradually slip in the front foot, then the back (the order differs with some sailors). Make sure you sheet in enough, pump the sail if you have to.

Other things to check, would be the sails rigging. Proper outhaul and downhaul for the conditions (power in the sail), and adjusting the harness lines so they are within the center of effort (COE) of the sail. Another thing is to make sure the mast base is at the correct setting. This should bring the COE approximately to the middle of the footstraps when you are sheeted/hooked in.

hope this helps.

1aloop · Joined: 09 Jun 2000 Posts: 62

Keep all your weight on the harness as you attempt to move back and defiantly as you put your foot in the straps

us85 · Joined: 29 Aug 1999 Posts: 47

The key is to be light on your feet. Youll want to put as much weight as you can into the mast foot instead of the your feet by hanging from the harness as much as you can. Picture hanging from the boom and moving your feet back to the straps while the rest of your body stays leaning towards the nose of the board. Once you get both feet set in the straps, you can move the rest of body back over your feet and drive off the fin.

Also, until you get the hang of it, move the footstraps as far forward as you can.

gemoore · Joined: 14 May 2001 Posts: 494

Spyders right, and his advice is definitely textbook, but Ill give another idea that I picked up from Cort Larned.

When you hang down (after bearing off), just pick your front foot up, bend your knee (which brings your foot aft of the strap), and slide it in the strap. Eventually, youll be doing it this way, so you might as well learn from the get-go.

As soon as your front foot is in the strap, extend your leg...lock out your knee. This maneuver sheets in, and makes up for the power you lost as you were getting in the strap.

Ideally, youll pick up your back foot and just put it in the strap too, but this foot is less critical.

GEM

PS - If youre powered up on a 6.0, youve got plenty of power. If you only THINK youre powered, but really are needing a 7.0, get more sail!! If other folks, especially the ones whore smaller than you, are on bigger sails, you need to work on sail handling and controlling the sails power.

tjmiller76 · Joined: 10 May 1998 Posts: 48

As others noted, keeping your weight in the harness (& thus the mast foot) is the key. Also, be sure NOT to pull back on the boom as this will result in rounding up. Instead, take a downwind reach with your arms fully extended when entering the straps.

You probably feel that you have as much weight as possible in the harness, but if your sinking the tail then most of your weight is still on your feet. You really need to feel on the verge of being pitched over the front of the board. In time, your balance will develop to comfortably compensate for this feeling.

Your board & sail size should be fine - it just takes time to really trust your harness.

Keep at it, and dont be too afraid of the catapult.

kaptekarev · Joined: 24 Mar 2001 Posts: 137

All the suggestions listed here are valid, so let me just connect the dots. Most likely you are rounding up when taking one foot off the board. When you take a foot off the board you are loosing a steering connection. This loss of steering has to be compensated by hanging your weight from the harness. A good way to start practicing getting your feet into the straps is to sail on plain, hang in your harness and lift a foot up for a second. When you can do this without disrupting the attitude of the board, you are ready for the straps.

When I started, front foot first was easier for me. However, riding with just the front foot in the straps exponentially increased my chances of catapulting. After I destroyed the nose of board for the second time I started doing the back foot first. I also got a boom bra and deviator.

salty-skin · Joined: 16 Jul 2000 Posts: 50

I never had much trouble with this until I rode new style boards w/ the straps outboard. More recently even on boards with center placed straps Ive had trouble with new boards that accelerate extremely quickly.

In case the other replies dont work, heres a different take. This works very well when you are overpowered. Get up onto a plane and dont hook in. Instead of thinking of hanging on the boom from your harness (much more difficult in a waist harness), think of pushing the mast base into the board by boom pressure. Try to get into the straps in a section of smooth water. Slide your front foot into the strap. If this made you round up, bear off slightly before the next step. Then at the moment you want to put the back foot in, sheet in hard, and step into the back strap. Then hook in and youll accelerate wildly!

You can use the same techniques while hooked in when not powered up. The advantage in not hooking in is you are moving slower, so the board wont be as upset by chop or by your unweighting your foot. In really strong winds you dont want to be hooked in unless you are in your straps. In really strong winds, I sometimes put my back foot into the strap before waterstarting so I can handle the waterstart (under 4.5 conditions).