tip for first time jumper please

andrewblair · Joined: 12 Apr 2001 Posts: 10

Hi, Ive windsurfed in medium chop in Ontario and in bigger swells in Cabarete, but anytime Ive tried to jump (max has been like 1Metre), I always land with my band end kindof sliding out, and Im always contorting myself to regain a position to go forward. What am I doing wrong. I stopped jumping cause it was bugging me!

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

to get air, get going on a fast plane, and look for a good ramp. then as you hit the ramp, push down on the rear foot, and pull up with the front. then as you get airborne, draw the board under your butt. to keep from spinning out on the landing, bear off slightly downwind in the air, and land fin first.

the main reason you spin out is that the fin enters the water a an angle too upwind, if you point more downwind (broad reach) as you hit the water, the chance of spin out will greatly reduce.

andrewblair · Joined: 12 Apr 2001 Posts: 10

Thanks, looking forward to trying this!

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

the main point for preventing spinout is to keep you weight over the fin, and maintain the board position on beam reach (across the wind).
Try tucking your legs, bringing the board up under your body, and as you land let the rear end of the board down for a fin first landing.

spinout landings occur from the board pointing upwind, and your body weight is hiked out over the side.

The slightly downwind suggestion will kinda force you to this position, but dont over do it, because the landings will tend to be overpowered and flat

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

There are three ways to get the nose off the wind upon landing.
1. Lidft the windward rail with your front foot and let the wind blow the nose downwind. This is really important and very effective.
2. Pull your back foot, still in its footstrap, upwind by bending your back knee. This also accomplishes #1.
3. Stay sheeted in, maybe even sheet in just a little extra.

The objective is to line the board up wth the blur of water passing underfoot. Do that, and set the tail down first by extending your back leg before touchdown, and youre home free. Before long youll be jumping AND landing pointing well above a beam reach with no spinout.

Mike \m/