Another first ride away!

[TX Foilhead]

TX,

Quick, start holding on, you are there!

I did, everything was looking great until the 90 to the boat about the time I saw the horizon I think I think I got a little to excited with the re-grab. After that we were going upstream and the water temp drops as you get closer to the dam above us, my foil just never felt right again. I'm going to see if a little + shim will help next trip.

D

[wakeandahalf]

[Wh1pl45h5m1l3]

I pulled my knees to my chest on the way up, and everyone I did like that I landed, and they were all exactly the same with no bounce....It got my body in front of the T bar, and seperated the jump from the flip

Are you keeping your knees tucked throughout the entire rotation...i.e., landing in a leaning forward position w/ knees bent?

I'm pulling up with my knees early in the rotaton to get around, but then tend to sit more upright and stretch out with the legs to brace for the impact with the water on landing... I think this is where my problem lies--pushing with the feet.

[wakeandahalf]

Wh1p,

I think it might be the 'sit-up' part. I try pretty hard to keep my torso in riding position, with only my head moving. When I break at the shoulders, I am over, and on my back pretty much every time.

[TX Foilhead]

I am tucked all the way. If you have the old videos, it feels kinda like Kyser's nosegrab gainer. Lean forwad while the board is vertical, then look back. The spin goes fast because you're tucked in a little ball. The board touched the water under my heels, a little nose heavy, but should easily be able to ride away if I had a rope.

It sounds like you have the same problem I was having, I really want to put my feet down to stop the 2nd flip. Problem is, the foil is still in the air and I would just push it back and end up with a tip grab, or my back behind the Tbar. This made sure that wasn't going to happen. Try it, even if you crash it doesn't hurt as bad as the other crashes.

D

[Wh1pl45h5m1l3]

got my body in front of the T bar

I was fortunate enough to ride today. I tried your suggestions...made a 'look up' and tucked the knees without trying to 'throw' (aka force) everything backwards. The timing was a little off for a while... I did end up landing flat on my back a time or two on the over-rotation (damn that hurts knocked the wind out of me once). To make a long story short, I felt like I finally made progress. I never did 'ride one away'; however, I did land a couple (without launching into the dreaded second rotation).... unfortunately the boat and I were usually going in different directions and I couldn't quite hold the line. The very last one, I landed, got yanked pretty hard by the rope, let go (mentally gave up) of the rope, and then glided about 30 feet watching the boat speed away from me (cursing under my breath that I let go) Guess I need to read FF's write-up on the "Core" again...the line tension is really owning me right now. On a positive note, I did use that same nasty line tension to launch my butt all the way across the entire wake three times today A first for me. A dozen ibuprofen and a couple days to heal, I'll be ready to go again by next Monday.

J.D.

[Wh1pl45h5m1l3]

We've got to go back there in August, but I don't have a date yet. Once we figure out our schedule, maybe we can carve out an extra day for some riding, I'll keep you posted.

I work for myself, so give me a couple days notice and I can work a whole day at the lake into the schedule...ya know, a 'business' trip. If we do it right, maybe I can write off Garry's Foiltech setup he just sold me...

[TX Foilhead]

JD, I finally managed to get some video today, I noticed that I am sitting upright when I land, but I ride with enough lift to where I have lean forward when I'm flying around. So upright is the equivelent of leaning back. The one I landed was like all the others but I hit the board on the water which caused me to go forward stopping the dreaded combo. Unfortunatley we had a nasty wind which was causing issues with everything, and I didn't get to try as many times as I wanted. I think with a little speed and some more air the landings will be there.

D

[wakeandahalf]

TX, Wh1p, Congratulations to both of you! Sounds like good progress.

[WakeSeeky]

I work for myself, so give me a couple days notice and I can work a whole day at the lake into the schedule...ya know, a 'business' trip. If we do it right, maybe I can write off Garry's Foiltech setup he just sold me...

Awesome! You are going to love the Foiltech!! I think that'll get you the gainer for sure.

I've hesitated to say anything, because I can't do the gainer myself. However, what you're describing sounds like something I've seen a lot driving as people are going through the learning process... an awful of the overrotations I see from behind the wheel, the rope arm is way out away from the body when the rider lands. When it's time to re-grab, the reach/pull tends to throw off all of the good things that have happened so far and cause a relaunch. If you give up all your rope to the boat during the rotation, you don't have anything left for your landing. If you can get your driver to bump you the first few times, it seems to help a lot in keeping that arm/handle in close.

Anyway, take that for what it's worth. I've been lucky enough to drive with some great teachers, so I see some of the mistakes that they point out to the riders. Doesn't mean I can do it myself, though.