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WA regular foot wavesailors

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Created by bubbas > 9 months ago, 30 May 2022
bubbas
WA, 27 posts
30 May 2022 12:42AM
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WA regular foot wavesailors: I assume after many years wavesailing in port tack conditions you kind of adapt to waveriding goofy stance, but would you still prefer starboard tack for waveriding? Even after quite some time in port tack conditions I still feel that especially the top turn/cutback is way more natural and with rail-control with wind from the right

515
866 posts
30 May 2022 8:54AM
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Never been to WA but wouldn't the southern coast give starboard tack wave riding?
Feel your pain as in Taranaki NZ most wave riding is port tack with only the NW direction giving starboard tack wave riding.
I was into wake and snowboarding on twin tips so set my boards up duck foot and ride switch a lot.
Even switch on my sup on flatter lefts, the final section can be a ride.
Wavesailing just concentrate on the wave and your timing and "feeling" will come

Diggers
WA, 42 posts
30 May 2022 10:27AM
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I moved from WA to Wellington NZ about 15 years ago. I was brought up on port tack riding, and had to adapt to starboard tack here because that's all there is! It took me a good 12 months to get used to the other tack, but when you're doing it constantly it eventually becomes second nature. The good thing is whenever I'm back on port tack in WA or in Taranaki, even if I haven't sailed that tack for months, it comes back so naturally. I think the tack you learn on tends to be the one that you have hard-wired. Yet it doesn't mean you can't wire in the other one. Like 515 says, it's just time and deliberate practice on the water.

seabreezer
377 posts
1 Jun 2022 8:25AM
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HI Bubbas , I used to subscribe to this 'stance' argument ,,.. spent 15 years sailing preferred stance , then had to learn the other tack - always in first years seemed to suffer in overpowered side off riding (vs my preferred stance regular - where I felt I could 'squash down' on the power a bit more through combo of more Backfoot mid bottom turn etc) .... NOW - love the other tack - and can do wave tricks and moves on it - that I can't on the other .... I can now probably do better turns on my switch stance - as feel much more have control / even pressure through my feet topturning (ie more front foot rail gouges etc and trimming accordingly to achieve ) .... where-as my strong stance - I can be a bit too trigger happy with the back foot off the top - which 'snaps' more of a top turn , but less power gouges - so its horses for courses ..... LOOK ,,,, the big thing here is to put 'ideal' out of your head .... if you have port tack goofy conditions , shut everything else out and concentrate on what's in front of you ....

I love my sailing both tacks now (doesn't even enter my head) ... and the hard yards learning the other tack gets me so much more sailing now .... there's many windsurfers here that won't drive 30 minutes to sail the 'other tack ' because they have no skills on it ... and then complain there's been no sailing ... ! .... So moral is - sail everything - better your skills in everything .... it all pays off in the end ...

bubbas
WA, 27 posts
1 Jun 2022 4:14PM
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Thanks for your input, quite uplifting to hear the experiences you guys have had, that the skills can actually be just as good on 'evil tack' waveriding if you just put the time and effort into it I'm also considering a Smooth star surf skate, to practice carving switch stance, it may help.. So many port tack bucket list places!! Indo, gnaraloo, etc

Bobbin
WA, 122 posts
1 Jun 2022 6:49PM
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Mum was on top.
Goofy foot in WA



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"WA regular foot wavesailors" started by bubbas