Read Aloud the Text Content

This audio was created by Woord's Text to Speech service by content creators from all around the world.

Text Content or SSML code:

WINDSURFING, MANEUVERS: FAST TACK ON SMALL BOARD Tacking is more difficult than jibing, and the fast tack on small windsurfing boards is really a tough maneuver to learn, because it requires perfect timing and movements, and forgives almost nothing. Infact, you have to slip into the wind, and overcome a step in which the sail has no lift, and you have nothing to hold onto. In this article, I will try to share my experience so far, in this regard. Knowing how to tack well on every kind of board is important, even when there are no obstacles downwind, that prevent us from jibing. Infact, it is useful if we need to gain water windward. When you are properly powered with the sail, or even overpowered, going upwind it is not a problem. In that case, indeed, jibing becomes almost an obvious choice to deliberately go back downwind. But when you are not correctly powered, or the wind is unstable, or when you are trying new maneuvers, and consequently you easily lose water, tacking is really important. Even in waveriding frontside (wind that comes mainly from the stern of the board, and you face the wave crest, when you point to it), tacking is important, as when you are surfing the wave you tend to drift a lot. Moreover, wave boards do not plan well when close-hauled, and, therefore, do not allow to gain much water while riding. That said, let's examine together the different phases of the maneuver, and the essential movements to be performed on small board (obviously, with referring to the rider's weight). We are gliding. If we have good speed, and especially if, entering the wind, we meet some waves, it is better to accelerate, before starting to luff. To do this, you should ride a short distance beam reaching. Once gained a good speed, you start to get into the wind. At this point, you get your foot out of the back strap, and you put it as close as possible to the front foot (still stuck in the strap), positioning it on the windward side. Personally, I believe that, especially on fsw or wave boards, it is not necessary to push a lot with the heel of the back foot to make the board luff. Rather, you should slightly slide the rig back (as in the basic tack), as this will turn out useful when we pass in front of the mast: the body weight will be better opposed to the rig weight. If the rig is too much forward in this passage, you will inexorably fall forward, or otherwise you'll make the bow sink, which is not always remediable. However, I think it is very important, when the water surface is not flat (and tends to slow down the board), and/or when you are on small boards (maybe a wave board), that quickly lose planing, to change side with the board still planing, or, at least, at good speed. This allows you to have good body support, when it's time to pass in front of the mast. At this point, the maneuver has two possible variants. According to the first approach, you take your foot off the front strap and you put it right behind the mast foot, when the board is still riding upwind. It is an important thing to do, to position you body forward on the board, and to help the passage in front of the mast, during the tack change. Then, you have to put the front foot in front of the mast foot, when the bow of the board is exactly pointing in the wind direction. For this purpose, you should look forward, and observe well the ripples on the water surface. The board must be planing, and as fast as possible. Right timing is essential. At the same time as you are placing your front foot in front of the mast foot, bring your front hand further forward on the boom, as close as possible to the mast (or grab the mast itself, just under the boom). Personally, I think it is good also to advance the back hand position on the boom (roughly around the rear connection of the harness line), so as to facilitate a correct position of the rig (backwards) and of the body (forward), with arms well strechted, when passing in front of the mast. The front arm must remain extended (body and sail must stay far away), and must almost throw the rig on the side opposite to where the body goes. This movement is crucial for the maneuver success. The positioning of the front foot in front of the the mast must be followed ALMOST IMMEDIATELY by the positioning of the aft foot in front of the mast (for a moment, the two feet form a V in front of the mast). Then, it follows, pretty soon, the positioning of the front foot on the new board tack, also followed by the movement of the "old" back foot, that will become the new front foot. In short, in front of the mast you have to stay as little as possible, and you have to make a smooth transition, and a non-stop movement, passing in front of the mast. The sail must squeeze neutral in the wind, when you pass in front of the mast. Once on the new tack, don't fall asleep! You have to bring the rig forward as fast as possible (with a slight backwinded sailing, eventually), and push firmly with the front foot on the front part of the board (if necessary even in front of the mast) to make it bear away, as soon as possible. In fact, if you stay with the bow of the board in the wind, and the sail that does not have any lift, you will fall to 100% .... As you push forward with the foot to make the board bear away, you should stay low with the body, to lower the center of gravity, and be more stable. The hands passage can be done, also, according to some possible variants. The first method consists in the transition "boom boom" with back hand on the "old" side that crosses over the other one and goes to grab the boom on the new side, near the mast, becoming the new mast hand; followed, instantly, by the old front hand that takes the boom, immediately after, on the other side, becoming the new back/sail hand. The hands movement on the boom must be synchronous to the feet movement, with back hand on the old side that begins to move simultaneously with the movement of the back foot, following the front one, to take position in front of the mast. The other method involves taking the mast with the front hand just below the boom, at the beginning of the maneuver, when you begin to head up. This way, surely, helps to keep the front arm extended when passing in front of the rig. It's giving very good results to me. Do try. Everybody has to do his/her own way. Apart from the movement of the hands, the second approach in the passage in front of the rig involves anticipating the placement of the foot in front of the mast shortly before the bow of the board is entering into the wind (therefore, when we are still close-hauled). The sequence of the other movements of the feet and hands will be equal. To compensate for the sinking of the bow, after the change of tack, a very frequent problem especially with small volume boards, in addition to entering the wind with the board still gliding as fast as possible, it can be really useful to quickly bring the new back foot (and with it, the body weight), really backwards once on the new tack. In the exit on the new side, you will find yourself in backwinded sailing position, and you will literally be supported by the sail, pushed by the wind. In this case, the sail must not to be immediately moved forward so much (you would get a bearing away effect), but slightly move backward, so that you can pull the boom with the back hand in case of gusts. To head up again, once in these conditions, you must push with the back hand, keeping slightly flexed the front one. Once the board overcomes the wind direction, and you come out from backwinded sailing, and the sail begins to work normally, you can continue as usual, with the aid of the front foot which pushes hard on the front of the board. Regardless of the chosen variant, while tacking right timing is fundamental (sleeping forbidden....), as well as speed of execution. For the latter, only continuous training allows you to automate the movements, and to print them in your mind. For the right timing, watch the water surface and get used to seize the moment. This is what I understood so far. I would like to receive comments, suggestions and your opinions about how to perform this maneuver. Hang loose. Fabio