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Why directional

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Peter_Frank
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Re: Why directional

Postby Peter_Frank » Wed Dec 05, 2012 6:37 pm

It is simply personal preference what one likes the most in waves, a TT or a Mutant or a Waveboard, of course.

But, this topic is all about "Why a directional in waves", from the original poster, right ?


Many prefer the TT in waves because they are relatively new, or experienced riders that has reached a level where they cant/dont evolve more, or a bit frightened in the waves, so will choose the safe choice they know 8)
Which is fully understandable :D

Others are so much into freestyle, that they use TT's in waves and dont really ride waves at all, which is also understandable :D

Then some like something in between, a Mutant t.ex.
But very few today, as most want both a TT and a Waveboard instead - so choosing depending on what they like to do on a given day and conditions.

If you have some wave spot where the fins will get ripped off by underwater rocks pretty fast, a TT also makes sense, as fins are less likely to break and easier to replace :D



One could say, that with a waveboard you have the perfect board for riding waves of any size and direction, and you can jump high too - but not do the same easy freestyle moves, nope.

With a TT you can ride more powered/bigger kite, thus maybe sqeeze slightly more height in jumps - or maybe not.
But definitely more hangtime, as the kite is bigger.
And easier for the less experienced to "manage".

And Rightguard - if you choose a small waveboard, you get exactly what you want - better in the waves, but still feeling "small" and agile in jumps :thumb:

You have to feel it yourself - before you know what the difference is, between a TT/Mutant and a Waveboard, but you have got many good answers in this thread now.

The reality though, is for most riders, that eventhough they got waveboards and jump a lot in the start (first years), it will wear off and one will begin to focus on waveriding and tricks in the waves instead - as jumping high gets boring pretty quickly, COMPARED to riding waves on a waveboard.
And a few stay in the "jump" mode forever, on waveboards - but not as many as those who ditches jumping almost for good, or just as the "occasional" blast - as it is awesome to just boost max on a waveboard :naughty:
Simply a fact that for most riders, jumping wears "off" after starting to waveride - and then many ride strapless also, as it does not matter if they dont jump anyway - or maybe want to jump strapless and challenge themeselves even more.

But because waveriding is so awesome and a good feel on a waveboard, its a good thing - our own choice as we can do what we want, jumping or not :rollgrin:

Riding on a TT or a very TT like board, most never experience above, and wonder why so many ride waveboards instead :wink:


Just trying to sum things up, to the original posters question.

:D Peter

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Re: Why directional

Postby plummet » Thu Dec 06, 2012 1:32 am

probably a fair representation Peter. Except you infer that the end game or the completely evolved kiteboarder rides waves on a wave board only and doesn't jump. I say thats only one evolution. there are many others.

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Re: Why directional

Postby Johnny Rotten » Thu Dec 06, 2012 2:08 am

plummet wrote:probably a fair representation Peter. Except you infer that the end game or the completely evolved kiteboarder rides waves on a wave board only and doesn't jump. I say thats only one evolution. there are many others.
The fully evolved wave rider boosts strapless grabless, and lands on the wave face from which they took off. bottom turns and continues slashing the wave with perfect flow.

Image

Yeah very few ever get there.....I try often and fail about the same amount as I try (still evolving)

Why directional? There is NO comparison. I ride my TT till the waves build to a good height. Then once they are good and I'm tired of boosting in the troughs, I find myself trying to surf the waves on my TT....... and realize how dumb this is compared to the flow one feels when riding a surfboard....so I bring it home and pick up the surfboard. It takes ALOT of work to be able to rock the waves strapless and get a good flow going but honestly once you're there I can't understand why you'd go back.

Is there ANYONE who is putting forth the argument on behalf of the twin tip who has put in the time to learn to ride strapless competantly in heavy surf and then decided that it just wasn't for them?


Why a directional?....cuz it's awesome
Why a twin tip?....cuz a strapless directional is F'N hard. (too hard for some)

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Re: Why directional

Postby Outside » Thu Dec 06, 2012 6:47 am

Johnny Rotten wrote: Why a twin tip?....cuz a strapless directional is F'N hard. (too hard for some)
Sorry Johnny, but this is plainly false. And part of the problem. I am a bad surfer, can barely ride a skateboard, and could rarely land a backroll on a tt, but I found riding a strapless directional to be surprisingly easy.

I continually try to bust the myth about how hard it is to ride a strapless surfboard by honestly telling people they will be riding upwind during their first session, and probably switching feet with some success by their third session.

The hard part of a strapless directional is admitting you will fall, a lot. Over and over. You will look stupid, a lot. Over and over. But you will have an absolute ball doing it, and learn to not care what others think about how you look. And after some dedication (and agony, just like learning any skill in kiteboarding) you will be pretty good at it.

That said, I agree with everyone who says ride what you find the most fun. Just don't denigrate a part of the sport unless you have the experience and competence to intelligently speak about it.

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Re: Why directional

Postby Peter_Frank » Thu Dec 06, 2012 10:47 am

Outside wrote:
Johnny Rotten wrote: Why a twin tip?....cuz a strapless directional is F'N hard. (too hard for some)
Sorry Johnny, but this is plainly false. And part of the problem. I am a bad surfer, can barely ride a skateboard, and could rarely land a backroll on a tt, but I found riding a strapless directional to be surprisingly easy.

I continually try to bust the myth about how hard it is to ride a strapless surfboard by honestly telling people they will be riding upwind during their first session, and probably switching feet with some success by their third session.

The hard part of a strapless directional is admitting you will fall, a lot. Over and over. You will look stupid, a lot. Over and over. But you will have an absolute ball doing it, and learn to not care what others think about how you look. And after some dedication (and agony, just like learning any skill in kiteboarding) you will be pretty good at it.

That said, I agree with everyone who says ride what you find the most fun. Just don't denigrate a part of the sport unless you have the experience and competence to intelligently speak about it.
Very true "Outside" :thumb:

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Re: Why directional

Postby Peter_Frank » Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:55 am

plummet wrote:probably a fair representation Peter. Except you infer that the end game or the completely evolved kiteboarder rides waves on a wave board only and doesn't jump. I say thats only one evolution. there are many others.
Sorry if I expressed myself poorly then...

I dont think the "completely evolved" kitesurfer ride waves on a wave board without jumping.

What I meant was - that to start with, in the first years, jumping was a big part of riding a waveboard.
And also today, the first years, for some new to strapped waveboards - they like to jump a lot.

But this tends to go towards only occasional jumping (when not too crowded nor surfers around), and for some, almost not at all - for the majority I see in our country at least, when they become skilled, because riding waves is such a good "feel" with endless niches and situations - hardly ever the same 8)

So I dont say what I think the "completely evolved" kitesurfer should end up doing.
I just say, that "out there", simply jumping high (boosting) becomes less and less interesting COMPARED to riding waves and doing aerials or technical airs.

Actually goes for both strapped and strapless IMO, that "MAJOR" simple boosting is fun and done a lot the first years if sufficiently skilled, but then it turns into more waveriding and aerials/technical jumps :naughty:

Of course we all like to shoot rocket high now and then, when on a strapped waveboard - and to try to make high jumps strapless too - but only occasionally for the major part of kitesurfers.
Then some does it often, and some never - but it seems that the tendency is towards waveriding and aerials as the target zone for most IMO, over time.

------------------------

And this is actually also the answer to the O.P. - as because the waveriding gets such a huge part of you, and you get so involved in waveriding and aerials - whereas "simple boosting" becomes so rare - then a waveboard (strapped or not) is the only thing that makes sense :naughty:

But riding a TT in the waves, will never lead you into knowing this "wave feel", as it is simply not the same, so here you will continue jumping instead/also.

Still just a choice what one wants - but if you havent learned riding a waveboard "good" - you will not know the feeling, nor "why" waveboards are chosen.
Thus a really good question from you Rightguard :thumb:

:D Peter

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Re: Why directional

Postby Brent4336 » Thu Dec 06, 2012 2:30 pm

Riding strapless on a surfboard is not hard. Its downright easy.

BUT,,, as conditions get bigger, it definitely gets to be more of a challenge than a strapped board. Just the increased risk of becoming separated from your board in big conditions is enough to dissuade many riders. Add the need to turn around in often short period breaking waves and then jumping, and its way way way more challenging than strapped.

Some people have done so many big airs on a TT that its the challenge of doing it stapless that attracts them. I get far more personal stoke out of landing a clean 10 foot strapless air than a 25 foot strapped air. The complexity of momentum, timing, and angling the board is a hugely complex task compared to letting straps do most of it for you.

Regardless, the OP was wondering why directional.... and the overwhelming answer is "feel" related. I propose that many who ask the question in the first place lack the experience of being comfortable enough on a SB in it element enough to relate to the answer. Doesn't make it any less valid, just hard to relate to!
Last edited by Brent4336 on Thu Dec 06, 2012 8:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Why directional

Postby Johnny Rotten » Thu Dec 06, 2012 6:44 pm

Outside wrote: Sorry Johnny, but this is plainly false. And part of the problem. I am a bad surfer, can barely ride a skateboard, and could rarely land a backroll on a tt, but I found riding a strapless directional to be surprisingly easy.
Comes down to your where and how you ride.

Yes getting on and mowing the lawn upwind in light conditions is no more challenging than a TT (albeit slightly harder to turn around )

However,
It's not a myth that charging through a dirty each break getting punted off waves in overhead+ swell in 20 knots is orders of magnitude more difficult strapless than on a TT.

These are the only conditions that generate waves of any entertaining value at my location so if you want to "surf" a surfboard (by using the wave energy) it get's challenging.

Maybe you've got cleaner swells with long periods between waves that develop in lighter conditions but for me anytime it get's good enough to surf, it's DIIRRRTTTYY out there.

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Re: Why directional

Postby polarstorm » Tue Dec 11, 2012 6:39 am

Johnny Rotten wrote: Comes down to your where and how you ride.
This is interesting, as someone brought up mutant shapes..

[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/55254761[/vimeo]

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Re: Why directional

Postby plummet » Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:04 am

polarstorm wrote:
Johnny Rotten wrote: Comes down to your where and how you ride.
This is interesting, as someone brought up mutant shapes..

[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/55254761[/vimeo]
i do like teh look of that. its going to provide some inspiration for my next board.


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