Tips for adding footswitch to backroll tack on strapless board

[leeuwen]

I am struggling with adding footswitches to my backroll tacks.
I just haven’t got a clue when to switch my feet, it seems like the board is always tilted during the maneuver so I just fall off. Tried early/mid/late.
Late sort of works sometimes but it becomes a tack and then a footswitch rather then one maneuver.

So couple of questions:
* Switch before / at / after straight upwind?
* Do you shortly put the board level so you can switch?

Any other tips or recommendations are appreciated.

For context:
* Backroll tack to toeside or 360 goes fine
* I can already do the “surf tack” where you kick the board around and don’t go under your lines.

[rnelias]

following as I'm starting to try tacks too

First attempts was the "surf tack" and I'm also struggling with the board tilting to one side.

Today I was watching this video, with a mix of tacks and gybes, mesmerized, trying to catch the details of the movement but the rider makes them sooooo fluid that I can't understand how to break them into steps to follow, maybe some beach drills could help us but my local spot does not have space for beach drills (including the kite)

[leeuwen]

First attempts was the "surf tack" and I'm also struggling with the board tilting to one side.

For the surf tack you can flatten the board:
Basically send the kite to 12 while sheeting out, carve hard up wind and make sure the board is pointing fully up wind when the kite is around 12 (as always: exact timing will differ based on kite size).
You can flatten the board fully when pointing upwind (think toes down) next sheet in so you are light on your feet and do the kick-around / foot switch.

It took me a longgg time before this one clicked. There is just so much going on at the same time.

Regarding the video: looks like he switched feet with a tilted board but he does have straps…

[MaximumAC]

I've been working on my tacks for 1.5 years roughly and finally feel pretty solid on them (but I'm always strapped). Things that helped me:

Aggressively stepping forward/pushing my pelvis forward. If I'm lazy, my success rate will plummet.
Sucking knees in towards my chest help me to level the board out if I'm pretty powered.
I'm not totally sure where in the carve I switch now, but when I was still having a lot of trouble with timing, waiting longer than felt right to switch was important.
Kite keeps moving as smoothly as possible.

Early on, the more kite power the better IMO.

Good luck!

[cglazier]

The tack is a very difficult move to learn. It has literally taken me over a thousand attempts. Here are some tips:

- it is much easier when well powered.
- look under your front arm when starting (this puts your body in the right stance)
- stay sheeted out (depowered) until after your footswitch
- then pull very aggressively on your new front hand to pull yourself forward (this is very often forgotten)

Don't worry about leveling the board, I often switch my feet before the board is level.

Have fun
CG

[Qiter]

The first maneuver to learn on the road to the tack is the foiling 360. If you can do this move, the tack is basically an aborted 360 with footswitch. As mentioned above, once (in the 360 move) the board points directly upwind, its time to switch feet (make sure the back foot is already placed a bit forward near the balance point of your board) and sheet in progressively. So the moment to switch feet is the moment in the 360 when you change from sheeting out to sheeting in (board points straight into the wind). As you sheet in, tilt the bar as much as you can, that will send the kite faster in the right direction (this last point is really important!).

For a step wise approach, I would recommend taking it from the 360 first (which I understand you master already), its much easier than thinking of it as a new maneuver..

[MaximumAC]

- look under your front arm when starting (this puts your body in the right stance)

This was incredibly beneficial to me on my "bad side" tack. I try to literally poke my head through the hole under my arm, while pulling my bar to keep kite moving. My bad side tack is now my better side for this reason.

[leeuwen]

Ok the tips helped!
I had perfect conditions today and and the end of the session I could do footswitches early enough that I count them as part of the tack (still at the tail end of the tack but significantly before what I was doing).

Thx for the tips! The look under the arm + hips forward and riding powered helped.
I did not fully sheet out but I was riding a big foilkite and is was just to slow/unresponsive with steering+power delivery if you do not keep some tension.

Adding to this: helped for me to have good speed I was going into the tack. About 30kph before starting to send the kite to 12.
Used a foilkite + super flat water so feels like cheating a bit. I wonder if I can get it to work with my tube kite now that I have the “feeling” on what to do.