Modified Stink Bug Start

[joekitetime]

Through my utter laziness I find a better way to do the stinkbug start. Google it on youtube for some great video explanations of how to do it.

The modified version:

DO NOT LAY ON THAT TINY BOARD! I tried it - way too much work and kills my neck.

Rather, sit on your board like a surfer in the lineup waiting for set waves. Untangle leashes and flip wing right side up.
Hold wing overhead and use to turn your board perpindicular to the wind/waves.
Hold only the front handle with the front hand, and with the same hand grab the nose of your board.
With the other hand grap the nose of the board on the other side.
At this point you are still sitting on the board and holding the board's nose with both hands and holding the wing with the front hand and you are mostly underwater.
Now, simply swing your legs under the board and get to your knees, crunching up like a little bug, normally as close to the nose of the board as you can get.
The board will give you stability in one direction, and the strut of the wing in the other direction. This is a super stable position to be in.
Lift the wing and it should instantly be loaded with wind. And you are off, moving along on your knees.
Stand up and ride away.

This is the exact same method as the already established stink bug start but it eliminates laying on the board which is a royal pain.

This works easily on a 28 liter board, 33 liter board, 35 liter board. I am currently 72.5KG (160 pounds).

[StellaBlu]

Can you link a video of this modification? I don't understand how you can hold the front handle of the sail, and the board with the same hand without being underneath the sail. And if you are underneath the sail, you need to be laying or kneeling in some manner (traditional stinkbug). I also don't understand how you swing your legs to get to your knees. Maybe my misunderstanding is because you are a bit more volume-negative on your board than I am (-20-25 for me)?

I can stinkbug without issue and Im just trying to better understand your description to see if I can improve.

[joekitetime]

Rats. Hard to explain and I have no video!

I hope this add on will help.

When sitting on the board with the wing overhead, board perpendicular to the wind, I slide/shimmy back towards the tail of the board which wheelies the board at the same time I'm grabbing the nose with the same front hand that is holding the wing. At that point the board is at a 45 degree angle. Also, at that point being fairly underwater it is easy to swing my legs straight back behind me then immediately onto my knees.

The same technique works on my 50 liter board and 65 liter, but for sure more klunky (and unnecessary) on more volumous boards).

I'll try to find a similar video I saw on youtube.

[StellaBlu]

I think I get it and will give it a shot. I normally don't really like to be in that sitting wheelie position for long because the board has a tendency to squirt forward out from underneath me (not as much of an issue with more negative volume I bet). I prefer to time the power in my sail, to the nose rising to the surface from underwater. I think submerging the nose gives me more stability as I'm situating and prevents the board from squirting out, and then once I take my hands off of the nose it rises to the surface as I power up. At the end of the day I think a lot of these minor tweaks in technique come down to the board shape and volume distribution - as I've found that my preferred method doesn't work as well on other boards. Thanks for sharing.

[joekitetime]

Roger that.

I've been looking for a video that shows it best back from my surfing days. It is the same technique used to catch a wave with a no paddle takeoff.

Assuming you are in the right position in the lineup (doesn't apply to winging), you grab the nose of the surf board and lean/rock back and then shove the board as deep as you can with your hands underwater. Once it gets as low and as far underwater as it is going to go it will then shoot in the opposite direction towards the surface. You time this pop with the wave you want to catch and it becomes pretty easy to use that burst of pop to catch the wave.

It is the same movement for the wingstart.

I'll find a video eventually!

[joekitetime]

This is kind of it if you can stand the commercials.

But it shows how to get from sitting to laying on the board (you actually bring the board to you instead of taking yourself to the board).

Hope it helps a little.

[jakemoore]

I curious what size hand-wing and how much wind?

I just went down from 80% v/w to 60% v/w and it’s working for me but only if good winds. With an 80% volume board I can’t sit on it at all because I float so high it just rolls over. With a 60% volume board I can sit on it in the pool but water movement still kicks me off. Stink-bug is much easier for me to position the smaller board but wind is needed. I’d like to get to the point I could water start from the sitting position as you describe.

[joekitetime]

I curious what size hand-wing and how much wind?

I just went down from 80% v/w to 60% v/w and it’s working for me but only if good winds. With an 80% volume board I can’t sit on it at all because I float so high it just rolls over. With a 60% volume board I can sit on it in the pool but water movement still kicks me off. Stink-bug is much easier for me to position the smaller board but wind is needed. I’d like to get to the point I could water start from the sitting position as you describe.

Yes, as you mention "good" winds are required. Really, it isn't "good" per se - just enough power in the wing. The stink bug start only pertains to getting on your knees with the wing overhead - then it becomes another exercise - one of getting on foil.

It is not uncommon for me where I ride to go out and know pretty quickly that I can't get going due to not enough power. I then zip back to my truck and grab either a bigger foil, bigger wing or bigger board. Being able to spot those "lost cause" days is important because no amount of skill will reasonably get you up if there is not enough power. And when there is plenty of power available, it is super easy. Spotting those lost cause days sooner rather than later saves a lot of grief.

There are hard days to get up, impossible days to get up, and easy days to get up, all based on the power you can harness in the wing. I recommend not frustrating the hell out of yourself - typically I find I can either get up right away, and it I can I make a quick swap for something else that I think will work.

The main point of this post was simply to enter the stink bug position from the seated position rather than from a laying down on the board position.

You do get better for sure with practice. It isn't a hard skill to learn and it will come - albeit gradually. 3 years ago, the first time I got up on a 32 liter board it took over an hour of determination and cussing. Once I got up I didn't want to fall like my life depended on it. Now, finally, it is no big deal and I can usually get back up and going in a matter of 10-20 seconds. But knowing the impossible days saves the trying when it is just a waste to time.

[consumer]

Dude you rock I’m gonna try this. Thanks bro