I hate the guys who read advice on forums and then report back almost immediately that they've nailed it.
I'm not quite that guy today, but I made huge progress thanks to advice here.
Conditions light about 10-12 knts, enough to get going on my 9 LEI, but really couldn't go upwind in a big way so spent 45min on flying switches before the wind died.
I think the light conditions helped in that the wind was fairly smooth coming over the dunes.
Of the 20 or so attempts (strapless) I successively pulled off 5 flying switches on my unnatural stance switching to natural toeside and 1 from natural to unnatural toeside. I then gybed after riding toeside for a short while. Crashed out the remainder and smashed my shins a couple of times.
What helped me today:
- pretending to be that dude in the video in tegirinenashi's post. Act like everything's cool
.
- moving back foot forward a bit and making room with the front foot i.e. twisting it a bit more parallel to the board (I wear booties so easy to catch one foot with the other).
- Kite 11 or 1 and try to hold onto a bit of lift, but there wasn't very much.
- Wasn't going that fast but well above stall speed.
- Rotated shoulders around ready for toeside.
- back foot pump just before the switch, trying to keep it in line with my body.
- tried not to look at my feet and ended up looking at the water in front of the board, not quite the horizon.
Such a great feeling to do what seemed almost impossible
Beginner's stoke! Awesome.
I've been trying all summer in frustration but am starting to see the light. Unfortunately, summer is well a truly over here, but there's still winter.