Intermediate rider. Old board was a Nobile T5, just got the 2015 Axis Limited carbon.

Two sessions on it both in fairly choppy water of 20 - 40cm. Found the tail would often slide out just as i'd load it up to do a move / pop.

Need to measure the fins tomorrow. I think they are 40mm. Positioned bindings almost in the centre of the horizontal i.e toe vs heelside edge.

Its slightly bigger than my last board 140 x 43 but i weigh 94kgs. Mate reckons because of extra surface area i wont be sinking as much as i use to on my old board and therefore not digging in as much of the board's rail to help with edging...?

Im wondering if:

1. I need to just get use to it some more
2. Dont take it in such big chop
3. Get bigger fins
4. Mount bindings closer to heelside edge.

Thoughts?

Just a visual for my pad settings,

Try loading with a little more weight on your back foot, or even better remove the fins and get the right technique and put them back. 40mm is fine.

Keep your bindings centered it'll only train poor habits.

Stops your knees blowing out
But that is a lot!

cauncy said..
Size is a tad on the big side for your weight,

please, that's a perfect size. im 75kg and ride 141 with ease. you just need to get use to your board man.

Macster said..
Found the tail would often slide out just as i'd load it up to do a move / pop.

Hi Macster
If the tail is sliding out, it sounds like you are pushing the tail sideways rather than edging and popping properly.
As Nick T says try it without fins and get the correct technique dialled.
40mm fins are huge but can mask a poor technique. With a bad technique, large fins will allow you to ride the board flatter, when you should be riding it more on its rail. Small fins, or taking them off, will force you to edge the board properly, improving your technique, and then when you pop you will be popping off the edge rather than just pushing the tail sideways.

Macster said..
Positioned bindings almost in the centre of the horizontal i.e toe vs heelside edge.

Yeah leave them in the centre, but a wider stance may help.

Macster said..
Its slightly bigger than my last board 140 x 43 but i weigh 94kgs.

It doesn't sound to big to me. Im not familiar with the axis Limited, but I use an Axis Billy and thats 139X 42.5 and I weigh 78KG. BTW I use 18mm fins.

Macster said..
Im wondering if:

1. I need to just get use to it some more
2. Dont take it in such big chop
3. Get bigger fins
4. Mount bindings closer to heelside edge.

Thoughts?

Sound like you just need to get used to the board, if you have only been out twice on it, try a bit more time with it on the water.

Thanks guys. There's obviously room to improve my technique. I have however ridden several times without fins on my Nobile including a session under the Golden gate bridge in San Fran and I could still hold an edge and do jumps etc.

Maybe I have been spoiled by my old and smaller board and developed bad habits!

kemp90 said...

cauncy said..
Size is a tad on the big side for your weight,

please, that's a perfect size. im 75kg and ride 141 with ease. you just need to get use to your board man.

Around your area possibly, here that's a lightwind board, also if your riding a completely different board rocker wise then that's of no use, tad means slightly, not many brands I know of recommend a freeride board at 140 for a 75kg rider

Plummet said..
if you still have the old board slap those 55mm fins on and give it a go

Yeah for sure, do this if you have no desire to ever get better at kiteboarding