If I close my eyes, I cant see the video anymore.

Was watching some looping videos tonight actually, including robby looping a longboard

How important is raising the windward rail/dropping the leeward rail? Everyone seems to do it...

there was in interview with robbie naish ages and ages and ages back that i was reading, and they were asking him how to do back loop this is pretty much what he said..

1. jump
2. go round
3. land and sail off
it's that simple i know it's the wrong direction but i think its funny story. you know like ha ha funny. not like haircut funny with his strange kite vids

To me there is a big fundamental difference between a forward roll on a kite and a forward loop:

On a kite all rotations are initiated before takeoff by pushing against the water. Once in the air, there is nothing to push against, hence the rotation cannot be initiated or changed (other than slowed by extending your body). The kite is neutral in all this. It just flies overhead and keeps you suspended to give you more time to complete the rotation. Initiating rotations while still on the ground by pushing off the ground is the same in most if not all sports be it skiing, gymnastics, ice skating, diving, etc. etc.

Windsurfing however is different. We have a sail. There is as much power in the sail when we are airborne as there is when we are on the ground. Hence windsurfers can initiate and change rotations in mid air using the sail. That's why high jumps into stalled forwards and Kauli's push loop into forward are possible. I don't know of any other sport where you can turn a back rotation into a forward rotation in the same move.

The point of all this:
For me the sail is more important in initiating the forward loop than what the body is doing. It is the sail that throws us into a catapult or a forward loop. Unlike other sports it matters less whether you're looking back over your shoulder, at the mast foot or even just straight ahead.

The sail needs to go forwards and slightly to windward before it can fully power into the rotation. This is often done automatically by putting the back hand further back on the boom. Sheeting in hard then automatically moves the sail forwards. To me this is the key. Of course you also need to lean forwards, tuck the back foot up and point the board slightly downwind.

PS: a forward roll on a kite is much easier to learn than a forward loop and doesn't give anything close to the buzz of a forward.

Looking back also means that it's the back of your head that hits the water when you under-rotate, and not your ear.. unless you like burst eardrums, or a constant whistling sound this is a good thing!

keep the tips comin' mates..i need to do a forward without breaking anything..last i remember 95' 96' i went for it without any clue only video's of pros on a of all boards a mistral energyas i was rotating i didn't generate lift that much the mast slammed and cracked the rail and ripped the top two panels..pretty expensive mistake

jp747 said...

keep the tips comin' mates..

this is more spin loop, but anyway:

Preparation:
0) Wear a wetsuit or at least a wetsuit vest - you *will* be slapping your back a bit
1) Back hand way back, 30cm or more
2) Front hand back a little too, near the front harness line but still comfortable
3) Thumbs under, fingers over grip works for me
4) Wedge your feet in the straps
5) look for the ramp!
3&4 means you won't be losing the boom or the board on the way around.

The loop:
1) spot your ramp - you want to be sure you get some air!
2) as you pop your extending your front hard forward and up, and pulling in with the back hand, think more about getting the rig forward and up and across the wind than just sheeting in.
3) Pull your back foot under your bum and push away with the front foot so you've turned the board downwind, pretty much just by scissoring your legs
4) Look back, keep your feet tucked up and hang on tight

In reality 2,3,4 all overlap. And you want the rig forward, like you're bearing away as hard as you can on a longboard, if you just look back and sheet in you're in for a big back slap.

if the swell is pretty much the same direction as the wind then it's hard, so go off the back of chop or look for chop off the normal angle. You can spin loop on dead flat water, provided you head a bit downwind, get some speed, and get some pop off anything you can find. The nose will stick in, but that just helps you get around. I wouldn't start off learning them heading up swells first - you don't need massive air anyway.

2 north "freeride" sails actually, but i reckon any sail would have been stuffed if they didn't have xply

your front hand and pray