VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

I have decided if all I want to do is wavesail, I am slowly going to get disillusioned with some of the local sailing. I don't want to get disillusioned so instead I want to broaden my horizons and learn some freestyle. I really want to learn to do vulcans. I also need to learn to do reliable fast tacks.
Has anyone had experience taking lessons somewhere that you would recommend. Preferably no further away than Oregon.

(I have the tricktionary app and book already - it only works so well for me. I think Downwind Dave saw my interpretation of a heli tack on Maui and can attest to this fact. Apparently I was inventing a new move - it doesn't end pretty.)

Alternatively maybe I could pay one of you local experts and you could host a little mini freestyle session at the lake?

Good plan J-fish. I would like to learn some tricks as well. Sometimes mowing the lawn doesn't cut it for me. I'm a little lazy mentally, so formal ish lessons work better for me.
I really like video play back, on the spot, cause it's so hard to see yourself and your bad habits.
Let's see what unfolds and move "forward". Get it. [smilie=beer.gif]

Wyatt Miller offers lessons in the Gorge, but I'm sure any of we who flail "freestyle" at the lake would be be happy to teach oldskool vulcans, etc for free.

it's true you need to keep learning new moves/techniques in this sport or you get bored with no waves. The forward and shuvit are still really fun for me at Nitinat and other flatwater spots.

Vulcans will come. Just crash 643 times until you nail one ;) i think one of the big obstacles for people learning freestyle is the fear of repeatedly crashing. Once you accept that you'll be getting hucked and tossed (a lot), the crashing can be fun. You have to "want" the move badly enough to land it; going half way seems to lead to bad muscle memory and the move stays just out of reach (from my experience), and it's easy to just let it go with frustration.

A freestyle board makes any of the sliding tricks much easier, but they are a handful OP'd or in lots of chop and don't jump very well off their flat rockers, but they are fantastic in their intended conditions. Look for a used board in the Gorge.

Grubbies and maybe flakas are still on my freestyle bucket list, but a torn meniscus is messing with me these days Having other sailors pushing themselves around you really helps keep stoke and interest up. Our little group seems to be stagnating a bit on this front...cool to see you want to push your sailing further. Nitinat offers world class freestyle conditions, but most sailors stay in such a narrow comfort band as if they were sponsored by John Deere.

abkboardsports.com Gorge, Rio Vista, Hatteras, etc. I'd be in for it. The freestyle boards plane up fast, in less wind, and are easier to pop. The trade offs are they are not smooth jibers and they ride a little rough in chop. Thanks for the offer Windoctor. I need some shuvit tips and plan on working on vulcans at the Lake and PA. Loosen up those foot straps! I must have done 2000 tacks and I still don't get a lot of them

Lessons = good idea.

Yes John Deere is my sponsor.

For us weekend/summer sailors.....How about a starboard jibe lesson....I have Nitinatitus....can make 100% of port jibes.....way less success on starboard jibes.

Would be nice for one of you experts to vid me on your iphone and then tell me what I am doing wrong.

Payment in beer.

Good motivation Janet. I too would like to spice up the flatwater a bit. The 88L Flare is really asking me to do it. Kinda like the first time I tried a true downhill bike on a steep slope. These things seem to know what they are made for, and are itching to do it. For a freestyle board the Flare handles chop well and it jumps well for me. Surprisingly, I find it a great all-round board. Feel free to try it if you see me at the beach.

For tacks, watch PaulL. He seems to have them wired.

I find visualization an easy and effective first step. It helped me with gybes, and has been useful for my forward loop attempts. Watch those online videos and DVDs over and over again. Going through the motions on dry land helps too. Set up an old board with a boom and lower half of the mast.

I'd be into a lesson at the lake too. I might bug you Windoc for shuvit tips. They look fun.

Hmmm, You've now got me pondering watching the Tricktionary DVD this eve.

I just saw Wyatt in Reedsport en route to the gorge. Better get there fast before he's all booked up. Bring beer and women for the best pricing.

Check out Philip Kosters tacks. Blinding

What kind of woman Moo ?

for tacks, heli tacks and upwind 360s i found taking out the sup board in light winds was a huge help for getting things dialed in. the tougher moves i am still trying to figure out, i watch a lot of youtubes. main thing is really to have fun and a go for it attitude!

GWIND wrote:What kind of woman Moo ?

Based on my observations over the last two weeks, it all depends on how much beer.

It would be fun to get on of these land boards and practice back winding the sail.

Redbareass

There was one or two of those around Nanaimo, in the olden days. They were French made and cool. They were wooden and had inflatable tires, and were so fun. Sailed with a Leicht MacBride radial 55 square foot sail.
Long beach is the perfect place for a burn. Maybe we could find one

Chris and I have one of those - made it ourselves. A little scary though - only used it on pavement, sand would be better.

Thanks for all of the replies. I am thinking it comes down to having a few other people out there to help push each other. Maybe when some nice weather comes we can a have a little-freestyle throw-down, crash-down at the lake. Prizes for the best wipe outs. I think it is going to come down to wiping out 1000 times with a little hints along the way

the Vulcan is a great goal. and a gateway to all sorts of advanced moves i have heard. you can download this guy's pdf, it had a bit more info than trictionary. print it off and take it to the lake. with some good prep it won't take a thousand tries, only a couple hundred. the flip side is your waterstarts become awesome.
http://www.guycribb.com/userfiles/documents/vulcan.pdf

Jem Hall has a great Vulcan vid. I will see if I can load it up later.