Easiest wing foil tack technique I've found for both toe to heel side and heel to toe side.
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Published 2023-02-24
I originally created this channel to curate other people's videos into playlists. This makes it easy for my students to find the videos that would best compliment what I teach them in-person. Now I've decided to make at least some videos of my own, to "fill gaps" in the offerings.
I've watched every "how to wing foil tack" video I can find on YouTube and I only wanted to pick one (see my playlist). While @AnnelousLammerts teaches basically the same technique that I use, I felt the tack deserved a more detailed tutorial. Dozens of hours in front of the camera and at the computer later, this video has become my first significant how to for the channel.
I hope it helps you learn. Please leave questions and success stories in the comments!
The description continues below the chapter list.
00:00 Introduction
01:53 Toe to heel tack land wing handling practice
03:57 Glide exercise to gain important foil sense (watch for both tacks)
04:11 How to toe to heel tack, step by step in slow motion.
05:54 Review main points of toe to heel tack at full speed.
06:14 Heel to toe tack (I recommend learning toe to heel first)
06:22 Heel to toe tack land wing handling practice
07:42 Heel to toe tack, step by step in slow motion.
09:25 The main difference between toe and heel side tacks: hand switch
10:51 How it feels to tack
12:02 Why use this technique? Why is it efficient, easy and reliable?
14:16 Credits and bloopers
14:41 A "teaching moment" with my friend Scott, making his third fully foiling tack!
This technique, which is basically the same for both the toe to heel and heel to toe tack, grew out of many sessions of tacking practice. Lots of trial and error, watching friends who could tack better than me and of course watching YouTube videos! But at some point I thought there should be no reason that the heel side tack should be so different from the toe side. At the time I was starting to work on the heel side, summer of 2022, the YouTube videos and my friends were all using a technique that is totally different, driving up into the wind with power in their wing until they were almost head-to-wind. I tried it a bit and decided it was really difficult that way! So I started to duplicate the technique I'd learned for toe side tacks.
I spent a long time honing the toe side tack technique where you grab your new front hand really early and lunge it into the wind as you start the turn. This works pretty well, but it isn't nearly as reliable and easy as this technique. When I started to bend my front arm to initiate, it was a bit revolutionary. I normally don't bend my front arm at all while winging. But for my tack, it's the secret of my success!
This video is very information packed! I encourage you to watch it multiple times. Take in as many points as you can in a viewing, then go to the water. After each practice session revisit the appropriate sections (see chapter links below) to see mentally check off aspects you are starting to "get" and see if you are ready to absorb the next most important technique point(s).
Of course if possible, hire me to coach you in-person and I'll be sure to let you know in real time what is most important for you to adjust in your technique next!
I referenced two videos that I'll be uploading soon. Meanwhile the same information is covered in my technique blog:
Basic winging posture
wingcoachdavid.com/2023/01/02/basic-winging-postur…
Easiest techniques for full control
wingcoachdavid.com/2023/01/11/easiest-techniques-f…
I highly recommend reading / watching these two posts prior to attempting the tack and ideally before you watch this video.
I also promised a separate video describing the glide exercise briefly highlighted here. Stay tuned by subscribing and clicking the bell! This exercise is key to learning all transitions.
Credits
I want to thank my first in-person students in Florida for their support and encouragement. I also really appreciate Shawn (sorry I miss spelled his name in the video credits) and the whole team at Jupiter Kite boarding, plus Keith & Chris at Fin & Foil, for providing such great shops near Stuart, Florida where this video was made.
Jupiter Kite Boarding in Jupiter, FL
www.jupiterkiteboarding.com/
Fin & Foil in Fort Pierce, FL
www.finandfoilusa.com/
The camera on the boom mount was a dji Osmo Action 3 in Horizon Steady mode. I love this camera so far! It's more reliable and user friendly than my old GoPro 7 Silver.
All Comments (16)
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Today I made an important technique discovery for tacking! I'm going to be including it in a follow-up video where I detail the differences and challenges of starting your tack going closer to the wind, which in this video I did not recommend for initial learning. Here is the "spoiler!" Especially for the heel to toe tack, it's helpful to pre-bank your board into the wind prior to bringing the wing overhead! When you do this, you will feel more pressure in your back toes than your back heel, indicating that the pre-bank is ready to go. This helps you make the sharper carved turn required for starting your tack close to the wind, the most difficult version of this very useful transition. Please subscribe and ring the bell to see the follow-up video as soon as it's published!
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Initially I was unsure about the rather 'Zen' like approach of this tutorial, But after watching, and properly listening. I think this is one of, if not the best 'Tacking' tutorials, that I have seen. Certainly answered all the questions I had regarding my slowing down, stalling, mid tack. (not enough front foot pressure , I think?) Thank you.
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Very good instructions. I have tried to learned tacking for many months, finally I can nail toe-to-heel tack with acceptable successful rate. From your video, I realized that my heel-to-toe tack is missing the board movement that your feet show in your video. I would like to try next time
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Brilliant, cant wait to try it. Thanks for taking the time to do this tutorial.
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Thanks for creating the video. Some very clear tips to take forward. Cheers mate.
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Thank you for sharing knowledge...great edit..lots of valuable information. We all appreciate your positive attitude around the beach and on the water...you are a true wing foil ambassador...an exceptional athlete and a pretty good coach. I see your students progressing
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Fantastic illustrations, video footage, and instruction! Thank you for putting this together and sharing. 🙌🔥
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Amazing, thanks for sharing
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Hello David , de France ,l'image permet de comprendre merciiiii Î havé to improve my english 🙂
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Thanks so much for your video🙏🙏🙏. It is the best tutorial for the Wingfoil tack I have ever seen! I can try this in my next holiday in Egypt.
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Thanks.
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Great views of Lake Superior.
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Wow this is incredible!
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Nice to see that you have taken up winging. Seems like a great sport for you with your background in windsurfing. Great video, too.
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Hey David. Thank you very much for the guidance. I have an off-topic question. One of the locations where I get in and out of the water the rocks under foot are painful even through my wetsuit booties. Do the five finger shoes that you are wearing give good protection to the soles of your feet? I see that some of the models come with a vibram sole. Thanks! The season is sputtering to life here in the SF Bay ; )
