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Bio - Eric L. Mihelbergel is an intermediate/advanced windsurfer, kiteboarder, and foiler living in the Great Lakes Region of New York State who enjoys sharing about windsports and fitness.
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Foot Straps - Windsurfing
(Written September 2022)
At first thought it seems that the topic of "Foot Straps" is pretty simple and straight forward. Further analysis, however, reveals that foot straps are actually quite complicated and very important. There are many factors to consider including tightness or looseness of the strap, height of the strap, width of the strap, inboard or outboard placement, forward or rearward placement, narrow stance or a wide stance, feet on top of the board or feet on the side of the board, riding in waves or flat water or freestyle? Many, many factors to consider.
Narrow versus Wide Stance
Let's start with stance as this can be nicely illustrated on a spectrum from narrow to wide stance.
Narrow Stance Wide Stance
Hydrofoil <--> Freeride <--> Freestyle <--> Slalom <--> Wave
Let's start with stance as this can be nicely illustrated on a spectrum from narrow to wide stance.
Narrow Stance Wide Stance
Hydrofoil <--> Freeride <--> Freestyle <--> Slalom <--> Wave
Now, let's discuss it. Your stance on the hydrofoil can be very narrow (feet closer together) because there is NO CHOP with a hydrofoil. The board doesn't bounce, so you can stand taller. Likewise, with very large windsurfing freeride boards you will typically be using a very large sail because the wind is light, thereby creating very little chop, so you can use a narrow stance as well. Maybe not as narrow as a foil stance, but still fairly narrow. In general, you will use a narrower stance on bigger boards, and a wider stance on small boards. The narrow stance also helps you to be 'taller' which allows you to push away from the board more in order to sheet in the sail harder particularly when driving upwind. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you need a very wide stance on your wave board so that you can get lower. You want to be lower when wave riding to be in a 'surfy' stance and so you can control the board. For freestyle riding you want your stance somewhat narrow to get greater pop, but also wide enough apart for some stability. And you can see from the spectrum above where slalom fits in. Of course, all of this depends on your height. Shorter people need a narrower stance than taller people in general.
Inboard versus Outboard
With inboard foot straps you approach the board from the top. With outboard foot straps you approach the board from the side. This is an extremely important distinction. When you approach the board from the top with inboard foot straps the chop will push you up as your knees absorb the chop. The board will begin to bounce, and as it bounces your sail will sheet in and out, in and out, thereby increasing and decreasing mast foot pressure over and over which makes the board bounce even more. This slows you down and makes for an uncomfortable ride. As the board bounces air gets under the board and causes spinout. If you move the foot straps to the outboard position your heels will then be on the side of the board. With your heels and body approaching the board from the side instead of the top you will not experience the bounce of the chop. Your body is riding on the side of the board, not the top. This allows you to push away from the sail which sheets the sail in for more power. Your ankle bends properly at the rail of the board. Use this foot strap position for freeride and slalom sailing to go faster. The downside is that you are not maneuverable at all. So for wave riding and freestyle sailing you will need to move the foot straps to the inboard position. Your rear foot strap will be on the centerline of the board. The foot straps must be kept big for wave riding so that the toes of your rear foot are on the opposite side of the board. The front foot strap must also be kept big so that your ankle firmly presses on the foot strap allowing you to turn the board onto the rail without the heel of the foot coming off the board. This is essential for wave riding where you are turning fast and need everything to be very responsive. You also need your ankles pressing firmly against the foot strap when jumping so that you can tip the board off the wind slightly with your feet. Blasting on a freeride or slalom board is the opposite as you want tighter foot straps to keep your heels anchored on the rail. Freestyle windsurfing requires tall but narrow foot straps. The narrowness is needed for control as your foot rolls side to side on freestyle moves and presses against the foot strap.
In order to deal with the chop while wave riding you will lean the board on its side while you are going into the chop so the board slices through. This is also necessary in order to drive a wave board upwind as the fins are very small. When driving upwind with a wave board it is necessary to pull your feet out of the strap toward the rail of the board. This allows you to approach the board from the side as discussed above.
With inboard foot straps you approach the board from the top. With outboard foot straps you approach the board from the side. This is an extremely important distinction. When you approach the board from the top with inboard foot straps the chop will push you up as your knees absorb the chop. The board will begin to bounce, and as it bounces your sail will sheet in and out, in and out, thereby increasing and decreasing mast foot pressure over and over which makes the board bounce even more. This slows you down and makes for an uncomfortable ride. As the board bounces air gets under the board and causes spinout. If you move the foot straps to the outboard position your heels will then be on the side of the board. With your heels and body approaching the board from the side instead of the top you will not experience the bounce of the chop. Your body is riding on the side of the board, not the top. This allows you to push away from the sail which sheets the sail in for more power. Your ankle bends properly at the rail of the board. Use this foot strap position for freeride and slalom sailing to go faster. The downside is that you are not maneuverable at all. So for wave riding and freestyle sailing you will need to move the foot straps to the inboard position. Your rear foot strap will be on the centerline of the board. The foot straps must be kept big for wave riding so that the toes of your rear foot are on the opposite side of the board. The front foot strap must also be kept big so that your ankle firmly presses on the foot strap allowing you to turn the board onto the rail without the heel of the foot coming off the board. This is essential for wave riding where you are turning fast and need everything to be very responsive. You also need your ankles pressing firmly against the foot strap when jumping so that you can tip the board off the wind slightly with your feet. Blasting on a freeride or slalom board is the opposite as you want tighter foot straps to keep your heels anchored on the rail. Freestyle windsurfing requires tall but narrow foot straps. The narrowness is needed for control as your foot rolls side to side on freestyle moves and presses against the foot strap.
In order to deal with the chop while wave riding you will lean the board on its side while you are going into the chop so the board slices through. This is also necessary in order to drive a wave board upwind as the fins are very small. When driving upwind with a wave board it is necessary to pull your feet out of the strap toward the rail of the board. This allows you to approach the board from the side as discussed above.
Footstraps Forward or Back
If you move the footstraps rearward then the board will ride more on its tail and fin at high speeds thereby reducing board surface area that is in contact with the water. This reduces friction and increases speed. By moving the footstraps more forward you will flatten the board allowing it to plane earlier as you are gliding more and not pushing as much water. So for speed you should move the foot straps back. For early planing you should move the foot straps forward.
If you move the footstraps rearward then the board will ride more on its tail and fin at high speeds thereby reducing board surface area that is in contact with the water. This reduces friction and increases speed. By moving the footstraps more forward you will flatten the board allowing it to plane earlier as you are gliding more and not pushing as much water. So for speed you should move the foot straps back. For early planing you should move the foot straps forward.
