adam
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| posted on 5-4-2004 at 08:31 |
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Loopy...!!
Just read this in the diaries for Sunday:
quote:
Then, on about my 6th attempt I DID IT.... My first ever FORWARD LOOP and I sailed away from it!! I didn't get far after sailing away
from it as I was more interested in looking behind me to make sure Spencer saw it, and punching the air with my fist as I couldn't
quite believe it myself!!
Well done Al!!  
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ste
Hot shot 
Member #: 193 Posts 45
Registered: 22-4-2003 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 5-4-2004 at 18:48 |
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Hi Al
Can you give us any pointers??
- backhand down the boom?
- jump / bear off?
- look at the clew?
- pull like hell on backhand?
How much height (jump) did you get / do you need?
Ste
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justal
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| posted on 5-4-2004 at 19:24 |
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You've got it about right there. I'm obviously no expert, but as just before I took off I moved my back hand back and beared away to
hit a suitable ramp (steepish 1 foot wave), then just looked over my back shoulder really. The act of twisting to look over my shoulder
made me sheet in pretty hard and also kick my back foot back in the right direction as well.
As far as the height goes, you'll have to ask Psencer as he was watching me, but I think he said I was about 6 foot high on the one I
made.
Having someone there to go for it with you certainly helps. Although, my first 2 attempts were spontaneous, after that Spencer and I
were taking it in turns, one of us would stand in the shallows watching while the other went for it. Having Spencer gong for them too
not only meant that we encouraged each other to keep trying, but also meant there was someone there to fish us out should anything go
horribly wrong, and more importantly there was someone there to see it when I actually pulled one off. I don't think I would have
belived it myself otherwise, let alone managed to convince anyone else that I did it!!
I only wish I'd gone for one earlier in my windsurfing career now.... Mond you. I've only landed one so far, so it might be a long time
before I land another. I can't wait to try again though.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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justal
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| posted on 5-4-2004 at 19:27 |
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Oh yeah...Although it didn't hurt, I'm aching like mad today.. I think that is just due to the time spent on the water over the weekend
though, not just due to the loop attempts.
I guess my next aim is to get one on film for all to see!
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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Nick
Pro 
Member #: 218 Posts 118
Registered: 11-5-2003 Member Is Offline Mood: don't like winter.....too dark
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| posted on 6-4-2004 at 15:24 |
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Congratulations Al+Spencer ..... by the sound of it you're probably still grinning now!
Scuse my naivety (& spelling?), but had you already done a back loop? Which is considered more difficult?
As I sit here at work imagining it, to me a forward loop sounds more daunting.
Cheers
Nick
ps can't believe we've had two great weekends either side of the becalmed FON beach meet, neither of which I've been able to get out.
still, I'm off to Devon next week so hopefully I'll have a few diary entries to make.
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justal
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| posted on 6-4-2004 at 19:10 |
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Thanks Nick... Although after todays attempts at forwards I think the congratulations may have been a little premature!!! I was going
for them on the opposite tack today and didn't get close once...managed to stretch the monofilm on both my 5m and 4.5m sail in the
process though.
I haven't done a back loop... back loops are much more difficult! Initiaiting a back loop is easy, and getting half way around is OK,
but landing them is next to impossible!!! With forwards, initiating them is the scary bit, but once you have and with complete
commitment they are 'supposed' to be quite easy.... Think I'll stick to them on port tack for a while though!
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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Spencer
A Force-of-Nature * 
Member #: 250 Posts 282
Registered: 17-6-2003 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 6-4-2004 at 22:24 |
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Initiating them can be a little scarry to say the least,especially when you get some height.i still hurt today! towards the end i wasnt
looking over my shoulder so ended up diving over the nose of the board every time still practice makes perfect & maybe on shore con. isnt the bset for learning?
[Edited on 9-4-2004 by Spencer]
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geordieboy
Beach Bum 
Member #: 115 Posts 19
Registered: 26-1-2003 Location: Newcastle Member Is Offline Mood: chilling @ work
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| posted on 8-4-2004 at 13:16 |
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well done guy's.....Ideal conditions i found were cross off winds. You don't have to worry about the bearing off bit because as your
leave the wave the wind blows you down wind slightly. Backs i think are easier and definatly far less intimidating. I think of them in
three steps. Firstly hit a steep ramp and jump as high and as vertically as you can. Secondly as you reach the peak of your jump kick
you back foot out slightly and look over your shoulder. Thirdly as your rotation starts sheet out as much as possible. This stops you
over rotatiing and landing on you boom!!. Im no expert but can land about one in six. Good luck.
P.S Ive never hurt myself doin backs or forwards so don't worry about it- no pain no gain- corney but true!!! ive always worn a helmet
thou!
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badexcuseforasailor
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| posted on 8-4-2004 at 20:29 |
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I get scared if I even jump too high
http://brogboroughlake.windsurf.me.uk/
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justal
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| posted on 8-4-2004 at 21:12 |
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Cheers Richie (geordieboy).... Now I'm gonna have to scare myself silly going for back loops too!!... Maybe if I go for them on
starboard tack and front loops on port tack I'll be OK as I'll always have to look over my right shoulder!! 
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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Hans@BW
A Force-of-Nature * 
Member #: 680 Posts 150
Registered: 1-5-2004 Location: Land Locked! Member Is Offline Mood: Need some waves..... :-(
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| posted on 10-5-2004 at 20:46 |
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Al,
Mate just going through the old posts and catching up. Mega Stoke for the forward, I've not tried yet but really want to go for it
this year. Sounds like I need to get my van finished and get my arse down to the beach with you and Spence for tips and
encouragement!
Hans.
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justal
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| posted on 10-5-2004 at 20:48 |
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Sounds good to me.... I still need some encouragement to go for them too I think... Although a decent SW would be a start!!
Doesn't look like theres one of those on the way for a while.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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IainO
Pro
Member #: 153 Posts 93
Registered: 23-2-2003 Member Is Offline Mood: Closer to the sea now
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| posted on 10-5-2004 at 21:20 |
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New years resolution was to fwd loop before the age of 40. Fear of injury on holiday prevented any attempts at Margarita and now we've
got a sodding great High over us for the forseeable future so I'm not going to get the opportunity
Still, its another excuse I suppose
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justal
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| posted on 10-5-2004 at 21:27 |
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Iain.... It took me years of thinking abou and telling myself today was the day it before I actually went for it... I only wish I'd
done it earlier.
Just get together with someone else who is either about to go for their first loop or has just started going for them and just do it!!
I've been there with the fear factor, and I know what its like. You still need to pick your day carefully, but when you get a decent
day and you're comfortable with the conditions / kit, just try it. As I said earlier in this thread, knowing that theres someone
watching you helps as it means there someone to pull you out of the water should it all go wrong, and someone to witness it should you
get close / make it.
Even if you don't make it, you'll have a grin from ear to ear just because you've tried it... Just thinking about that day now makes me
smile.... Looping (or even going for them) is cool!!
So, come on then, who else is ready to loop and willing to declare their intention to go for it next time they get a chance???...
Theres no backing out once you say publicly that you're gonna go for it!!!
Al. (waiting eagerly for decent SW so I can do it again!)
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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Hans@BW
A Force-of-Nature *
Member #: 680 Posts 150
Registered: 1-5-2004 Location: Land Locked! Member Is Offline Mood: Need some waves..... :-(
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| posted on 12-5-2004 at 21:42 |
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Fingers crossed for next week, it's such a bummer that there is no wind for the weekend. Although I see on the long range that there
is a Low coming our way and should be here for Mon Tues next - if it'e doesn't get shifted up and over us by high pressure....
Hans.
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kelvin
A Force-of-Nature ** 
Member #: 148 Posts 356
Registered: 22-2-2003 Location: s.wales Member Is Offline Mood: waiting 4 next blow
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| posted on 13-5-2004 at 15:59 |
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AL been saying i,m going for it all time , guys line up on beach waiting for me to go for! just to have a laugh when i f**k it up ,
probabally something to do with the fact i,m the biggest piss taker out.
ah well may be this weekend ,
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justal
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| posted on 13-5-2004 at 16:45 |
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Maybe this weekend!!! You're only saying that becuase you KNOW there isn't going to be any wind!!!
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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dunk
A Force-of-Nature *** 
Member #: 570 Posts 606
Registered: 2-3-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: Spaced out
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| posted on 13-5-2004 at 17:05 |
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Its only a spin in the air!
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John C
Beach Bum
Member #: 266 Posts 16
Registered: 30-6-2003 Location: N.Yorks/NE Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 16-7-2004 at 21:26 |
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Just started going for forwards again after making excuses for a couple of years. A lot of what you say rings true for me.
The venue was my local reservoir with top end F4, chop suited to port tack jumping, 5.7m sail and 255 FSW. I had been blasting
comfortably for an hour or so, getting some air without having to hunt around too much for a ramp. Thought I would stealthily nip back
to the van and get my helmet just in case the opportunity arose to try a loop.
Unfortunately one of the lads clocked the recently adorned head gear and proceeded to bait me. I was now left with no choice but to go
for it or bottle out and look a complete tart. So I blasted out, hit the first decent lump I could find, bear off, sheet in, forgot to
look over the shoulder but remember looking straight down with the board at 90 degrees to the water thinking ‘ this is going to
hurt sooo much’, then the rotation kicked in, whoosh, bang! Bloody hell I made it right round on to my back with hell of a slap,
but no real pain!! The guy on the foreshore was as surprised as me and said it looked pretty good with plenty of height, just needed
more rotation.
Would I have ever tried it without the fear of adorning the proverbial big girls blouse? Probably not!
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justal
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| posted on 17-7-2004 at 06:11 |
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Nice one John..... Feels pretty good doesn't it.. Although I don't think I'd like to try it on such big kit!
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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Pixelwave Web Design.
justal@forces-of-nature.co.uk