The way a beginner or intermediate rides the board like a boat is very different from planing which is really like doing a "wheelie" on a skateboard or snowboard. At low wind, to practice you can basically go directly down wind with the boom directly across your body. Then yank back the sail and tip the nose up. This is the feeling. The control parameters is body weight lean fore/aft and pulling the boom fore/aft. However, now the turning when truly planing is all heel and toe like a true surfboard on a wave. Understanding this is the key. It's impossible to be in the footstraps in low wind condition where you ride on board like a boat. Imagine a speed boat going faster and tipping back on it's tail, now that's planing. However, on a windsurfing setup the rider has to force the nose up and then find the equilibrium with feet in the straps and riding on one edge of the tail.

whats poppin milner

Help me a lot, good simple education. Thanks!

Many thanks for this explanation, I have been struggling with this...

Looking forward to that day!

Can you explain a bit more how you avoid heading upwind when you take your front foot off. That seems to be my biggest problem. Thanks,

Thanks , great video!

Really cool tip.....Thanks!

Nice one! Very accurately described and explained in simple terms!

Pretty simple and cool video. No fanciness; no unnecessary stuff. Straight to the point in one of the most clear explanations I've seen to date.

Very important is not to look down at your feet while getting in the straps! You can look down for a moment BEFORE you do that. Especially with the back foot my trick is to put it right in front of the strap (after I stepped in with the front foot), so I can feel the strap with my foot. Then when I need to step in, I know exactly without looking where I need to step. The correct timing will also come naturally: there is a short moment when you feel weight is automatically lifted from back foot. That's the moment you have to step in.

I think there is an important step before sliding the back foot in, which is move the back foot towards the rail just in front of the back strap. This movement is very important because in the way you described it you will always end in a catapult since as you lift the back foot the sail is too much upright and will throw you out the front door.

Try to learn to sail sub-planing in the footstraps - well worth the effort to have this skill in the quiver. To be able to do this you need to hang in the harness with the sail forward as much as possible with fairly bent legs - get onto the plane by bearing off and pushing the board onto the plane. It also enables you to stay in the straps when coming off the plane in a lull, and it also avoids catapults so a good method if the wind is strong. It is fairly tiring so only do it shortly before you anticipate a gust or if the wind is strong enough.

Thanks !