The Flip-360 is a graceful trick adding continuous movement to your sailing on those light wind days with no sacrifice to position or direction. It is simply a fun filler when other sailing stiffs are slogging, cussing, and passing negative karma to the wind gods.This move combined with backwinded sailing, Heli-Tacks, and Haas-Tacks will keep you in the 'moment' when the wind is light. You will gain confidence, balance, and masterful sail control while learning this trick.

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Rider: Royn Bartholdi

Steps

1) Unhook and get out of the foot straps. Head up wind by raking the sail back. Place your forward foot in front of the mast.

2) When the board approaches the eye of the wind (EoW) and begins to stall then lean forward on your front foot. Your feet should be in a slightly wide stance.

3) Backwind the sail by drawing the mast into the eye of the wind (eoW) and applying outward pressure with the clew hand.This feels like you are slicing the leading edge of the mast into the wind. Your weight will shift forward over the center of the board.

4) Slowly let the force of the sail move the nose of the board around to the other tack while maintaining your body balance over the board and keeping your hands and knees bent. The forward arm is slightly extended. Your heels are down on the deck.

5) The board will slowly swing to a broad reach (downwind) by keeping the sail in a fixed position to the wind and allowing your lower body to twist. This involves opening your hips and letting your clew hand slight collapse so that your weight shifts to the back leg.

6) Start pushing out with the clew hand while pulling the mast to the nose of the board. This will prepare the sail for the new tack as well as reposition your body. This where many people lose control of the move.

7) Continue pushing with the clew and pulling with the forward arm as the clew passes thru the eye of the wind (EoW) and powers up the opposite side of the sail. Sit back on the tail of the board, like in a chair.

8) The board will now rotate faster to the other tack. Pull your body toward the sail a little to get your body weight toward the center of the board.

9) Pull your front foot and place behind the mast and reposition your body as you recover from the move.

Videos

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This move (performed out of the straps) gets confused with the Upwind 360 (which is in the straps). Notice I initiate this maneuver by placing the leading foot in front of the mast base while sheeting back the sail. Then I move the leading edge of the sail into the wind while keeping my arms extended and away from my body. This will cause the sail to backwind and rotate the board. As the board rotates I progressively shift my weight toward the tail of the board, then sheet out the backhand while pulling in the front arm to complete the rotation.

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Tips

Practice backwinded sailing.
While backwinded sailing, try to get the nose of the board to head up and down wind at will so you learn how to use the sail to control the board.

Ideas

How about clew first.
Try to perform multiple rotations.
Lead with the tail of the board.
Duck the sail 1/2 way thru the rotation to exit clew 1st.