Body Drag

The Body-Drag is a bonified crowd pleaser and quite impressive if you can drag for 2 or 3 miles, onto shore, and then into the parking lot. Learning this move will add a little variety in your sailing choreography because no other move looks anything like it. Not to mention the fun factor! Easy to learn with virtually no risk, I am puzzled everyone does not perform this trick. So jump off your board and start dragging.
Step 1 instruction for Body Drag
Step 2 instruction for Body Drag
Step 3 instruction for Body Drag
Step 4 instruction for Body Drag
Step 5 instruction for Body Drag
Step 6 instruction for Body Drag
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Rider: Royn Bartholdi

Steps

Tips for step 1)  Unhook, get out of the foot straps, and head slightly upwind.
Tips for step 2)   Step off the board with the front foot and begin dragging just that one foot.
Tips for step 3)  Now step off the board with the back foot. Remember not to jump off. Make the transition smooth.
Tips for step 4)  Keep hanging high on the booms and . Look at the mast base. The board will start to head down wind.
Tips for step 5)  Step back on the board by pulling up with your arms and turning on your hip. Then pull your forward foot up to your chest and reach out for the board with your foot.
Tips for step 6)   The back foot will follow, adjust your body position and sail away.
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Tips

  • If you are getting flung over the front of the board then head more upwind when you start your body drag.
  • I recommend the following sequences of exercises on your road to learning the body drag: 

    1. Drag one foot to gain the skill of stepping off the board with the first leg. Also, some people get a little confused on which foot to step off the board first. The front. And this will program your body on the very first step of this move. 

    2. Now drag one foot as before then slowly step off the board and drag to a complete stop. Do this until you have the actual dragging part mastered. Now you just have to figure out how to get back on the board.
  • The tendency to drag on your hip stems from your natural inclination to protect your private parts. Deal with these issues and get exposed.
  • Try not to leap off the board for this is like trying a body-snow-plow with so much drag you will instantly come to a stop.
  • Truly an oxymoron for the key is to drag the least amount of body as possible. Long drags happen because there is very little resistance, hence very little of the body touching the water.
  • After finishing the drag then throw in another maneuver as a nice touch.

Ideas

  • The one handed body drag is killer but get ready to drink some water.
  • How about clew 1st body drags.
  • Learn the drag on both sides.
  • Having a dragging competition to see who among your friends drags the farthest.
  • See what happens when you spread your feet as wide as possible.
  • Try dragging down wind.
  • How about a Body-Drag-360. I have seen a few people try this.