Cowboy
Heehaw! If you have ever been to the rodeo and watched the calf-roping competition then you will recognize how this move got its name. The Cowboy has a unique feel and illustrates creative control over the sail by allowing the sail to wrap around the sailor. Be sure, performing this move will lasso some attention from the beech.
Rider: Royn Bartholdi
Steps
1)
Head across the wind with steady, moderate, and controlled speed. Unhook, get out of the footstraps, and shift your weight forward on the board.
2)
Step your forward foot in front of the mast base while keeping the sail sheeted-in so the board stays on a plane.
3)
Shift your weight to your front foot and quickly release the backhand to grab forward on the boom -- or the mast if you desire. Let go of the front hand. This should be performed seamlessly.
4)
Notice the sail is draped away from your body even though you are still relatively centered over the board. Up until this point, the whole dynamic is the setup for backwinded portion of the move.
5)
Now pull the mast toward your body and reach the open hand to the other side (the leeward side) of the boom. Your back foot has shifted forward as well.
6)
Keep pullng the sail across the body and into the eye of the wind.
7)
Backwind the sail by extending the arms into the wind and turning your shoulders upwind. Your feet will naturally shift. Sail backwinded for a few moments.
8)
Let go of the front hand, shift the back hand forward, and turn away from the sail.
9)
Keep turning and swing your leg around, stepping on center of the board so now your back is to the sail. Use your other foot as a pivot.
10)
Swing the open hand around as well. Push on the sail for a little extra action. Very Cool!
11)
Pull on the forward hand in the same way you would throw a discus in track and field. I guess all of life is interconnected -- today we have fused a cowboy with a windsurfer with a track and field Olympian.
12)
The sail will wrap around your body and the sail will rotate as the clew passes through the eye of the wind.
13)
Grab the other side of the boom with the open hand.
14)
let go of the other hand.
15)
djust and sail away Mr. or Mrs. John Wayne. Videos
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Many sailors ask me about this move. The Cowboy starts off as a Backwinded Jibe so be sure to master that move first before attempting this maneuver. The primary skill in this move takes place after you step to the other side of the sail. The key is to pivot your back to sail and slide the hand to the mast. This takes a little fancy footwork while maintaining your weight over the centerline of the board. Once your back is to sail then pull with the front arm like throwing a discus in track and field. This action causes the sail to unwrap from you back and rotates in front of you. This move become more difficult on smaller boards and high winds.
Tips
Heehaw! If you have ever been to the rodeo and watched the calf-roping competition then you will recognize how this move got its name. The Cowboy has a unique feel and illustrates creative control over the sail by allowing the sail to wrap around the sailor. Be sure, performing this move will lasso some attention from the beech.
Ideas
- Go into another move after completing this move.
- How about a double cowboy.
- How about a grabbing the boom with the open hand in the backwinded position and turning the board into jibe, exiting in the contrarian -- kind of a reverse jizz maneuver.
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