How to maintain a cross wind heading?

It's a very important thing to know for anyone doing downwinders on a non ruddered board.. Keeping your direction is more important than catching runners.. Most people just do wide stroke direction changing paddle strokes.. The problem is that this often doesn't work in really strong winds and that's when you need it the most.. If your board is pointing the wrong way (off the wind) and you take 10 wide strokes to get the nose to come around.. and it doesn't.. Then that's 10 strokes that you've paddled the board the wrong direction.. First thing you need to do is get the nose pointed to where you want to go.. Then do your wide paddle strokes.. and as soon as your nose starts to point the wrong way you need to stop paddling.. Back paddle on the other side till you are pointing the right way again.. then swap sides and continue your wide paddle strokes... If you are wide stroke paddling on your right side (to make the board go left) you can also tip the boards right rail to make the opposite rail thing happen deliberately.. It works well to turn across the runners that you are just surging on (non planing).. If you are lucky enough to be planing you can surf the board to the left if you can get on the tail.. If you can't get on the tail and need to stay forward on the board to keep it planing you can drag your paddle on the left side to help make the board turn left.

DJ