As I've progressed through my foiling journey over the past couple of months, I have successfully got to the point where I'm no longer a danger to myself or others now.
I'm using harness lines confidently, foiling for multiple kms solid, and even starting to think about my first foiling gybes.
One thing has remained consistently difficult and at times even slightly scary in that time though: sailing on port tack
On starboard tack everything feels great. I feel like I could take both hands of the boom, read a book, pick my nose, no problem.
Port tack is my 'tricky' side, where everything suddenly feels super twitchy and I really, really have to concentrate. On port tack I often find it difficult to get a comfortable solid stance, even though my feet and hand position on the boom is exactly the same for both tacks. Starboard tack is - overwhelming - also my preferred jumping tack on the fin too so I'm guessing I'm left-foot dominant, which may have something to do with it.
My equipment on both sides of the board and sail is set up identically.
Does anyone else have a similar problem? Does it fade with more practice over time?
Are you goofy footed? As I am the opposite, port tack is really natural, starboard tack always a bit weird, especially wave riding.
Yeah regular footed I'm better, jibing from port tack is my "good" direction. Starboard jibes not as much.
Yep. Guess I'm goofy footed. Weird, because I surf regular footed (very badly!).
Glad to know this is not uncommon. It was driving me mad trying to figure out what I was doing wrong!
Not sure everybody has the problem but I certainly feel like a gumby when riding swell/waves on starboard tack and its really natural on port tack......left brain bias???
Try sailing switch stance out of gybe on your good side as long as you can. Will change muscle memory.
sounds like a time on water problem to me, I can't remember having a strong preference tack-wise but I wouldn't be surprized if there was some kind of assymetry in my riding stance. In my opinion windfoiling is much more susceptible to slight variation in body weight than the fin and windfoiling is dicey to begin with so I would claim the comfort you have on starboard a success, and expect to see a similar comfort level on port come with time.
