Basic drop start

To learn the drop start I did it in several steps.

Drop start with the mast resting on the dock

After learning the high dock start with the foil in the water, I went on to do it similarly but with the foil out of the water, but with the mast resting on the dock still close to the water.

The steps to follow are:

1. Find a space under the dock for the stab
2. Support the mast on the dock.
3. The left foot on the corner of the dock, and the right one a step back (if you’re not goofy, the other way around)
4. Left hand in the middle of the board and the right hand behind it a little off-centre to the right.
5. Lean back to gain momentum, also leaning the board towards you and look at the board at the point where you usually put the front foot to pump.
6. Lean forward with the board, first releasing the left hand and holding the right hand a little longer to push the board forward at the same speed as the body.
7. This point of keeping your hand is key, most of the time I fail it is because I don’t push the board enough. You should also try to make the foil fall almost flat to the water, or at least that the stabilizer doesn’t touch the water long before the front wing.
8. Keep your eyes on the point on the board where you put your front foot until it touches the board without pressing too much, and when you put your back foot, pump, emphasizing the back foot. The front foot will touch the board first, but in your head you have to think about trying to put them at the same time so that the difference is as small as possible.

Drop start without resting the mast on the dock

Once this stage is over, we move on to the next phase, the real drop start where the mast no longer touches the dock, and it is not necessary to have a space under the dock, so it can be done from a jetty or a high rock as well.

The steps to follow are:

1. I place my left foot on the corner of the dock and the right one a step back (the other way around if you’re not goofy like me).
2. I support the left side of the board on my right knee and the right side of the board with my right hand.
3. While looking at the point on the board where I put my front foot when pumping, I lean back a little with the board.
4. Then I push forward. Keeping my right hand on the board to push the board forward at the same speed as my body, and to make the foil touch the water almost flat.
5. I put my front foot first but without much force and as often as possible on the back foot.
6. I pump quickly emphasizing the back foot.

Once learned from a safe and controlled dock, this method can be used to exit from many different locations, such as:

Sideway drop start

A felled tree

Stairs

A railing

A rock

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