How To.........Flaka Diablo.

Flaka diablo from Stephen Gibson on Vimeo.

Once again, consistency in your basic flakas is a prerequisite here.

Pop as you would for a normal flaka, catch the nose and begin the backward slide.

Timing is crucial here- wait until you feel the board begin it's spin and take the front hand off the boom, moving it back to the clew end as in a duck gybe. If you let go too early, the board will carry on in a straight line backwards until it stops planing and you will fall in while being whipped around by the sail like a rag doll, much to the amusement of onlookers!

As the board rotates, reach around the boom with the old back hand, pulling the sail across yourself to stop the board over-rotating, and quickly get the sail under control in the clew-first position with both hands on the new side.

Sheet in, and flip the sail or gybe the board to sail off on a new tack.....................

How To......One-Handed Flaka

One-handed flaka from Stephen Gibson on Vimeo.

I am assuming you have your flakas pretty well dialled before you try this variation.

Approach the manoeuvre exactly as you would a normal flaka and, as you pop the board, quickly shift your back hand up the boom towards the mast (mine normally ends up around the back harness line) ,at the same time letting go completely with your front hand.

When the nose has caught and the board is sliding backwards, wait a split second until you see that the board has begun to rotate (spin) and quickly shift your back hand again forwards towards the mast, this time catching the boom in front of the harness lines.

Keep your arm fairly straight to keep the sail upright and, as the board completes the 360, throw the sail forwards to stop it over-rotating into wind.

Grab the boom with your free hand, move your back hand back to the normal sailing position, smile at the camera, and sail off...........