Windsurfing Technique
Helicopter Tack

Text and Pics: Christian Goebel/FYM Productions
Rider: Lars Petersen D-99

The Heli Tack is at the core of freestyle as it combines front-to-sail control in a transition.

Nail this, and you have the critical aspect to many moves including Carving 360s, Geckos, Upwind 360s, Spocks, Shakas and Flakas.

Ideal conditions for practising are constant wind and a small to medium sail size.

If you have never tried the Heli Tack before, it’s a big advantage to get the feel of it in light winds on a floaty board.

Let's have a look at it step-by-step. In the next pages, you can click on the images to enlarge and see a sequence slideshow...