Staying on rails

isuckatwakin · Outlaw Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Posts: 185 City: Pompano Beach

Im fine sliding on things that are like 20 feet long, but when i go to mccormicks or slide the new a frame at rixen, i can NEVER go all the way to the end. I always fall off about halfway through it.
I take a moderate edge at an obstacle, and then flatten off about a second before it. It doesnt matter if i boardslide or 50-50, i still fall off about halfway. I never ollie onto anything. I dont know if my edge is bad or i lean wrong when im ontop of an obstacle.

TheHebrewHammer · Addict Joined: 03 Dec 2010 Posts: 526

Post this in the trick tips forum, not here.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

When you are hitting an obstacle the rope naturally pulls you to one side, so to counteract this, you have to cut in at an angle to keep enough momentum to stay on the whole time. If you are constantly getting pulled off of the rope side, take a harder cut into the obstacle, at more angle. If you're falling off the outside, take less of a cut. It's a balance.

Leaning on top of an obstacle isn't going to do much to stay on it, it's all about the cut.

JV · Posted: Apr 05, 2011 1:57 pm Post subject:

Your edge is about 90% of staying on a rail at cable parks. Leaning isn't going to save you if your approach wasn't good.

Instead of getting in line with the rail and then edging at it softly/moderately, stay in the middle, pick a point on shore to begin your edge towards the rail, and keep a firm, consistent edge all the way to the rail so that you're hitting it at an angle, not straight on.

It's going to feel too fast and freaky at first, but you'll get used to it. Pretty soon you'll be falling off on the outside, and it shouldn't take long to dial it in.

Get in the habit of ollying, even if it's minor. Letting off your edge right before you get to the rail so you can slide your board up it completely negates all the outward momentum you built up with your edge.

isuckatwakin · Outlaw Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Posts: 185 City: Pompano Beach

Do you flatten off like a kicker or do you edge right onto the obstacle?

JV · Posted: Apr 05, 2011 4:15 pm Post subject:

isuckatwakin, I keep my edge and go right into an ollie onto the rail, even if it's just a two inch bunny hop. Just enough to get out of the water and balanced over the top op my board.

If you're not comfortable ollying just yet, DON'T try to edge onto the rail, or you're going to get some nasty off-balance falls. Work on edging at an angle from the middle and flatten out closer and closer to the rail. Soon it will feel like one smooth motion and you'll be comfortable hitting the rail at an angle with a higher rate of speed Then you can start ollying.

I think everyone starts that way--not ollying--but you're rarely going to get a full pull riding onto a rail.

LakeIolaLuke · Posted: Apr 05, 2011 6:05 pm Post subject:

Ollieing is the proper way to hit a rail, not just a style matter. You need to have your momentum going into the rail, just like JV said, and if you flatten off to ride on to a rail you lose that momentum and are already letting the line pull you back in. The A-frame it McCormick's is a perfect example. I ollie from 2-3 away from it, right about when I reach the point where the rail meets the water. This way I'm sliding toward the outside during the uprail portion, and the rope starts pulling me back by the time I'm on the downrail.

GnarShredd · Posted: Apr 06, 2011 10:56 am Post subject:

isuckatwakin · Outlaw Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Posts: 185 City: Pompano Beach

lol can i ollie? my highest ollie is a couple of inches under 4 feet at the nose. ive just never tried ollieing onto anything.