what size fins u guys riding for the gulf chop?

Sorry should have been more specific...

Riding in chop and slipping out, my guess is that you are riding a stiff board. Stiff boards are very fast in flat water and will pop for unhooked tricks like a springboard... but in the chop you can easily start "skipping" from wave tip to wave tip (like a shell skips across the surface of a lake when you throw it jut right)... this means your fins are only in the water briefly and if you are edging, you are going to slip out and fall.

I'm familiar with this because at 195lbs I ride a lot of stiff boards for that extra pop.

The only option here is SLOW DOWN. How? Dig the board hard upwind, drag your butt like a dog with a dirty rear (this one is considered poor style but we all do it when we have to), or stand up and haul straight down wind at your kite.

Btw, if you just bear off a little you will speed up, if but if you go straight at your kite you will slow down as the kite stalls.

Riding in chop takes technique no matter what board you are on but generally softer tips or a LOT of concave (maco) will help considerably but at some cost... soft tips (usually) reduce pop, and lots of concave makes it hard to release the edge and butter slide. There are of course compromises by making the board really stiff in the middle and soft at the very end of the tips for both pop and flex (the flexifoil and nobile are this sort of design... and it's a good one).

Hope this helps.

What u guys are saying makes a lot of sense.. It is kinda strange that for 2007 rrd would make a board with this shape...but one of the selling points was the "ribbed" tips for a flex transition..I copied and pasted this below..
Maybe one of u could ride it and tell me what u think..thanks guys...

"Quote"
*Fast and manouverable, any time you jump on the BS3 you feel that this has always been you board.. Easily adaptable to a great variety of use and especially designed to perform well in any type of conditions. Comfortable, it seems that with this board you ride on foam, tracking clear lines upwind.. Best board to learn how to jump and improve in safety. ...
Design features:
The new Rib tips on the deck are a special feature of the 2007 kiteboards. They create a progressive stiffer/softer transition from the middle board towards the tips and vice-versa.

This technology combined with the ABS sidewalls improves strength to side impacts.

The new dual ergo heel CARBON pre-bent pads are delivered with each board allowing a perfect match of footstrap and pad placement when changing position on the deck.


BS3 140x38


Dimensions: 140 x 38 Fin Box: Pins
Fin: 4 x KF5 Technology: PUT

[inferno]

thats way to small of a board for your size... im 210 and i dont even use that small of a board as my high wind board.....

[BigR]

I wouldn't use that board under 20kts and I'm 200#'s+


my high wind board 133x39
my low wind board 132x46

obviously width and rocker and shape and stiffness has alot to do with it rather than length

All the big guys are saying the same thing.

A wider board is going to make more difference than you would believe in this scenario. That board is a great board, it's just not the right one for you and your situation.

"BS" is right. lol. At least the name is appropriate.

come on now....
dont make me feel bad...
wish i would have known....gonna have to make this board work for quite some time...
thanks for your imput....