How to Blunt by Maddie Kimmel

The blunt is an 180 degree turn where your bow leaves the foam and the stern is higher than 45 degrees. It is worth 50pts in a comp and is a great building block to other tricks. The blunt is also commonly linked to other tricks such as the blunt-mcnasty. It is easiest to learn on a steep bouncy wave. 

Step 1: Set Up

Cycle to the top of the feature, and cut to ideal place of wave. Your ideal place depends on the feature. Typically you get more air on the rails of the feature. When you throw on the rails to want to throw the blunt towards the center of the feature.  If the feature doesn’t have rails it is key to point your boat slightly in the opposite direction you are throwing. For example if you are doing a right blunt then at the top of the wave you should point your bow slightly to the left as you come down. 

Step 2: Coming down and Bouncing

As you come down the feature you need to be on an aggressive counter edge. As you come down you bounce on your counter edge. The more counter edge you put down typically the bigger you go. You don’t want too much edge that you flip in the process. 

Step 3: Planting Your Paddle and Throwing

You will probable be able to get 2 bounces off one pass However, you get my air off the first bounce. As you are Ariel you must plant your paddle next to you and switch edges to snap it around.  Once you land do a back stroke to help keep you in the wave and remain balanced. 

Common Mistakes: 

• Not enough counter edge- The blunt is an edge to edge transition and the more edge you have to start the more Ariel you will be. 
• Tucking Forward flattens out your edge and makes your blunt more of a roundhouse. 
• Incorrect stroke Placement- Placing your paddle too far away from where you are throwing also fastens your edge. Place your paddle closer to your boat and make the stroke more vertical. 
• Throwing in the wrong place/wrong time- Going off the second bounce makes your blunts less Ariel than the first bounce. Throwing from the troops of the feature makes it more of a roundhouse or spin because you have less momentum to for your boat to leave the foam pile. 

Tip: Practice in flatwater before your ride. Do the motions as we picture yourself riding down the wave on the perfect pass. It helps you remember what to do while surfing really fast waves.