The venerable mcnasty has been around since 2002, when Eric Jackson invented the move—a bow pivot into a front loop—in his backyard rapids at Rock Island, Tennessee, and showcased it later that year at the IR Triple Crown.
For a long time, I studied footage of this move in awe, as the mechanics of it seemed way beyond me. I was finally able to demystify this trick by breaking it down into manageable parts.
1. Sidesurf in a hole with a foam pile. Rotate your body downstream to set up for a powerful reverse sweep.
2. Use the reverse sweep to push your bow into the foam pile so that your stern is upstream in a back blast. Your legs assist with the back blast: shift your weight slightly forward and push down on your heels, driving your feet under the foam pile. This will keep your stern from catching in the upstream flow.
3. It’s easiest to continue in the same direction started by your reverse sweep, using the spin momentum from that stroke. Look back upstream, rotate your torso and reach to your toes for a powerful forward sweep. This stroke pulls your bow deeper under the foam.
4. Drop your upstream edge slightly. This edge is going to catch, so there is a fine line between too much edge and just enough. The dropping of the edge allows you to pivot around your bow.
5. Hold the forward sweep as long as you can and keep pushing down on your heels.
6. When your boat pivots to where you are vertical and pointed upstream, jump forward to initiate a loop. If your loop lacks pop or your mcnastys are crooked, make sure you are facing all the way upstream before jumping.
This article originally appeared in Rapid, Early Summer 2011. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.
