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You are here: Experts > Recreation/Outdoors > Surfing/Bodyboarding > Surfing & Windsurfing > planing
Expert: Windlover
Date: 4/29/2008
Subject: planing
Question
I use a 120 liter x cite ride with a 30cm freeride fin. My most used sail is a 6.5. I sail mostly in flatwater conditions and I'm positive I rig all my gear up right. I use a Dakine thermo form waist harness (which I think can sometimes sit a bit high on my waist.) My question is as follows...
When I get up on a plane and into the straps I feel like when I get up to speed I'm riding a bucking bronco. I try to keep my weight hanging over my harness and my elbows pointing down yet I still feel only marginally in control. I want to be able to plane with one hand skimming off the water like I see in the magazines! How can I get more control from my board while planing?
Answer
Hey Chris,
Take a closer look at those pictures and observe the body position along with arms and legs. Most of them have their body hiked out off the side of the board with their arms stretched out. Their legs probably fairly straight but not locked.
There are a couple of things to try to get yourself sailing like this. For the board bounce, you may need to move your mast forward. If it is back too far, the nose of the board will bounce a lot and affect your control.
Check the length of your harness lines. If you can't lean out and get your arms almost straight, then you may need to lengthen them. Rule of thumb for harness lines is; hook your elbow in the harness and you should be able to grip the boom with your wrist straight. This is a good starting point and then adjust small amounts to find the best length for your sailing style. Everyone's arms are different length so we all have to find the length of harness lines for ourselves.
Are your footstrap locations adjustable? If so, are they close to the rails or closer to the mast. Closer to the mast is more of a wave/freestyle postion. Closer to the rails is a speed position. If you want more speed control, move them out.
These are a few corrections you can work on to resolve your problem. For a lot of great info, go to www.windsurfingmag.com and check out the instruction area. The intermediate section has some excellent info on harness line length and body position. Be sure to check out the advanced area also for more info.
Hope this helps.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover
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