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You are here: Experts > Recreation/Outdoors > Surfing/Bodyboarding > Surfing & Windsurfing > windsurfing
Expert: Windlover - 11/5/2009
Question
QUESTION: how do I avoid the board from going up wind when I move back to get in the straps? Thank you
ANSWER: Hey Eddy,
For starters, head the board offwind to increase board speed. While doing this, sheet in just a bit and extend your front arm. This will help push the nose of the board offwind. Also, try to keep the board flat by putting more pressure on your back toes and keep your foot over the center of the board. Now move your feet back until they are just in front of the footstraps. Now bend your knees and hang from the harness. This puts pressure on the mast base and helps keep the nose from rounding up.
Now shift your weight to the back foot and slip your front foot into the front strap. Immediately shift your weight back forward and straighten out your front leg while keeping some pressure on your back toes. Straightening your front leg will help push the nose of the board offwind. When you are comfortable with your board speed and body position, shift your weight forward slightly, hang from the harness, and slip the back foot into the rear strap. Shift your weight back to both feet and sheet in the sail to increase board speed even more.
I know I mention a lot of things that push the board offwind and it would seem that you would be going fully downwind by this time. But trust that these small efforts will counteract the natural tendency of the board to go upwind when you are shifting your weight back to get into the straps. The board should stay on a beam to broad reach (90deg-130deg) while you are getting into the straps.
Hope this helps.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: How come you seem to get more speed when your harness lines are shorter.
ex: when I have my harness lines all the way out, it seems that I loose speed and when I shorten them I pick up speed, but it is more difficult for me to hook in because they are so high.
Thank you
Eddy
Answer
Hey Eddy,
It would seem that with the shorter lines, you are sheeting the sail in more, which usually creates more power. When you have the lines out, you may be sheeting out the sail some and thus loosing power.
As for getting hooked in when your lines are short. Here are a couple of things to try. First, rig your sail with the boom in your normal position. Connect the rig to the board without the fin attached. Step up on the board and hold the sail up with your feet in a position just forward of the footstraps (non-planning position). Your boom should be about upper chest to shoulder height. If lighter winds with a large sail, maybe a bit higher. Higher winds and smaller sail, maybe on the low side.
Now with the boom about right height, another way to have a bit more length on your lines is to move them closer together. Make these adjustments at 1/2" increments as slight changes can affect how the sail feels. Experiment with boom height and harness line length until you find a balanced position that feels comfortable for you. Once you find the sweet spot, you should be able to maximize your sail power for max speed.
Hope this helps.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover
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