well where to start...I'm in Darwin so big boards, bigger sails and not much of that wind stuff....

I was given a mistral Explosion 145 with a gaasta 8m sail Which i use all the time as it's my only sail..(getting a 6.5 shortly when i find some money) Maui 48cm fin...

Now the problem at this time of the year we have only onshore winds, which means most of the time choppy waters, which makes it hard onsuch a big board learning to gybe....

What I do...Coming in, unhook, try and sheet in, front hand forward, back hand back, back foot out and across, reallly lean into it, flip sail across when I feel the tug, then I'm through....I make it through everytime nowdays and I'm not falling off anymore, BUT IT WONT PLANE THROUGH!! No matter what I try, coming out low on a broad reach, coming out square, high, in the water, no matter what it just wont plane through...remember we're talking like 10 - 15 knots here with probably 1 - 2 foot chop....
Anybody got any help for a young new windsurfer

Cheers

With bigger boards I've found it helps to flatten out the board after you go downwind.

So don't try to carve all round 180 degrees... bear off, carve for 90 degrees through the wind, then sail out with a flat board.
Also try consciously leaning on the boom as you carve.

Regardless of the above, your equipment (and wind strength!) will make it difficult to nail those planing exits, if you get a 20 knot day and can go out on some smaller gear then you may find yourself planing out of a fair percentage.

Good luck, planing out is the most satisfying experience I've had windsurfing, let us know how you go.

Carbe Gybing??? I thought someone was going to tell me to eat lots of pasta to gybe well.

Most of the problem with planning through gybes is that you are leaning back to much , try to lean forward and aim your shoulders and head into the turn that is near the exit point (not sideways) alot of people lean sideways you must lean forward and look for the exit of the turn. Sometimes you should even get thrown forward when you are learning .

hope this helps

Krusty said...

bc said...

Most of the problem with planning through gybes is that you are leaning back to much , try to lean forward and aim your shoulders and head into the turn that is near the exit point (not sideways) alot of people lean sideways you must lean forward and look for the exit of the turn. Sometimes you should even get thrown forward when you are learning .

hope this helps

HAHA, he didn't plane through the whole gybe!

My tips would be to start on a broad reach, lean forward, keep your arms straight and flip your rig a little earlier so you can get your power back on before you drop off the plane. You could even try using the chop to keep you planning I often gybe on a piece of chop to help me surf through the gybe.

Good luck!

i know i didnt plane through whole gybe did not have a better example handy (give me a break it is a 7.8 sail)!!!!!

This is a great example of racing/planning gybe, although not on big kit and choppy water.

www.windmag.com/

Enjoy,
Remi

use the waves, stay on the face off a small wave if possible, use it to keep you planing, other than that I just wait for more wind, planing gybes without enough wind to pull you out the other side are bloody hard.

Krusty said...

HAHA, he didn't plane through the whole gybe!

My tips would be to start on a broad reach, lean forward, keep your arms straight and flip your rig a little earlier so you can get your power back on before you drop off the plane. You could even try using the chop to keep you planning I often gybe on a piece of chop to help me surf through the gybe.

Good luck!

i'm with krusty, early flip is a good flip. late stalls the board.

also, in chop tight arc is better than wide arc.

Thanks for the tips guys, Tried otu the tips yesterday and was getting better results, Hopefully the breeze will be in again today and I can practice some more...Thanks for the vids

Hadn't thought of checking youtube out...So thanks for the research on my behalf...

Came in yesterday and really tried to nail one, slammed my foot across on the rail, dug the rail in and the board just catapulted me....Learnt from that, confidence means nothing in windsurfing...

Thanks again guys