My current foot straps are set up well inboard on my Mistral 144 ltr. I am easily getting in and out of the straps and have been thinking what effect they would have if I start moving them to a more out board setting? Can anyone advise outcomes and affects on the ride/control etc

Personally, I have found that with using them in the rear most position and as far outboard as possible, I can hold down more sail, keep the board flatter and therefore go faster

The biggest thing I found was that the further outboard the footstraps, the less weight you need to put onto your feet to get the board to turn.

When you're sailing overpowered and/or in big chop and a gust hits you and pulls your weight right off the board, that extra leverage on the board can be the difference between getting it back under control and wiping out!

Interesting observations...personally I've just moved the straps on my feeride board well forward and inboard, and I've never been happier! No more spinout in chop, jumps and landings are a breeze, and I have total control even in choppy and overpowered conditions. I found the same thing a year ago when sailing n the ocean off Broadbeach QLD; the outboard settings were murder, and it was so much btter with everything inboard. I'd say - for flat water, move em out and back; for rough ocean, move em in and forward, and I dont know much about proper wavesailing so I won't comment on that.

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Wet Willy said...

Interesting observations...personally I've just moved the straps on my feeride board well forward and inboard, and I've never been happier! No more spinout in chop, jumps and landings are a breeze, and I have total control even in choppy and overpowered conditions. I found the same thing a year ago when sailing n the ocean off Broadbeach QLD; the outboard settings were murder, and it was so much btter with everything inboard. I'd say - for flat water, move em out and back; for rough ocean, move em in and forward, and I dont know much about proper wavesailing so I won't comment on that.

Have to agree with elwetone, although I am still novice have found the same thing. out and back with the clodhoppers for flat and speed, in and forward in ocean for more control.

i was hateing windsurfing since i got back into it untill oneday moved me straps forward as far as they can go. then bam, sweet dreams everytime i sail. i can plane early, jump ect... all easier set it up like a wave board i say who cares if its abit fat i have a 120 set up like a wave board its sweet as dude. cant let those wavesailors have all the fun now son.

I think alot of people find that they gain control when they move straps out as they keep them inboard on bigger boards, they then use big fins of which they have no leverage over.

Inboard- better for chop, better turning, not a stance where you load the fin unless you have a spare set of ankles. Board is more skatey.

Outboard- better control over fins due to more leverage. Better directional stability. Have to be more aware of your feet sailing in chop.

Most boards aren't too bad now but you can kill early planing by putting straps too far forward.

For me its bigger boards put the straps out, smaller put them inboard. Then if your brand doesnt put those best position stickers on start in the middle set.

I'm guessing with the 144L you're sailing back forth, sometimes upwind & downwind and chasing a bit of speed when you get the urge, go out with the straps and start with the middle spot
If it feels uncomfortable, get comfortable by changing stance etc.
If you want to play around on the swells etc, go smaller and keep straps in.
Have a look at the boards of more experienced guys at your local.

I slalom sail in ocean, always have straps back and out, my new board has no options, straps are out

Ah poop, mkseven's quicker with the fingers and on the money

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mkseven said...



For me its bigger boards put the straps out, smaller put them inboard. Then if your brand doesn't put those best position stickers on start in the middle set.

I didn't know any of them did that.

In my limited experience (only 2 big boards) I found there were no holes far enough back to suit me.
I really don't know why that is. Perhaps my light weight has something to do with it.
I never had that problem with small boards.

I'm thinking I may be sailing too light footed and have to get my foot further back to keep the pitch sweet. I tried moving the mast foot back but it didn't seem to help.
Maybe a bigger fin requiring more weight to hold it down would make me sail with more weight on the feet however I really like to keep my feet light so the board runs free. Anyway I solved the problem by having some more feetbelt plugs installed.
I still wonder about it though.

F2 definitely and Starboard I think use best postion marks.

Maybe it is just the brands you are using? In slalom boards there are definitely some which tend to suit lighter/heavier ends of spectrum. Some run their straps back further than others, some such as fanatic just seem to have the right trim level to suit light people.

Traditionally on all boards I used to run straps right back, now on all the slalom boards I've had in last 3 years... Starboard, Fanatic, Naish, F2 I've run front straps one or two holes forward from back and back straps in rear holes. Waveboards I always try to run back strap all the way back and front strap one hole from front as I just want that wider stance and it does help float a bit more with planing.

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windwarning said...

i was hateing windsurfing since i got back into it untill oneday moved me straps forward as far as they can go. then bam, sweet dreams everytime i sail. i can plane early, jump ect... all easier set it up like a wave board i say who cares if its abit fat i have a 120 set up like a wave board its sweet as dude. cant let those wavesailors have all the fun now son.

I like the new windwarning better than the old Mr windsurf


Flat water or big sail straps outboard

Here's a page of tips with a few for footstrap issues that may help

www.guycribb.com/windsurfing_technique_holiday_DVD_0076v01.htm

my obervation is that people tend to use them way too much, in my opinion you shouldnt reallybe in them unless you are going at least 15-20 knots, you see people plouging along at 5 knots in them

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windwarning said...

i was hateing windsurfing since i got back into it untill oneday moved me straps forward as far as they can go. then bam, sweet dreams everytime i sail. i can plane early, jump ect... all easier set it up like a wave board i say who cares if its abit fat i have a 120 set up like a wave board its sweet as dude. cant let those wavesailors have all the fun now son.

What kind of board is it?

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NotWal said...

mkseven said...



For me its bigger boards put the straps out, smaller put them inboard. Then if your brand doesn't put those best position stickers on start in the middle set.

I didn't know any of them did that.

In my limited experience (only 2 big boards) I found there were no holes far enough back to suit me.
I really don't know why that is. Perhaps my light weight has something to do with it.
I never had that problem with small boards.

I'm thinking I may be sailing too light footed and have to get my foot further back to keep the pitch sweet. I tried moving the mast foot back but it didn't seem to help.
Maybe a bigger fin requiring more weight to hold it down would make me sail with more weight on the feet however I really like to keep my feet light so the board runs free. Anyway I solved the problem by having some more feetbelt plugs installed.
I still wonder about it though.

NotWal, here maybe a solution for you

http://mtbest.net/isonic50.html

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What kind of board is it?

Wet willy dude, its a 120 xcite ride jp. i found when they were back and trying to sail in the swell we get in our bay its just to hard to get into them and i kept crashing. so i thought anougth is anougth and set it up like a wave board now i can stay on a plane longer when the wind drops and sail lighter wind with a smile on my face instead of going home a mad man. and if ya want to lean on the fin more as ya sail for bigger sails just get a seat harness like what i am about to do and its all sweat.D]so it is now a big fat wave board wich i can jump, jibe ect..in 30 knots and it gets me home when the wind dies its me best buddy . i use over 6s to 5 wave sails one board for all conditions does everything buddys for life i love you jp your my girlfriend

If only they made them easier to change.

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lalalamort said...

my obervation is that people tend to use them way too much, in my opinion you shouldnt reallybe in them unless you are going at least 15-20 knots, you see people plouging along at 5 knots in them

In gusty winds sometimes its easier and there is less effort to hang off the boom in the harness and stay in the straps as the wind dies and wait for the next gust you see coming down, especially on a bigger board.

I do this on Narrabeen Lake as the wind often goes from 5 knots to 20 knots back to 5 knots back to 20 in about 30 seconds.

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Mobydisc said...

lalalamort said...

my obervation is that people tend to use them way too much, in my opinion you shouldnt reallybe in them unless you are going at least 15-20 knots, you see people plouging along at 5 knots in them

In gusty winds sometimes its easier and there is less effort to hang off the boom in the harness and stay in the straps as the wind dies and wait for the next gust you see coming down, especially on a bigger board.

I do this on Narrabeen Lake as the wind often goes from 5 knots to 20 knots back to 5 knots back to 20 in about 30 seconds.

Yeah, I hate jumping in and out of the straps and harness all day; I'd rather look a bit of a dork and contort myself like quasimodo under the boom, waiting for that next gust...

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windwarning said...

[

What kind of board is it?


Wet willy dude, its a 120 xcite ride jp. ...i love you jp your my girlfriend

One of my friends had one of those, but i never tried it. I've got a Mistral Vision 130, which looks a bit similar, if memory serves me correctly. It's also got holes for using either one or two footstraps at the back and quite far inboard straps at the front - the overall variety of strap positions is quite amazing. So now I've got mine set up "like a waveboard", but yesterday I was underpowered and the chop was quite small, and I actually found myself going too slow, and I couldn't point. But when it picks up a bit, the inboard setting is shweeeet!

BTW I kept ths board in my bedroom for a year before I used it, so it's like my girlfriend too...but I need to use a Formula most of the time, lousy wind here...

Willy dude where a you ? come over to melbourne dude have a beer with me the chicks are not to bad this time of year over here as well. hey i have my board set up with the single foot strap as well at the back. i am finding tho i need a seat harness cause you cant lean back as good if you use a waste i am hoping it will fix the problem useing a seat harness.

So kitesurf girls watch out here i come