Nearly 13 years of age, 42kg, using a 4m on a bic beginner board.
4th time windsurfing, have understood most basic concepts in 6-9knots of wind.
Recently, I went out in 13-15kn. My first problem was uphauling the sail because I'm not that strong, but then i found it hard to counteract the force of the sail. I tried leaning back (not monkey-style) but still found it difficult to manage. Do you have any tips and reccomendations??
Thanks for the help!

Start practicing with a harness, it will allow you to control the board and eventually get planing. Windsurfing has a long learning curve.

what i did with shortboarding ...
go out in shallow water with on shore winds
learn to beach start
when u fall in - NP to restart
if you try harness put really long lines - you can make your own
since u r not used to hanging out over the side yet
lotsa luck and don't give up no matter what
(hope the BIC is not too big too - sometimes difficult to sail small sail on bigger board)

Waterstart.
For most lighter rider's, below 80 kg's, it's easy to waterstart in winds below 8 knots, but above 5.

Select to expand quote

Mastbender said..
You're not stuck, we've all been there, but now days there's help, like this, that you may want to try.
http://www.easy-uphaul.com/index.html

Don't give up! This is where it starts to get interesting!


as mastbender said, we've al been there, now it's about learning to balance the power and turn it into board movement (eventually fast board movement) at age 13 you're about to start gaining some more weight advantage too.

When the the weight starts pulling shuffle your feet back a little on the board and push it forward with your feet.

thrills and many spills ahead.

No, you're not stuck. I remember when I was 14 years old and probably a similar weight on a bic learner board

15 knots is a lot of wind for someone of 42kg with a 4m sail on an old style board.

Just keep at it and maybe don't go out when it is over 10-12 knots, or get a smaller sail.

HOWEVER, before you go and fork out money on new/upgrade gear, best to consult the "brains trust" on here for more info.

Just enjoy the sailing in suitable conditions till you build up a bit of confidence...and keep asking questions. We've all been there.

Clarence

none of the above - except for the "dont give up". ... you wont learn by sitting at home watching youtube videos.

I'd recommend finding someone local whom already can sail - they will give you tips, and they may even lend you gear. [ Or even just find someone who also wants to learn. ] Friends are a good motivator and can provide feedback so that you learn faster.

Mathew has nailed it in one, just go sailing. It's all about rig control and feel, at 42kg you'll fall off a bit and then figure out how much to sheet in or sheet out to adjust the load to where you are comfortable and there's only one way to get that feeling ............... just go sailing.

If that was only your fourth session you are in effect still an absolute beginner. Stick at it, every time you go out you will make small improvements. At your stage its not your lack of strength, its not knowing how to react against the wind. That only comes with experience, so just keep going out, falling off and getting back up. We've all done it.Any improvement you make will be so rewarding. No one ever said this sport was easy. Way too early for a harness yet.
Happy Sailing

Stick with it. Nothing better than starting young. In 5 years you'll be better than most on this forum.

Wish l started at your age.just keep doing it you might be doing the PWA tour in the near future.all the best young gun. tip try using a smaller lighter sail then progress to bigger.

Thanks a lot for all the replies!!! I really enjoy the support!! Ill start looking into learning the harness and technique!!!
Thanks again,
Fyn

I learned to sail on a Windsurfer One Design with a 6.0m2 sail. I was 11 or 12 and about your weight. I used to spend hours at the lagoon sailing and one day I came in and there was a bodybuilder struggling to uphaul the same kit. He couldn't believe that this skinny kid could whip the sail out of the water in seconds when he stood there straining against the weight of the sail. It's about technique; not strength. Uphauling is about constant pressure rather than jerking the sail out and it's about a scooping motion pulling the mast towards the front of the board and into the wind at the same time as lifting it. That gets some wind under the sail and helps you lift the sail out.

The other technique that is important to learn is to pull the boom across your chest and into the wind before you sheet in. This helps you to keep the board pointing in the right direction when you sheet in. Some talk about the three legs that a windsurfer has - left leg, right leg and mast foot. You need to keep pressure on the mast foot when sailing and pulling the sail across your body before sheeting in helps with this.

Other than that, as the others have said just keep practising. Rest after max 45 minutes so that you give the right muscles a chance to recover before you start developing muscle memory in the wrong muscles.

Most importantly, have fun.

Select to expand quote

LeeD said..
Waterstart.
For most lighter rider's, below 80 kg's, it's easy to waterstart in winds below 8 knots, but above 5.

I had to learn to waterstart earlier than normal because at 60kgs I just couldn't uphaul the big heavy Mistral Maui sail ( 1984)..

Whats you rigging skills like, tuning your sail for stronger wind will help, downhaul/ outhaul? If your unsure what i mean the best bet is to get someone to show you at your local. Do you have a smaller fin option? While strugling just to get up and going at this stage when you get there a smaller fin can help to settle things down when you get moving. Location? Usually the water state adds to the difficulty when the wind is stronger, finding a spot with less chop can help. My tip re harness, your not there yet unless you want to spend lots of time face planting your sail.

Its time to learn beachstart and waterstart... smaller fins and harnesses are not going to help until you can get the sail up! Keep at it till you cant anymore. It will also teach you how to use the power of the wind/sail and also how far you need to lean and leverage on the sail. 15 knots is the next level buddy, take the bull by the horns and run with it. I am so excited for you right now.

Practice beachstarts in light and moderate wind. Teaches you how to move the sail around in the water and align the board and sail for the start. The waterstart is then just a natural progression of the beachstart, only just in stronger wind.

Select to expand quote

pirrad said..
Whats you rigging skills like, tuning your sail for stronger wind will help, downhaul/ outhaul? If your unsure what i mean the best bet is to get someone to show you at your local. Do you have a smaller fin option? While strugling just to get up and going at this stage when you get there a smaller fin can help to settle things down when you get moving. Location? Usually the water state adds to the difficulty when the wind is stronger, finding a spot with less chop can help. My tip re harness, your not there yet unless you want to spend lots of time face planting your sail.

Select to expand quote

Dar said..
Its time to learn beachstart and waterstart... smaller fins and harnesses are not going to help until you can get the sail up! Keep at it till you cant anymore. It will also teach you how to use the power of the wind/sail and also how far you need to lean and leverage on the sail. 15 knots is the next level buddy, take the bull by the horns and run with it. I am so excited for you right now.

Practice beachstarts in light and moderate wind. Teaches you how to move the sail around in the water and align the board and sail for the start. The waterstart is then just a natural progression of the beachstart, only just in stronger wind.

Just... no... for both of these - did you folks actually read the first post? ... FynHey says 4th time windsurfing on a Bic beginner board.

Kids learn far faster... nothing wrong with beachstarts as it teaches you how to manipulate and manoeuvre the sail. Also nothing wrong with uphauling of course but don't be shy to experiment with the beachstart especially if you are struggling to uphaul in stronger winds.

Welcome FynHey!!!, What should I do?...... you need to make it to Ho'okipa !!! ... a figure of speech to inspire you

Have a dream young Jedi, your about to embark upon a great journey that will enrich you and has the potential to gain you many good friends and teach you a lot. The sport will draw you & your friends that join you to many far away places to sail and and learn what can't be learned or taught tethered to a device.

I started around the same age as you on a early Windsurfer One Design with wooden boom and a blown out sail, kit is far easier/better these days. Time on the water is your friend no matter how bad a session you have, you will tend to learn a lot, not just about sailing but the weather and conditions. All the programing/reflex's of your muscles will just happen in background, bit like learning to ride a bike once you have a few of the basics down you will never forget, and never stop learning.

Monkey stance or spread eagle all good until you get the basics before using a harness. Swing your hip's in & out to counter the power varying in the sail. Combine this with sheeting in and out to keep your balance. Always be glancing upwind over your shoulder or too the side to see the wind on the water to help gauge these adjustments.

Definitely try to sail with someone competent every now and then so they can give you some mentoring & pointers to work on. Ask for feedback, and as I did just look at others who are ripping and how they handle their kit, their are so many little tricks that make just getting you & you're gear positioned and ready to take off easy. Study hand & feet positions, transitions of others as they perform any given aspect, ask for guidance on having your kit setup right for the conditions if you have not already been shown.

Once you master the basics get a friend or 2 involved and teach them the same, you will then learn faster as you both explore and challenge each other. You then can scheme and have more options when the winds up and you need a lift off one of the parents for you and your new windsurfing gang to get too the beach or try new spots .

...and just one day you may make it to Ho'okipa with your mates just like Cisco & Jason and many others, and learn a few lessons in life. ...just don't try some of these things at home, ask Mum or Dad first mmm OK.



... or any other place with a bit of water and wind. Cheers Spotty