Hi, I started using my JP Freeride 145 and I am trying to learn planning. Unfortunately my biggest sail is a 5.5 so far.
This is what happens right now:
- I have the mast base positioned in the middle of the board
- When I pump the sail and start to get speed the board sink behind me
- If I move forward the plan stops right away

Can you please explain me, or give me a link that explains, where I should position the mast base and how that position works? I just do not get that part yet ...

i think leave the mast base where it is because that's the balance point of the board.
once you get better you move the mast base forward or aft(back)
forward-if your under powered it helps get the tail out of the water and on the plane faster note:you do lose a bit of the top speed in doing this
back-if your over powered this helps gets the board under control and it extends the top speed of your board

it sounds like your note powered up on your 5.5m
look on youtube for vids to help,there heaps of tution stuff and its all free!!

i have three tips that robby naish swears by for the last 30years
1.bend your knees-absorb that chop, think of shock absorbers
2.pull down on the boom/leaning forward-itl keep the nose down and speed up
3.dont look down-or thats were you will end up!!look at were you want to go

Yep
Right now I am still on the "From beginner to winner" DVD and never got a lesson.
For sure this winter I'll start to get some but here 1 hour is 200 bucks ...
Anyway I'll try that, also today is around 18 knots.

mate im a windsurf instructor, ill teach you for a few beers at he end of the day 200hr what a rip, no wonder our sport is regarded as "too expensive"
im guessing your not in perth thou huh

Thanks dude, if we will move down there I'll pay some beers with pleasure.
That's what piss me off here, getting Kite or Windsurf lessons is so expensive that after one week of lessons you may have the money to go to Aruba, one week 5 stars and 7 days 24/7 teacher with you ...

where are you??

Bermuda, a little bit far away from WA

haha totally!! hit me up if your in w.a ill be happy to help ya dude
peace

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jamieferg said...


back-if your over powered this helps gets the board under control and it extends the top speed of your board

Hey Jamie - i'm interested in this point. if i'm overpowered, it's usually in heavy weather so it's choppy as well. in those conditions i move my base forward to keep the nose down and under control (sacrificing top end for survival/comfort's sake).

but you're saying moving it back helps control - can you elaborate?

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Trousers said...

jamieferg said...


back-if your over powered this helps gets the board under control and it extends the top speed of your board

Hey Jamie - i'm interested in this point. if i'm overpowered, it's usually in heavy weather so it's choppy as well. in those conditions i move my base forward to keep the nose down and under control (sacrificing top end for survival/comfort's sake).

but you're saying moving it back helps control - can you elaborate?

Yes I was told forward for control & back for speed.I used to have it back all the way and it was a bit scary sailing now I have it forward of the middle unless it's really flat.

I think the same as you 2. Move it forward for control. I was riding like in a rodeo and then moved it forward a fair bit. Oh so much better. Kept the nose down.

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raffaeu said...

Hi, I started using my JP Freeride 145 and I am trying to learn planning. Unfortunately my biggest sail is a 5.5 so far.
This is what happens right now:
- I have the mast base positioned in the middle of the board
- When I pump the sail and start to get speed the board sink behind me
- If I move forward the plan stops right away

Can you please explain me, or give me a link that explains, where I should position the mast base and how that position works? I just do not get that part yet ...

Hey Raffaeu, how much do you weigh?

sorry your right to move it forward in over powered conditons, it drops the hull down and gives you a sence of control.
moving it back for me when im powered up helps alot at it brings the whole centre of effort back towards the fin, letting me unleash the fury, im only talkn about small adjustments in gear.

I just went through this a few months ago. I had a JP Fun Ride 130. You should be able to get going on your 5.5. I found it best to position the mast base so about 5mm of the thinner part of the mast track was showing behind it. In other words closer to the back. Then i got used to hooking into the harness in lighter wind. From there just hang all of your weight downwards in the harness lines to put as much weight as you can downwards through the boom and therefore the mast. Make sure your front foot is around or just behind the mast base area and make sure your front foot is facing forward in the direction of travel not sideways across the board. From there just turn gradually downwind and you should just start to take off. As you do transfer your weight backwards on the board until you find the point were you don't feel like you going to be ripped off the front of the board (catapult). One thing to remember is as the board picks up speed and starts to plane it will want to bear downwind by itself even more as it looses drag so just be ready for it and make sure you've got room.
Enjoy

I am 70 Kg (on diet ) and I am 1.72 tall (cm)
Board 145, Fin 48/42 Mast 430, Sail 5.5 (NS)
I'll give a shot, probably the first mistake is that I am trying always to go cross-wind or little up-wind. I usually do not try to go down-wind as I always fall in the jibe when I am in the run position

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raffaeu said...

I am 70 Kg (on diet ) and I am 1.72 tall (cm)
Board 145, Fin 48/42 Mast 430, Sail 5.5 (NS)
I'll give a shot, probably the first mistake is that I am trying always to go cross-wind or little up-wind. I usually do not try to go down-wind as I always fall in the jibe when I am in the run position

also 145L board is pretty big, i learnt on something 20L above my weight so i could have some control

I'm 67kg and 182cm. Going cross wind is OK if it's strong enough but what i found i tended to do when i was trying to plane was transfer my weight and therefore the rig as well back too early. That causes you to depower just when you should be chasing more power to make the board release and start to plane. Stay forward as long as you can and don't start moving your weight back until you feel the board start to take off. I find the more you hang your weight down on the harness lines the less you tend to catapult. Whatever weight you have left on you feet drive through your front foot which is facing forward and therefore pushing the board forward not sideways. It sounds like your putting too much weight on your back foot which will make the board turn up wind and sink the back and by the time you get your weight forward again your already depowered. Anything from 16 or 17 knots up you shouldn't have to pump the sail to get going with your weight. I don't have to even though it gets you on the plane quicker. When i say turn downwind i don't mean directly downwind just a little at a time then once your powered up and planning you can start going cross wind or up wind a bit more again.

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qldnacra said...

I'm 67kg and 182cm.

Is this possible - and still have the energy to get out of bed!!! More pies and iced coffees for you

Yeah it's very possible. I am on the slim side but not rake skinny. I don't eat crap and don't drink, never have. I have more energy and stamina than most. I wouldn't want to be any bigger or heavier it gives my bikes a real good power to weight ratio as well as my sails too i suppose. I do have to eat quite alot and regularly though as my metabolism is VERY fast. Can't see a down side from my perspective though. Providing there is a certain amount of wind i can get going quite early on sails that others would struggle with.

^^^^^ Hats off to you - I cant resist beer bakery and a good steak - all the ingredients to an extra 18 kilos.

Especially at the moment cause the wind has stopped down here

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russh said...

qldnacra said...

I'm 67kg and 182cm.

Is this possible - and still have the energy to get out of bed!!! More pies and iced coffees for you

Hey guys. It is very possible. I am 57kg and 175cm and get this, I used to own a bakery! Love my pies and probably have a quicker metabolism than you both.

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raffaeu said...

I am 70 Kg (on diet ) and I am 1.72 tall (cm)
Board 145, Fin 48/42 Mast 430, Sail 5.5 (NS)
I'll give a shot, probably the first mistake is that I am trying always to go cross-wind or little up-wind. I usually do not try to go down-wind as I always fall in the jibe when I am in the run position

Hey Raffaeu
Take note of what qldnacra says. I would think 70kg should have no probs getting on the plane and staying there in over 16 knots on your 145L
The only comment I would add or question is about your sail downhaul and outhaul.
I wonder if you have to much outhaul resulting in a "flat & non responsive" sail. Post a photo of the sail rigged and tell us what your boom settings are. and your extension on your mast for downhaul.
I used to over outhaul and gee it made a big difference when I eased it off 2-4cm. Try it & see if there is any difference. Do you have any good windsurfers there who can tune your sail
Also, what is your boom height have it about shoulder height or at least 1/2 way up the sail gap or a bit higher.
Hope our comments help

This week-end I'll get out and take pics of my rigging.
Usually I tend to over outhaul and over downhaul the sail ...
Here there is not this type of "community" approach, only the old windsurfers like to share their knowledge .

raffaeu,

there are a few posts on here talking about mastfoot position - search for them as they're useful. In summary though, there is a "magic number" that is a measurement from the tail of the board. Off the top of my head its 135cms but hopefully someone will confirm this.

Measure from the tail and mark it on the board. I have two boards - 135cms is right at the very front of one mast track and right at the very back of the other. The old "stick it in the middle" approach doesn't work.

Once you have the mastfoot in the right place - you then know one variable is removed. It's then a case of working on your technique.

PS I may have just told you about waveboard specific tuning - hopefully not!

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raffaeu said...

This week-end I'll get out and take pics of my rigging.
Usually I tend to over outhaul and over downhaul the sail ...
Here there is not this type of "community" approach, only the old windsurfers like to share their knowledge .

Thanks for the info. As long as those old windsurfers are using modern gear, they can be a good source of info. Get friendly with a few of them and ask for their ideas.
I would tend to go fairly hard on the downhaul in 16+ knots and just a little outhaul so as the sail is not too "dead". More wind = more outhaul, generally speaking.
Interested to see how that goes for you.

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qldnacra said...

Yeah it's very possible. I am on the slim side but not rake skinny. I don't eat crap and don't drink, never have. I have more energy and stamina than most. I wouldn't want to be any bigger or heavier it gives my bikes a real good power to weight ratio as well as my sails too i suppose. I do have to eat quite alot and regularly though as my metabolism is VERY fast. Can't see a down side from my perspective though. Providing there is a certain amount of wind i can get going quite early on sails that others would struggle with.

How do you cope with winds over 30kts?

Use my 4.9 and hang on tight. I am tallish for my weight at 6 foot or 182cm so i suppose i've got a bit of leverage. My sail control and body position must be getting pretty good because i've seen bigger guys out there on probably a similar weight to sail ratio having trouble. I am thinking that windsurfing and handling wind is more about technique than outright weight to a point. I am not saying that i don't get into trouble or get off balance because i do but it's usually from a huge gust that hits or loosing control of the board not so much the sail. I just make sure i keep cranking down on the boom with what weight i've got the more wind the more downward pressure i try to apply and it works for me. In saying all of the above yesterday i had my first catapult in about 6 weeks. The graph showed wind of 27ish average with gusts up to 37 in the area i was sailing in. When the board comes out of the water on waves or big chop i'm having trouble working out what to do with my weight distribution hence i lost control of the board.