Haven't done this in years but tonight....
To much sail, to much board, to much fin and wind that just wouldn't let up meant the only way I could get any sort of control was to stuff it up into the wind. Unfortunately where I started was downwind. After several Hugh wipeouts trying to get back I aimed for the nearest bit of beach I could get to and then started the long walk home.so much for the forecast saying 12knots and dropping.

Maybe you need more control of your board via a deeper skeg? 32cm plus should do the job. You can never have "too much fin" unless you're in shallow water.

32cm !! My smallest is 46cm and I was on a 60cm tonight. When it thinks it's a foil and trys to take off it's it much

Walks of shame? What causes them?

1) Normally they happen for people who haven't learnt to sail upwind, so that something to practice on an easier day. Pick a mark upwind and try to sail to it.
2) The second reason they happen is when the sailor can't plane and that's often down to being on too small a board - or perhaps if the wind drops. Although you can slog upwind on a non-planing board if you stand well forwards and sink the windward rail to point higher upwind.
3) You can also end up downwind after an accident, a failed gybe, or with control issues. Not that fin size should relate to the sail size used, and that using too big a fin gives you control issues - practice using a smaller fin.
4) When overpowered you often end up too far upwind, and that's because you have too much sail power to bear away. So the walk of shame can be from a beach upwind.


PS. What size sail requires a 60cms fin? Ouch.

Ben,
If you are in the situation on big gear where you are just way overdone and can't get downwind try poping your back foot across and in the lewward rear starp. That allows you to sheet out and get downwind without massive tailwalking or the risk of catapult you get in the outdide strap. Its slow but will get you home.

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gollyone said..
Maybe you need more control of your board via a deeper skeg? 32cm plus should do the job. You can never have "too much fin" unless you're in shallow water.

Sorry disagree, Ben is saying he only managed some semblance of control by going UPwind.
A fin that's too big, can make the board uncontrollable when overpowered, It just has too much lift and wants to turn the board over.
You have to slow the board down to stop this, if you sheet out, the nose lifts up and you start tailwalking, spin out and crash. Going upwind is the best option. But Ben's launch was DOWNwind.
In this case a smaller fin, could have allowed him to sail home.

Thanks Mr Love, you beat me to it and with a great tip to get round the tailwalking problem, I'll try and remember that one!

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mr love said..
Ben,
If you are in the situation on big gear where you are just way overdone and can't get downwind try poping your back foot across and in the lewward rear starp. That allows you to sheet out and get downwind without massive tailwalking or the risk of catapult you get in the outdide strap. Its slow but will get you home.

I'll try that. Did something similar and ended sticking the nose Into the back of a bit of swell. Didn't try it again

Sorry to here that Ben ,hope no one seen ya ,if it makes ya feel better i done 2 massive catapults today ,haven't don't any for a long time
But it was mostly 14-15 knots good for the 7,5 I had up... It was just the 27 knot gusts that took me and drove me into the drink
the swell was kinda big for slalom gear ,it was mainly due to my nose getting buried ..should of had a freeride board .
the powers of nature ..we are always trying to conquer it some times we come off second best .or it teaches us a lesson ,your safe
thats what counts ..

Smaller fins or more downhaul or going super chicken in the rear strap or whatever strategy you try mostly get you home and are good advice but there are times just trying to get back to the nearest land in one piece with your kit and doing the walk of shame is the best option.

A season or two ago my youngest broke a boom in strong winds in the late afternoon, I stopped to assist, both of us on small boards, by the time we had de-rigged and secured the sail on his board in heavy chop while treading water, then tied a tow rope to mine and I had to water start and tow him I just went for the nearest bit of shore, we both did a decent walk of shame. I would rather do that than swim.

ps I always carry spare rope in my life jacket, it can be used to get you home in so many ways if something breaks

Don't feel special, we've all done it

My personal best a 5km trudge back through waist deep frigid water when the wind dropped to zero

Ben, look at my avatar...

Strange, when your leaning the walk of shame is to get back upwind. As you get better it's to get back downwind.

Strange, when your leaning the walk of shame is to get back upwind. As you get better it's to get back downwind.

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Basher said..
Walks of shame? What causes them?

1) Normally they happen for people who haven't learnt to sail upwind, so that something to practice on an easier day. Pick a mark upwind and try to sail to it.
2) The second reason they happen is when the sailor can't plane and that's often down to being on too small a board - or perhaps if the wind drops. Although you can slog upwind on a non-planing board if you stand well forwards and sink the windward rail to point higher upwind.
3) You can also end up downwind after an accident, a failed gybe, or with control issues. Not that fin size should relate to the sail size used, and that using too big a fin gives you control issues - practice using a smaller fin.
4) When overpowered you often end up too far upwind, and that's because you have too much sail power to bear away. So the walk of shame can be from a beach upwind.


PS. What size sail requires a 60cms fin? Ouch.

I think they should be called the ' walk of common sense".. If I find that's the only way to safely get back in I'll do it and feel proud of myself for being sensible and looking after my health..

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mr love said..
Ben,
If you are in the situation on big gear where you are just way overdone and can't get downwind try poping your back foot across and in the lewward rear starp. That allows you to sheet out and get downwind without massive tailwalking or the risk of catapult you get in the outdide strap. Its slow but will get you home.

This was a good one. Every now and then a useful tip shows up. Done every sort of returning to home. Last summer I had a mountain climbing episode with my gear after wind had dropped and low tide current making padling impossible in one of the NO fjords. The sun shining all night made the trip quite nice after all but will not recommend mountain climbing in a wetsuit to friends....

Nice story! Those limits sting but feel good at the same time :)

My few words worth not much:

- tune your gear in the water or on the shore if you can
- lower your boom
- move your mast foot all the way forward to keep your gear on the water
- waterstart hooked in, in the straps
- look where you want to go
- set your front elbow on your hips, at least push as hard as you can with your front arm to resist flattening
- squeeze your bum cheeks, oversheet, and blast downwind, beat power with power (good luck)
- head downwind full planing sail wide open feet out of the straps dead center

Despite all this we'll struggle, we'll get hurt, sore, bruised, (both body and ego), but that's what makes us feel alive!

I went out on an off shore wind in Maui. What a mistake that was! Well, after I launched, I was paralleling the beach. After 1 gybe and came back near the area where I thought I was, I forgot where I launched. All the life gaurd towers looked the same. I noticed, the water started getting darker blue. Yep, I was getting pushed out further too sea. I was getting pretty worried. Finally I was able to get back to shore, but had no idea what beach I was at. I asked a local after I got to shore and found out I was 1 mile away from where I launched. The walk of shame began. I was so tired and thirsty, but made it in.

I had a nice 1.5km walk back when I broke my mast the other week. The wind picked up and I was over powered then a gust hit and the mast decided no more. I was freezing when I got back. I was at the highest point on the lake furthermost away from the car :)

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