So i hear a lot of people mentioning how to avoid getting hurt in a catapault, but I've never come close to that (yet) ... the injury bit that is.
I recently realised that my problem instead is actually hitting the board with the rig. Myself is fine. I'd really like to not break my things so...
What would you say is the best way not to catapault?
I've got two old formula boards -drops and starboard c03 or so. (still pointy noses). Usually using a naish stealth 7.8.
I know weird match, but i'm cheap... :S

I'm still learning, can plane, tack, get in straps etc. sometimes jybe, occasionally waterstart.

thanks to all and sundry! especially the sundry;)

Getting catapulted is all part of the learning process!

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Zed said...
Getting catapulted is all part of the learning process!

True.
It was the last season for me.
Broke the board nose twice, and went right through 3 sails.

I also sported some colourful bruises, so I'm wearing a helmet now and the floatation west unless the wind is marginal.

Place the mast foot protectors on the mast (board nose hight).
A boom bra helps to reduce the bruises.

I suggest to protect yourself and your board for a while and stick with a cheaper gear for a while.

I guess as you get better you stop sailing in light conditions and only really sail when you can plane which means 90% of the time you are in the straps and you can't really get catapulted. Whereas when you're learning you often find yourself hooked in and out the straps, which means you're very vulnerable to getting catapulted.

Not sure there is ever a time when you can say you will never catapult again. When I'm on the water it is very rare to happen but if you hit something, debris, weed, sandbar, kitesurfer, that old feeling will come back and the trouble is you are probably doing a fair rate of knots.

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Zed said...
I guess as you get better you stop sailing in light conditions and only really sail when you can plane which means 90% of the time you are in the straps and you can't really get catapulted. Whereas when you're learning you often find yourself hooked in and out the straps, which means you're very vulnerable to getting catapulted.

I've been in the straps and got catpulted..( although it isn't as likely)..

As the board increases in speed so to does the lift of the board increase.

So when you hit a gust or you increase board speed to the point of getting out of control,move your upper body weight FORWARD+LOW.

As you sail thru a lull you do the opposite,you pull back your body weight which increases the lift of the board.

A lower hook height will significantly increase lift of board.Use a waist harness or a surf/seat harness.

I tried a chest harness few years back and could not get the board to lift,period.

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Iceman said...
Not sure there is ever a time when you can say you will never catapult again. When I'm on the water it is very rare to happen but if you hit something, debris, weed, sandbar, kitesurfer, that old feeling will come back and the trouble is you are probably doing a fair rate of knots.

Like this?



How to avoid catapults? I wasn't doing them for a while but I've had a few this year. I think this particular catapult was caused by the fin that was sitting very loose in the finbox. Also the board and fin were too big. After this crash I swapped down to my Tabou Rocket 105 and was right for the rest of the day.

Whenever I catapult I try to hold on. Not sure if that is good or bad.

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Zed said...
...90% of the time you are in the straps and you can't really get catapulted...

You can TOTALLY get catapulted in the straps. In fact, it's the only time I get thrown around the front - the fastest crash yet is 33 knots. It's much better to hang on to the boom - but that will probably happen anyway if you're still hooked in to the harness. This way you'll go around the front of the mast and everything ends up downwind of the board, rather than smashing into the nose. It's the first step to learning a forward loop.

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Mobydisc said...
...Whenever I catapult I try to hold on. Not sure if that is good or bad.

Definitely good!

Nice crash btw...

I had a similar one at Canton last week but I was only doing about 15kts so much slower. I hit a thick clump of weed and just stopped!

If only the GT31 Gps could register the G forces involved in a high speed catapult. Now that's 1 PB I could break on a regular basis.

Enjoy the catapults. It's the nearest thing to a forward loop that most of us will experience!

If you feel like your going to catapult try to bend your knees and apply as much mast foot pressure as you can and most of the time the board will accelerate and take you with it instead of slowing and throwing you over the front. If a catapult Is inevitable then sheet in as you fly forward and the rig will fly past the nose of the board and land you and it down wind of the board.

I kept dinging the nose of my board with catapults while learning, then watched a Dr Beats instructional DVD and he said never let go of the boom, didnt ding a board for the next 4 years......until a couple of weeks ago at 33 knots over 50cm harbour chop.

Keeping hold of the boom pushes it leeward of the board when it goes, letting go makes it slam with force straight onto the nose. Sheeting in half way through also makes it clear the nose, and is the first half of the loop.

To avoid them it comes naturally, at first you learn to luff the sail, letting go with the back hand.....then less and less you do this and keep the power on as luffing it you lose all power and at first can be difficult to recover without dropping in the water with a mast on your head

I would rather ding my board than wreck my shoulder hanging on.
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Dealing-with-catapults/

I read this thread last nigh and thought "can't remember the last time I got catapulted". Today, happened about 15 times.

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peteshea said...
I read this thread last nigh and thought "can't remember the last time I got catapulted". Today, happened about 15 times.

Hope you didn't do any damage.. I went c 15 years without a catapult and now seem to be getting pretty regular with them..
Cripes why did I read the other thread about catapults.. I'm just about to go sailing for the first time since my back spasmed so I'm nervous about that + I now have a new harness. The old one used to have the strap that holds the spreader bar pull undone under force which would make catapults hooked in less nasty..Now I'm paranioid I'll have a bad stack and get hurt with the new harness.

The way I heard it was that anytime you sheet in with mast raked forward you will catapult.
As for in the straps I have been picked up by a gust at Sandy point hooked in and in straps and forward looped, More a snap roll, when I opened my eyes I was floating with one arm of boom still attached by harness line to harness. the rest was 20m away.

I you're not Catapulting, you're not trying hard enough.

Let my 15yo borrow my pristine slalom a couple of weeks ago, his first real go on a short board in strong winds. He was under strict instructions not to bring it back broken. Swapped with him during the session and my first run out on it I got catapulted and cracked the nose. I failed to see the humour but he was pretty chuffed I broke it and not him.

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sboardcrazy said...

peteshea said...
I read this thread last nigh and thought "can't remember the last time I got catapulted". Today, happened about 15 times.

Hope you didn't do any damage.. I went c 15 years without a catapult and now seem to be getting pretty regular with them..
Cripes why did I read the other thread about catapults.. I'm just about to go sailing for the first time since my back spasmed so I'm nervous about that + I now have a new harness. The old one used to have the strap that holds the spreader bar pull undone under force which would make catapults hooked in less nasty..Now I'm paranioid I'll have a bad stack and get hurt with the new harness.

You think too much...

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Obelix said...

sboardcrazy said...

peteshea said...
I read this thread last nigh and thought "can't remember the last time I got catapulted". Today, happened about 15 times.

Hope you didn't do any damage.. I went c 15 years without a catapult and now seem to be getting pretty regular with them..
Cripes why did I read the other thread about catapults.. I'm just about to go sailing for the first time since my back spasmed so I'm nervous about that + I now have a new harness. The old one used to have the strap that holds the spreader bar pull undone under force which would make catapults hooked in less nasty..Now I'm paranioid I'll have a bad stack and get hurt with the new harness.

You think too much...

Before I sail.. luckily too busy keeping things under control sailing - the best sail I've had in AGES! Mmm be dreaming of that day when I'm old & grey..didn't fall in once c 10 gybes 9 planing out 1 not..boy flat water makes you look good!
The big board & sail practise in 10-15kts choppy water seems to be paying off. As I went into the first gybe yesterday I was thinking ' this will be interesting ' as I hadn't sailed for 10 days.. but I planed out of it!