This is starting to wear me down,I'm planning,nice and light and as soon as i step back I blow it up wind it goes and hard to recover,I try leaning forward but that just feels wrong,do I just keep at it and expect a breakthrough like most everything else or am I doomed,mabey a lesson?

Don't give up. this is not so hard. I hope you have a central or inboard back strap.
Are you using a harness?
If yes, bear away a little to get some speed, hook in, and let the harness take some weight.
First move your front foot back so it's in front of the strap. Getting your weight further back will help you stay planing unless it's a really small board.
Slip your front foot into the strap.
put a bit more weight in the harness to take the weight off your feet
slide your back foot back so it is touching the front of the strap
quick look down to see where the strap is, and slide your foot in.

If you are not using the harness yet substitute "hang your weight off the boom".

If you are only just planing all the movements need to be very gentle.

If the board starts to round up get your weight forward, increase mast foot pressure through weight in the harness or hanging off the boom, and lean the sail forward.

If you come off the plane you will need to get out of the straps and start again.

patience "grasshopper" - i am in the "same boat"
i actually have my feet below the straps - on the rail
however, i actually FEAR being strapped in and "stuck"
and so .... since it is winter here now - i have planned a lesson or two(2) with a local "windsurf school"
my windsurf buddy who has problems with the back strap - is joining me ...
i also look at peter hart, guy crib and jem hall videos and suggestions
let us know when you find the "trick to getting it" - what works for you
many suggestions here previously and on other sites
{sorry for all the quotes }

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Windxtasy said..
Don't give up. this is not so hard. I hope you have a central or inboard back strap.

Are you using a harness?

If yes, bear away a little to get some speed, hook in, and let the harness take some weight.

First move your front foot back so it's in front of the strap. Getting your weight further back will help you stay planing unless it's a really small board.

Slip your front foot into the strap.

put a bit more weight in the harness to take the weight off your feet

slide your back foot back so it is touching the front of the strap

quick look down to see where the strap is, and slide your foot in.

If you are not using the harness yet substitute "hang your weight off the boom".

If you are only just planing all the movements need to be very gentle.

If the board starts to round up get your weight forward, increase mast foot pressure through weight in the harness or hanging off the boom, and lean the sail forward.

If you come off the plane you will need to get out of the straps and start again.

spot on

I also add

(1) when putting front foot in the strap, the back foot is just behind front straps. Sometimes only a couple of inches.
(2) never think you have to get in the straps to go fast. Rather, you get in the straps because you have to because you ARE going fast if that makes sense.

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joe windsurf said..

patience "grasshopper" - i am in the "same boat"
i actually have my feet below the straps - on the rail
however, i actually FEAR being strapped in and "stuck"
and so .... since it is winter here now - i have planned a lesson or two(2) with a local "windsurf school"
my windsurf buddy who has problems with the back strap - is joining me ...
i also look at peter hart, guy crib and jem hall videos and suggestions
let us know when you find the "trick to getting it" - what works for you
many suggestions here previously and on other sites
{sorry for all the quotes }

Don't fear being stuck. You want your feet strapped on to the board. It keeps them where you want them so you don't get bounced off going over chop. It also lets you apply sideways pressure to the fin. If you have the straps adjusted correctly you will be able to get out when you want to. If the straps are a bit tight a little wiggle of the foot will help you pull it out.

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mort69 said..
This is starting to wear me down,I'm planning,nice and light and as soon as i step back I blow it up wind it goes and hard to recover,I try leaning forward but that just feels wrong,do I just keep at it and expect a breakthrough like most everything else or am I doomed,mabey a lesson?

Hang in there Morts, you will get it, just hang in there. When you do, you will feel like "how come that took me so long"

Joe Windsurf, Guy Cribb skills session, he will pressure you to be in the straps within 50' if you are not he reckons you are slack. Hang in there and keep at it, it will come.

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mort69 said..

This is starting to wear me down,I'm planning,nice and light and as soon as i step back I blow it up wind it goes and hard to recover,I try leaning forward but that just feels wrong,do I just keep at it and expect a breakthrough like most everything else or am I doomed,mabey a lesson?

If the board threatens to round up when planing, try pulling the rig over to windward (you may have to come in over the board a little). This will help steer the board more downwind.

You basically want to disturb things as little as possible. The sail is doing a job before you get into the straps and you need to keep it doing the same job. Don't take the sail back toward the stern as you step back, and try to keep weight as forward as possible while getting into the straps, even if you have to lean down on the front hand a bit to do it.
When getting into the straps you want to be as close to being pulled forward off balance as is reasonable.

So try to keep the power in the sail and keep the mast foot pressure on.

Hey mort,

I reckon for people that are not used to balance sports (like skateboarding, skiing, surfing etc) the ability to easily take the weight onto one leg does not come naturally, especially when you add in the complexity of all the other things to think of when trying to get into the straps.

If this is not you... forgive me! But others may find it useful.




I like to think of this guy



To balance on the one leg you have to bend your knee, drop your hip and place your weight over your knee.

In this photo, Daniel-san is getting ready to put his front foot into the front strap. Sure the boom is a bit high but I think that's 'cause Miyagi was a short arse and taught him some bad habits. You should be able to take your weight through the harness and your rear leg and be able to do the hokey pokey with your front leg. If you can't do this, you will struggle with the rest.

This one is perhaps closer to reality although he's an advanced windsurfer on flat water who doesn't need to bend his knee as much as you should.



The well known windsurfer, Yamaguchi, was renowned for his cat stance technique of getting the front foot into the straps.



Downforce and stability are the key. Downforce is gained by weighting the harness line, Yamaguchi and Daniel-san are the secret to stability. Once you have these sorted, the front strap is easy.

Now the back strap is a different story....

Also a bit of toes up pressure in the strap to compensate with your foot being more outboard of the centreline that should top the board rounding up and great your asking questions that's the go dude we all toughed it out so don't stress to much it will all come together in the end its not a easy sport to learn !

Very nicley put ,I get it,now to put it to practice.haha paddymac food for thought.

Don't look down.

I don't know about anyone else but when ever I looked down to see where my feet are in relation to the straps up wind I'd go. Learn where the straps are, widen them a little so your feet slide in easy. Practice on shore so you you get the steps in your memory.

Worked for me anyway

... and if your toes are nice and straight - say goodbye to them!

Weight on boom is the key, as mentioned above.

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Sailhack said..

... and if your toes are nice and straight - say goodbye to them!

Weight on boom is the key, as mentioned above.

don't do what i did.....

A step you'll have to cross and will. As you step back, you aren't shifting your weight to the rail are you? When you step back with the back foot, keep it in line with the centre-line of the board otherwise you are tilting the board over and carving upwind.
As you get more confident with the harness, you will be putting more weight onto it and the foot position isn't so critical because there is very little downward force on your feet, it is all carried by the mast foot through the harness. In other words, this problem will disappear in time.
Don't worry though, there are plenty of others to keep you interested in the future.

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Sputnik11 said..

don't do what i did.....

Too late - after about 7 years of windsurfing I've mashed them on both feet several times (currently nursing a suspected broken toe on my right foot from a misjudged strap a couple of weeks ago). I put it down to rushing to get feet in before powering up, or trying to get my position sorted before hitting the first little ramp/chophop close to the shore.

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Sailhack said..

Sputnik11 said..

don't do what i did.....

Too late - after about 7 years of windsurfing I've mashed them on both feet several times (currently nursing a suspected broken toe on my right foot from a misjudged strap a couple of weeks ago). I put it down to rushing to get feet in before powering up, or trying to get my position sorted before hitting the first little ramp/chophop close to the shore.

+1 for booties..

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sboardcrazy said..

Sailhack said..

Sputnik11 said..

don't do what i did.....

Too late - after about 7 years of windsurfing I've mashed them on both feet several times (currently nursing a suspected broken toe on my right foot from a misjudged strap a couple of weeks ago). I put it down to rushing to get feet in before powering up, or trying to get my position sorted before hitting the first little ramp/chophop close to the shore.

+1 for booties..

Tried the booties post break. Can't quite cope with them. Though come the colder weather, I'll have another go I think. I probably just got cheap booties.

-1 for booties. You loose massive amounts of board feel and poor fitting ones leave you in real danger of getting your feet stuck in a strap.
Even Mr. Cribb (seemingly the god of windsurfing) agrees
www.guycribb.com/userfiles/documents/GetConnected.pdf
Last page.

^^^ +1 to the -1
Booties stick bad. Booties are dangerous and I reckon are only for cold weather where u truly have to use them.
Never kicked the strap yet...... certainly not hard enough to cause any more than mild discomfort. You people breaking toes are crazy hardcore.

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joe windsurf said..

i actually FEAR being strapped in and "stuck"

Joe,

You are actually safer in the straps than out of them. I almost only get catapulted when I'm out of my straps.

Windxtasy, Mark and Paddymac make some very good points.

With regard to booties, I only wear them to protect my feet from rocks, shell fish, coral etc. This is very important in places like Morton Bay. However if its a sandy bottom, I don't wear them. The key is to widen your footstraps to accommodate them.

when i was learning (still am really) there was no forum so lucky you. I just spoke to anyone on the beach who looked as if they knew what they were doing. They said to me that in time, as you get faster you'll be stepping further back on the board without realising, and before you know it you'll pretty much standing on the foot straps. At that point, you'll be ready and step in. They were right!!

as mentioned earlier don't look down (quick glances only) otherwise you may suddenly find yourself preparing for another waterstart

don't give up and have fun

In regards to my earlier comment, I wear boots so found it difficult with tight straps hence I made them loose so my feet slide in and out easy. To much glass, rocks and razor fish here to not wear boots. Also easier if your board has adjustments all the way to the mast track like the starboard GO. Start forwards and as you get confident move them back and out. Helped me.

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westozwind said..

-1 for booties. You loose massive amounts of board feel and poor fitting ones leave you in real danger of getting your feet stuck in a strap.
Even Mr. Cribb (seemingly the god of windsurfing) agrees
www.guycribb.com/userfiles/documents/GetConnected.pdf
Last page.

regarding booties,
you do get better board feel and it is easier to slip in and out of the straps without them.
However they are a good idea if the bottom has hazards such as sharp rocks, razor shells, crabs etc. Open the straps a bit to accommodate them.

Mr Cribb does not mind the sort 1mm neoprene booties we wear - he calls them "socks". The ones he doesn't like are the 5mm neoprene ones they wear in the northern hemisphere because it is so cold.

i do wear booties - for cold, clams, etc
and that may be part of my FEAR
i have been investigating a backpack in net fashion - to carry booties once past waist deep
{in warmer temps of course}

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Windxtasy said..

westozwind said..

-1 for booties. You loose massive amounts of board feel and poor fitting ones leave you in real danger of getting your feet stuck in a strap.
Even Mr. Cribb (seemingly the god of windsurfing) agrees
www.guycribb.com/userfiles/documents/GetConnected.pdf
Last page.

regarding booties,
you do get better board feel and it is easier to slip in and out of the straps without them.
However they are a good idea if the bottom has hazards such as sharp rocks, razor shells, crabs etc. Open the straps a bit to accommodate them.

Mr Cribb does not mind the sort 1mm neoprene booties we wear - he calls them "socks". The ones he doesn't like are the 5mm neoprene ones they wear in the northern hemisphere because it is so cold.

Cold? You mean like here at one of my favorite spots?



Must admit though, I much prefer sailing without them, weather permitting.

^ Where's that?

I know this goes against everyone's advice but I put my back foot in first, even before I am hooked in and planing. I have all my weight on my front foot, slip the back foot in the strap, hook into the harness then transfer my weight from my front foot onto the harness and bear away, the board takes off and you have all the time in the world to easily put you front foot in the strap without rounding up or getting catapulted.

hey Battle - is that Pointe-Claire ??

this weather requires "booties"



this is Langis Caron from Quebec City
notice the number = WISSA racer

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cammd said..

I know this goes against everyone's advice but I put my back foot in first, even before I am hooked in and planing. I have all my weight on my front foot, slip the back foot in the strap, hook into the harness then transfer my weight from my front foot onto the harness and bear away, the board takes off and you have all the time in the world to easily put you front foot in the strap without rounding up or getting catapulted.

That's fine.

If it's really blowing I tend to put my back foot in first to prevent catapulting.
If it's really, really blowing I'll even put my both feet in and hook in before I water start. Makes for a fast take-off too.

Light wind = front foot first
Strong wind = back foot first