I was very overpowered yesterday in pretty flat water . Bearing away occasionally I'd get a good gust and be able to pull against the sail but generally I just stand more upright and go with the flow.. Does this mean I'm not powered up enough?

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sboardcrazy said..
I was very overpowered yesterday in pretty flat water . Bearing away occasionally I'd get a good gust and be able to pull against the sail but generally I just stand more upright and go with the flow.. Does this mean I'm not powered up enough?

I'm no expert, but I've found that when I bare off in a big gust I tend to stand more upright... I naturally feel more relaxed because the sail feels much lighter. I've got my best speeds when the rig feels like this. Previously, I was baring off and pushing really hard on the fin thinking that would increase power and traction, but in actual fact I wasn't going any faster despite feeling like I was putting in so much effort. On the contrary, I was generally going slower when fighting everything on a broad reach. All it resulted in was more spin-out and occasionally catching a rail or the nose while passing over the back of rolling chop. In my little amount of experience, fast doesn't necessarily feel fast... fast feels weightless.

Thats' what I thought but then I caught a gust yesterday and powered on and that felt great!

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sboardcrazy said..
Thats' what I thought but then I caught a gust yesterday and powered on and that felt great!

Your GPS is the true tell-all of what works and what doesn't, but you would know more than me coz you're quite a lot faster than me on GPSTC

I find i tend to keep my weight low when bearing off because if i stand up too much it takes weight of the mast foot and the board starts tail walking...not fun

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TheSailingMoose said..
I find i tend to keep my weight low when bearing off because if i stand up too much it takes weight of the mast foot and the board starts tail walking...not fun

I mustn't be powered up as much..I do stand up more once I'm downwind rather than as bearing away..

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sboardcrazy said..

TheSailingMoose said..
I find i tend to keep my weight low when bearing off because if i stand up too much it takes weight of the mast foot and the board starts tail walking...not fun

I mustn't be powered up as much..I do stand up more once I'm downwind rather than as bearing away..

Ideally, even when on the best angle you will be still leaning hard on the rig. It sounds like you were too broad ot there was not enough wind.

That said, on a good speed run at Sandy Point I am really struggling to keep the sail under control and the board on the water on the run in when square. when around to the best angle it becomes a lot easier but still full power.

At Lake George it is different because the water is so flat and the wind a lot less. It was very easy to go too broad at LG. I found there that I had to be more subtle in keeping a sightly tighter line with more pressure on the fin in the really steady wind conditions a couple of years ago. I suspect other weedy lakes are similar in that respect.

I am talking about full on speed gear here.

What gear were you on? That could make quite a difference.

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sailquik said..

sboardcrazy said..

TheSailingMoose said..
I find i tend to keep my weight low when bearing off because if i stand up too much it takes weight of the mast foot and the board starts tail walking...not fun

I mustn't be powered up as much..I do stand up more once I'm downwind rather than as bearing away..

Ideally, even when on the best angle you will be still leaning hard on the rig. It sounds like you were too broad ot there was not enough wind.

That said, on a good speed run at Sandy Point I am really struggling to keep the sail under control and the board on the water on the run in when square. when around to the best angle it becomes a lot easier but still full power.

At Lake George it is different because the water is so flat and the wind a lot less. It was very easy to go too broad at LG. I found there that I had to be more subtle in keeping a sightly tighter line with more pressure on the fin in the really steady wind conditions a couple of years ago. I suspect other weedy lakes are similar in that respect.

I am talking about full on speed gear here.

What gear were you on? That could make quite a difference.

Thanks I was waiting on your reply.... Lately the fanatic falcon 79ltre slalom with a 20cm delta fin and 5m Severne overdrive.Probably 4 - 6" chop..I don't think I ever really weight the delta a lot (?) in case it lets go??

The Delta fins are an unknown to me so that may well be the right strategy.

Generally, for best speeds, you need to be feeling fully powered up reaching and bear away in the gusts, to where it will feel nicely powered and FAST! Your GPS will tell the story. Try a few different angles/strategies and see what your GPS shows.

The general feeling at ideal angle is that it all becomes a bit easier and many people new to speed sailing feel like they are going slower so they pull up. Wearing your GPS where you can glance at it while sailing is a big help. Alternatively, if you can hear the Speed Genie sounds, it will tell you if your average speed is still increasing. (One big advantage of having your GPS in or on your helmet).

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sailquik said..
The Delta fins are an unknown to me so that may well be the right strategy.

Generally, for best speeds, you need to be feeling fully powered up reaching and bear away in the gusts, to where it will feel nicely powered and FAST! Your GPS will tell the story. Try a few different angles/strategies and see what your GPS shows.

The general feeling at ideal angle is that it all becomes a bit easier and many people new to speed sailing feel like they are going slower so they pull up. Wearing your GPS where you can glance at it while sailing is a big help. Alternatively, if you can hear the Speed Genie sounds, it will tell you if your average speed is still increasing. (One big advantage of having your GPS in or on your helmet).

I have enough problem reading it stationary Glasses are only single focus and should be multi.. I used to be able to set my GPS for large text but now it won't let me - it flashes all over the place when I try and lock it on Max speed..
Thanks. Will have to ask the locals next time as well.

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2035 said..

sboardcrazy said..
Thats' what I thought but then I caught a gust yesterday and powered on and that felt great!

Your GPS is the true tell-all of what works and what doesn't, but you would know more than me coz you're quite a lot faster than me on GPSTC

Yeah Sue back off, you are making us blokes look bad

Sue, you sail with some of the fastest, competent and most consistent sailors around. Follow them, ask them, copy them. the best way to improve and learn is to sail with people who are better and quicker than yourself. Simples

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ka43 said..
Sue, you sail with some of the fastest, competent and most consistent sailors around. Follow them, ask them, copy them. the best way to improve and learn is to sail with people who are better and quicker than yourself. Simples

With you there I have learn't a lot from Justin, and recently speaking to Mick and Milsey at Budgy and also it worth going to events like Green Island where you easily strike up conversations with Pro's like Sean and Luke. Thanks guys. Also at a lot of these events there is a bit of photography going on and I can see for example that I need to put my inside foot right up against the foot strap during my gybes and lean forward more as my trim needs a bit of work.

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Dean 424 said..

2035 said..

sboardcrazy said..
Thats' what I thought but then I caught a gust yesterday and powered on and that felt great!

Your GPS is the true tell-all of what works and what doesn't, but you would know more than me coz you're quite a lot faster than me on GPSTC

Yeah Sue back off, you are making us blokes look bad

I don't know I felt like a 100year old today. I whimped out of the sail size I needed for decent beara ways as I was too tired to be bothered..

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ka43 said..
Sue, you sail with some of the fastest, competent and most consistent sailors around. Follow them, ask them, copy them. the best way to improve and learn is to sail with people who are better and quicker than yourself. Simples

Can't catch them.. Yeah I will..