Hi guys - I have a JP XciteRide 110 litre and want to improve my speed - just started GPS use and found out I'm pretty slow (27kts)!! Board come with 34 fin but I have been using a Select 35 for a little improvement but was wondering about a speed type fin. Not sure on best length, say 32??
Any fin suggestions to improve speed with this board?
I want to keep the board as an allrounder!

Thanks

Greg,

Like yourself, I'm a resonably new starter to GPS and fellow Morton bay Mob member.

Fin size is a factor in speed sailing and getting it right will optimise the speed of any given board / sail combination.

However, my limited experience has shown that the larger improvements can be made by sailing the best angle to the wind, which is around 130 to 140 deg.

Are you able to sail those angles at Thompson's beach where you sail?

There is nothing wrong with 27 knots. That's quite respectable.
You don't mention what sails you are using so its hard to guage what fins you need.

My speed setup is consists of Ezzy cheetah non-cam free ride sails, a fanatic falcon 89 slalom, and Select S1 fins, 34 and 29cm. In reality I don't use the 29 much as it is hard to get up wind with that. My top speed so far is a shade over 31 kts. It might go a bit quicker than that under ideal conditions, but really the next step would be a cammed race sail and I do not want.

You may have to get a slalom board or sail to go quicker.

ive had my xcite ride to 36kn on a jp31 weedy and a NP 6.2 RSS i only use weed fins due the where we sail lots of weed biggest thing i found was keeping the board flat not railed up fun board to sail

Hey Greg,

I'm pretty new to the gps thingy too, and ride a simular style board and volume to you- 111 Futura. Whilst I'm pretty cruisy on it, I have found fin size makes a huge difference. I started off with a 38 cm JP weedy and got to just over 30 knots. Then in the last few weeks started using a 34 cm weed fin (FO Weedstar) and the board feels way more slippery. Sadly haven't used it with the gps, but it feels a few knots faster- but at a slight trade off for up-wind ability and rear foot pressure. Nothing too drastic though.

Seems to me good speeds come from good riders- sometimes no matter the board been riden. I know folks doing 36 plus knots on on wave boards. Others close to 40 knots on 15 year old 150 litre plus boards. Also reports of people doing 40 knots on freeride sails like the KA Kotoyes. Good speed seems a mix of skill, confidence and great chioce.

Thanks for the replies:
John340 - I don't get too much angle at Thompsons, and it's usually quite choppy. I need to get to Wello on an easterly.
ikw777 - Using non cammed freeride sails: mainly 5.3 Naish Session and just brought 6.0 Severne Gator. I'm just 70kgs and a bit grey!!
Yep I am aware skill has a lot to do with it but I keep reading and hearing that fin choice can have a big impact.
I do have an Exocet Warp 90L that I use on real windy days, but still 27 max at the moment but this week coming should give me some chance of improving speed (good winds predicted....). Unfortunately speed fins I have for the Exocet are Tuttle and JP is Powerbox.
35 Select I have is wrecked from a major crash I had and repaired but still no good, so I want to replace it with something faster.
Cheers

Select to expand quote

gregwed said.
:
John340 - I don't get too much angle at Thompsons, and it's usually quite choppy. I need to get to Wello on an easterly.

ikw777 - Using non cammed freeride sails: mainly 5.3 Naish Session and just brought 6.0 Severne Gator.

Greg,

Wello works in a ENE to NNE on the West site of the point and on a S to SE on the East Side of the point. By working to windward in one direction we can bear away to the optimum angle (130deg) in the other direction.

In the meantime you could do the same thing at Thompsons by working to windward into the bay to just beyond the moored yatchs at north end of the bay and then bearing away back to shore at 130deg to the wind to the south end of the bay.

Getting the right bearaway angle is the key to maximising the speed of a board / sail / fin combination. For example I've clocked 30.4kts on my futura 111l with a gator 6m sail and standard 38cm drake fin in 20kt NE at Wello, just by following Glynn's tracks down the speed bank. Obviously the flat water at Wello helps.

Better boards, sail and fins and water conditions will all help. However in the meantime try the maximise your current board / sail / fin combination by sailing the optimum bearaway angle as much as possible.

Hey Greg - John's on the money here. Windsurfing square to the wind will never give results like the bearaway. Don't be too hard on yourself with the speed because from what I've seen on your tracks they are fast enough for sailing square. You will find the mob pulling great numbers down the bank when 130 degrees downwind. It also helps to rig larger than you normally would so it's only just manageable upwind but as you find a gust to head off wind the sail will become lighter as you excellerate and give you a higher top end speed. There is still plenty of tricks to refining your gear but for more speed you might have to try the Wello Speed Strip next North Easter and follow some of the guys around.

Keep in mind I only joined the GPS Challenge not long before you so there will be others with better info for you. I find you can only really compare your times with someone else in the same spot at the same time to find out how you are going. With Sunday to next week prediction you might end up with a few of the mob your way.

Cheers
Marty

Thanks guys - point taken. keen to catch up.

Well caught up with a few guys today and with their tips glad to say added 2 knots to my PB. Now 29.09 - so 30 is getting closer.
But I still need to buy a new fin!!!!!

Well done