[u]Technique Tips for a new year...[/u]

I want to start a thread for those with more experience to help people improve their technique. Below are a few ideas, that are by no means absolutely (or even vaguely) correct for all people. I don't posses any particular qualifications other than 24 years of windsurfing at an amateur level.

The reason for this post is that I have had a few persistent technique issues, and managed to resolve some with a bit of reading and practice. Also a day with Phil McGain helped greatly (www.mauisails.com/team.php?id=2).

Feel free to add your own tips or comments.

Berowne



[u] Back Foot Pressure ( & Spin-Out )[/u]
My main issue has been heavy back foot pressure which is usually fine, except when doing a speed run, when it can cause/lead to spin-out and potentially a catapult.

I have learned that the aim of sailboarding is to balance. Balance your weight against the rig, and balance your weight over your feet, approaching 50:50, but definitely not 20:80 as I have been. Also, the front foot should be pressing down on the board, and generally the toes shouldn't be pulling up, as this will cause the muscle to tire. If your front foot is very light in the strap, or keeps slipping out it is to far forward... or the mast to far back.

[u]Foot Strap Position[/u]
Phil's training session suggested that the front strap should be mounted as far back as possible, while the back straps as far forward as possible. I already had all my foot straps as far back as possible, so I relocated my back strap forward, one slot at a time, testing the feel between each adjustment. I now feel comfortable with the front straps as far back as possible, and the back straps as far forward as possible.

Bad luck if you own a Carbon Art.

[u]Mast Base [/u]
With my body weight now further forward, I also found I could move the mast base further back, while keeping the board trimmed flat. This has the advantage of making the board feel lighter, as if it is riding higher in the water.

[u][}:)]Harness Lines & Boom Height[/u]
Getting your boom at the right height and the harness lines properly adjusted is also very important for preventing spin-out!
Check out some of Guy Cribbs (for example) and others tips on the topic. I'm still trying to work out the proper boom height, but a few tips; higher for wider boards is easy, but not so high or you will have the sail leaning over you, instead of upright.

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Boom-hight-where-should-it-be/
www.guycribb.com/

[u]Fin Size ( & Spin-Out )[/u]
One of my other technique problems has been occasional spin-out, especially during a speed run. I've found that when using a small fin, they don't like going slow. For example, my 32cm fin feels really soft and lack-luster below a board speed of 20kts. Above 20kts it can point as high as my 35cm fin. Fin Size seems to be a particularly personal issue. You should also keep your fins smooth and free of knicks and scratches.

There are many resources online, such as;
windsurfingfin.wordpress.com/ and
jimbodouglass.blogspot.com/2010/11/updated-windsurf-calculator-online.html

[u]Ankle Slap - Splashes in the eye balls [/u]
Ankles being slapped by the chop as you sail along? Spray constantly bouncing in your face? Try moving the mast base a few cm further back. This comes at the expense of the sails balancing pressure on the front of the board.

Alternatively you can try 'railing' the windward edge of the board (the edge your standing on) up with foot/ankle pressure and transferring weight to the harness lines.

Another idea is to use a bigger fin, which makes angling the board easier.

[u]Laydown Gybes[/u]
I got bored a few years ago so I decided that Laydown gybes were used in all the promotional photos, so I should learn.
There are plenty of online tips on how to do them, but I find a good video helps most.



The basic idea is:
The laydown of the sail is very early, and short (brief). This surprised me as I thought it would be longer, like a sail 360.
Move your back hand down the boom, and oversheet the sail so it touches your ankles as you lean the sail over, as close to horizontal as you dare. Touching the boom to the water is hard, but fun.
As the sail is angled back, you need to lean way forward, and into the centre of the circle. Aim your body between the mast base and nose of the board.
Bring the sail down, then back up and flip before exiting the gybe as a "normal" planing gybe.
Oh, and enter the gybe fast, you need speed!
Easy when you know how!

[u]C'est la vie[/u]
So there you go, a few tips on a range of topics. A few cm movement can make a world of difference, so make one change at a time and test it out.

Let the mass debate begin...
Alfamale.

Not sure heavy back-foot pressure is cause of increase in spinout.

By railing/lifting the windward rail up with heavy backfoot toe pressure,the board should if anything have less tendency to spin out.

Upwind,reaching and even off the wind i try to lift the windward rail to maximum.

No right or wrong technique really,just whatever works for you.

Regarding footstrap positioning,i have always put the front straps back and the backstraps forward as i am small. However on my i87 i found the best position for the backstraps was furthest back,it made the board come alive and sit much higher out the water.

Have had many problems over the years with my front foot coming out the straps,the i76 was a bad board for this,and some of the smaller F2 SX were bad as well.The newer boards designed with a steeper wall,you have something for your heel to push against.

Re fins,soft fins work great in choppy strong conditions.Carbon fins probably are faster in millpond flat conditions,where many gps sailors are only comfortable in.

Some excellent tips that I will employ from now - esp footstrap possie. Thanks for being generous with the info - much appreciated!!!!!

Push out & down into your harness like your trying to pooh cause I can't put s..t= go faster. Roll you back leg / knee forward towards the mast = go faster & helps railing. Sail hands free = balanced rig.

Nice work Berowne.

Deano

RE footstrap possie- i found moving my fronts forward made it more comfortable and allowed me to keep more control on the rail holding the board flatter when flying the fin.
Guess it will vary depending on your technique.

Great summary and good to see someone ready to share their discoveries. The back strap forward is new to me and I'll give it a go.
Thanks !

Berowne, I was impressed by you and your racing buddies training for the slalom races last Friday. You were all charging around about twice as fast as anyone else. Whats the secret? Technique? Equipment? Setup? Fitness?

On Friday, for the practice session, we all had 7.0m sails and slalom boards with fast fins.

So number 1 was the larger sail sizes and good equipment.
I think others out sailing were on 5.5-6.5 sails.

Slalom racing is about being powered up in the lulls and hanging on for the gusts. But the risk is being over powered and (almost) out of control.

Saturday races were even more extreme. Most of us were on 7.5-8.5m sails, which were (just) OK for the lighter wind moments, but the last race was scary. I remember sailing back towards the beach in a particularly strong gust, planning at a decent speed with my sail fully sheeted out. I don't know how, but I still stayed upright for 3 gybes.

As far as speed is concerned, in our settings (i.e. Not the Numibia speed canal) you should be comfortable and balanced. 80% of your speed (or more) should come from being balanced. A well balanced board/rig/fin should not spin out (except for weed/bad chop) so you should be able to 'trust' your rig. Rail the board so your front foot is in the air, with spray coming between front and back foot. Harness lines well balanced, so you can sail at 80% with just one hand. Either the front OR the back. I've only just regained this ability after spending the time to adjust my rig properly. Something I've avoided for about a year since I got my new board, simply assuming rear straps are fast straps. The extra 20% is down to lighting fast reaction times, constant trim adjustment and muscling the sail/rig when it needs to be.

Final thought.... I'm still 10% or more slower than the regular racing guys, so I haven't got all the answers. But the one thing I have noticed myself is that I lean the sail over me too far, reducing effective sail area. Always something to learn.

See you on the water...

Some useful links to Guy Cribbs technique tips
boardcrazy.com.au

Berowne, now that you have become an authority I want to ask you the following:
Yesterday i had a great session with the formula and 10.0 in 14-18 knts. I felt fairly balanced, but struggling a bit to extend the back leg to fully sheet in in the gusts. A strong gust came and it lifted my fin at least 40 cm out of the water, then I lost control and crashed. Was it because i was pushing too much on the back leg trying to sheet in? What is the right thing to do in that case?
cheers

[}:)] Evil formula gear!
Actually I'm not so familiar with tuning formula gear, so happy for anyone else to comment.

But thinking about the dynamics, if you were travelling at speed, then hit by a gust and tried to use all the power I imagine the board could rail up like a catamaran. Now if the board started railing and you reacted normally, then you probably sheeted out, which unweighted the nose allowing the board to rail even more?!? Or tail walk, causing a wipe out.

On smaller boards I've occasionally sat down in my harness HARD when a gust hits, so I can stay sheeted in and keep the nose weighted. This forces the sail to twist off, and allows the gusts power to transfer to speed.