Hey
It seems like i can constantly hit 27-28 knots, but not get a any faster than that. So i was wondering how you guys deal with plateaus?

You keep on plugging away at it.

Try different settings and tunings, the beauty about GPS is it is a fantastic tuning tool, little things like mast foot position can make lots of difference. fiddle tweek do a couple of runs check the GPS see if it's helped

I hear you flatout. No matter how often i watch "faster" on DVD.
I am now going to rig 1 sail bigger than i ususally do, and make downhaul/outhaul adjustments until it works.

me too, have to stop buying gear and just get better

When I first got a GPS I could get up to about 27-28 knots constantly with the very odd 29 knot run. I felt the same, had decent gear etc. Too may years of wave sailing and B & J I suppose and always trying to stay upwind.
Then a mate suggested I bear away lots more than I was. At first I reckoned I was until I saw a very quick sailor going DEEP off the wind.
I realised I wasnt anywhere near really bearing off. Next time I tried, the 30 knot barrier was gone and then you just keep doing what the others have said. testing, trying different set-ups etc.
Just a suggestion.

Sail size

Rig as big as you can hang on to coming back up wind (it doesn't have to be pretty sailing)

Going downwind requires a lot more sail than going square

Sail very deep off the the wind, you will soon realise that you need to rig bigger sails to do this

One thing that Slowie said to me a while ago always rings in my ears.

If you are comfortable sailing up wind you have rigged too small.

Haha, no i am very disapointed with the "Faster" Dvd too... I've watched i so many times and still not getting any faster... Maybe i should stop watching it and go surfing

I think you're right about the not going downwind enough.
Next time i will try and rig bigger and go crazy down wind. When speedsailing, can you rig 1m2 bigger than what is recommended for the board?

it's like 100m running,i can do 14.0 dead and if i practice twice a week for a year, maybe 13.8 i'll do.

same in golf,new a guy with a hackers swing 14 handicap, spent heaps on lessons and no difference.

i tried squash,was ok,but eventually realised i did'nt have it!

if you can do 27/28 knots, with a smaller fin and smaller not bigger sail you should be able to hit 30knots.

in w/surf if you've got average gear you can buy speed.

once you've have got fast gear, the only way you'll get faster is go to the gym.

if you can hit 30 knots,that is close to advanced level.

A lot depends on conditions, and having the equipment to suit.
The BIGGEST thing is FLAT water.
I find it easier to do 30kts in 15/17kts of wind with biggish gear on flat water, than in 20/25kts of wind with smaller gear in chop.
Also going downwind, the doesn't need to be ad big, if you use the same fin you use for getting upwind fast, that will just be extra drag downwind.
Talking fins, there's a lot out there that are designed more for going upwind, than downwind. A thicker foil forward, max depth 30/35% forward, helps with higher angles of attack, doesn't stall as quick.
But for speed downwind you want a foil with a thinner entry, max depth about 40/45% from the front.

I agree with the above: Really flat water, go really deep, rig big, small speed fin helps - also cammed sail with deep draught and small board with no tail rocker.

Also, stance is critical, helped by long harness lines: you need a straight front leg and arm as much as possible and to have your weight well outboard with a straight body. That way you can counterbalance the force on the sail and won't be lifted up so much in the gusts. Being able to hang out and not be lifted in the gusts means that instead of de-powering in the gusts you will accelerate.

The straight front leg and arm also helps transfer power from the sail into holding the board flat and lets you take some pressure off the back foot, thus helping avoid high speed spinout.

So let's imagine this... I have gone downwind and reached another plateau at 33-35knots(a place i know a lot of people stuck at).
Is the only way to get faster, tuning or have you experienced some type of revalations(other than going seriously downwind with a huge sail) where you thought:
"Why didn't i just do that earlier?"

I know i did a couple of knots ago, where i learnt to keep my upper body stabil and now i think:
"Why the #### was it so hard getting past that plateau, because now i can get there anytime i want in almost any type of conditions."

have a look based on todays GPSTC 2 sec speeds- about half of us are under 33knots - that makes me feel better

and half are above 33knots.....

sexier statistical graphs welcome.

Thats makes me feel better Toby.........

What about a graph showing 2 spec peak compared to angle of bear off. The optimal bear of angle may be 125 to 135 % but what if the sailing location has no flat water at that angle Are you better of to tune your gear for a squarer run ie setting a flat sail, using a slalom fin and not a speed fin etc.

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flatout said...

So let's imagine this... I have gone downwind and reached another plateau at 33-35knots(a place i know a lot of people stuck at).
Is the only way to get faster, tuning or have you experienced some type of revalations(other than going seriously downwind with a huge sail) where you thought:
"Why didn't i just do that earlier?"

I know i did a couple of knots ago, where i learnt to keep my upper body stabil and now i think:
"Why the #### was it so hard getting past that plateau, because now i can get there anytime i want in almost any type of conditions."

Flatout the quicker you go the harder it is to get PB's and beat you previous speeds. It gets to a a stage where you need lots of factors to line up, such as really strong wind with flatish water (low tide) with the wind in the perfect direction. This is why going fast is so addictive. You may only get 1 or 2 proper speed saling sessions a year the rest is just practice and tuning. Just enjoy getting on the water.
At the moment i would be jsut happy to get planning

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Haggar said...

Thats makes me feel better Toby.........

What about a graph showing 2 spec peak compared to angle of bear off. The optimal bear of angle may be 125 to 135 % but what if the sailing location has no flat water at that angle Are you better of to tune your gear for a squarer run ie setting a flat sail, using a slalom fin and not a speed fin etc.

You have two options
1. rig slalom gear to get a speed on the tight course (limited result)
2. go broad through the chop

Watching Slowboat over the last couple of years makes me realise that you have to go looking to find the gust and flatter sections amongst the chop. They are out there and with gear you have gained confidence in (a slow steady process) you can still pick up some good speed (it also feels amazingly quick due to the fear factor). Really flat water will always be quicker but don't let it limit you.

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flatout said...

Hey
It seems like i can constantly hit 27-28 knots, but not get a any faster than that. So i was wondering how you guys deal with plateaus?

I was stuck on the Patagonian plateau but was lucky enough to hitch a ride with some locals

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I was stuck on the Patagonian plateau but was lucky enough to hitch a ride with some locals

Ah, so you meet the Patagonian tooth fish too, friendly cheery bunch I found

Ask a fast sailor to have a run on your gear and tune it for you. It may make a difference and it may not. However it could give you a lot of tuning options to think about.

Sometimes hitting the plateau could also mean you're too much in the comfort zone with you gear, upsetting the balance can lead to new discoveries.

Finding a piece off fast water will definitely up your speed but being able to improve in the conditions you normally sail will be more rewarding.

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tobyhodgso said...

have a look based on todays GPSTC 2 sec speeds- about half of us are under 33knots - that makes me feel better

and half are above 33knots.....

sexier statistical graphs welcome.

How the frig did you get that graph to work Toby? I hope you didn't type all the numbers out by hand! What a lovely distribution!

Man I'm amazed by what people can do with the data on that site.

The Bell Curve


Whoops I rounded wrong (all numbers rounded down now)

Wow 34 is a popular speed, wonder why that is?

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elmo said...

The Bell Curve

Oooh now I've got wood

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elmo said...

The Bell Curve

FOR FARK SAKE HUEY, WE NEED WIND IN WA[}:)][}:)]

Elmo thats the graph i wanted to create- well done!
it show us where simple people are and the gods are on the right!

I don't like where I am on that graph...

Part of my problem is I am not very good at getting upwind on my current board, so I can't go downwind without a very long walk home...

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Windxtasy said...

I don't like where I am on that graph...

Part of my problem is I am not very good at getting upwind on my current board, so I can't go downwind without a very long walk home...

But if you score a great new PB, the walks worth it
Bit of work this Summer and you'll be right

im stuck on a small hill .I have not cracked 22knots yet 21.8 on 292 bomborra 7.4 neil pride. 21.9 on f2 6mtr north sail & i have absolutely no idea how to improve this,smaller fin on f2 might help & some wind

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actiomax said...

im stuck on a small hill .I have not cracked 22knots yet 21.8 on 292 bomborra 7.4 neil pride. 21.9 on f2 6mtr north sail & i have absolutely no idea how to improve this,smaller fin on f2 might help & some wind

Hi,

next time we meet have a go on my board a Tabou Rocket 140. I haven't gone much faster than 26 knots on it but its pretty easy to get 24 or 25 out of it without really trying.

I drive the white Mitsubishi 4WD van.

I too am stuck at a plateau. I'm really hoping for windy weather once it starts warming up a bit. It would be great to have a few weeks of consistent seabreezes.

Great topic for all us sub-30's.

Looks like we are all stuck on a no wind, no sail plateau

Haven't had a decent planing sail session since 19/3/10. NOW THAT SUCKS

i recently had this same feeling bout the thirty knot barrier.an gosh, didn it do my head in i took every bit of advice i could from forums like this, and the cats i sail with. everything counts !!!!! like i mean everything. this includes a life jaket and helmet. flat water will suprise you if you can find it. keep at it. it will happen.
peace