been trying for 4 hours windsurfing .uphaul fall off x8.then uphaul cross over grip sheet in sail trys to pull me in x8.then let go.then moved feet back off the mast loads of pressure on back foot finally moving along fall off.when I uphaul the nose of the board always heads into the wind.how do I stop that.am I hoping for to much to soon or am I a natural windsurfing kook. cheers

Where are you trying to learn? M8

down goolwa

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kdalton said..

Brings back memories at Rankines Landing when Dave Lane was yelling at me across the water: "Bow and arrow ! Bow and arrow !".

The board rounding up thing is a problem all new starters have to conquer. When you are up and have your balance holding the sail, sheet the sail in a bit, and as you are doing that, counteract the force of the sail by pushing an area of the board just behind the mast base with your front foot (ie: "foot mast pressure"). This will stop the board rounding up and also make the board go forward.

Good luck :)

J

I'm fairly new to Adelaide. Is goolwa a lake? Hopefully it is as that's the best type of water to learn on as the sea can be a bit tricky in the early stages. Just be stubborn and keep trying you will get it eventually.

im going to keep at it.but how long did it take you to uphaul go along and turn back .cheers

I didn't think it was going to be this difficult to windsurf.surfing chinamans at 6 foot was a piece of p ss

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Mxmanus said..
I'm fairly new to Adelaide. Is goolwa a lake? Hopefully it is as that's the best type of water to learn on as the sea can be a bit tricky in the early stages.

Try this ... near 'Goolwa Channel L1' is an easy grassy place to launch.
goo.gl/maps/9mklx
goo.gl/maps/zEv1l

Fresh water
Consistent waist deep water
No rocks

... a great place to learn in winter as it is easier to stay warm in the waist deep water.

I found this. May be of some help.
www.windsurfing.org/train05.htm
I don't think anyone will suggest learning is going to be easy. I am sure you were not surfing Chinaman's after your third attempt.
Sounds like you are trying to learn by yourself. Once the warmer months come around you will find more people on the water and I am sure you will get some help from them. It is far better if you get advice in person.
Also have a read of the Qld. thread titled 'Windsurfing Learning Curve "
Don't give up, as once you master it you will be hooked for life !
P.S. Do not start a new thread each time, just continue asking questions on the same thread so people can follow your history.

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jn1 said..

kdalton said..

Brings back memories at Rankines Landing when Dave Lane was yelling at me across the water: "Bow and arrow ! Bow and arrow !".

The board rounding up thing is a problem all new starters have to conquer. When you are up and have your balance holding the sail, sheet the sail in a bit, and as you are doing that, counteract the force of the sail by pushing an area of the board just behind the mast base with your front foot (ie: "foot mast pressure"). This will stop the board rounding up and also make the board go forward.

Good luck :)

J

Another thing to try it to tilt the mast forward and away from you a bit, this help turn the board down wind.

While learning it's a balance between mast forward and back, same with foot pressure.

Until you sort it out, leave one foot either side of the mast.

General rule of thumb is mast forward to turn down wind and mast back to head up wind.

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kdalton said..
I didn't think it was going to be this difficult to windsurf.surfing chinamans at 6 foot was a piece of p ss

I was like you for a month and posted a message similar to yours. I nearly gave it up. You'll get it. Just keep on trying. As you progress, you'll encounter other mile stones (harness, straps, planing, gybes,.. and then onto possibly loops and tricks). That's what makes the sport interesting. It's like solving a puzzle. It's very rewarding once you pass a mile stone. When the wind is the right direction and my free days line up, I'll see you down there.

thanks jn1.i was going to leave Goolwa yesterday come home and get the angle grinder and cut the board up.then I thought im going to try and get the hang of it..so im going to do it. cheers

had a lot better day today 8-10knot wind.uphaul holding mast in the neutral position.cross over grip sheet in sails trying to pull me in.let go with back hand then try again and move back leg further back bend back leg and im moving yep im moving.tilted mast to the front and moved mast to the back and did a bit of steering.ive just got to practice counter balance and balancing on board. and controlling the sail.it was a good day.legs are sore.glad I didn't cut the board up.

Ahh the frustration of uphauling and light wind sailing........ really why would you try and learn in the most difficult of conditions.

Any windsurfer thats been doing it for a while will look for stronger wind and water start............... because it easier!!

In my opinion find some flat water, not to deep, 15 - 20kts using a 4.7 or 5.0 sail and learn to water start. (float the sail by running the boom up over the back of the board).

I might be wrong here but that's a bit much to ask for a 4 hour learner to do that.i havnt learnt how to do a tack or slow gybe yet.

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kdalton said..
I might be wrong here but that's a bit much to ask for a 4 hour learner to do that.i havnt learnt how to do a tack or slow gybe yet.

Yeah you are wrong...

It all depends on what you choose to learn.

Who said you have to learn windsurfing by uphauling in super light wind.

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kdalton said..
I might be wrong here but that's a bit much to ask for a 4 hour learner to do that.i havnt learnt how to do a tack or slow gybe yet.

Knowing how to uphaul is a important skill you never know if the wind will drop out on you so you can't water start so being able to uphaul can help you to get back without having to swim.

Once you have the mastered water starting you would only ever uphaul if the wind drops out on you.

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kdalton said..
I might be wrong here but that's a bit much to ask for a 4 hour learner to do that.i havnt learnt how to do a tack or slow gybe yet.

There was a beginner on here a few years ago called Darkplague. Mid 30's. The most determined guy I have ever met. He started windsurfing like SHEETIN described. Got rescued a couple of times by the water police. He got there in the end and became a really good sailor (way better than me). I wouldn't have been able to start like that, but It proved to me that people who are natural can start like that. It all depends on the individual's strength and balance.

sheetin if you only started surfing when I was in my prime if you were.surfing middleton bay.i would of said .what you want to surf middleton or learn to surf blackfellows.what do you what to learn.what do you want to learn.who said you have to surf blacks before surfing dribbs.

take off backdoor pull in stand up barrel.easy than middleton.

Determination and persistence are the key ingredients for learning anything new. I remember attempting my first sail in the middle of winter at West Lakes. I got nowhere and ended up de-rigging and swimming it back to shore. However, each time after that I slowly got better, and its more enjoyable falling off in the heat of summer. Within 9 months I progressed from a 3.7m board with center-board to a 2.9m board with no center-board.

It does help when someone can give you a few basic pointers from the shore. Like most newbies we tentatively up-haul the sail and attempt to move it into position. This is typically a very unstable position. Once you get moving with wind in your sail, your body leaning back to counteract the pull of the sail and your front leg in front of the mast pushing the board downwind everything feels much more stable..... so don't be afraid to be aggressive and get going once up-hauled.

When up-hauling, get the feel of rotating the board into position by moving the sail towards the front and the back of the board.

I'm sure with your surfing background you will advance quicker than others like me - with no surfing background.

It's going to blow tomorrow so should be loads of us out on the water. Pop down to one of the surf spots and have a chat. And a play in the water. Even after 20+ years of windsurfing I still get butterflies the night before a big wind day lol

another bad day on the water.15knots 5.3m sail every time I sheet in the sail trys to pull me in the water.let go of the boom x10.gettin nowere any tips.

the sail im using is an old niel pyrde intercam sail which has a single cam just above the luff cut out should I take it off.and when I rig the sail up theres no loose leech.the sail is very tight all over.am I rigging the sail up wrong. if this makes any sense.

Depending on how old the sail is it might not be designed to have a loose leech. When learning it is always going to be easier with out cams the softer the sail the easier it is to depower so when you let go with your back hand it will just flap in the wind like a flag.

anything over 8-10 knots I cant keep hold of that sail.i have a 6.5m sail but if I cant hold a 5.3 hows the 6.3 going to go.not good in my mind.maybe have to buy a new sail maybe.

Next time you are down having a go
send me a text, if i'm home i'll come over and have a look at how it's all rigged.
may be able to give you a few hints..
David

thanks

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kdalton said..
anything over 8-10 knots I cant keep hold of that sail.i have a 6.5m sail but if I cant hold a 5.3 hows the 6.3 going to go.not good in my mind.maybe have to buy a new sail maybe.

Believe it or not, bigger sails are easier (in lighter winds than you would use a 5.3) in that they react slower to the energy of the wind and everything happens more slowly.

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kdalton said..

I'm sailing locally tomorrow, but Sunday (if the forecast holds), I'll sail Boggy. It's forecasted to be 10-15 knots in an easy direction on Sunday. If you're keen, I'll let you know closer to the day.