Forums > Windsurfing General

Your number one tip

Reply
Created by Homestraight > 9 months ago, 1 Feb 2016
gavnwend
WA, 1364 posts
2 Feb 2016 3:37PM
Thumbs Up

If you are a lone sailor always tell someone where you going for a sail.at least that person knows if the inevitable happens.

NotWal
QLD, 7426 posts
2 Feb 2016 5:47PM
Thumbs Up

If your uni fails and you have a board and rig separation off shore, the board will disappear in no time if you let it, and it's virtually impossible to catch even in a light wind, so go for the board first. If the rig sinks it's too bad but at least you'll have something to paddle home.

Homestraight
QLD, 39 posts
2 Feb 2016 6:10PM
Thumbs Up

Nice safety tip. Obviously the board doesn't go far when the sail IS still connected so easy to become complacent in the event of the unlikely.

Beaglebuddy
1595 posts
2 Feb 2016 4:27PM
Thumbs Up

When learning to gybe forget about the rig and concentrate on carving the board around.
That and getting the back hand way back and the boom shaka.

Faff
VIC, 1165 posts
2 Feb 2016 10:00PM
Thumbs Up

I am gonna get red thumbed to death for this... But don't take candy from strangers take technique advice from strangers on the internet. You've never seen them sail, you have no idea how good they are. You could be getting sex advice from a virgin. Trust pros!

jn1
2454 posts
2 Feb 2016 7:08PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
MrCranky said..
I am gonna get red thumbed to death for this... But don't take candy from strangers take technique advice from strangers on the internet. You've never seen them sail, you have no idea how good they are. You could be getting sex advice from a virgin. Trust pros!

Good point. For a definitive: Consult a local. . but forum advice is better than no advice (and essentially reinventing the wheel) most of the time. I got some excellent tips on here when I was a beginner.

remery
WA, 1885 posts
2 Feb 2016 7:39PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
MikeyS said..
Get professional help. I mean, do a course with any of the really good instructors mentioned on the site from time to time.

Increases your skill exponentially from what ever level you are at.


Do this... and if you want to practice gybing with a future interest in racing, count down in your head and when you hit zero... turn and deal with whatever the ocean presents.

da vecta
QLD, 2512 posts
2 Feb 2016 10:21PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
Agrid said...
MikeyS said..
Get professional help. I mean, do a course with any of the really good instructors mentioned on the site from time to time.

Increases your skill exponentially from what ever level you are at.


Do this... and if you want to practice gybing with a future interest in racing, count down in your head and when you hit zero... turn and deal with whatever the ocean presents.


... From what number?

geared4knots
TAS, 2645 posts
2 Feb 2016 11:54PM
Thumbs Up

As the videos all say " where the head goes the body will follow"
top tip i would say,
personal experience works with tacks, gybes, loops, and my poor freestyle

petermac33
WA, 6415 posts
3 Feb 2016 1:24AM
Thumbs Up

Sail with the high clew eyelet.

It may appear different and slower when first trying,but it adds so much low end power to the sail.

I now actually find it faster in the gusts too---as it greatly reduces board lift.

Dont know how I sailed all those years using the low eyelet.

tonyd
QLD, 396 posts
3 Feb 2016 6:39AM
Thumbs Up

Long harness lines

Vince68
WA, 675 posts
3 Feb 2016 4:43AM
Thumbs Up

1) Sunscreen. forgot that once and got fried

2) Get a tub to store all your bits in. That way you should never forget stuff unless to forget to pack the tub

3) Buy a new universal joint every season (dependent on season use so maybe every second), it's like an insurance policy. Cheaper than losing a rig if your trusty old one breaks. It was suggested to me by an old sailor who broke one a long way from home and lost ALL his kit, had a very long frightening swim.

4) Guy Cribb intuition course....worth it

5) Small esky for beers (as mentioned a few times) Salt with a beer chaser . Not too many beers remember you need to drive home to your family and return to the beach for the next session

N1GEL
NSW, 861 posts
3 Feb 2016 8:04AM
Thumbs Up

Sail with a bit of backhand pull. The back hand is like your accelerator!

sausage
QLD, 4873 posts
3 Feb 2016 9:49AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
N1GEL said..
Sail with a bit of backhand pull. The back hand is like your accelerator!


I have to disagree as I'm the opposite Nigel. I set my harness lines slightly to the rear of COE as the sail is in a much more powerful position and I can trim the sail much easier than if I had back hand pressure (this is of course for slalom / speed sailing). Each to their own I suppose. Only time I consider moving lines further forward (in front of COE) is if I'm going to do deep downwind runs as it's less tiring on the leading arm and body position is different as sail is sheeted out further than if normally sailing square.

N1GEL
NSW, 861 posts
3 Feb 2016 11:11AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
sausage said..



N1GEL said..
Sail with a bit of backhand pull. The back hand is like your accelerator!





I have to disagree as I'm the opposite Nigel. I set my harness lines slightly to the rear of COE as the sail is in a much more powerful position and I can trim the sail much easier than if I had back hand pressure (this is of course for slalom / speed sailing). Each to their own I suppose. Only time I consider moving lines further forward (in front of COE) is if I'm going to do deep downwind runs as it's less tiring on the leading arm and body position is different as sail is sheeted out further than if normally sailing square.




Yeah, I used to sail with heaps of front hand because I hated feeling like I was going to get flung over the front when a massive gust hit. But, not that long ago, I was advised by a respected sailor to move my lines a bit more forward. I tried it with some reluctance, but it felt good after a few runs... I find it's much better with bare-aways, going deep off the wind like you say... it helps to sheet out. The difference between my front and back hand is pretty marginal (only a slight backhand bias), where as it used to be very heavily weighted on my front and I'd get crazy forearm burn. I find I can sail a lot, lot further now than I used to. I'm pretty sure Guy Cribb recommends more front hand though, so there you go. Everyone is different.

Haggar
QLD, 1664 posts
3 Feb 2016 11:34AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
sausage said...
N1GEL said..
Sail with a bit of backhand pull. The back hand is like your accelerator!


I have to disagree as I'm the opposite Nigel. I set my harness lines slightly to the rear of COE as the sail is in a much more powerful position and I can trim the sail much easier than if I had back hand pressure (this is of course for slalom / speed sailing). Each to their own I suppose. Only time I consider moving lines further forward (in front of COE) is if I'm going to do deep downwind runs as it's less tiring on the leading arm and body position is different as sail is sheeted out further than if normally sailing square.


Cribby applauds you Sausage

Haggar
QLD, 1664 posts
3 Feb 2016 11:37AM
Thumbs Up

Sail as much as you can

king of the point
WA, 1836 posts
3 Feb 2016 12:21PM
Thumbs Up

Drag you feet through weed
Evil painful beasts lay in waiting

sboardcrazy
NSW, 7917 posts
3 Feb 2016 4:51PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
N1GEL said..

sausage said..




N1GEL said..
Sail with a bit of backhand pull. The back hand is like your accelerator!






I have to disagree as I'm the opposite Nigel. I set my harness lines slightly to the rear of COE as the sail is in a much more powerful position and I can trim the sail much easier than if I had back hand pressure (this is of course for slalom / speed sailing). Each to their own I suppose. Only time I consider moving lines further forward (in front of COE) is if I'm going to do deep downwind runs as it's less tiring on the leading arm and body position is different as sail is sheeted out further than if normally sailing square.





Yeah, I used to sail with heaps of front hand because I hated feeling like I was going to get flung over the front when a massive gust hit. But, not that long ago, I was advised by a respected sailor to move my lines a bit more forward. I tried it with some reluctance, but it felt good after a few runs... I find it's much better with bare-aways, going deep off the wind like you say... it helps to sheet out. The difference between my front and back hand is pretty marginal (only a slight backhand bias), where as it used to be very heavily weighted on my front and I'd get crazy forearm burn. I find I can sail a lot, lot further now than I used to. I'm pretty sure Guy Cribb recommends more front hand though, so there you go. Everyone is different.


I'm pretty sure with Guy's setup you shouldn't be able to take your front hand off the boom..

RAL INN
VIC, 2880 posts
3 Feb 2016 6:15PM
Thumbs Up

What do you call two sailing vessels in same area of water going same direction?

A Race.


More downhaul equals more control.
less outhaul equals more power.

and most of the time spinout is caused by bad sail tuning not too small a fin.

ka43
NSW, 3062 posts
3 Feb 2016 8:30PM
Thumbs Up

Smile

ozpricey
WA, 333 posts
3 Feb 2016 7:44PM
Thumbs Up

When in doubt - hit it with speed.

Mark _australia
WA, 22089 posts
3 Feb 2016 8:50PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
N1GEL said..
Sail with a bit of backhand pull. The back hand is like your accelerator!


sorry but worst advice ever for somebody going down to a FSW or wave for first time. This setup requires backfoot pressure to acheive the backhand pressure and you will spin out all the time and struggle to plane or get upwind.



Subscribe
Reply

Forums > Windsurfing General


"Your number one tip" started by Homestraight