WA
6277 posts
Hi,
I took my new Mistral 105litre freeride board out today in 12knot wind (5.7m sail), there wasn't quite enough to plane but in the gusts I could almost get there. Apart from having no hope waterstarting, I'm quite puzzled by where to put my feet when on the board.
When I beachstart, I put one foot in front of the mast, the other just behind the front footstrap, and get the board nicely trimmed ready for the gust. When the gust hits I lean rearwards, sometimes get my front foot behind the mast but never get anywhere near the footstraps. I'm hooked in, that's no problem, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to get back into the straps.
The centre of buoyancy of this board is about 15cm behind the mast, so if both my feet are behind this position then the nose will lift out of the water and the whole thing sinks quickly, stern first.
Are the straps something that you can only think about when you're well up on a plane? Or do you haul up on the rear footstrap and push down on the boom? Seems a bit odd to me.
Thanks for any ideas,
Ben
QLD
7436 posts
Cheers Ben,
Theres a few things.
1) Where you put your feet depends on your overall trim. It varies greatly with the way you are sailing. If you are dredging, your weight is supported by the board and your feet have to be close to the mast foot. When you are plaining in harness you are supported by the sail and you have much less weight on your feet so its easy to slip them into the straps. But you don't really have to think too much about it - it comes naturally.
2) With a 5.7 in 12kts you were under powered and dredging. Getting into the straps in those conditions is not only extremely difficult but it's not the right thing to do.
3) The absolute key to getting in the straps is loading the mastfoot. Hanging down on the booms is a good way to achieve that. But you have to be plaining.
WA
152 posts
I've got a 105ltr Mistral Screamer and I wouldn't really call it a sinker, but then I'm only 75kg. NotWal is right, you are well underpowered with your setup and the wind strength. Having said all that, I would suggest that you don't get all worked up about trying to get into the straps. When you are planing, and then powered up, your feet will be in roughly the right spot anyway, and then you can just slip them in.
Slipping them in isn't that easy when you are starting out. You really need to have a lot of your weight supported by your harness and this will let you take the weight off your foot and move it. This will only be possible when you are on the plane and really powered up, especially the back foot.
The other big secret I found is not to look at your feet. As soon as you look down, you're stuffed. Try to feel your foot into the strap and at worst just look out of the corner of your eye.
One of the things I was doing wrong was to lean out the back when the wind hit. A natural reaction. One of my mates told me to lean out the side and I thought he was mad. However, it really does work. Sheet in and lean out the side. Don't sheet out when you feel the power build, else you will tend to go to a broad reach and the wind will pull you over the nose.
Anyway, those are my thoughts.
that rig is fine in 12kn and up to 18kn gusts.
you'll need at least 120L and 6.5/7.5 m sail to get planing on flat water and your rig will soon tell when to get back in the straps
