Do you guys sheet in and rake the sail back (some) in the gusts? Or just sheet in.

Some sails tend to just open while others open and pull towards the nose of the board. Or is it me?

Manuel7 said..
Do you guys sheet in and rake the sail back (some) in the gusts? Or just sheet in.

Some sails tend to just open while others open and pull towards the nose of the board. Or is it me?

Nah, just turn the board down wind which makes it easier to absorb the extra power and control the lift of the board. Driving up wind does the reverse , more lift on the board hence the " poo stance" and an overpowered sail. The bonus of the off wind technique is you also go faster

I just sheet in, sink in the harness more and pull in with the back hand if the sail is getting back handed.

There is terminology in windsurfing which just doesnt make sense, and describing stance is no exception.

Why do people call it the '7' stance? Because your arms are the top part and your back and legs are all in a straight line? Who sails like that?
Some people say the 'super 7' stance. WTF is that. More of a 7 shape than a normal 7. A modified 7 shape would be a bit more accurate, but exactly what does that mean.
Then there is the 'toilet position'. Generally that refers to racers sinking in the harness with bum out. But what are the legs doing in the 'toilet position'. I know where my legs are when I'm on the crapper, and thats not at all like where they are when sailing maxed out.

Sam Ross in pic1 showing a more normal sailing position, sailing a bit down wind I'd say. The legs arent in the same position, so how does a super modified 7 describe that?

Scotty Smallman in pic2 in a 'toilet position'. Who sits on the crapper like that? Or do you guys use a foot stool for your foot long stools?

Manuel7 said..
Do you guys sheet in and rake the sail back (some) in the gusts? Or just sheet in.

Some sails tend to just open while others open and pull towards the nose of the board. Or is it me?

You really need to spend some time watching YouTube clips for this - there's no shortage of what your asking.

MobZ said..

kato said..the off wind technique

I reckon I'm in poo stance a lot in strong wind and having mega undesirable board lift.
I can picture how this works well and have felt it that way sometimes in good flat water.
But I remember trying a few times and feeling it was getting dicey as board started bouncing.

You sail giant gear for your size so that's probably a lot of the problem. A smaller board sail and fin should help.

sboardcrazy said..

Surfing Uk said..
This is something I need to work on as I definitely seem to get overpowered easily, interesting reading the comments to sheet in on a slightly more down wind course. I'll typically head up wind when over powered but just feels very uncomfortable for me.

Depends on how overpowered you are and how choppy it is.
Sometimes it's too risky bearing off overpowered in big chop. Then staying low and heading upwind is safer , bear off in the lulls.
I'm small and relatively lightweight but sail big and long boards for the wind strength because of the patchy wind we have. I sink low to help avoid catapults, weighting the windward rail to try and stop the wind lifting and launching the board..

Same for me with my fat hybrid race board (290x72cm 190l) and powerful (for my light wait 68kg) 2cam 7'8 simmer 2xs in patchy lake wind. When it's 12/14 knts mid there are some 25 to 30 push for a minute, when it come, seems easier, less scary, for me to go upwind seat in harness trying to keep board on water.

Exactly, I'd expect big slalom or even freeride sails to have a nice and low forward pull.

How about on wave sails or maybe freestyle sails?