Howdy people
I'm a newcomer to windsurfing and need a little footstrap advice.
I'm planing well, comfortable in the harness and now cofidently water starting. however when i go back to get in the straps i feel like i've got too much weight back and don't really feel in control also if the gust drops a bit i turn upwind almost instantly and just stop.
I'm riding a Mistral Screamer 2.77-103 ltr usually with an Arrows 5.2m. I'm 6'4" and 93kgs and what i'm starting to think is that this board hasn't got quite enough volume down the back to support my weight. Would this be right. I've tried moving the mast back to solve the upwind dramas but that just seemed to bring even more weight back. Moved the mast forward and it would start tailwalking and mucking around, seems that most of this boards volume is fairly central. The way i've got it set up a the moment feels really nice but i'm standing about 100 mm forward of the straps. I sailed Lancelin yesterday for the first time and just went off, totaly loved it, but getting my feet into the straps would certainly help deal with the chop out in the bay when ya doing 25kts.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers

Brett
__________________
BC

Cliffo everyone goes through the same thing, seems impossible at first

A Lesson might help sort you out very quickly, if can't afford that, bluejuices comments are valid, I would add, lot's of front foot pressure, bearing the nose away, and in increments move the back foot back (heel agst rail) until you can slide it into strap without nosing into wind, then slide front foot in. When you get good it's always best to go front foot in first, then rear. As I said, a lesson might sort it out very quickly if you can afford it. Hopefully others have good advice also.

Call me SoftBoy for short

Hi Cliffo,
At 93kg you may just need a bigger sail to power you up. If powered ok, then hook in to your harness first, sit down, driving all your weight through the mast foot. This will do two things, firstly make the board bear away from the wind and accelerate up on to the plane, secondly it will take the weight off your front foot, which leaves it free to go in the front strap.
Always put your front foot in first, then slowly your back foot. If you are still having problems, try it on a bigger board(beg, borrow one from a shop or friend).
Good luck.



Simon
gowindsurfing.com

Hey Matcham
Couldn't tell you how old the board is, to have a guess i'd say it's a mid 90's model but is in as new condition so it's a bit hard to tell.
Call me stoopid but what difference does using a newer sail on and older board make. I'm using a 2001 Arrows Trixx 5.2 with 430 100% carbon mast. Could this be contributing to my problems or do I just need a bigger sail as Simon suggested earlier
As before, any advice greatly appreciated
Cheers

Brett

BC

those bloody gybing secrets

GONE WITH THE WIND

Hey Cliffo,

Doesn't sound like the mast track position is the problem, but FYI the older sails had their draft position further back than now. Moving the draft forward is yet another great development over the past few years in making gear easier to sail (more stable with higher wind range). Newer board/new sails = a whole lot more time hanging back in the harness in footstraps.

Your sails sound fine, by the way.

Matcham

Hi Everyone

Would just like to thank you all for your invaluable advice.
I got back in the straps today and man, what a difference.
No turning back now.
Simon, think your right about being underpowered, went out today 25kts ish with a 5.3, good in the gusts but still lost it in the lulls so in the process of hunting down a cheapy 6.5ish sail to get me going.
Thanks again

Brett

BC

I have a very cheap 6.0 simmer and a great free ride board which is impossible to sail badly Cliffo!
Velly cheap for you meester! see buy and sell

Mcfly

Hey Dudes

Just like too offer some more thanks for all of your combined advice.
I took your advice Kecksoff, It seems that I was in a very similar situation to you, so anyway, I aquired myself a Neil Pryde V8 Streetracer 7.0m on the weekend and took her for a spin this afternoon. Man, this sail has changed everything. I was straight onto the plane, straight into straps and straight to 25kts and Buzzin off my head. I stepped into the river at 5:05 and at 5:05 and 20seconds I was 1/2 way to south perth yacht club. AWESOME
Today I call myself a windsurfer
Next step - Gybes!! I did 9/10ths of one today, practice,practice,practice. Might have to go to one of Hardmans Gybe Clinics
Thanks again guys

BC

Way to go Legend!!! It is a huge step you've made!!!!! You'll soon wonder what all the fuss was about...

After hitting the straps I'd be carving gentle rail to rails on each run just to get my head around the turn reaction of the board to foot pressure (be careful - as I found myself driving like this on the highway, carving from white line to white line and making swoosh noises - very hard to explain to any non windsurf copper!!!).

I got some good advice on jibing (that I am still working madly at) - was told to concentrate on seperate aspects of the jibe each time, bearing away to gain speed, back foot out and over rail, commit, look through to the exit, lean to carve large arc and flip sail.

Another tip that has been invaluable was read from Matt Pritchard interview, with onshore winds, rig 0.5m bigger than you think as white caps coming at you make the day look bigger than it actually is. This has saved me from the old days of schlogging along when it looked really breezie out there!

Keep up the good work!!!!

Getting gone!!!
Seaton

Hey guys,

A question on the jibing thing, as i am also trying (very unsuccessfully) to do them. Do you keep your feet in the straps until 1/2 way through the turn and then take them out, or have 1 out from the start?

quote:

---

it's just what we do, just what we do.

---

Handsomest and dearest of wisest, Hardie.

I am just trying to clock-up some advice credit as I will be hitting the debit very heavy once I get appropriate gear to get me out into the pounding surf. Questions will be coming like - how do I get 20kg of sand out of my clacker with both feet stuck still in the straps, and how do I get teeth out of a boom with said mass of sand replaced by broken mast tip?

Right you are as I'm lucky to be nailing 50% of my jibes, so people may be best served if I can offer them a link (with some surreal illustrated instruction) like: www.windsurfingbible.com/


Getting gone!!!
Seaton

hey hardie i love the swearing you made me laugh especially the *******dic*****he******
i feel much better now that you made me laugh
i can just picture you kicking the !@#$ out of yourself
cliffo is cranking!!!
i used my $2 5m sail on the sputnik and it was heaps fun got a few more gybes under my belt and got a goose, no swan, um quack, oh a duck gybe but sheeted in too quick and lost it dohthanks to hardies clinic and vids
way cool
im hoping there may be some wind for next week as im on holidays befoe i go away... i wanna come for another visit hardie and hit the reef not physically as you have

GO HARD CLIFFO!!!



GONE WITH THE WIND

Is that why it went landscape, dooooooooohhhhh

I'll delete see if returns to normal.



Hardie SoftBoy

Hardie,

Plenty said about your broken gear, how did you fair up after a scrape across the reef? Much bark of the elbows, knees, shins etc?

I hit some reef at Yallingup as a youngun' and remember being real sore and 80% mercurachrome red for weeks.

The water has a mercy factor of nil!!!!

Seaton.

Getting gone!!!
Seaton