So I'm out for the second time this year yesterday. Got in early to 'warm up' and wait for the decent winds. 2 hours later I get back to shore. I've got a broken line, a nearly broken body and feeling like I should've commited Seppuka instead of hitting the water.

One problem is my inexperience. I live an hour from the water but as a kiddie growing up in Fiji I learnt the basics. I can water start (sometimes) and tack. Not yet tried to gybe.

Second problem is my equipment. I know it's not the latest gear but it is slowly improving. I've got a 5.8 sail and a nice carbon 2 piece mast. 2 seasons ago I was taking out a 1980's bambora board until one day I came back in at Manly in 25 knot winds and a couple of the veterans laughed at me (in a good way) and then regaled me with stories of there adventures decades earlier on the same board. I upgraded to a hifly maxx widestyle 305 (pre 04 model probably very pre!) and remember thinking wow, now I'm flying!

So before I make this into a novel, here are my problems. Well at least all the ones I can see for myself!

I've set up the lines at 'normal' lengths but still seem to be straining my front arm a lot.

I'm leaning back and the board starts to plane and next thing I shoot downwind. So I move my front foot forward a bit and lose all that speed.

Lastly, why is it so hard to put my feet in the straps. My back foot is in the right area but my front foot is always too far forward. As soon as I pull that foot back I'm heading off course again.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'm sick of feeling like a cat in a washing machine

If your front arm is straining a lot it sounds like you need to move the front line forward a bit until the harness can take up the 'pull' and it feels more even.

Whos a noob? did you call me a noob leman???

Thanks everyone.

Nebbian I watched that clip and according to it, sboardcrazy is right. Both lines need to move forward by about an inch or two. So thanks guys.

So with that part hopefully sorted I can trust my harness a bit more and get the feeling that your talking about Leman. Definitely never been able to take weight off the mast leg so will work on it.

I think I asked too many questions at once. I will head back out after I replace my straps (broke one after a particularly nasty cartwheel) and move them forward. Also going to get bigger foot straps and move them forward and in like Terminal suggested.

Thanks guys. Good wind on Tuesday so will have feedback after that!

Out of curiousity I'm wondering how many litres my board would be roughly. I'm guessing about 185 given that it's 305 long and 70 across. I'm naturally trying to blame my equipment for some of my failings and with me being 85 kilos and still uphauling sometimes could I afford to get a smaller lighter board so I to can make that slap slap noise like every other bugger out there going faster than me?