I could have a ball with the CLUTZ theme, but I'll be kind to you!

The bigger the sail, usually the harder it is! Maybe your expectation is unrealistic, that you want it to come out instantly??

Sometimes it feels like ages before I can get the water off and position myself to rewater start?

I'm sure you know the basics, of water starting, sail positioning, and getting any water off sail etc.

Grumps I think its about your getting old like me, and want everything to be easy!!!! You probably work too hard and don't get enough time on the water!! Get off your ampled sized butt and get sailing down here with other over-weight middle-aged men, and get the buzz!!!!! How far are you from Mandurah?

Not exactly sure why the 5.4 is harder than the 6.2, maybe those more technically minded like decrepit can answer that?

The biggest impediment to good windsurfing in middle age is lack of fitness. When i'm at At 98kg I huff and puff after 5 - 10 munites, need to have rests, everything seems harder: falling in, water starts, swimming after gear in the surf etc. Now I'm between 90-92 kg's can sail for 2 hours, with regular short breaks, and my recovery capacity is so much better. Realistically I need to get down to about 80-85 and then I'd be A VERY FIT MIDDLE-AGED MAN!

There's lot's of guys our age who rip, but they are a lot fitter than we are. Take Decrepit, he can sail for hours, not an ounce of fat on him and he's (not sure whether he wants his age declared) older than us!

quote:

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Originally posted by grumplestiltskin

Same here (would like to drop at least 8kg)
however the curse of good food, good wine and tasty beer seem to be my downfall

Next time someone asks me out for a long lunch I'm just gunna turn the bastards down ............................LIKE HELL

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Yes Food is my biggest downfall, I just love good food, and my wife is a brilliant cook, and she likes to dazzle me with her culinary brilliance, it's all her fault!!!!!! .......... Although she does say to me "Darling I'm not forcing you to have that 3rd helping of Lasagne!", She's trying to pass the responsibility for my obesity back on to me

don't tell me you bought one of those sails with big luff pockets and plastic things that push on the batterns......they are for sailors over 50 who can't gybe properly or do any tricks!

Originally posted by grumplestiltskin

Haircut: you lovely person, its a NP Search Freestyle Wave sail.


oh, well thats ok then....we can't have any more of those gps-ahollics taking over, can we

yeah, thats what I'm doing, just the tip seems to hold a lot of water and I struggle to get it out.

I think its just different and I need to get used to it.

Folks
get to the gym

A couple of years ago I decided that my current fitness program was not enough.

I was tipping the scales at about 92kg.

anyway - I decided to get fit and join the gym. Was taking pills every day to deal with arthritis in my knee - from 15+ years of Aussie rules

I was cycling 3x per week and thought I was OK.

Had my assessment (body fat % and fitness etc..m blood pressure etc. - not a great story).

Anyway, was motivated and kept at it for 6 months, and when I had my next assesment - I felt great.

My weight was the SAME .

But body fat had been halved. For every kg of fat I had lost I had put on a kg of muscle.

Fitness ++, Strength++

Arthritis - be gone!!!

Strength - big improvement. I can now lift that multi cammed sail with 20+ kg of water in the luff pocket out of the water.

My message is to try a weights and aerobic program that is different - some cross training really helps. (find a really good professional - and stick to the program - it is hard work for a while)

Weight depends on fat or muscle - don't get too hung up on it.

Anyway - my sailing has improved cos I am stronger and fitter in the right muscle groups.

- Dr J

geeeezz Grumple looks as if ya might have to stick to the old sail with shorter boom or maybe one of them floaty things on the boomend........screw drjukka's getting fit caper

could some of you r old sails have tubular batterns and not solid batterns? I'd imagine this would make a difference.

......yeah good point Ben
I bought a sailworx mast 2yago where the top half goes inside the bottom half for storage, thus no bung in the lower half,
which is ok until ya come a gutsa and the board turns upside down, hey presto half a mast full and no bouyancy.
I soon whacked a bung up mine mast

An old fitness message from long ago "Get fit to play sport, not get fit playing sport". I will really have to remember that and get some use out of that home gym and the running shoes I brought a while back.

Grumps,
While the NP SEARCH is a pure wave sail it has been designed for the 'bigger'sailor and so has a slightly deeper look and feel to it.
As a result it tends to catch a little more water BUT provides plenty of bottom end grunt to get big guys up and powering sooner.

Try grabbing the mast just below your boom and with your other hand holding the back strap of the board (arms crossed over with boom arm on top) pull the mast onto your board arm. (uncross your arms)
This helps get the sail out of the water and get the wind underneath it.
I have been using the SEARCH for around 6 years now and find this technique works very well with a short board where the boom head is way past the back of the board

quote:

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Originally posted by grumplestiltskin



and yes unfortunately I fall into that larger sailor category

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Only Large? I would have said at least XXL!

Yo Comrade Hardman... you have lost much weight yes ?
Windsurfing is now better since dipping below tripple figures yes ?

You follow Russian Maffia diet of salted fish with vodka to loose weight yes ?

Grumps, SEARCH very powerfull sail, downside of deeper luff is far outweighed by performance.
You can also try down hauling to maximum setting to help loosen out the top of the sail. In fact I rig all mine (4.7 + 5.4 + 6.2) to maximum downhaul what ever wind stregth and they just lurve it.

Also forgot to mention, if the sail still doesnt want to break free of the water with your arms crossed over and holding the mast and back of board, you can sink the back of the board slightly and then let the bouyancy help lift the mast.
Just a word of warning if you sink it too far and the wind is strong it can get under the front of the board and blow the whole board and rig over your head !