You will find this thread interesting:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Gps/How-to-get-that--flying-on-the-edge--feeling-

Your weight is not the sole factor holding you back from going quicker than 50kph. Weight is definitely an advantage when you're trying to go fast consistently through chop. But being in the same weight range as you, i can tell you that you can definitely go faster.

without more info, any more answers than that are based on pure speculation and wild stabs in the dark.

I'm roughly around , maybe a bit under your weight and I'm stoked to get anything over 26kts in chop.
28. 03kts is my best going over the backs of 60cms plus rollers. That was scary..
I'm on freerace gear.

I had a look on gps-speedsurfing.com to see where the fastest speeds were, the 500m track is displayed on the map, but that seems only on recent sessions after 2013. The fast speeds were 2013 and earlier, and they havent posted since. So thats no help. Do you know any of the faster sailors? There is one recent, but he went straight out www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=381951&uid=24437&spotid=1567

As mentioned above, finding somewhere where the chop is at an angle to the wind so you can sail at a deeper angle is key. But I guess your spot has no sandbars or shallow areas near the shore where this might happen.

I was talking about speeds recently with a local, who had been given some tips from sailors at Weymouth, UK, one of our speed spots. When you are going across the wind and not deep, using too large a sail, for power, is actually slower than using a smaller one because of the extra drag. I've also been told this by fast speed sailors. So its not always a case of to go faster you need a larger sail. Do you have a small slalom board? For your weight, 80litre?

Speeds are average of 5 10 second runs.

ps. no light sailors under 77kg, mostly heavyweights going fast.

PhilUK said..
I had a look on gps-speedsurfing.com to see where the fastest speeds were, the 500m track is displayed on the map, but that seems only on recent sessions after 2013. The fast speeds were 2013 and earlier, and they havent posted since. So thats no help. Do you know any of the faster sailors? There is one recent, but he went straight out www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=381951&uid=24437&spotid=1567

As mentioned above, finding somewhere where the chop is at an angle to the wind so you can sail at a deeper angle is key. But I guess your spot has no sandbars or shallow areas near the shore where this might happen.

I was talking about speeds recently with a local, who had been given some tips from sailors at Weymouth, UK, one of our speed spots. When you are going across the wind and not deep, using too large a sail, for power, is actually slower than using a smaller one because of the extra drag. I've also been told this by fast speed sailors. So its not always a case of to go faster you need a larger sail. Do you have a small slalom board? For your weight, 80litre?

Speeds are average of 5 10 second runs.

ps. no light sailors under 77kg, mostly heavyweights going fast.

I am using a 121l board as my big board with 8.6 (I don't have a different big board), 106l with 7.0 and 7.7, with a 36cm fin on 7.7 and 34cm on 7.0. I don't have a smaller board since I don't get strong winds but if i were to get one i am looking for a 90l probably. Also i am waiting for new fins to arrive and I have never tried a different fin so it might be a big difference in speed I don't know

Edit: I am trying to approach slalom sailing not necessarily speed sailing. I just don't have the conditions to do that

Norfix said..

PhilUK said..
I had a look on gps-speedsurfing.com to see where the fastest speeds were, the 500m track is displayed on the map, but that seems only on recent sessions after 2013. The fast speeds were 2013 and earlier, and they havent posted since. So thats no help. Do you know any of the faster sailors? There is one recent, but he went straight out www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=381951&uid=24437&spotid=1567

As mentioned above, finding somewhere where the chop is at an angle to the wind so you can sail at a deeper angle is key. But I guess your spot has no sandbars or shallow areas near the shore where this might happen.

I was talking about speeds recently with a local, who had been given some tips from sailors at Weymouth, UK, one of our speed spots. When you are going across the wind and not deep, using too large a sail, for power, is actually slower than using a smaller one because of the extra drag. I've also been told this by fast speed sailors. So its not always a case of to go faster you need a larger sail. Do you have a small slalom board? For your weight, 80litre?

Speeds are average of 5 10 second runs.

ps. no light sailors under 77kg, mostly heavyweights going fast.

I am using a 121l board as my big board with 8.6 (I don't have a different big board), 106l with 7.0 and 7.7, with a 36cm fin on 7.7 and 34cm on 7.0. I don't have a smaller board since I don't get strong winds but if i were to get one i am looking for a 90l probably. Also i am waiting for new fins to arrive and I have never tried a different fin so it might be a big difference in speed I don't know

Edit: I am trying to approach slalom sailing not necessarily speed sailing. I just don't have the conditions to do that

I am exactly your weight and I my best speed on "big" gear does not cross 28 knots. Big for me has been Isonic 111/Futura 71/Patrik 110 and 7.3 to 8.0 sails. With my old Carbon art 52, or now AV Modena Slalom 88L, and a 6.0-6.6 sail the speed goes up 3-4 knots. I just don't seem to have the technique to go fast with big sails and I quickly get overwhelmed by our gusty local conditions.

In favor of getting a small slalom board. Even at my weight up to a point a large slalom feels more planted and secure than a small one. But put in some more wind, formed chop and a little swell and on a large slalom I start to feel like a passenger, not a pilot. With a small slalom the limit of comfort is much higher. The carbon art 52 was great, but the AV Modena 88 liters is the best, it feels like cruising around until you look at the GPS. A modern 60 wide is a great size for our weight, and takes me home no problem if the wind drops. 62, at 5-10 liters more, would also work very well.

Norfix said..

duzzi said..

Norfix said..

PhilUK said..
I had a look on gps-speedsurfing.com to see where the fastest speeds were, the 500m track is displayed on the map, but that seems only on recent sessions after 2013. The fast speeds were 2013 and earlier, and they havent posted since. So thats no help. Do you know any of the faster sailors? There is one recent, but he went straight out www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=381951&uid=24437&spotid=1567

As mentioned above, finding somewhere where the chop is at an angle to the wind so you can sail at a deeper angle is key. But I guess your spot has no sandbars or shallow areas near the shore where this might happen.

I was talking about speeds recently with a local, who had been given some tips from sailors at Weymouth, UK, one of our speed spots. When you are going across the wind and not deep, using too large a sail, for power, is actually slower than using a smaller one because of the extra drag. I've also been told this by fast speed sailors. So its not always a case of to go faster you need a larger sail. Do you have a small slalom board? For your weight, 80litre?

Speeds are average of 5 10 second runs.

ps. no light sailors under 77kg, mostly heavyweights going fast.

I am using a 121l board as my big board with 8.6 (I don't have a different big board), 106l with 7.0 and 7.7, with a 36cm fin on 7.7 and 34cm on 7.0. I don't have a smaller board since I don't get strong winds but if i were to get one i am looking for a 90l probably. Also i am waiting for new fins to arrive and I have never tried a different fin so it might be a big difference in speed I don't know

Edit: I am trying to approach slalom sailing not necessarily speed sailing. I just don't have the conditions to do that

I am exactly your weight and I my best speed on "big" gear does not cross 28 knots. Big for me has been Isonic 111/Futura 71/Patrik 110 and 7.3 to 8.0 sails. With my old Carbon art 52, or now AV Modena Slalom 88L, and a 6.0-6.6 sail the speed goes up 3-4 knots. I just don't seem to have the technique to go fast with big sails and I quickly get overwhelmed by our gusty local conditions.

In favor of getting a small slalom board. Even at my weight up to a point a large slalom feels more planted and secure than a small one. But put in some more wind, formed chop and a little swell and on a large slalom I start to feel like a passenger, not a pilot. With a small slalom the limit of comfort is much higher. The carbon art 52 was great, but the AV Modena 88 liters is the best, it feels like cruising around until you look at the GPS. A modern 60 wide is a great size for our weight, and takes me home no problem if the wind drops. 62, at 5-10 liters more, would also work very well.

Oh I thought you reach the same speeds with big gear and small gear with good enough technique. But you might be right about getting the 90l board in terms of understanding what speeds and feelings I'm looking for when riding any gear. If I were getting a 90l board what are the ideal sail and fin sizes? I should probably have a small board for sails 6.2 and maybe 7.0 but I have no clue about the fins. Maybe a 32cm?

I am sure one can ... but I can't! somebody above mentioned PWA level sailors. There is a video of Andrea Cucchi casually braking the 35 knots over 500 meters barrier with 7.5-7.8 sails and what looks like an AV Modena 73/118 liters. He does that just to compare sails in their line up. No sweat. He is just cruising at 35 knots. At Garda, in chop. I never touched 35 knots over 500 meters.

With the AV Modena 88L I am using a Tectonics Phoenix 31 with the 6.0 and a Phoenix 33 with the 6.5. But you have a 34 so I would stick with that first. A 7.0 would work fine with a 62 wide, not sure with a 60, although the AV is very happy with 6.5, but you could try before investing in a new sail.

If you only windsurfed for a year, you are doing really well. If you buy fins, try and get carbon fins, they are much better generally.

Self preservation kicks in at about 50kph over chop, a few times I've thrown caution to the wind and regretted it shortly afterward

Little guys can go fast so don't be too discouraged you just have to get everything working right for you - which I can't help with. But typically your settings, wind ranges and gear combinations will be different to heavy riders - and different to manufacturer guides because most of them I believe are based around bigger sailers especially for slalom/race type gear.

Fast in chop is too subjective as to what the chop is, we sail in chop here, short sharp ugly chop usually but not open ocean swell+chop, most sailers taking note of gps numbers can do high 20's to low 30's in knots, some faster - mid 30s semi-regularly

Norfix said..
Hey everyone,
This has really been bugging me lately. I can't reach 50 kmh on my slalom gear even when fully powered up. This is in moderately choppy conditions since I'm riding in Viganj. I am not really asking for advice cause I can't post videos yet since I'm new here. Most importantly I am 68kg and am curious how fast i can go with my weight when riding slalom and if I am even able to ride so fast with my weight in chop. Also if you have any guess to what's wrong even though you don't have much information I'd appreciate it .

Hi,
I was stuck at the same speed for quite a time, maxed around 51 km/h with my iSonic 123L or my Fox 105L. Always in 60-100cm chop.
Flat water is the key - first time I went to a flat water spot with my iSonic I hat 58.0 km/h (31.32kn).

rig/setup:
- rig a big sail, you need to be overpowered
- your board and sail need the right trim to fly, but not lift the nose too much. If the nose is too up, put the mast foot 1cm forward and the boom 2cm down. If the nose sticks to the water, do the opposite
- carbon fin helps, but wont do the miracle for you. I use a Z-fin.

course:
- go downwind 30 degrees
- go downwind!
- did I mention already: go downwind! That gives you a boost for another 10-15 km/h
- In big chop, ride on the face of the wave which forms a flat channel and helps you to go fast. The waves limit a bit the angle you can go downwind. If you go too downwind, you overtake the next wave over its back, which often makes the board touch the water more, and slows you down.

stance:
- front foot fully stretched, toes lifted up to fly the board on the lee rail
- rear leg slightly bent to dampen the chop
- close the gap - sail needs to touch your rear footstraps
- choose long harness lines - you can leverage your weight better which helps to handle larger sails
- stay committed with full body tension, whatever comes. The moment you reduce your body tension and the tension in your front leg, and move the body weight slightly towards the center of the board, your board will throw you off. Try to have your weight equally distributed on both feet.

Below is a chart from Maui Ultrafins where they calculated how fast you can go with different winds. With 20kn wind, around 32kn speed is reachable. But expect this only in really flat water.
In 60-80cm chop and 20kn wind, If you reach a 2 sec max of 50-55km/h (27-29kn), that's already really good. I'd say: try in flat water some times, then you know you can reach it, and then go to the choppy spot again and try to reach the speed in chop.





best,
mariachi76