dpb

...Should also say that as your hangin there feathing wind again mfp comes into play ,you will notice that if you press down with your left wrist/arm on the boom board as a whole (not the nose-this you will have to kick downwind with your feet ) will go downwind and vice versa if you press down with your right arm board as a whole will go into wind--all this because your driving weight into the mast foot.

dpb

....ps There can be fair amount treddin water, tryin not ta swallow to much, between holdin boom on the **** end of it to get mast/thus clew out water -and feathering sail up into wind. Some wear additional bouyancy aid for this.

icantthinkofone

Know the theory, seen the peter hart videos, just don't fancy spending that much time *in* the water here at this time of the year - I know I'm a wuss edit to add thanks for the advice - I certainly will be trying the shorebased waterstart.

As for the straps, back foot is against the back strap, and weighted well, it has to be to lift the front foot in (all weight thro back foot and mast/boom), the problem comes when I need to remove that weight to move it...

To be honest, my biggest problem at the moment is it seems to either blow a (gusty) gale, or next to nothing.. and datchet is severely gusty anyhow, that's pond sailing for you. That and the mega frustration factor of coming from being a pretty good dinghy racer to absolute numpty on a board... I mean, I ought to be able to do this right!!

dpb

....the tricky bit is between holdin boom on back o the board and then after floating the sail up and controlling the flow of wind over it- minimal weighting front arm / rear arm .Once you can float it at arms length -your then in control o the board -and can push it away from you thro driving force into the mast foot.......i spent a lot o time listenning to people saying ,lie along the length o the board and jus throw sail into the air ie your position on the board is important and you just have to throw it up at the appropriate moment - tosh. Once your floating the sail and semi hangin of it -you can then control the board.- helps if nose is not facin you at this juncture - but even so you can and may have to spin it round with your feet (quite a bit easier with a 260 ). ...oh and o course boom must (for learning anywas) be low enough on mast to sit on end of the board !

dpb

its a matter o careful shuffling - you maybe stampin on here too early also/ to much weight -your driving off the skeg (controling it from lifting) rather than just putting all your weight there. yes what ever happened to our consistant SW's ? havin said that well timed gust is what you need to waterstart !...at least you can leave the winter steamer behind for a couple o weeks

Franx

Bracing

Bleedin' freezing more like That said, I haven't been out since October.
It's reasonable in a south east, east or NE - anything that's onshore, that is - although I've not really been able to get going properly. Shorebreak has too many currents that throw you off. West Kirby's far better

Waterstarting - I was under the impression that it didn't matter which foot you put on first. I use front foot on port tack & back foot on stbd tack - just coz I can't twist the other way, for some reason.
I think more importantly, you're wanting to get your weight as close into the mast as possible, & hang off the boom, whilst drawing the board towards you with the foot you have on the board, whilst kicking with the other. Pull it right underneath you, then slowly get on - a bit of subtlety helps - don't just bounce on, or you fall off.
It's a lot easier if you can stand up in the water

I'm not sure that you really need a gust to get going though - just a bit more subtlety....although it certainly helps

dpb

Concur with all that- any way to get on fine by me although the kickin bits a bit overplayed i think. In brighton itself there is always a current sweepin you long the beach independant of tide ,"scouring" i think, because its in a bay relativley can be tricky to walk against at its strongest -only a problem for the 1st 100" out-but if u get it wrong (wind is goin same way) u can quickly find yourself 100m down the beach and walkin back upwind . Shorebreak here can be dangerous -the size of the waves onto the beach and the undertow to go with it-is lets say challenging -indeed 2 hours either side high water forget it the dump is that bad- even Dunkenbeck has trashed his gear here . If you get out thro this lot its great . We used to sail between the piers ,the upwind one was to be rebuilt,but think not now -bit of a windshadow im afraid , and the downwind one certainly provides incentive to waterstart (gust on top of a wave)--If you get in windshadow o this one youve long walk back-eventually -been thro 2/3 times

Franx

That sounds similar to Aberdeen. Undertow that you can't walk against, longditudinal currents going with the wind etc etc That said, a lot of people...well, more than 3 anyway windsurf there, but they're better than me

As someone said to me, one of the best ways to learn things, is to watch other people do the manoevre you're trying to do. When you screw it up, watch what they do in the part you screwed up, & you gradually get it to work... Doesn't always work though. Make sure you're watching someone who's good, & doesn't just make it up as they go along like I do.

dpb

........i could prob have progressed lot faster if id gone on courses/bought videos etc actual windsurfin hols-but i dont want to get board wit it ...prefer to have sommut there to challenge me - 5 years prob too long mind- but hey how many SW's do we get anymore

icantthinkofone

Determined to crack it to a point where I've got something to play with when it's too windy for the 49er that's the main thing for now... that and I get really p*ssed when something is beating me

Franx

How long have you been going for? It's really just practice, persistance & determination, once you know approximately what you're supposed to do.
My feeble attempts at carve gybing work that way anyway. I've probably attempted it at least 30 or 40 times, and pulled it off about 4 times...

That's the way it works.
One thing though. If you're ever up near West Kirby, there's a guy there who runs 'clinics' for waterstarting, carving, & so on, & he's pretty bloody good as well. Not too expensive either, & I've heard that could be the way to go. I might even do one over the summer



DPB.....getting 'board' with it.... no pun intended eh

icantthinkofone

went out about 6 times or so last year, got keen, spent a week in vass, bought a shortboard... been out about another 6 times this year Too cold to try waterstarting yet...

dpb

..just slipped in ..honest ...

dpb

............I could uphaul my 105 litre k-bay slalom board and deffo my tiga rebel 115?.........and did for a long time ...............my drops flyer 85 litre is prob the limit ............much easier to waterstart....but that would need 4 or above......as yu say...i think last year worst yet for sw's .......can only get better ..

Franx

The problem is with my 92 litre board, is that you can't go out unless it's blowing half a gale. 25 knot +, or I just can't get going. Should have kept the Bic... It was faster than this one as well

icantthinkofone

Sell ya a copello redline 295

dpb

........nah ..................get a starboard hypersonic

Franx

They cost a bomb though

The Copello's a bit big for my liking - how much though?

I went to a windsurf car boot thing a few months ago, & just stopped myself from buying an old F2 Sputnik 285 for 50 quid... Damn well should have gone for that as well. I bought a sail instead Which I haven't even bl**dy used yet I'll find another slalom board one day. I know of a Bic Allegro which I could have for about a fiver... It's a needle board though - about 10 inches wide, & a wee bit hard to get going.

dpb

..paid 40 notes for my k-bay ..last owner suggested only use was as snow sledge ,little unfair -was a copy of a screamer 1-he was just after an allround 280 ..was warned off 105 hyper ..too specialized total handlful if any waves

Franx

Ah yes, but then you buy another board for the waves. The new Hypersonic's supposed to be slightly better anyway. Has anyone tried one?

icantthinkofone

Franx, TBH I've not thought about it, think I paid a bit over the odds, there's also a couple of nice cammed gaastra sails that suit it, but are a bit old (6.2 6.7) and a decent board bag.

The board itself is in very good condition, but has had a (professional) repair where mast met nose; only real reason you can tell is that the white's a bit more shiny in that area!

If you're inclined, make me some sort of offer; I'm not that decided as to selling vs keeping it around until I can sail it! Also I'm W of London.

- Mark.

Franx

I've no idea how much it'd be worth, to be honest. I barely get out on the board I have at the moment though, so I probably shouldn't get another just yet. Keep hold of it for light (ish) winds...
I could use a board bag, but it'd be as well to keep it with the board, as they seem to sell for more that way.
Thanks for the offer though.

dpb

...tried to get out today ...im either too unfit (beer)too old - or conditions were tough today . force 3-6 up and down as always ....little bit onshore i guess . feckin shorebreak 6 inches or 6 feet ...oh well 1st time this year.

Franx

I tried to get out as well. Was meant to be teaching at West Kirby, but we cancelled it coz of the wind - 5-7ish - no good for beginners anyway. I went out windsurfing on borrowed equpiment, & it was absolutely terrible Bloody thrown off all over the place, & I froze my t!ts off as well. I shall try again tomorrow though, as the course now doesn't start until wednesday. Maybe on my own kit as well, which I'm sure helps.
It seems to take a while before you get your bottle back, & want to go at full speed again - because over the summer, I was just trying to go faster and faster, but that was the last thing I was wanting today

Franx

Anyone been windsurfing?

The weather has improved a huge amount just this week, and from what I've seen in west kirby, it's actually quite warm as well. Time to dust down the boards then? I think so The season is upon us - although there's no wind

dpb

hello franx well i is hopin spring aint over yet ..only 2 weekends worth o SW's...failed to get out so far. I Know........ DAHAB .....thats where should be are you instructing windsufin franx -Duncan

Franx

Dahab would be nice or even Fuertaventura, not that I'd last two seconds out there I nearly took a post in the UAE, teaching sailing, but decided it's probably better not to get shot or blown up just yet
Instructing sailing, not windsurfing, but I'm well on the way. Probably do the w/s inst. course over the summer

I've now got a week off though, but there's no bleedin' wind

icantthinkofone

Ahhhh... just back from dahab. Plenty of wind. Sunny and flat. Mostly 5.0-5.7 weather mornings. Now back to work

Franx

I don't like you any more

-sulks-

Hope you had a good time out there

icantthinkofone

Yeah, pretty fair, even lived up to the wind stats (whatever next?)

Seem to have cracked my issues with straps & harness, blasting. now about 50/50 on waterstarts (still have a tendancy for the sail to pull me up to the nose and plant into the water mast first sadly), even attempted a couple of cheeky carve gybes... with a notable lack of success. Now to get back out here and see if it still works.

Got the need for speed, desparately want to get the copello out and flying now