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Any tips to speed up waterstart set-up?
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larrye



Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 5:11 pm    Post subject: Any tips to speed up waterstart set-up? Reply with quote

Any good tips on speeding up waterstart set-up? I noticed at the Gorge Frenzy how fast competitors position the rig, fly the sail, and are up no matter how they crash. I'm trying to get back into windsurfing after several year absence and spending too much time these past few days wrestling the rig. The sail often feels heavy and by the time I fly it a lull will hit and bring it down. I have to start all over and it's frustrating as well as tiring. I have a decent waterstart once everything comes together. But it's way too slow a process.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

First, each post-crash orientation has a trick to get the sail back where it needs to be. If they don't emerge in the discussion, I'll elaborate when I have more time.

Second, don't swim your gear into place; it's a very inefficient method. Instead, grab your gear with both hands and simply rotate your legs, feet together in a huge horizontal circle, using big torso/core muscles. A few such "crop circles" will rotate your gear 180 degrees. (You will kick your fin only once.)

Third, if your height and personal ergonomics put your boom low enough to rest your boom on your board's tail, do so. That cuts waterstarting effort by probably 80%, saving vital energy for a non-jiber. If the boom misses the tail by only an inch or three, I suggest you fuhgheddabout perfection, shorten your harness lines a bit, lower your booms a bit, and reap the energy savings. You can put the booms back where they belong once you quit falling every reach.

Pros seldom crash randomly. They often fall with enough control to place their gear where it needs to be for a waterstart. After 33 years of this, even I can occasionally think about how my gear lands and sometimes actually ieven nfluence it. Of course, that's merely a convenience, not a near-necessity, when not in a surf zone or not in competition.

Ye Olde Point the Mast Into the Wind and Lift the Mast Tip and Work One's Hands Down the Mast routine ... as a routine ... went out with teak booms, at least for normal sized sails (I wouldn't know about drive-in-movie screens).

Oh, yes ... flotation. Wear some.

Besides, what's your hurry? Smile

Mike \m/
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Sailboarder



Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 656

PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

isobars wrote:


Ye Olde Point the Mast Into the Wind and Lift the Mast Tip and Work One's Hands Down the Mast routine ... as a routine ... went out with teak booms, at least for normal sized sails (I wouldn't know about drive-in-movie screens).

Mike \m/


For me, this is not a matter of size of sail, but of size of board. In windy situations, my Kona One gets a lot of pull downwind and mast tip goes into the wind quite fast. I'm often unable to rotate the thing afterward.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 8:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have you tried my rotation approach? It worked for me with bigger boards than a Kona One.
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adywind



Joined: 08 Jan 2012
Posts: 665

PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 9:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When waterstarting a big sail I rotate the board under the rig so that the mast ends up on top of the tail and the boards nose points directly into the wind /this is critical otherwise the clew will sink or the board will be lifted and flipped upside down/.My back hand holds the tail and my front one lifts the boom into the wind while slowly rotating the board to downwind then it's timing.
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westender



Joined: 02 Aug 2007
Posts: 1288
Location: Portland / Gorge

PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 9:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Avoid landing on your sail, downwind of your board. That's bad.
Fall on the windward side of your board with the boom in your hands and arms extended. Waterstart clew first or whatever. Your hair and sail don't get wet.
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johnl



Joined: 05 Jun 1994
Posts: 1330
Location: Hood River OR

PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

isobars wrote:
Ye Olde Point the Mast Into the Wind and Lift the Mast Tip and Work One's Hands Down the Mast routine ... as a routine ... went out with teak booms, at least for normal sized sails (I wouldn't know about drive-in-movie screens).



Mike \m/


I for one disagree. I've been doing it this way for a long time AND teaching it this way. I don't always go to the tip, but pretty close. VERY easy to pop the sail into the wind this way. And I haven't had a board that I can sit the boom on the end in a long time.

On the other hand think outside the box. Think which is the EASIEST way to do something. Anytime you are fighting the current or the wind you will loose. The FIRST thing I want to do is get the sail flying. Any sail flying is easier than if it isn't. Even if it is pointed the exact opposite way. Once in the air it is easier to move the board under the sail or around the sail then when the sail is underwater. Once the sail is on the surface get it in the air quick.

Also it is easier sometimes to get up going the wrong way then throw a quick tack or pivot jibe. Can't do these? Time to improve your skills. Personally I find a clew first waterstart faster than most other options (my sails seem to line up in this position all the time, but then again, I'm not working on normal jibes). So if so, I just fly it up and waterstart clew first (MUST be pointed on a broad reach). I tend not to do this on boards under the mid 80's in size. And below 100 liters it gets difficult. Better to learn this on a larger board.
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mogunn



Joined: 03 Apr 2006
Posts: 1307
Location: SF Bay

PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with johnl, that's how I do it. Clew first is a fast remedy too!
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PeconicPuffin



Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 1830

PostPosted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 9:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

coyotewindsurf wrote:
I agree with johnl, that's how I do it. Clew first is a fast remedy too!


Yes yes yes. And if you're in the impact zone Clew first is sometimes the only technique fast enough.

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Michael
http://www.peconicpuffin.com
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johnl



Joined: 05 Jun 1994
Posts: 1330
Location: Hood River OR

PostPosted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 10:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I made an assumption that your sail handling skills were good.

So my question is can you move your board (where you can stand) using only your sail, in a clockwise and counterclockwise circle facing both port and starboard (4 circles total) WITHOUT allowing the sail to flip? And if so can you also turn the board 180 degrees both towards you and away from you with a sail flip? With your eyes closed? On both port and starboard?

These are "my requirement" before I proceed into a waterstart lesson. Being very familiar in moving your gear in the water makes everything you have to do to set up a waterstart that much easier..
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