Water start preference poll

beaglebuddy · Joined: 10 Feb 2012 Posts: 1120

I'm almost always trying to waterstart with huge sails in marginal winds, it's back foot on the board and kick with the front trying not to kick the reef.
I'm always trying to think of new things and had an idea of some sort of folding flipper attached the the lower leg so I could propel myself right out of the water in very light wind.

nw30 · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 7:49 pm Post subject:

BB, been there, done that, I still have some scars on the top of my feet from kicking the coral. If you have to kick, then there isn't enough wind, and kicking doesn't really help, it's the same as "pulling yourself up", which also doesn't work, both are bad habits that are hard to break.
This is why I use this method that I described before~

"Very little wind, w/ or w/o a current, both feet up, w/ the front foot near the uni., mast as vertical as I can get it, front hand near the bottom of the mast, rear hand grabbing the lower leach as far back as I can reach, and then sort of shimmying up the mast as much as the little wind will allow me, until I'm standing."

Sometimes I end up sitting on my board, with the rig straight up, but I'm moving, so it just a matter of getting to my feet and grabbing the boom.
No kicking the reef!!!!!

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

People with waterstart difficulties can try lower boom heights. Only in the most insane winds have I needed a feet in the straps launch. In light wind you can come up with your front foot and back knee, stay low till you get going, or is it my back foot and front knee?? I try to not think about it too much. Cool

manuel · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 1158

This thread is in need of pictures:

This isn't me (I'm much better), but it shows a lightwind waterstart.

No footstraps:

In this type of wind, both feet in and hooked in:

Is it clear now Laughing

?

boardsurfr · Joined: 23 Aug 2001 Posts: 1266

nw30 · Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 1:19 pm Post subject:

winfreak · Joined: 26 Apr 2001 Posts: 61 Location: Oregon Coast

Poll results:
<Percentages matched well with non-forum poll data gathered externally
so I combined all data. Slight bias of forum respondents to use multiple techniques>
<percentages do not total 100% because some sailors have different
preferences based upon conditions>

Front foot only: <5% prefer, <15% can do

Same foot always: <2% prefer and do

Rear foot only: >85% prefer, >95% can do

Both feet on board: <20% prefer, <50% can do

Both feet in straps: <5% prefer, <35% can do

Single technique dominates for that sailor: ~50% (more for forum)
Multiple techniques used: ~50% (less for external)

Use of both feet in straps
when single foot is sailor's dominant technique: <10%

Discussion: Use of multiple techniques higher than I had expected.
Sailors who normally use a single foot technique are much less likely to have water started with both feet in the straps.
These folks may benefit from
considering use of this technique (provided it is windy enough
or the sailor can use a more powerful sail).

Next question(s): Do you lean towards being "over-powered" or "under-powered" when conditions are not steady?
In other words, do you rig for the gusts/powered up periods (I never want to be overpowered)
or do you rig for the lulls (I will NOT schlog/pump ) ?
Or does it vary with conditions (bad gusts, light wind) or type of sailing practiced/desired ?
POWER vs comfort/safety?
Which way do YOU lean?

Thanks again for your responses! This has been useful. Very Happy

nw30 · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2015 2:15 pm Post subject:

There again it depends on conditions, so I'm not really sure why the quest for the most popular technique answers, to me it's kind of irrelevant.

Underpowered, never.
Overpowered, yes if the surf is big.
For really uneven wind, I like a combo, sail size for the gusts, with a big board for the lulls.
But there are many other variations depending on wave size and where the wind is strongest, close to shore or way outside.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

I definitely, deliberately, very multipurposefully, delightfully lean towards overpowered.

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

The average person rigs too small. I rig a sail that will allow me to plane all the time. Too many sailors are also excruciatingly inefficient, expecting the wind and their gear to do all the work.

Get comfortable being uncomfortable and rigged wrong. You'll get much more TOW.

One sailing buddy rigs so he always feels like he needs a little more wind. Shocked