Backwinded Sailing

[lturkevich]

I decided to start a new thread about sail control once you're in the backwinded sailing position.

I haven't sailed backwinded at all this year until last week, so I lost my muscle memory from last fall's ABK where I learned backwinded sailing and heli-tack.

Last week I found that I can get backwinded fine by slicing the sail forward as the nose passes head-to-wind (and then gently pushing the back hand to sheet in); heels are on the centerline (front heel in front of mastbase), front hand is right up by the mast, minimal pushing with back hand.

Problem is that once I start sailing backwinded with the sail raked back, it seems that every time on a puff the sail has a life of its own: from the raked-back position the sail "moves" forward on its own and pushes me over into the water.

I believe I'm keeping toe pressure on the windward rail, and I know the front hand is by the mast. Maybe I'm staring at the sail instead of looking forward, maybe I'm not keeping enough weight on the back foot (I can also feel the foot of the sail pushing against my back ankle just before pushing me in), and/or maybe I need to let go of the back hand completely because I can feel the sail pushing back on my back hand as the sail comes forward (fighting the bull horns on the boom?), but it's consistent that the sail will roll forward and dump me in the water.

Any suggestions appreciated.

[manuel]

Outside of extreme cases, keep front arm straight at all times. Then let the sail breathe with the back arm only and by laying the sail down. In the heavy gusts, the sail can be nearly horizontal. I haven't figured out a way not to have the foot of the sail rubbing heavily on my shin (hurts depending on sail construction there) unless wearing a long suit!

Having that straight front arm will help you immensely with controlling the sail power.

Your front hand can be much farther back, back hand will back up all the way until the clip especially when heading downwind. If there's not much wind, try backwinding with just one hand right around the harness lines.

I think your feet are fine. It's a nice stance which is balanced and with the front stiff arm can actually be easier than simple slogging. It gets other muscles to work too.

When it gets quite gusty, strong or with current, then it gets more complicated but the stiff front arm is #1 I believe.

Did I miss something?

[coachg]

Assuming you have toe pressure & not heel pressure remember Andy's no. 1 rule of bad windsurfing habits-lack of independent motion with the arms. It sounds like you are not working your arms independently so either you tackle the sail, or in this case the sail is tackling you. The back hand should be lifting while the front is pushing.

Coachg

[PeconicPuffin]

[ctuna]

The thing that helped me is realizing or being told there are two steering wheels (and they must be both used to get maximum control as neither one
of them has that much range and balancing being pulled is much easier than
being pushed)
and that this is not a downwind or even across the wind move.
Its and upwind move.(well you can go across if its not real windy)
The first steering wheel is your sail and the mantra is the sail must
be over the tail.(you must share the sail with the tail) The second steering wheel is your upwind rail and how
much you bury it. To have greater and easier control over the upwind
rail put your heels on the center line or even further toward the upwind rail.
What do you do when you are overpowered sailing normaly
Head Upwind.
Same thing backwinded.

[manuel]

Oh speaking of steering wheel, made me think that for this and for upwind 360s or Heli tack the idea is to stiffen our core muscles and transfer the power of the sail into rotational force in our feet to get the board to turn. Picture as if we are trying to screw or unscrew the board to the water.

Not sure it's completely clear but that's very important to recover situations. Also going into backwind there's a frank throw off the mast into the wind and push on both arm to pop the sail. Sometimes I only pop the top batten to diminish the sail power but that's with Ezzy only I believe, convenient!

[PeconicPuffin]

[lturkevich]

Thanks, all, for the tips. I appreciate it.

[ctuna]

Heli tack is not suppose to be a violent rotation if you are doing it
right but it often ends up as one.

[Brian_S]