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Did I avoid back problems sailing in poor conditions?
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GURGLETROUSERS



Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 2643

PostPosted: Tue Apr 30, 2019 1:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

May, or may not, be relevant but.....

Windsurfing has now more or less died out along our coastal area. (Mainly kiters now.) We mainly have to contend with gusty offshore, or cross off, for the majority of sessions, and there are now only three or four of us diehard regulars still 'attacking' it. That set me wondering!

The standard way most used to tackle highly gusty conditions was to rig big, for the lully parts (which didn't work well anyway - a lull is a lull) and hence be overpowered and 'fighting' much of the time, putting themselves under quite a strain. (Macho comes into it!)

I've always done mostly the opposite. i.e. Rig smaller to be comfortable in the gusty bits but use the 'next' size up board for a bit more float in the lulls. (i.e. 94 instead of 84, or 84 instead of 75, and so on.)

Perhaps all who have now abandoned the sport were over taxing their body, and not having much fun after all? Did the strain simply catch up with them?

I tend now to think so!!
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swchandler



Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588

PostPosted: Tue Apr 30, 2019 2:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Perhaps all who have now abandoned the sport were over taxing their body, and not having much fun after all?"


Sooner or later age catches up on everyone. Once one realizes that they can't maintain their more youthful performance and stamina, it can tend to take away from the fun.
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techno900



Joined: 28 Mar 2001
Posts: 4161

PostPosted: Tue Apr 30, 2019 8:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Unless you are getting 100+ days a year of windsurfing, us "older" folks have to have a regular workout routine to maintain strength. Most importantly for me is core strength.

I had back issues about 20 years ago which was the result of a weak core. Now not an issue as long as I get at least two good weight workouts a week. Being in the water is a great workout, but I don't get enough sailing time to keep strong.

Pounding chop is the least comfortable sailing for me. My seat harness is sweet, so the stress is on the hips, not the back.
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GURGLETROUSERS



Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 2643

PostPosted: Tue Apr 30, 2019 12:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't follow the reasoning SWC that being unable to maintain youthful performance and stamina can tend to take away the fun. That equates having fun SOLELY to maximum performance. It doesn't have to be so!

I think many chucked over windsurfing because they became hooked on the technique, or trickery, bandwagon (endless gybing tutorials for example) and lost sight of a proper sense of purpose.

One of the reasons I took to longboard cruising (long distances, island circlings, sea crossings etc) was to avoid that blind alley.

The road cycling world (non pro) is a clear example where age and seeming decline are largely irrelevant. I've just come back today from a 45 miler covering two mountain passes, and the fact that I couldn't match the climbing speeds of the fired up young guns (or myself, 30/40 years ago) was irrelevant to the satisfaction and sheer joy of breasting those summits, and plunging down the other sides. It was also obvious that many others I greeted were also somewhat old and grizzled, but they had just as big grins on their faces (and perspiration) as I.

Basically, both windsurfing and road cyling are a means of movement, and travelling. Cyclists haven't forgotten that basic purpose, and fun!
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cgoudie1



Joined: 10 Apr 2006
Posts: 2597
Location: Killer Sturgeon Cove

PostPosted: Wed May 01, 2019 11:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Totally agree GT,

I am a shadow of the windsurfer I was 20 years ago. But I'm still having
fun! Then again, everybody knows I'm a cheap date and wind whore. ;*)

-Craig

p.s. I think I understand what Steve is saying though. I just don't have the
same youthful Joie de vivre I had when I was 20, or 30, or even 40.

GURGLETROUSERS wrote:
I don't follow the reasoning SWC that being unable to maintain youthful performance and stamina can tend to take away the fun. That equates having fun SOLELY to maximum performance. It doesn't have to be so!
[/i][/u]
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manuel



Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Posts: 1158

PostPosted: Wed May 01, 2019 5:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

200+ sessions a year here. Waves, 15-30 knots. Sideon, choppy, gusty.

Being using Dakine harnesses and ION. Never back issues until the buckle on my ION broke. Went back to Dakines and back started hurting. I guess they got soft.

Tried padding it helped but somehow the harness was still stretching instead of transferring power.

Replaced the bar on the ion's, being using it for a couple of sessions now and noticed the much greater support. It's impressive.

Highly recommend trying. ION radium, the select is supposed to be even nicer.

look at kiters reviews, the oil is higher up for them.

_________________
*NEW* - Manu's Windsurfing Blog, The STORE!
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DelCarpenter



Joined: 06 Nov 2008
Posts: 499
Location: Cedar Falls, IA

PostPosted: Sun May 05, 2019 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Additional factors which may have helped save my back: 1. very little pumping, 2. lots of sub-planing harness use, 3. seat harness. 4. Easy-uphaul or a substitute.

My sailing pleasure included planing conditions, but most of my sailing was just long board gliding with very little pumping, because I knew I wasn't going to stay on a plane (conditions too gusty or too light or the next turn was coming too soon). At racing events I pumped a lot to make marks, but that was for only short periods and infrequent compared with my total sailing days.

Many sailors pump a lot to get up on a plane and into the harness or pump often to stay on a plane. Most of my harness use (and most of my sailing) was/is at sub-planing speeds and directed at saving my arm strength so my pumping was always minimal.

No waist harness use since about 1990 or 1991, always seat harness instead.
I've never chased peak physical performance.

I started using an Easy-Uphaul in the early or mid-90s. Since then, though I uphaul often I've rarely uphauled without an Easy Uphaul or a substitute. All of my booms since then have had one or the other. It is possible that my squating technique plus knee strength were/are good enough to help.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Mon May 06, 2019 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

DelCarpenter wrote:
Many sailors pump a lot to get up on a plane and into the harness or pump often to stay on a plane.

Just one of a couple dozen reasons I prefer to Rig Big. Of course, that helps only if there's enough wind to plane.
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