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gusty winds-rigging for?

 
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wiamea



Joined: 03 Jan 2004
Posts: 108

PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 8:10 am    Post subject: gusty winds-rigging for? Reply with quote

winds gusting 12-30 how do you plan for that?? rigged 4.8 wave sail still unable 2 sheet in during gust.In over my head!! 2nd year felt like first time out any suggestions??..should I wait till the wind calms down??
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 2:33 pm    Post subject: RE: gusty winds-rigging for? Reply with quote

Heeeeelllll, no! Any TOW beats TOB (Time On the Beach). Get out there, learn how to rig for sailing overpowered (WAY more downhaul than youd expect), learn how to SAIL overpowered (weight aft and low, in a nutshell), and keep pushing the envelope. Before long it will expand.

Ive sailed for years i Rocky Mountain state lakes with huge gust ranges, and at 13 gusting to 30 Id be on at least a 6.0, maybe a 6.6 or more, depending on the time it spends at 13 or 30. MANY times Ive had a BALL in those conditions with a 6.8 sail (Im about 190) on a 110-liter freeride board, jumping and slashing a tough I was on a 5.0 . . . which most guys WERE on. They slogged at least half the time, while I planed 100% of the time and never got overpowered beyond control. PRACTICE
(aka PLAY), and learn how to rig right, and it will come.

Mike \m/
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carl



Joined: 25 Feb 1997
Posts: 2674
Location: SF bay area

PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 4:01 pm    Post subject: RE: gusty winds-rigging for? Reply with quote

I agree with Isobars with something to add:
Are you using the correct mast with the 4.8? Too long a mast for small sails can make the sail twitchy and unforgiving in the gusts.
Also if the 4.8 is older than around 1996, it would be good to upgrade, the older sails didnt twist-off very well in the gusts.
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coachg



Joined: 10 Sep 2000
Posts: 3549

PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 5:22 pm    Post subject: RE: gusty winds-rigging for? Reply with quote

Another option is to rig for the gusts on a floatiest board board you can handle. Practice freestyle in the lulls, plane in the gusts.

Coachg
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wiamea



Joined: 03 Jan 2004
Posts: 108

PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 8:46 pm    Post subject: RE: gusty winds-rigging for? Reply with quote

Carl the mast is OK its a 400 wave mast, its just general in experiance on my part and using a sail Ive never used w/ soft luff and old hot sails rock slide, on a board carve -131 that Im learning on..Id get planning with my weight on the back of the board and the wind would drop 15 mph and start sinking...
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 5:22 pm    Post subject: RE: gusty winds-rigging for? Reply with quote

The instant that 15 mph lull hits, do one or both of two things: get your front foot out of its strap and step way forward, or hang all your wight in the harness. The objective is to get your weight forward near the mast track.

Mike \m/
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gemoore



Joined: 14 May 2001
Posts: 494

PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 6:49 pm    Post subject: RE: gusty winds-rigging for? Reply with quote

I agree with isobars all the way. Get out there with what youve got. I aim to be very powered up to overpowered in the gusts. Rigging for the lulls is OK if the gusts tend to be brief or if the water is flat.

Second thing is to get that front foot out of the straps and up by the mast base when the lull comes. I keep my back foot in the strap. Wide wide wide based stance, getting low, bend the knees. Surf the board downwind with the swells to keep planing, and stay sheeted in. When the gusts are this big, you have no trouble getting back upwind so dont forget about it but dont worry too much about going downwind. When the gust comes back in, slide the front foot back, sheet in hard, head back upwind.

For B&Jers, these are some of the most fun conditions you can get, and after a little TOW with it, youll be ripping. Pick your jibe / tack maneuvers appropriate for the wind at the moment (lull or gust). This puts a premium on jibing / tacking skills, and adds to the challenge and fun.

GEM
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wsmike



Joined: 07 Jun 2003
Posts: 412

PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2005 5:50 pm    Post subject: RE: gusty winds-rigging for? Reply with quote

Thought Id also mention the recent article in WS mag about new school stance to blast through gusts. It envolves sheeting in with the front hand by stiff arming the boom to push it away from you, and with the back hand pull in slightly with elbow bent. Drive off both feet equally, legs fairly straight, stance is upright no low and dangling. There are lots of advantages to this technique, to name a few: reduced spinout from less driving off the fin, instant accelleration in a gust, no more fear of gusts (go gust hunting), increased confidence, better pointing ability. Ive been working on it my last few sessions, seems much improved... especially for gust management.
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gemoore



Joined: 14 May 2001
Posts: 494

PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 9:35 pm    Post subject: RE: gusty winds-rigging for? Reply with quote

Well, they might have called this new school, but its pretty old style!
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