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Planing and footstrap question
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Sacandagalady



Joined: 28 Oct 2003
Posts: 42

PostPosted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 8:46 am    Post subject: Planing and footstrap question Reply with quote

In reviewing one of the previous posts, there was mention of moving the mast base back for better speed at planing or similar. I am guessing I understood that to be the case.

Needless to say, I have a 155 Starboard GO with a large Drake Racing fin. Typically the winds are real up and down and gusty where I sail. I have planed without difficulty and am really struggling to have the confidence in up and down gusts to regularly want to use the straps.

The boom height is high enough, but will I feel any better or will it be any easier if I move my mast base closer to the tail a bit? At the current time it is in the center. I use a variety of sails in size depending on the winds of course.

Thanks in advance!
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coachg



Joined: 10 Sep 2000
Posts: 3546

PostPosted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How your setup feels is a very personal thing in windsurfing. Moving your mastbase back will raise the nose of your board and increase fin pressure which you will normally feel as increased back foot pressure. You can expect to have to make a boom height adjustment as well when you move your mastbase.

Try moving your mastbase back 1 cm at a time to see how it feels. You may find that with the Go 155 that it is happier with mastbase more forward for earlier planing using larger sails & bigger fins for normal BAF sailing, but again that becomes a personal thing. The key is finding where you feel comfortable for your style. Some sail more off their front foot, some off their back foot & some like equal pressure on both feet.

Coachg
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dhmark



Joined: 04 Sep 2007
Posts: 376

PostPosted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 1:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think the mast base position has anything to do with your problem of confidence using foot straps in gusty conditions. It is for refining balance, comfort, speed and control. The center is a good position to stay at. Sailing in the straps should actually improve one's control in variable winds, as long as you know how to sheet in and out quickly without moving your feet (body lean, pivoting the sail) and can hop out of the straps during extreme lulls. dhmark
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DanWeiss



Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Posts: 2296
Location: Connecticut, USA

PostPosted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 1:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Moving the mast base backward does has the effect of moving the boom height up. If harness lines remain the same length, more pressure could be placed onto the rig. This might help reduce the feeling of getting yanked around. Tighter lines can make sailing in gusts somewhat unsettling with fear of catapult being common, but being locked into the rig means being locked into the straps, both of which together inspire confidence.

I acknowledge none of us can actually diagnose without seeing Adena's settings.

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Sailboarder



Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 656

PostPosted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 3:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As other stated, once you plane in comfort in the straps, you will feel so secure that you don't want to ride anymore out of the straps.

I used to have two problems related to this. First, my booties were a bit sticky, and getting out of the straps for the deep lulls was difficult. Enlarging the straps didn't help too much, but changing booties helped a lot.

The other problem I had was that my setup was tuned to plane in front of the straps and I was quite comfortable that way. In the straps was less comfortable: all my weight was on the front foot! Changing my setup involved moving the mast track back and raising the boom. If you are used to plane out of the straps, you are also used to position your feet to be comfortable. You'll know the setup is right when your straps will prevent you from stepping where you'd want to step. Instead of stepping ON the straps, it's then time to get IN the straps.
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PeconicPuffin



Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 1830

PostPosted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 4:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A question and a comment.

Q: How much do you weigh? If you are at either end of the bell curve, your mast base position may be something to consider adjusting. Otherwise:

C: Put it right in the middle of the mast track, and focus on your stance, sheeting in, smoothness getting in and out of the footstraps, and sensitivity to the wind as you control the sail.

It is easy to distract yourself with gear adjustments. Get it in "the ballpark" and then work on your technique for awhile. And of course, take lessons. Next time you take a lesson, ask your instructor to look at you on your board...they will be in the best position to advise.

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jingebritsen



Joined: 21 Aug 2002
Posts: 3371

PostPosted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 5:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

in what context did you see the mast foot positioning? when discussing what happens with long boards vs short, it is very important to keep the 2 classes of board separate concerning this issue. short boards will show relatively large incremental changes in performance with base positioning than long ones.

again, if you've seen some discussions about long boards, then please note that these discussions may not apply directly. it helped me understand what you were asking based on your inputs as to what you are sailing. glad you did.

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boardsurfr



Joined: 23 Aug 2001
Posts: 1266

PostPosted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 8:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Moving the mast base forward or backward can make sailing in difficult conditions more comfortable. I'd definitely suggest you try it out and see which it works for you. If you don't notice much difference by moving the base by 1 cm, move it more.

Whether moving the mast base forward or back will make sailing more controllable depends on your gear setup and your sailing style. Dan mentions the "locked in" feeling you can get from moving the mast base back. I have heard a top slalom sailor give the same advice with a slightly different rationale: keeping the board from slapping into the water before the foot straps. But being "locked in" is key, either way. If you are not comfortably getting into the straps in difficult conditions, chances are you are also not sailing locked in. In that case, moving the base forward to keep the nose down may give you better results.

Regardless what works for you, you may find that getting into the straps can help with dealing with gusts and lulls. You'll go faster in the straps, and the faster you go, the less the apparent wind changes in gusts and lulls, smoothing out the ride. I'll always remember one particular day where I was struggling in gusty winds, never getting comfortable, while a couple of slalom sailors sailed around as if there were no gusts at all.
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dhmark



Joined: 04 Sep 2007
Posts: 376

PostPosted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Problem more likely to be boom height than mast foot placement. Board is 155 Go, very wide, big difference in comfortable boom height hooked in planing with feet close to center line versus in the foot straps, so much that it is usually barely possible to stay hooked in when schlogging out of the straps on such a board. when I swap boards from a 64 cm wide free ride to 82 cm wide board I adjust boom height 4-8 inches up on the same sail, so there is a big difference depending on how outboard the sailor is standing. dhmark
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konajoe



Joined: 28 Feb 2010
Posts: 517

PostPosted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In gusty or 'up and down' conditions, better sailors will rig for the lulls and learn to deal with the gusts. The reason is that they want to minimize schlogging time. They also know that it takes much less energy and effort to maintain a plane than to get on a plane.

Mast back will probably get your max gps speed, but minimum % planing time.
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