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Staying on a plane after pumping
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rgomez



Joined: 13 Dec 2012
Posts: 112

PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 7:14 am    Post subject: Staying on a plane after pumping Reply with quote

I know I keep asking a lot of questions...but you guys have such a wealth of knowledge that it would be a shame not learning ...Smile

Anyways...My question is it possible to stay on a plane after pumping the sail?...and for how long? even if the real wind speed is a bit less than required for planing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=FjK954NYpfI&feature=endscreen

I have tried pumping before but never got on a plane and while my board did go faster...it immediately slowed down after i stopped pumping.

Also any good videos/links for how to properly pump a sail and when should a sail be pumped.

Thanks
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rswabsin



Joined: 14 May 2000
Posts: 444
Location: New Jersey

PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pumping your sail and board to get onto a plane is an easy and very effective skill to learn especially if you sail in light winds with occaisonal puffs that could get you planing.

So if your sailing along an almost planing, look for puffs of slightly stronger wind moving across the water in front of you. As you approach one of these stonger puffs, begin pumping your sail and turn your board so it is pointing just slightly downwind. Keep pumping till you feel the sail actually filling and catching more wind and the board should accelerate and work itself onto a plane. If the puff was small, you'll probably drop off a plane again. But if you can maintain your board speed between the puffs, you stay on a plane. To maintain speed, you might have to keep sailing slighlty off the wind - especially in the lulls - but as the puffs come through and you feel your speed/power increase, start to try and point more upwind to regain ground.

I see so many experienced sailers never try this technique in marginal wind and shlog back and forth when they could be planing if they pumped their sail just a little.

Rob
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PeconicPuffin



Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 1830

PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some things for you to think about:

1. It takes more wind to get planing than to stay planing, which is why it's common to find yourself shlogging while a friend planes by you. For whatever reason they didn't fall off the plane, and they've got enough wind to keep going while you need some extra. This is what pumping is for...getting you over that threshold. But it only works if there's enough wind to keep you planing.

2. The board is being pumped as much if not more than the sail. We're trying to scoot the board up onto a plane.

3. Once you are planing, if conditions are marginal you'll need immaculate technique to stay planing. Sailing slightly off the wind, and your feet might not be in both footstraps. Arms and legs fully extended into a "7" position. Keep your body as still as possible.

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http://www.peconicpuffin.com
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whitevan01



Joined: 29 Jun 2007
Posts: 607

PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 9:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

everything Michael said.

between steps 2 and 3 (or during step 3), as soon as I get planing I think about "stiffening" my whole body in that 7 position. this helps to get every little "ounce" of power transferred from the sail to the board.
plus, make sure to pull down through the boom and harness to get plenty of MFP to keep the tail from sinking, which will of course cause you to drop off the plane.

sometimes you have to bear off the wind further than you might think. so, I often find it useful to schlog a bit upwind before I commit to trying to get on a plane.
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carl



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

PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 10:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The objective to keep planing is to put all your weight on to the boom and
keep as much weight off the board as possible. I find it easier to
hook in first and get your body out over the water while you pump the sail
with your back hand. Look for a gust, bear off the wind a little and pump while leaning out and lightening your feet and keeping your weight forward. Try to keep the board flat instead of plowing water.
Granted, un-hooked full body pumps are more effective pumps, but trying to hook up quickly after pumping usually puts your weight back on the board when you're just starting to plane, resulting in falling off-plane. Hooking up first puts more of your weight in the sail right away, works for me.
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johnl



Joined: 05 Jun 1994
Posts: 1330
Location: Hood River OR

PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 10:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm the opposite. If I find the wind is almost enough to plane I will hook in and be lazy and feather the sail (I heard somewhere it isn't a real pump but more of a feather). If that doesn't work but I can see there is enough wind for me to stay on a plane then I unhook and go for the full pump.

But to stay on the plane if it is marginal I tend to lean more forward to get all my weight on the boom..

Oh yeah I find myself doing the full pump more later in the season than in the beginning of the season. Pumping is tiring so pick when you do it...
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PeconicPuffin



Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 1830

PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 11:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

johnl wrote:
I will hook in and be lazy and feather the sail (I heard somewhere it isn't a real pump but more of a feather).


Me too. Because

johnl wrote:
Pumping is tiring


I think the "feathering" (which I'm not sure but I believe provides mini pumps to the board) requires much more sensitivity than full-on pumping (which also requires sensitivity.) It's either mini pumping, or/and goosing the laminar flow on the sail.

IMPORTANT WHEN PUMPING: You must use your feet to make sure you've got the board trimmed flat nose-to-tail. You can pump all you want, but if you're heavy in the back foot the board will plow, not scoot. You want to be sliding the board forward from underneath you when you pump.

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http://www.peconicpuffin.com
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Brian_S



Joined: 11 Jun 2005
Posts: 249
Location: SE Michigan

PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 11:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ditto what Michael said. Adding to 3), I've found that in those marginal conditions it helps to lengthen your lines a bit to stand the sail up straighter, while keeping your body weight off the board.
Also, I think I can feel what the sail wants to do if I keep my hands closer together near the lines. The sail seems to want to find the best sheeting angle in the lulls - not exactly sure why.
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whitevan01



Joined: 29 Jun 2007
Posts: 607

PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 1:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yes, to all of the above. hands close together at harness lines, "project" sail forward, feather sail while hooked in, lean forward, stiff body. all that stuff.
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swchandler



Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588

PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 2:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When it comes to pumping, many folks overlook the process of pumping the fin along with the sail. When you think about it, the fin, like the sail, is a power source. So, in borderline planing conditions, it's a good idea to use a bigger fin. It will make it easier to pump-up and overcome your bow wake, and in addition, it will better promote upwind drive once on a plane.
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