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Experimentation with Softer Battens
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spennie



Joined: 13 Oct 1995
Posts: 975
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

PostPosted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 2:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I found that at my size (6'4" & 215lbs.), by the time I get enough power to plane on a small board in high wind, it takes off like a bat out of Hell and I find myself going 25 or 30 through big chop. I've found I can slow down by using a huge wave fin and a smaller sail.

Example: In 25 knots of wind on my 86 liter Mistral Synchro, I could use a 4.8 with a regular sized fin, say a 24cm.. I would change down to a 4.2 and use a 28cm. fin. The big fin helps me plane with the smaller sail while adding drag, and the smaller sail makes everything more manageable.

I know this is a weird thing to do, but it works for me. Takes a bit of experimentation to get it dialed, too.

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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Board choice dramatically affects high-speed ride, handling, control, confidence, and wind range. When I expect serious wind, I make sure my serious-wind boards are packed so I can safely and smoothly go all-out in both straight lines and high-g slashes. My first warning for giving up and saving my body for better days is having to avoid jamming it off the lip due to a high likelihood of injury even on my smallest sail and smoothest-ride board. That happens for a few brief hours on the 3 or 4 biggest days I see in the Gorge with water temps > 46, so it's not a big sacrifice. My second, final, persuasive warning is when flat-out bream reaches are out of control even on my best nuke-wind gear and there's no letup in the cards. That's time to eat, and is unlikely to last long.

How do I KNOW which boards qualify? By sailing all my likely suspects in those conditions. 60-75 liters, narrow, tiny thin tails, plenty of vee, the word "wave" in their family tree, and the brand are staring factors. They narrow the field, but nothing matches first-hand trials in very high winds with each board. IMO (and that of the magazine analyses I've cited here for years), it rules out shortwide boards; that's just not what they're intended for.

The right board postpones the need to start redesigning one's sail and adds immensely to one's fun and peace of mind.
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