Knowing what and when to tune your rig as an advanced-novice

[sailoratheart]

The Rig: 118 JP Magic Ride w/7.5m Titan

Over the past several sessions at Cabrillo Beach (16-21 knots) and Lake Isabella (16-25 knots), I have managed to get in and out of the foot straps while planing up wind, begin a carve gybe and hook in and out of harness during a plane. However, my rig just does not feel right most of the time and I made the mistake of changing everything at once only to find out it felt worse after. Before all that, the following was happening:

I consistently get on a plane and in the foot straps, but without much effort on my part, my harness hook consistently detaches from the harness line. The bouncy motion of the choppy conditions seems to cause this most of the time. I am feeling like I cannot really lean back on the sail. I am in moderately windy conditions however and would be surprised if there was not enough wind to support me in those moments. However I still find that if I lean against the sail too much, the rig just falls over. Now I notice that when getting on a plane, I am turning into the wind more than I would like, so I am wondering if the mast track should be moved forward 1cm or so as well as raise the boom slightly after that to compensate. My harness lines are adjustable and I have them at their shortest which measures from my elbow to about my wrist. Any longer at my current boom height and I feel like I lose any angle on the wind and am almost laying in the water.

As I am a beginner, I would really appreciate any insight as to what component of the rig I should focus my attention on and which ones to leave alone. I feel like I should not move my harness lines as they seem to be at the center of effort for my 7.5 sail. [/img]

[wynsurfer]

Never make multiple adjustments. You have probably discovered this on your own. Change only one at a time. Try raising your booms first. Your sail may not be adjusted properly too. Are you using it on the correct mast with proper outhaul and downhaul? Can you be more specific as to how the rig feels? How heavy are you? I weigh 150 and would be on a 7.5 in 15-25 mph winds if the chop was not too severe.

[PeconicPuffin]

First of all, Slinky's point (only adjust one thing at a time) is where to start.

Secondly, there are a couple of generic settings that should work at least moderately well for you...not dialed in, but work pretty good:

Put your mast foot one inch forward of the middle of your mast track. Leave it there.

Boom height at your collar bone (with you standing on the board, and the mast verticle.)

Keep your harness lines so they balance against the pull of the sail (you're already doing that.)

It would be helpful if you could either post a photo of your rigged sail, or ask a good sailor where you sail to take a look at it. You may need a lot more downhaul, for example. You might also take your rig to the local windsurfing store and ask them if they'll look at it with you (rigged) so you can make sure you're not way off with downhaul or outhaul or mast choice.

[sailoratheart]

I believe that my downhaul is set correctly only because I am going about a cm past spec just to see the looseness that I was told by Maui Sails to shoot for. I have a Sailworks Joystick which is 75% carbon and I was told that it is fine, although I feel the cam activation might be a bit delayed on that mast. Ok, the more I think about it, the action of sheeting out seems to tighten the harness line against me. In other words, when sheeted in the line is being pulled on at an angle some degree off of perpendicular with the sail. When I see most people, they look like their weight is pulling against the sail in a straight line through the harness lines. So would this mean I need to bring them back slightly? I am sorry about how vague I am being, I just am having a hard time putting into words what is happening. When it is happening on the water, I am so focused on everything else, that I miss what is happening. I weigh around 175lbs and am on a 40cm fin. When going upwind, shouldn't the apparent wind be enough to hold me up?

[jingebritsen]

another simple experiment concerning your involuntary unhooking. raise the boom up to your eyebrow, go sail. it will likely be too high. but, you will know the feeling. come back in and lower it a few inches at a time to where it feels right, AND you don't unhook involuntarily. in other words, try some stuff to find out what's right for you.

[NOVAAN]

If you can comfortably be in your harness lines when you not on a plane, then they are to long. They should be set to a length that allows you to be in the straps, in a balanced stance and have the sail sheeted in 90/95%. This allows for your back hand to be used to control the power as needed but the harness takes most of the load. I use a seat harness with 22" lines. At speed I have almost no pressure on my hand and arms. The load is mostly in my legs.
I use to sail Cabrillo and still hit Isabella once in a while. There are lots of great sailors at both places. Watch someone that looks like he or she is windsurfing with a balance rig, with little or no effort. That's the guy you want to ask for help

[NOVAAN]

Both places can be very gusty. You need to learn to read the wind ahead and be ready for the gusts and lulls.

[cgoudie1]

I have a different suggestion. Beginners rarely apply Mast Foot Pressure.
This is pressure applied through the Mast Foot, by loading up your harness
lines and hanging out and down. It gives you a 3rd leg.
If you ride around using your arms for
most of your power transfer, rather than your harness lines, you'll
continuously fall out of your lines, especially in choppy conditions.
See if, once hooked in, you can just "rest" your hands on top of the boom
while planning, that will force you to use the lines and apply MFP.

-Craig

[sailoratheart]

[sailoratheart]