wave sailing in onshore wind

trance_dude · Joined: 06 Jul 2014 Posts: 40

Just curious, when wave sailing, how much onshore in the wind will you guys tolerate before deciding not to go? I've sailed in the ocean when the wind is very onshore and it is very difficult. My expert-level wave sailing friend can do it and still tear it up and have fun bc he is so good, but it is obviously much harder to get out than in side shore wind. For me having to go at waves at any angle greater than 45 starts to be not fun. Not an exact number just a guess, and I'd feel differently about side-off. What limit (angle or rule of thumb) do you guys have for this if any? thanks!

NOVAAN · Joined: 28 Sep 1994 Posts: 1551

Only you can decide. That said if your friend is making it work, then you can also. Just keep at it. One thought. On shore wind and waves push a lot of water on to the beach. That water must go some where. This will cause current that must be considered when rigging and will affect your angle of attack as you approach the impact zone...

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Onshore wind wave sailing can still be fun if you change your mindset, replace DTL frontside turns for heelside bottom turns and shove it's off the lips, and be happy you're sailing in mother nature instead of a pond enviornment.
Jumps are still fun, but now you can do them on both sides, and the flat turning areas between swells are superfun to lay down full speed jibes and use up a lot of beach during your sessions.

trance_dude · Joined: 06 Jul 2014 Posts: 40

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

A floaty wave type or bump n jump board is usually better for onshore winds than a pure fully rockered sinker wave board. You need the float for upwind sailng getting out, and upwind sailing coming back to your launch area. Also, when outside sets come between you and the source of wind, you lose a lot of air, and the extra float keeps you sailing along, often slogging, until the waves upwind of you pass on by.
That of course usually means a pointier fin, for upwind work both heading out and coming back.
As the row of whitewater approachs, and you want to sail over it, you heel side turn abruptly into the whitewater, then bear off behind the row of whitewater to rebuild speed and angle.
Coming "in", the most fun move is heel side shoveit, air turning back in front of the wave to land in the flats.
Watch Euro wave film of Sylt, Germany, for angled onshore wave riding demonstrations.

trance_dude · Joined: 06 Jul 2014 Posts: 40

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Yeah, you gotta make the best of what you get.
I"m a former surfer at OBSF, mostly the Sloat end, and took up windsurfing because OBSF blows out at least 250 days a year, so there must be wind.
Starting Sept. '83, I've logged over 100 days out there, not the most, but certainly the most early and before '85 anyways.
Almost always directly onshore, it's what we get. ONE day pure S winds, one day pure N winds, the rest directly onshore with less than 20 degrees wind angle.

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

currents discussed above have more to do with longshore currents. they run in the surf zone in the direction of the wind, parallel to beach. SUBTRACTS apparent wind on the way out. affects apparent wind (with proper sail and board power) on the upwind wave faces.

the more onshore conditions get, the more planing power one needs.

running downwind going out once out, subtracts apparent wind. riding the upwind shoulders of even the slightest outside swells to inside wave faces adds.

bottom turns backside require just as MUCH CROUCH as front side ones do. but with more back foot pressure. stay crouched, trim sail at top turns for a backside cut back at the top for a brief turn back to the pocket with tons of mast foot pressure. trim sail for power and have it lead your back to the original heel side tack....

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

flat water thing to cross train for a back side ride:

stay in straps, gybe, abort, gybe abort, yet do not lose your plane.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

More than a few sailors enjoy the hell out of onshore conditions around here (the Gorge), 'cause it's all we get. Of course, we don't have the problem of water piling up at the beach and making it hard to get out, but once out it's all wind-and-"waves"-in-the-same-direction so the SAILING is like onshore ocean sailing. It's all about getting used to it.