Ideal conditions to learn water start?

[isobars]

My biggest barrier was my impatience. If I couldn't waterstart within a couple of minutes, the realization that I was wasting precious sailing time prompted me to just hop on (I didn't climb on; I hopped on) and rope start (aka uphaul). I didn't really learn to waterstart until I had no other option due to too much chop to rope start (at Kanaha). Confining my waterstart practice to water I could stand in would probably have set me back months because it's too easy to cheat there.

I've never understood why some people favor small boards for learning to waterstart. It just adds to and confounds the challenge. One thing at a time, grasshopper.

And don't swim the gear around to orient it for the next waterstart. Learn to let the wind do the work, aided at most by grabbing it and rotating everything by driving your horizontal legs and torso in a 6-foot circle just below the surface ... just like you'd spin an innertube at blinding RPM.

[techno900]

ss59 said:

[ss59]

[ss59]

[GURGLETROUSERS]

I agree with Techno. High volume long boards may not be quite so easy to 'lift up' onto as a smaller board would be, but their length makes them far easier to position and hold steady (directional stability) than a smaller quicker reacting board, while struggling to hold and angle the rig, especially in gusty winds and board swinging chop.

I learnt on an early Hi-fly 555 with non retractable centre board by having both feet planted on the board (to scissor it and hold it steady) while learning how to hold and control the angle of the rig. THAT was the hard part for me, and without both feet evenly weighted on the board I would have been yanked off balance having once lifted onto board and hurled off, before being able to react to the pull of the rig and need to steer.

Once that had been learnt it was simple to swop to one foot on board as normal, and transfer the skills to smaller much 'sharper' reacting boards. The next step of course was light wind water starting using a front hand lower mast hold and back hand boom hold (the norm in light winds) or, lower mast and bottom of sail hold to lever body up in crouched position, which doesn't really give any advantage over the mast and boom hold - especially not if you're pratting about showing off, and hadn't noticed that rolling wall of white water rapidly bearing down on you. (Guaranteed to make you look stupid.)

[westender]

I tried to demonstrate a waterstart on a O'brien Sensation? a few years ago that had a 3.2 attached. In less than 1 minute I gave up. Mast track in wrong spot and trying to maneuver 40+lbs? I don't mind some punishment but not that.
If you're not good at clearing your sail, steering, orienting and controlling your board and rig without touching the bottom you'll have trouble getting into and staying in a waterstart position regardless of the board or sail size but maybe that goes without saying?

[swchandler]

In learning to waterstart, it is important to focus 100% on the effort. To help with that, I recommend getting in a good solid windsurfing session in before you start learning to waterstart. That way you are much more committed and less likely to get frustrated and bail on the effort.

[manuel]

Because of my light wind venues, I learned on 9.2, I didn't find it anymore challenging than other sizes. A bigger sail being more stable, it helped me. If rig maneuvering is the issue, one can still practice moving the board around near the shore.

Worst conditions for me are, cold weather, tired and completely overpowered, needing to hook in and get in the straps while still in the water, water spraying overhead. Ok I think I have one more try in me....

[mrgybe]

Mid sized sail in mid range winds is probably best. Consider a board long enough for you pull the boom onto the back of the board. That really helps to clear the sail when you are learning.

[isobars]