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How do I close the gap?

 
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vaulterca



Joined: 24 Apr 2000
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Tue Jun 20, 2000 3:47 pm    Post subject: How do I close the gap? Reply with quote

I am striving to become a more efficient sailor & I havent quite figured out how to close the gap.. I try with all my might to sheet in more with my harness & my backhand but it doesnt feel at all comfortable. When I sheet in I feel that the luff end of my sail wants to be pulled out of my front hand & many times I end up killing the power that I already had in my sail.

I wonder if this is just a matter of just doing it & Ill get used to it or if there is something wrong with my equipment set-up (boom height, harness line length/placement, etc).

Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks!
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vaulterca



Joined: 24 Apr 2000
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Wed Jun 21, 2000 12:44 pm    Post subject: RE: How do I close the gap? Reply with quote

Sylvain-

Thank you very much for taking the time & helping me out!
Here is the info you requested-

1-How long have you been windsurfing, in hours?
I have been windsurfing for approximately 100 hours. I started last spring & I have been on the water fairly regularly since then (didnt sail much this past winter). I have progressed rather quickly & to give you an idea of my ability, I can waterstart 100% of the time (even in light wind), I have no problem getting in the harness, no problem getting in the straps, I can shortboard tack & within the last month I figured out how to step-jibe. I currently hit approximately 70% - 80% of my jibes but I have not planned through one yet (someday it will come).

2-What kind of board and sail do you use and what size?
I have been using a 1996 Bic Vivace. It is 290 cm long, 58 cm wide, 120 L (not exactly a short-board but close). I sail at Lake Isabella in California & this has been a wonderful spring so far. Been sailing mainly on my 6.0 N.P. Supersonic with a few days on my 5.0 N.P. New Wave. Over the past month or so the wind has died off a bit & Ive gotten a lot of time on my N.P. 8.0 V8. - This is why I want to become more efficient & close the gap - because when the wind is marginal I tend to be the first guy on the water to fall off a plane & it is annoying.

3-What are the conditions like where you sail most of the time?
I addressed this in the last question. The water is pretty flat w/ a moderate amount of chop. The wind can be kind of gusty at times.

OTHER INFO:
I am 510, 175 pounds. I have my boom height set between my shoulders & my chin. I have 20 harness lines spaced 5 apart. I use a seat harness (DaKine XT Seat).

I think I may have the wrong boom height/harness line length combination but Im not sure. When I am schlogging my boom is way too high to be able to hook in & I wonder if I should get longer lines to be able to hook in w/ that scenario

Thank you again Sylvain!
Chris Nicholson
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dcrispin



Joined: 07 Jun 2000
Posts: 13

PostPosted: Wed Jun 28, 2000 12:09 pm    Post subject: RE: How do I close the gap? Reply with quote

i will offer this: I used to be sailing along with my gap wide open, watching others streak by with no gap at all, twice as fast as me. I would force the mast back, and become depowered as my board would turn up wind. I think i know your situation.

I found when I concentrated on leaning out, away from the board, over the water, perpendicular to the board, not leaning back from the board, I could close the gap and everything fell into place. Its a little strange at first, but try it. I think leaning out over the water forces you to put more weight on your harness lines, thus more force on the mast base, in effect countering the tendancy of the board to want to turn up wind. I dont know really why, but it works predictably for me...just lean out and away, and i think you will see the gap close. DC
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