Comments on my planing techique?

DelCarpenter · Joined: 06 Nov 2008 Posts: 499 Location: Cedar Falls, IA

The best video I have of my planing is located on Facebook, I think everyone can see it by using this link:
https://www.facebook.com/delburn.carpenter/videos/vb.100000620275214/1055533501143982/?type=2&theater&notif_t=like

I think the spray tail is high enough to indicate I'm doing something wrong, such as not enough weight in the harness?

(Kona One Design, with an older 7.2 Lodey sail and a 38 cm fin. I have OD equipment, just not using a Kona sail & fin that day.)

lucashurt · Joined: 06 Oct 2010 Posts: 21

You might check out this video for some comparison:
https://vimeo.com/137451583

Around 1:24, shows a pretty similar angle. Sail is sheeted in more, sailor leaning further to windward, and board trim is flatter. The rooster tail seems to still be present though.

My first thought from your video is that it looks like the wind strength might be marginal but that sheeting in more and more weight in the harness might help.

Is that the kind of feedback you were looking for?

scargo · Joined: 19 May 2007 Posts: 394

I don't sail my K1 as much these days, and also don't have any video of my own where I could compare the trim of the board.

That said, to me it looks like the nose is trimmed too high. Your boom height looks ok, but I think you need to move your harness lines back quite a bit (clues: the sail isn't sheeted home, and at the end of the clip, the sail sheets out when you relax your back hand, indicating that the lines weren't balanced). I'd move your lines back even more than you want to--i.e., so that there's pull on the front hand--so that you can overcome that habit.

Relatedly, you aren't in the footstraps, and I think you should at least be in the front strap. This will stabilize you against catapulting (an increased hazard once you move the lines back), and that body position will allow you to apply much more mast foot pressure, the absence of which is of course the heart of the issue.

PeconicPuffin · Joined: 07 Jun 2004 Posts: 1830

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

Sailboarder · Joined: 10 Apr 2011 Posts: 656

I agree with Iso, don't get in the front strap if your not going to get in the back strap soon afterward.

I sail predominantly my K1 so my comments are based on real life knowledge of the board.

The nose is maybe too high, but not that much. The board is not flat, so even if the back was level, the nose would be 30 cm in the air, and since you need an angle to plane, 60 cm makes sense.

The obvious problem is that you are not even close to the straps, whilst having sufficient speed to justify it. And you seemed well balanced, so changes are required to keep the balance and bring you back on the board.

As someone said, it would be better to have the sail more sheeted in. You'll go even faster, in more control. To achieve that, put your harness lines further back. You should also raise your boom. This will first require to move your lines back again to keep the sail sheeted in and balanced. With such a setup, you'll find your feet will need to be more back on the board, and eventually you'll be stepping on the straps cursing them! It will be time to get in!

I'm 200 lbs and I used the board, in both straps, with sails ranging from 5.2 to 9.5. With the 5.2, it works only with the straps in the front holes, while the 9.5 is better with the straps back.

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

boom to the top of the cut out, lines back, sheet in all the way. commit to the harness pull. get in the straps first before hooking in.

gvogelsang · Joined: 09 Nov 1988 Posts: 435

I'm not sure that I would put the boom at the top of the cut out, but I would definitely try it at Adam's apple height.

When you get planing like that, you then need to try to move aft into the straps. When you are fully sheeted in, you can also move the whole sail back so that the mast tilts aft. This will help to give an end plate effect, have the wind escape from the sail more efficiently, and boost your speed.

Sailboarder · Joined: 10 Apr 2011 Posts: 656

In order to be clear to the OP, with a proper setup, it will feel bad to be out of the straps. You start slowly, but as soon as you gain speed, you will feel the need to go back.

With the setup you had, standing in front of the straps was fine. Trying to move back would be difficult and awkward. And if you force it, the board will turn upwind.

joethewindsufa · Joined: 10 Oct 2010 Posts: 1190 Location: Montréal

upon first look I thought try moving mast foot forward
but looks like that was not even an option ...
took a quick look at some videos with K1 planing
they all seemed to have the projectile look to some extent
this confuses me ...
doesn't this mean the "step tail" is IN the water then ??
sorry, i am easily confused Smile