Tips for Initiating Planing in Lighter Winds?

[Windsurfish]

So I know there are those out there that seem to "milk the wind" better than others, and seem to get planing when (I) others are fighting with the same gear/sail/body size. Aside from the no brainer = get a bigger board Dumb A$$, are there some "good advice tips" from the studio audience on how to get moving when things are "at the edge". Removing limbs and/or home liposuction are not an option (at least the former).....
I'm sure I'm not the only one interested.....
Chris

[bwd]

Pump it, pump the sail...Pump it! Sorry inside joke. Anyway, I'm no expert but I try to hang of the boom a bit and not be so heavy on my feet (get the weight on the mast foot). I also try to keep the weight off my back foot so the tail doesn't drag. Bear off a bit, weight mast foot, a few quick pumps, front foot in strap, start to plane, then back foot in. I only do the quick back hand sail pumps.

Here's a good article:
http://www.windsurfingmag.com/article.j ... goryID=100

Having a freestyle wave board really helps along with Hollow Bones!

[GWIND]

I hear that you can buy ass credits now, much like carbon credits only they don't do anything, but you magically feel lighter and better. It's all about the feeling!

[KUS]

Having hollow bones helps right, wave(bird)man tis no wonder you never break any booms
Keeping the mast as upright as possible and leaning forward hanging off the harness lines while fully sheeted in (on the edge of almost getting catapulted, in fact you will a few times before you figure this out) , picking a lane down a wave however small, stepping into the strap while feathering the sail helps me

[winddoctor]

Good tips above.

I also find for my near 200 pound carcass that a narrow stance and narrow grip on the boom help you initially feel how much wind is available in the rig a little better. As soon as a planeable puff hits the rig, I widen my stance and grip a bit and immediately bear off and give a few backhand pumps while weighting through the harness lines and my front foot to drive the board flat and forward. If I can't plane with this method, ie. more energy is required, I'll give full body pumps by pulling the boom more or less down and toward me while pushing with my feet simultaneously. Each pump is followed by a release of pressure allowing the board and rig to be unweighted for a split second as it moves forward. It shouldn't take more than 3 or four solid pumps to plane using this method. As soon as you feel the board is planing, head up gradually to keep the plane if it's ultra marginal. Lots of sailors make the mistake of staying broad and losing the plane again. Slalom sailors often use this second method to speed away from a jibe.

BWD is the master of efficiency. Watch him in marginal conditions!.

[downwind dave]

flap your clew like its on fire.. not stylish but sometimes it works!

[more force 4]

I try to ...not be so heavy on my feet. Having a freestyle wave board really helps along with Hollow Bones!

I don't think its possible for you ever to BE heavy on your feet, Dave!

I was watching Randy and Russion Dood planing past me on Sunday and noticed they had very narrow stance just before getting going whereas at the same stage my feet were already well apart. I kept sinking the tail every time I tried to pump, even hanging right under the boom. I tried the narrow stance too and yes you do feel like catapaulting! I also tried moving my hands down the boom (back) and that gave a little more power, and the combination of those two things and a bit of pumping got me going a couple of times, but basically there wasn't enough wind to sustain it by that point. Randy was making it work long after everyone else was off the water and he had a much bigger board (130 l I think) and a HUGE fin. Everyone always says a big fin helps early planing, I've never found it much different but thats been going from a 25 to a 32 cm fin. I'll dig out the never-used-yet 46 cm I have for the Kona next time.

[Windsurfish]

I was considering drilling small holes in my bones to skim off some weight, but I think that I'll try some of these tips first. I think my biggest problem is I'm sloppily weighting the tail of the board (too much back foot). This is giving me a nose up "cruise ship" effect, killing my efforts....

Tu um est!!

[Bobson]

Two Words - RIG BIG!

Bigger Board, Bigger Fin and Bigger Rig = Earlier planing!

I know WSFish didn't want to change the board, fin or rig just tips on planing earlier on his gear. So this is just my plug for BIG GEAR!

You get yourself a large freeride board 80cm wide, a big fin 50cm+ and a larger non-cambered sail(8.0m+) and you'll be sailing while the rest are complaining.

My tip on planing earlier is the same as Winddoc's. Pumping is one of the best tricks. Watch Winddoc when he pumps....it's full body pumping. His arms are pumping the sail while his legs are pumping the board, once you are planing, your apparent wind will keep you going when it's marginal. This takes alot of practice and a bit of fitness.

I'm sure the hollowbones help too! HA!

[Mattdog]

A 13m to 15m "SLE" or flat kite and a 44-46 cm wide kiteboard. You will be staying upwind in 10 knots, going great in 12 and able to do aerial tricks with no whitecaps. A great complement to any die hard windsurfer's set up with only 10% of the equivalent gear volume required.

Windsurfish might want a 15m to 17m SLE for the 10-18 knots range.

[tom]

solution: kite when its less than 25!

[Mattdog]

less than 18 anyway ...

[Windsurfish]

Hey Matdog, I may one day venture into the kite world, but the challenges of the windsurfer are keeping me busy for the moment.... Bobson, I agree on the go big comments, as you know, I have the right stuff for lighter winds... Just want to extend the range in intermediate winds, so to speak....

[Mattdog]

Sure thing. Challenges of Kiting are far lesser than windsurfing.