Jun
26
26
John B asked:
I am a beginner, windsurfing on area lakes with a used 12-foot Obrien, 5.4 sail. I can only do it with the mast between my feet. Why are the footstraps so far toward the back? With my feet in that position, I could not even reach the boom or the mast, and could not possibly hold a steady direction. I can’t get anywhere near them without falling off the board. I just don’t get what the footstraps are for, or why they are so far back, or how I would ever use them. Help?
I am a beginner, windsurfing on area lakes with a used 12-foot Obrien, 5.4 sail. I can only do it with the mast between my feet. Why are the footstraps so far toward the back? With my feet in that position, I could not even reach the boom or the mast, and could not possibly hold a steady direction. I can’t get anywhere near them without falling off the board. I just don’t get what the footstraps are for, or why they are so far back, or how I would ever use them. Help?
With an old and long board as you are using, you will not be able to get in the staps until you are really powered up. If you are still sailing with the mast between your feet, that clearly tells you are an early beginner and have to go through several things prior to getting in the straps. First step, try to have both feet behind the mast. Try to get more power in the sail, sheet in on a windy day and use your weight to balance the sail. This should allow you to move towards the tail. Then, you should likely use a larger sail (a 5.4 sail would be for over 20 mph and I doubt you are sailing in that wind). And finally, you need to use a harness and harness lines. Only then, you will be able to plane and get in the straps. Also note that the shape of modern sails is different and so it is possible that getting in the straps is harder in an old board that was designed for older sails, but again, the key is that you are really powered up and planning. The heavier you are, the more critical this is, as you will tend to sink the tail and go upwind otherwise. Also note that most long boards have different positions for the straps, and you may be able to move them forward some.
When you are sailing, with the harness, you are transferring your weight through the mast, so the weight is applied to the board mainly at the mast base, and you are “making” your feet as light as possible, if anything the effort has to be lateral so it transfers to the fin (or daggerboard) laterally. This may be a little advanced at this point, but the key is to “make your feet light”. Avoid puting your weight in the heels of your feet. Put pressure in the toes so that the board stays flat and does not sink the upwind rail. If anythink, sinking the DOWNWIND rail will give you some lift and help you plane and go faster (this, again is likely too advanced at this point).
Perseverance is the key to learn to windsurf. Do not get frustrated!
Good winds
i heard windsurfing is reallly hard to learn and u get many injuryes and some guy drwoned on my beach doing it