23
Upwind planing
doing shortish runs going upwind. This then forces you into
doing one of the most useful skills a windsurfer can have -
sailing FAST downwind. This should be a primary part of your
progression plan and daily routine, especially if you have any
desire to learn to gybe, carve gybe, wave sail or freestyle.
This is for every level!
Shift your harness lines back a fraction more than normal to
sheet the rig in. Remember that rear thumb within touching
distance of the rear harness line. Rake the rig back and lean the
body forward to create a counter balance, not forgetting to use
your Vision, chin on front shoulder Touch Point to look upwind.
To come back downwind, shift the harness lines forward
slightly and broad reach (100-125++ degrees off the wind)
for 200-300m, then gybing – you’ll be virtually half way round.
When learning to ‘sail broad’, go very easy on the back leg
pressure, so FLEX that rear knee. To help control the ‘power &
speed’ pull down on the boom in the harness, reduce arm pull
and roll the upper body slightly to exaggerate your Sunken 7
‘drop and dig’ style stance. Curl the toes on the front foot. If
you hit big chop or backs of waves, slightly sheet out. Plus,
and this is the game changer, very counter intuitively, when a
gust hits, hunker down and bear away even more! You have to
trust ‘The System’ and believe! Bearing away on a gust helps
you discover the ‘secret garden’ and find the key to unlocking
one of the best feelings in windsurfing – going fast on a broad
reach with a light, easy to handle rig. Conversely if you hit a
lull, you need apply subtle heel pressure to head upwind to re-
engage the apparent wind and bring the body and rig forward
to keep the board flat and flying.
How To Broad Reach Fast Downwind
uk
WIND
SURFING