12 COACHING WINDWISE TECHNIQUE
Is your sail too small?
Especially at the harness, blasting and footstrap stage
many sail too under-powered and spend large amounts
of time off the plane ‘trying to balance’ rather than
having a decent power source to hang or harness off
properly. So here’s the tell-tale signs when it might be
time to change up and for those sailing smaller boards,
time to work on your early planing technique!
Your sail is too small if…
1. You’re always very slow to plane compared to similar
stature sailors on similar boards and fin sizes.
2. You’re constantly dropping off the plane going for the
harness, footstraps or when hitting lulls.
3. You struggle to get upwind compared to others on
similar board and fin sizes.
How to sail when under
powered
Straight 7 ‘Light Touch’
If you’re on similar board, sail and fin size to others and
you’re not getting going or staying upwind – you need to
work on your WindWise ‘Straight 7’!
Hand: Rear hand within touching distance of rear
harness line to assist a few pumps. But otherwise barely
grip that boom!
Harness: Tighten your torso and straighten your body to
form an incredibly rigid ‘7’.
Toes: With the front leg extended and rear leg flexed, push
through the forward facing toes to force that board flat.
Straight 7 accelerator
Touch point: Want a ‘WiseWord’ to help maintain that 7
shaped stance, when the body needs to lean massively
forwards through lulls or going upwind? Roll over the
front foot in the strap to prevent over flexing the front
knee – works a treat!
WiseWords to improve early planing
Extend that mast arm to oppose the rig and use a finger
light grip, barely hold the boom.
Marginally raise your boom, reduce down and outhaul
and increase fin size.
Choose a flatter rockered, wider, less curvy higher
volume board.
uk
WIND
SURFING