Extending light wind performance of a board.

[Wavetrashed]

What can be done to maximise the range of the board ?

Say you have a wave board 5L above your body weight.

Say the max recommended sail for a board is 5.3.

What is worth trying ?

Like...
* Getting the lightest weight rig components
* Using a very powerful sail type
* Using a modern squat 4 battern type sail
* Loosing 2 to 3Kg body weight
* Improving early planing skills
* Anything else

Or will any difference be negligible ?

[basher]

What can be done to maximise the range of the board ?

Say you have a wave board 5L above your body weight.

Say the max recommended sail for a board is 5.3.

What is worth trying ?

Like...
* Getting the lightest weight rig components
* Using a very powerful sail type
* Using a modern squat 4 battern type sail
* Loosing 2 to 3Kg body weight
* Improving early planing skills
* Anything else

Or will any difference be negligible ?

From your list, I'd pick

1) Using a lightweight rig.
2) Losing weight, wearing a lighter wetsuit etc.
3) Improving early planing skills.


And I'd add: learn to rig your sail to maximise power from any given sail size.

(Some will suggest using a bigger fin. But they should be taken out and shot.)


Of all the variables in windsurfing, early planing is mostly about technique and float (reserve buoyancy) first. It's also about rockerline but you can't change that once you've bought the board.

[PK1111]

As long as you are using a reasonable sized fin set for the board, I agree with basher.
I use a north duke 5.4 for early planing and it makes a big difference compared to a softer sail.
Just be aware there are limitations and you will only affect a 1 to 2 knot wind speed difference re early planing. So say 18 knots might become 16 knots.
The big difference however will be feel and power when you do get up and going.
Pk

[mikerb]

Extending range involves making board perform in both light and strong winds. You are stuck with the board design and ( at least short/medium) term your weight and skill level. So the immediate options open to you are to focus on the main source of power..your sail. Experiment with rig set up on your sails to see what delivers most power/control. There are adjustable outhaul systems and easilly adjusted extensions that can help you retune a sail without even getting out of the water and can often avoid having to change size of sail when the wind changes during a session.

[Ola H.]

A very good question since it seems so straightforward yet is so difficult to answer generally. Personally (and i tend to be mostly on 5l+ waveboards, ie 75 liter ones in my case) I always seem to have the easiest time getting around in light wind at the planing treshold when I rig my sail relatively flat, ie _don't_ use the tractor pull style low end that my sails be trimmed to deliver. Easiest here means the least work and the most relaxed sailing. WHen I set my big sails more powerful they tend to _feel_ more pwoerful and pull more, but also glide though the winds much worse and go upwind less effective and also bog the board down more. So in the end, it is like I have to fight the equipment more with the pwoerful setting, while in the flatter setting the sail is still springy and allows for at least as good pumping, but then glides on better.

BUT: then it has to be said my boards are generally quite light drive and I am myself quite good and "gliding" through stuff once planing with only minimal power in my sail. I think these things really dictates what is effective in light air for me.

If you either have draggier board or are a bit more heavy footed, chances are a more powerful sail (or sail setting) might serve you better. In that case, and if it is about planing as early as possible, I think the right style of sail might help. As I see it (for that sailor/board combo), it is about being grunty but still springy in feel to allow good pumping. Some sails (in their grunty trims) feel grunty but floppy. And some feel grunty but sort of folding.

Rig weight can matter, but I think it is more because of that a light rig will make you more active than because of the kilo or so of "real weight" that is taken off.

In the end, technique is surely king. Some seems to plane early regardless of gear. And some are good sailors generally, but for one reason or another never quite learn to be effective on their boards.

[richarli]

I am sure you can go a good half metre bigger than recommended for the board as long as your kit is lightweight.

That said its technique, technique and technique. Less kilos help but there are some very good heavy guys out there!