Search these forums for the term "Spinout" and you will get tonnes of info.

It is caused by ventilation of the fin and there are various causes and techniques to get rid of it.

JB

This is probably the most informative


www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=45746&SearchTerms=spinout

Try this fin size calculator, it may help.

http://www.boards.co.uk/equipment/finsize_calc.asp

I am not sure if that other forum post explained how to fix it but a skill you will need to learn is using you leg muscles to pull your fin back towards you(heel to butt). You have to do it fast and aggressively to pull it out of spinout. The bigger the fin the harder it is to pull it out.

More likely to happen when pointing upwind- may need bigger fin
Jumping small chop or waves - turn board slightly downwind on landing
Putting heaps of pressure on the back foot hard and fast - don't!
Imperfections in fin - sand it smooth

sboardcrazy said...

Eek.. Ill have to stop dragging the board onto the reefs ( weedy rocks) so I can beachstart rather than waterstart..I noticed Ive damaged the tip .I sanded it with wet & dry but i suppose i better look after it more. I didnt realise it was so critical.

Ouch be careful! About 2 years ago I ran my Carve over an unknown reef. Clearly the fin was a good make because there was no damage, unfortunately I smashed the fin up through my tuttle box! I self repaired so it was functional but it was never pretty again.

Last Friday I clipped my fin on a rock in wavey shallow water, this time my fin came off the screw and I lost it.

Unless you're going really fast sand normally just gives you a jolt, but rocks will ruin your gear or even worse, you!

I used to have heaps of trouble with spin-out but a new fin fixed the problem, I was using a wave fin for free-ride. The only time I get it now is when I push the board too hard when just coming to the top of a wave (flatwater not in the surf). Easing up on the power fixes this, it is just a case of being aware of the situation and not pushing too hard at this time.

I've been sailing for quite awhile and been through most fin types from fenced, football, canards to the newer dagger type. I search out slot fins for our bay sailing here, their old style but work well in bumpy chop and have good spin out properties (not sudden and easy to get back in).

A newer style fin will be quicker but in choppy slop I just want a fin that is easy to use. I look for fins that are relatively parrallel, eg base of fin is not hugely wider than the the tip (looking at profile not thickness) . This means the flow will tend to go around the base rather than taking the easy option of heading towards the tip, taking air with it and causing the spin out (the slot helps with this too).

Warren Francis said...

Hi there

Spinout is one of those phases you simply go through in Windsurfing and then pop out the other end all the more wiser......it's like learning to fly the rig when waterstarting...then it all becomes clear....

Don't panic, never sheet out and never come off the power.....when you get really good you can deliberately spinout whenever you want, career towards your mates on the beach, then quickly flick it back in...

Last year in Fiji we had a competition, who could spinout the longest...was about 200 metres....

Alternatively get professional lessons.....saves a few seasons trying...

RGds

Warren Francis
Fiji.....

Haha, I reckon I've topped that distance...accidentally Started spinning out after being overpowered all day and couldn't get the strength to get upright/head downwind & pull out of it...I ended up just sliding sideways all the way to the beach (about 300m), and then bailing! Not the most graceful technique, but got me there...Hard on legs though.

Back to topic, (and these have been mentioned, but help me if/when I start sliding), move harness lines back, and concentrate on keeping more weight on boom/front foot, alternatively, I do a small chop-hop, and land the board downwind...can result in a catapult if not concentrating!

I always start to slide after rigging a bigger sail without adjusting lines back, and/or when I'm getting tired/lazy generally later on in the sesh. Nearly forgotten that feeling...c'mon windy wedn'sd'y!!!