toughen up princess

You seemed to be going fine with that sail we had yesterday !!!!!

Weight training really helps; just back after 8/9 mnths off; wasn't the shock to the body I thought it would be

evlPanda said...

You sound overpowered. Have you tried switching down to a smaller sail?

Sometimes I am overpowered a bit although I think the larger board in the chop is what wears me out.I don't feel out of control just inefficient after a half hour or hour of mainly going upwind..
I decided to try what the locals guys and used a smaller board with a bigger sail yesterday..95 ltre with 5.8m where I'd usually use the 125 + 5.8/6.6m .Much less tiring in the chop although I'd feel a lot better if I knew I could uphaul it in sloppy conditions..( been too lazy to persevere and learn..).

Probably a combination of old age and fitness Can't do much about the old age, but i find swimming laps is good for fitness, you can combine easy laps with sprints, using a pool bouy isolates your legs and makes you work the shoulders more, kicking laps (with or without fins works the legs), doing a butterfly kick on your back (with fins) works the abs and legs.
I don't get to spend much tow these days but if the fitness is kept up its not to bad when I get out and really hard if i don't keep up the fitness.
Old age.... in my twenties i had less than half of my current lung function and was a lot fitter than now. spent more time on water and could sail all day with out any problems, now days I'm lucky to last a couple of hours when i can get out.
The moral of the story is , build up your fitness and try to maintain it and it will be easier to sail.

sorry to interrupt the "girls" section but it's definitely alot if not all about tuning,
top riders will have their rigs really finely tuned mainly to go faster but this tuning is important because it makes everything easy to use too no matter what the sail size
but then again dropping your rig is definitely more tiring than straight sailing, never the less there are still tips and tricks to make life easier on these fronts too. you just have to look around at what others do and ask questions

Windxtasy said...

Smithy said...

Try fine tuning your harness line positions. I have found that sometimes the smallest changes for the same size sail can make a difference to endurance. The Same setting does not always work for different wind strength, board size, mast position, wave angle etc. Also look at slight changes to boom height positions for the same reasons. Usually we tend to just set these things the same way every time.

Sorry not a girl but I struggle to have the same endurance I had 30 years back as well, mind is willing but body is slowing...

I'd agree with the fine tuning. The first few runs should be getting the harness lines just right and boom height just right so you can sail with your arms almost fully extended, and change your mast foot position so it all balances nicely. I sailed 45km with my 6.4 on Tuesday in 15 - 18 knots and could have gone further. Spent the first 15 minutes getting the set up just right.

Of course if you have to waterstart or uphaul the big sail that IS tiring.

I think I tire more quickly when I use my small sails because it's really windy and everything is hard work and requires constant adjustment.

Thanks everyone. I'll have to work at setup more.Problem is where I launch from is protected from the wind. I can come in on the point but that isn't real good either.
I don't get as tired with my smaller sails and don't have trouble pulling them on.If the board is too big I do get worn out from slamming in the chop but I'm generally better off sailing in stronger wind than with bigger sails.
I think I will have to work on my fitness.Usually I cycle , kayak & walk etc but in summer its too hot for that so I tend to rely on sailing.
I've got a bit slack lately.I know when I came back from a weeks XC skiing sailboarding was easy & I was holding the big sail down in stronger winds.

I wish there was someone my weight & height locally who could check my setup because I very rarely get that comfortable feeling sailing. Its always an effort. I seem to remember it being comfortable & a breeze back in the 90's but that could have been age & fitness..

there is only 1 person who can fine tune your equipment... you!!! no one else will sail the same as you and everyone likes different things with regards to boom height, mast track, harness lines, sail set etc etc.

Not female, but 67kg so can hopefully can add something.

I have felt a lot more comfortable since getting adjustable harness lines and tend to tweak the length for each session. You can adjust on the run. A boom with lots of markings also makes it easier to get line position right as did bringing the lines closer together - that took some getting used to initially.

Waterstarting can really sap the energy. My wife is 54kg and found a buoyancy vest makes all the difference.

Spend some time practicing uphauling your smaller boards. I can now uphaul 78L at a push although not if too choppy.

Mike105 said...

Not female, but 67kg so can hopefully can add something.

I have felt a lot more comfortable since getting adjustable harness lines and tend to tweak the length for each session. You can adjust on the run. A boom with lots of markings also makes it easier to get line position right as did bringing the lines closer together - that took some getting used to initially.

Waterstarting can really sap the energy. My wife is 54kg and found a buoyancy vest makes all the difference.

Spend some time practicing uphauling your smaller boards. I can now uphaul 78L at a push although not if too choppy.

+1 for the adjustable harness lines (NP), boom with lots of markings (MS), and bouyancy vest (NPX).
Even with good technique uphauling big sails is bad for dodgy backs. Avoid if at all possible.

Luckily in those winds I don't stuff up too often but when I do I tend to uphaul if I can .The mast generally ends up pointing to the bottom of the lake & I have to kick it up with my feet get the mast tip flying & walk up to the boom to start..

Windxtasy said...

Get your harness lines balanced before you go on the water. The back strap 1/3 of the way along is a good rule of thumb but I stand my sail up on the beach and move the lines until I can hold it in balance just holding the loop of the harness line. Go for a run out on the water and if you feel pull in one hand more than the other, adjust that end of the harness line. You want to aim for the situation where you could sail no hands if you were brave enough. Then adjust the boom height or harness line length so your arms are straight. Then sail across the wind and try for even pressure through both feet, with your hips parallel to the board. If you don't feel properly balanced try moving the mast base forward or back in 1 cm increments until it feels right. I'm presuming you have a fin which matches your sail...
Then off you go...
When you feel you have got it right jot down the harness line position, mast base position, boom height, wind strength and sail size and you will have a good guide for the next time you use that combo.

My 5.8 is my fave sail and I'm very comfy with the 6.4 also. The smaller sails are very light and fun to use but tend to be used in more trying conditions so end up being more tiring.

I'll have to write everything down..I'll try those tips..I don't often go across the wind. Lately I have started to go across more and I've noticed I feel ok going upwind with the big sail ( backfoot out of the strap up near front strap- the boards a bit big..) but feel Rs when I turn off the wind a bit. I just feel my bodys in the wrong place to pull on the sail?? or I have to tilt the rig forward ..? can't remember. It may have been that there wasn't quite enough wind to get in the straps off the wind..?
I can't remember what point of sail I was on but I noticed that I was pushing the boom near the mast away from me with my front hand to feel comfortable..so harness lines need to go..?

I'm a girl and your weight - but not sure that qualifies me to answer!

I don't get to sail nearly as often as I would like so find that fitness is definitely an issue. However, I don't find or think it should be linked to sail size or struggling to hold a sail down. Assuming wind strength stays the same, holding a sail down is primarily about your weight and commitment to the harness. This should not change as you tire.

A few things that spring to mind...

1) As tough as we think we are, we simply don't have the muscles of windsurfing dudes. If you consistently feel uncomfortable, are you applying enough downhaul? Not uncommon I think for women to not have enough. (Expressions of interest for lovely man to follow me round and tighten my downhaul are welcome ).


2) Is your boom high enough? Without making yourself over powered, a low boom can make you feel like you're struggling to hold down the sail when you're light and girly.

3) As for many responses above - play with line length and position. I think you've mentioned before that you use a seat harness? If you're uncomfortable, maybe try a waisty for something different. I know it's a bit 'each to their own', but I find a waisty helps me to hold down a sail much more comfortably. Also, lines further back helps heaps for early planing and keeping the rig more upright, but I find it does make it harder/more uncomfortable to go upwind.

Fitness is certainly a big issue for me and limits my sailing. Mostly my arms. As the session gets longer, I find it harder to trim/adjust the sail and therefore more uncomfortable. Also harder to gybe. As soon as I hook out and my arms have to do some work, I fall apart.

Hope all these responses help! Windsurfing - the one place chicks can quite comfortably talk about their weight!

I think you use way more energy up hauling , especially in the chop of Lake Macquarie , water starts are way easier !!!!!!

needsalt said...

I'm a girl and your weight - but not sure that qualifies me to answer!

I don't get to sail nearly as often as I would like so find that fitness is definitely an issue. However, I don't find or think it should be linked to sail size or struggling to hold a sail down. Assuming wind strength stays the same, holding a sail down is primarily about your weight and commitment to the harness. This should not change as you tire.

A few things that spring to mind...

1) As tough as we think we are, we simply don't have the muscles of windsurfing dudes. If you consistently feel uncomfortable, are you applying enough downhaul? Not uncommon I think for women to not have enough. (Expressions of interest for lovely man to follow me round and tighten my downhaul are welcome ).


2) Is your boom high enough? Without making yourself over powered, a low boom can make you feel like you're struggling to hold down the sail when you're light and girly.

3) As for many responses above - play with line length and position. I think you've mentioned before that you use a seat harness? If you're uncomfortable, maybe try a waisty for something different. I know it's a bit 'each to their own', but I find a waisty helps me to hold down a sail much more comfortably. Also, lines further back helps heaps for early planing and keeping the rig more upright, but I find it does make it harder/more uncomfortable to go upwind.

Fitness is certainly a big issue for me and limits my sailing. Mostly my arms. As the session gets longer, I find it harder to trim/adjust the sail and therefore more uncomfortable. Also harder to gybe. As soon as I hook out and my arms have to do some work, I fall apart.

Hope all these responses help! Windsurfing - the one place chicks can quite comfortably talk about their weight!

I got a winch because I didn't want to have to ask the blokes everytime I sailed plus a lot of the time I am the only one there anyway..
Boom height..about chin height usually I think. Standing on the ground before the rig is attached it fits under my armpit..
Sounds like I may have to put the lines a little further back.I'm a bit slack about moving them if I rig in a lee.The 6.6m sail is cambered so is harder to feel if it's right especially as lately the wind is so light that I find to my surprise that some of the cambers pop around ages after I've gybed ( get a puff of wind). I thought they were already around.
Arm strength- I have that trouble early in the season - not strong enough to oversheet into the gybes.I'm ok now but looks like we've hit the doldrums here now so I'll probably lose it..
Weight-yep I've always been a bit heavy for my height by ' chick' standards..( all muscle..) but compared to the guys I'm a lightweight!
Windxtasy - I don't often get much lower than a beam reach but that's interesting when you say not to pull the sail in as it's my natural reaction..it makes sense though to keep as much of the sail area available as possible..mind you I'm often a bit underpowered going off the wind.