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Removable center fin advice
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Darbonne



Joined: 27 Jan 2012
Posts: 252
Location: Farmerville, Louisiana

PostPosted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 12:35 pm    Post subject: Removable center fin advice Reply with quote

I have been learning on an old Starboard Start with a removable center fin. Once I learned to sail upwind I removed the center fin and have been sailing without it. I am just beginning to get on plane when the conditions are right, and started to wonder if I should maybe try the center fin again now that I have a little more experience. Will putting it back in benefit me, or should I just continue to sail without it. The reason I am reconsidering is that the last time I was out in moderate wind I noticed that I was being pushed sideways a little. Will I be able to get on plane with the fin in? Another problem I am having is that when I finally do get on plane and try to lean back in the harness the rig comes back and I have a tendency to push the nose of the board into the wind. I haven't quite figured out how to maintain a straight line on plane. I tried putting pressure on my front foot and it seemed to help but overall steering took a lot of effort. I was wondering if having the center fin in would make it easier to steer. There are no other sailors in my area so I have been on my own since I started in March. Any advice would be appreciated.
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gregnw44



Joined: 23 Jul 2008
Posts: 783
Location: Seattle, Wa

PostPosted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 12:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good job... on the effort and ambition !!!

There are many, various answers for all your questions... but some of them are:
* Yes, you can still get on a plane with the center fin installed.
* Getting pushed sideways? Yes, having the ctr. fin back on will help. And or, having a much bigger rear fin will help. Also, make sure you're not "over-sheeting" the sail too much. Try letting your back hand out a ways. Depending on MANY factors, if you pull the back hand in, too much... you can slip sideways. This is, stalling the sail... fix it, by sheeting out.
* The tendancy to round up into the wind? Also many factors involved here. Your idea to push the board with your front foot is good, also pull with your back foot. Also, tip the mast/rig to windward a ways, your weight will be hanging from the boom, increasing mast-base pressure, also helping the nose to bear off. Tip the rig forward a bit, but mostly, all that other stuff.
* Oh yeah, another tip. Keep the board flat! There is a tendancy to lean back and then, you're standing with your weight on your heels, and the board rounds up. To correct this: move your feet towards the centerline, and press down with your toes. Yes, your calves will get sore Smile Don't start moving out towardds the rail, until you're going fast enough for the board to support your weight out there. Keep always looking at your board, you want it flat, side to side. And mostly level front to back, the nose up just a tiny bit. Anyway, don't sink the tail. And don't sink the windward rail.

There's tons more... but there's a few things.

Keep up the great effort and have fun !!
Greg -
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Darbonne



Joined: 27 Jan 2012
Posts: 252
Location: Farmerville, Louisiana

PostPosted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 1:11 pm    Post subject: Thanks Greg Reply with quote

I will keep these things in mind as I try to figure this out. I know its tough to answer questions like this without seeing what I am actually doing. I think you are correct about me digging in the windward rail. Steering on plane presents a whole new set of challenges. It looks so easy on youtube.
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gregnw44



Joined: 23 Jul 2008
Posts: 783
Location: Seattle, Wa

PostPosted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 1:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Everything you're experiencing is totally normal.

Everybody on youtube and here... we have all been through the same stuff Smile
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keycocker



Joined: 10 Jul 2005
Posts: 3598

PostPosted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Point your toes until it hurts. You will need to stretch your ankles to keep this from hurting because it must become a habit.
Ask other people in boats or on shore if the board is flat on the water or railing in on the lee side.
It must be, and when you get this habit many things including a heavy load on your arms will go away.

When your windward rail is in the water you are turning to windward all the time with the board. You can only sail straight because you are holding the sail forward to turn to lee,balancing out.
Once you do anything else the windward turning board bites you in the ass.
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gregnw44



Joined: 23 Jul 2008
Posts: 783
Location: Seattle, Wa

PostPosted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 2:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Ask other people in boats or on shore if the board is flat on the water or railing in on the lee side."

Or... you can look down at where the water is coming off the rails. And, as you're sailing, press down with your toes (watching where the spray is, coming off the rails) then slowly weight your heels, watching the spray.

You'll quickly be able to tell when the board is flat, cause the spray will be coming off the rails at the same spot on each side of the board. And it will soon be obvious, when you're on your heels, or pressing with your toes.

Note: Mostly, the above is while planing and in the footstraps. I would think that you're not in the straps yet... so while the above is still true... it is much easier to just move your feet in towards the centerline, or out towards the rail. I move my feet around all the time, while sailing. Unless I'm fully planing.. then I'm usually in the straps. If I'm "really powered" then I'm always in the straps (and already was... before that time).

Some of these details aren't important, at your novice level.
But, learn to read the water around your board... and know when it's level and when it's not Smile
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Darbonne



Joined: 27 Jan 2012
Posts: 252
Location: Farmerville, Louisiana

PostPosted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Makes sense. Now that I think about it I'm probably not getting enough mast base pressure either.
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DelCarpenter



Joined: 06 Nov 2008
Posts: 499
Location: Cedar Falls, IA

PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The original Starboard Start had a 40 cm deep Tuttle fin at the stern and a half moon shaped, short/regular Tuttle fin as the centerboard. A year or two later the centerboard fin was also deep Tuttle with an angled front and a fairly straight rear edge.

The fin and centerboard combinations I've used on my 2001 Start range from putting a 54 cm regular Tuttle pointer fin in as the centerboard for light winds to using a 70 cm formula fin on the stern with no centerboard.

When using a centerboard there is a point with stronger winds at which the windward rail lifts up and the board tries to roll over to leeward. Up to that point the centerboard is helpful. At that point you'll want to take out the centerboard.

Either a bigger fin on the stern or a bigger sail or both will help you plane. In addition to being an excellent beginner board a Start is also a big (and heavy) formula board well able to handle formula size sails and fins.
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beaglebuddy



Joined: 10 Feb 2012
Posts: 1120

PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 1:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Struggling with this now myself while in the straps I keep getting blown downwind, it seems that because the conditions are marginal and gusty here I have to point the board on a broad reach to get on a plane then I'm in a hole and the wind is slowing so I point it downwind again and so it goes next thing I'm far from where I launched.
So perhaps you need to be more powered up with a bigger sail to get on a plane without pointing downwind, then you can stay on a plane and point upwind a bit. This way you won't drift downwind.
To keep from rounding up hang from the boom more, keep your front leg straight and your back knee bent, push and pull.
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jingebritsen



Joined: 21 Aug 2002
Posts: 3371

PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 5:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

pull down on your boom more with your arms straight. that's called mast foot pressure. then either carve with your heels upwind, or, point your toes and get the rail and fin to work together to lift you upwind. either way, you won't lose ground so long as you have speed and POWER.
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