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Problems getting on the plane
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JPonHudson



Joined: 10 Apr 2013
Posts: 20

PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 5:05 am    Post subject: Problems getting on the plane Reply with quote

I need help...Last time I went out I had the following issue:
As the wind picked up and I was attempting to move to the back of my board, I would start to head into the wind. I moved the boom higher (it was too low at first) and that help me put more downward pressure onto the rig which helped a little but it didn't eliminate the problem. What else should I try?
The wind was around 15 knots, I am 270lb, the board is GO 171L and the sail was 7.5 fin was around 40cm. At the end of my session I thought of switching to 52cm fin but I ran out of the energy. I FELT like I had enough power to start speeding up but I could be wrong. Actually, I could be wrong on a lot of things which is why I am posting this. Can someone give me any advice on how to start to plane. My biggest issue is that when the wind picks up my board starts behaving differently and I am not sure how to handle it. Thank you in advance for your advice.
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techno900



Joined: 28 Mar 2001
Posts: 4161

PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 8:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Others may give you a more detailed response, but the issue is lack of speed.

The board won't turn up of you are moving fast enough. At your weight with a 7.5 and 15 knots, you don't have enough power and speed to achieve a full plane, so as you move back, you sink the tail and the windward rail, which both cause the board to turn upwind. At your weight in 15 knots, an intermediate sailor would need at least an 8.5 to 9.5 sail to get enough power to really plane.

You just need more practice, plus a bigger sail, or more wind.
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d0uglass



Joined: 28 May 2004
Posts: 1286
Location: Bonita Springs, Florida

PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi JPon,

The amount of sail power you need to plane is proportional to your weight. Since you are about 100 pounds heavier than the average sailor you will need a significantly larger sail to plane in the same amount of wind.

The "windsurfing calculator" link in my signature will calculate what sail size you need in what wind strength and vice versa.

It says you will need more than 20 knots of wind to plane with your 7.5, and that if you want to plane in 15 knots you will need an 11.0 sail. If 11.0 seems too big, a 9.5 should get you going in about 17 knots.

A 52 cm fin will help, but you'll still need a lot more sail power. When you do have enough power to plane, focus on keeping the board "trimmed flat" by pointing your toes and having your back foot over the mid-line of the board so it doesn't tip toward you and make you carve upwind.

Good luck,
James

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U2U2U2



Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 5467
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado

PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 8:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What they said.

I would suspect the GO is not post card of early planing as well

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techno900



Joined: 28 Mar 2001
Posts: 4161

PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 9:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A Go is a great board for novices and intermediates. There are other boards that may plane earlier, but much more costly and less durable. JP has what he needs in a board.

Several years ago, a buddy with a Go and me on a Starboard formula 147 had pretty much the same performance overall. I was a bit faster and could run deeper and higher, but the Go was pretty darn fast. My buddy was at 200 lbs and I was at 170. I don't remember the sails.

Go boards look "beginner" like with the full padded deck, but they are not dogs if they have enough power.
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adywind



Joined: 08 Jan 2012
Posts: 665

PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm 168 lbs and I wouldn't go in 10-20 mph wind with anything less then my 9.0. Get a bigger sail, mast and maybe a boom too. Or like many others just wait for stronger wind.
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dllee



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 5328
Location: East Bay

PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 11:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm 160 lbs., wear a 4/3 wetsuit (6 lbs dry), and plane easily in 13-20mph breezes with a 5.8 and 100 liter board. Almost 90% in the straps and top speed well into the 27's.
My old house mate was 275 lbs. He rode a 200 liter board for about 5 months, then switched to a Seatrend 9'5", maybe 133 liters. He swore he could uphaul it. He used mainly 1 meter bigger sails than me, but that was the old style non twist sails. Nowadaze, he would need 1.5 meters more sail and less downhaul, since he can force a sail to twist just by leaning back harder.
A true 17 mph wind would be difficult for any sailor over 230lbs to plane, even with full on Formula boards and 10 meter sails.
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Ineed2plane



Joined: 06 Apr 2012
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Depending on my weigh in regatta schedule (for the "normal" boats I sail) I go between 245 and 270 and would never bother going out in 15 without my 10.0 (on a 161 starboard carve). Also, given my weight swings its also very remarkable how much 5 - 10 lbs goes towards ease of planning.
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dllee



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 5328
Location: East Bay

PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 12:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Getting on a plane needs enough wind for the sailor to hang off his rig, knees more bent, pulling down on the booms. Once you do this, bear off the wind a little, try to find a windswell to go down, pump legs slightly to unwet, and pump the sail to find the swell and time the legs.
Basically, at your skill level, you cannot plane in 15 knot winds without at least a 90cm wide light weight board, Formula, or at least a modern 11 meter sail.
An old style 6.3 might get you planing, however, in 17mph winds.
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keycocker



Joined: 10 Jul 2005
Posts: 3598

PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 2:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As noted above you are turning into windward because you are standing on the windward rail and not holding the board flat enough.
On a Go it should strain your ankles at first to point your toes hard enough to flatten the board.
Ask someone to sail behind you to see if the board is flat enough.
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