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paulkenyon
Joined: 28 Apr 2000 Posts: 15
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Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2000 6:13 am Post subject: up haul not long enough |
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Has anyone successfully lengthened a commercially available up haul? We had the occasion of the rarest of summer things here, WIND, yesterday. It was the gusty kind with long expanses of nothing and I needed to up haul. My back is recovering (nicely, thanks) and, mindful of what some of you had written to me about caring for backs and proper up hauling technique, tried up hauling keeping that concave in my back. As someone suggested, the up haul line is NOT long enough. Im short so it is not long enough for me by not much but using it requires bending over making me lose that hollow, to get the sail off the water. When I did that, I could feel the strain in my back. Of course, a little gust came along to make it that much harder. More knots and more stretch is needed in commercially available up hauls. I noticed, too, that the sail is much easier to pull up if it is not lying on the water but knifed into it. I suspect one might recognize some advantage there and develope an advanced or proper up hauling technique that minimizes the forces needed to get the sail out of the water. Longer up haul lines and better technique would go a long way to recucing the strain on ones back. |
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rickp
Joined: 07 Aug 2000 Posts: 53
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Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2000 6:31 pm Post subject: RE: up haul not long enough |
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Heres something Ive used for years that might help you. The top of my uphaul is fastened to the boom normally. But, I have a long section of thin shockcord tied to the tail of my uphaul, stretched through a clip I fasten to my mastbase, and secured back to the boom head. When sailing the shockcord retracts and holds the tail of the uphaul close to the mast. When I grab the uphaul and stand up the thin shockcord stretches, allowing the tail of the uphaul to move away from the mast base. This means I can stand straight up and lean back without pain to pull the sail from the water. Im guessing that it takes about half of the normal pull because of the increased angle between the board and the uphaul. Hope you appreciate this - learning to waterstart was easier than writing this paragraph
Post your email address and Ill mail you a PowerPoint drawing.
rickp |
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isobars
Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935
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Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2000 11:28 am Post subject: RE: up haul not long enough |
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When the sail is lying flat, upaul by pulling it sideways knife-style, until the mast clears and dumps the water off the sail, THEN pull upwards. Takes lots of the effort out of it.
Mike \m/ |
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paulkenyon
Joined: 28 Apr 2000 Posts: 15
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Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2000 8:26 pm Post subject: RE: up haul not long enough |
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Rickp,
I certainly do appreciate the effort you put into your message to me. Thanks. And thanks to all who responded. My e-mail address: paulkenyon@juno.com
It makes perfect sense that being able to stand straight up lessens the force required to up haul a sail. Standing straight up, you are taller so are able to pull more directly upward on the boom and, therefore, the sail. The idea of using a shock cord on the mast base end of the up haul has occurred to me, too. I think it is an elegant solution and I will make several tomorrow for the booms I use on my larger sails, those sails I am most likely to be using when becalmed. lengthening the up haul is, of course, necessary but I didnt like the idea of the longer up haul flopping around on the mast. I catch enough things when I rotate the sail gybing. I dont need another. Lord knows, Id probably snag the harness hook in it or something. Its good to learn you can add shock cord and have the up haul still tight against the mast when sailing.
You know, ten minutes after we write and verify this design well see the new versions in the shops.
Paul |
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JSR1
Joined: 01 Sep 2000 Posts: 3
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2000 6:36 pm Post subject: RE: up haul not long enough |
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Hey Buddy - Also if all else fails try getting that uphaul that has a segment to clip into your harness. This way you can use your weight to pull it up out of the water (the hardest part).
Its often featured in windsurf mags...
Happy Carving |
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