getting back downwind in severely overpowered conditions

[scargo]

I've had this happen to me twice. Wind comes up, sail & board are way too big, and I can't make it back downwind. I've heard people say sheet in hard and bear down, but I can't seem to make that work.
Yesterday, I was on a 4.7 and the wind picked up to 40. I'm pretty heavy, but to avoid having to do the reverse walk of shame, the only thing I could figure out was to get out of the straps, straddle the board side to side, and head downwind sheeted way out (i.e., kind of feathering my way down).

[isobars]

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[isobars]

Your objective is to point way downwind, walking the fine line between too much power (too close to beam reach) and not enough power (too close to straight downwind). That line changes a little bit but noticeably every several seconds, but you'll quickly learn (or pay a price!) to turn a bit more downwind when overpowered and turn a bit more upwind when underpowered to control the amount of power/apparent wind in your hands.

I wouldn't dream of doing it out of the straps, 'cause they provide much greater control, protect you from faceplants, and allow jumps when control and terrain allow them. If the terrain is big enough and/or your board nose flat enough to pearl, keep your weight aft and maybe low. It'll fry weak rear-leg quads, but a) it'll pass, b) straightening the rear leg momentarily when terrain and control allow will ease the burn, and c) squats.

I also wouldn't do it unhooked, once I learned the technique. No point in using MUSCLES any more than necessary; even this should be play, not work, and at the right point of sail it is.

If the wind is totally beyond reach (I once got caught out in sustained gusts over 60), jump in the water and wait for manageable lulls (40s?). On that day I also snuggled up to the upwind side of the lake in those gusts to find flatter water to fly downwind on, and turned out into the open water (I was parked on the other side of the lake) during the "lulls".

There must be limits to the terrain one can do this in, but I haven't found them in the Gorge, which can hit 10 feet. It's a blast to walk this line downwind for fun, for a race (e.g., the downwind Gorge Blowout), for survival, or for getting back to rig down, beat dark, or feed the dog.

In harsh terrain it's easiest on small boards; it works fine on even the smallest sinkers, and extra nose flip adds confidence. I suspect small boards also add a safety margin, as they can exert less external force on our ankles and knees than can larger boards. They're also more likely to be running swept/curved fins, which will help resist the spinout that running deep when overpowered tends to cause.

Back to my second word in this post, "objective", and its implied question: How do I GET pointed way downwind without getting launched? No, the answer is not "verrrrrrrry carefully"; that gives the wind time to devour you. Instead, swerve INSTANTLY from your close/survival reach to almost straight downwind, then quickly fine tune your reaching angle to find the fine line you seek, then walk it home ... or just turn around and pinch upwind to do it again if you find it as much fun as I do and suspect the wind may back off soon anyway.

If you encounter a section of swell you want to stop and play on, or if your back leg is screaming in pain, swerve HARD back into a close reach, play and/or relax that aft quad, then swerve HARD back onto that tightrope.

Mike \m/

[scargo]

Thanks Mike. Some good suggestions, the best being that I shouldn't try to ease it downwind. I need to practice that.
Anyway, I was sailing in the harness, just way sheeted out and standing across the board. It was a weird sensation, being planed out and sailing that way. But I had to get downwind at least a mile, and although it wasn't pretty, it worked (when I couldn't seem to get anything else to).

[PeconicPuffin]

[sergiocremisini]

look, what i do when im on formula gear where reaching really isnt common, i go for the extremes either extreme upwind or extreme downwind angles, if you sail at say a 160 degrees of the wind your gonna have very little sail pressure, its the 125- 130 degree area thats dangerous because you have a lot of sail pressure, and DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT sheet out when sailing deep downwind, thats just gonna throw your back hand, and if you have adjustable outhaul let it go all the way loose. this is the best way,

[wooot]

I would call this "The Crab".
put a lot of pressure on your back foot, push the rig kinda' forward.(sheet in as much as you can to keep you moving forward) it's important to keep pressure on the mast foot, so the nose won't lift. point off (as the wind allows ), you will be going pretty slow, but you should be able to get back pretty close to where you started from.

It's kind-of an akward position ... pressure on back foot, and forward at the same time (sail is ALMOST getting backwinded), It's not pretty, but it works... you might only go 10 mph or so, but it works, every time.

I have trouble pointing off to spill wind when it's blowing above 30- 35 mph avarage when I'm way overpowered.... so this what I do.

Windpig

[westender]

I feel your pain. I was on a Blobix board a few weeks ago and all it wanted to do was go up wind. It was next to impossible to get it to go off the wind. On my usual Gorge equipment I can sail straight down wind in any conditions. Sounds like you got it handled though. You made it back.

[isobars]

[jsampiero]

Good suggestions from isobars, and definitely practice in less-than-overpowered conditions.

I concur that it's an all-or-nothing gig.

Send it, have fun - I LOVE taking 3 or 4 jumping-crazy tacks up to Swell City, then blasting back down on one super-deep reach with a few fun swell rides in between.