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teaching an old girl new tricks...
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Laura&Joe



Joined: 07 Aug 2003
Posts: 17

PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 11:59 am    Post subject: teaching an old girl new tricks... Reply with quote

Ok I am not old but, I have been trying to sail for ten years. I am just good enough that I am totally hooked on windsurfing but am getting frustrated with my ability. I sail with a bunch of guys that have been sailing forever and they basically put me on the water with a rig and let me figure it out by myself.
My husband was sitting on the beach last time I sailed because the wind was too light for him. I am the one who killed his light wind love of his life board. He said no more sailing until I get lessons but the schools are geared to those who are just learning to water start and it means my husband has to sail where I am because we share the gear. The wind isn't always the best where the lessons are.
Here's where I need help...
I can consistently water start and from years of practice am really good at moving my gear around while I am in the water. but I stall out about 50% of the time when I hook in and almost always when I try to get in the footstraps. I have been in the footstraps less than ten times in 10 years. Boy was it great though.
I also frequently get tossed when there is a gust.
Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks,
Laura
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starfish



Joined: 14 Apr 1996
Posts: 202

PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 12:18 pm    Post subject: Lessons Reply with quote

Private lessons with Heidi at big winds.. Worth the money. She goes where the wind is. Not cheap but money well spent.
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royn



Joined: 02 Jan 2007
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Laura:

I was an instructor for Vela in both Brazil and Baja. I think all the schools have lessons beyond waterstarts. There is usually a specific lesson for getting into the straps. If not, private lessons are great way for you to accomplish your goals. The stalling out is a very common issue when learning how to get in the straps and depending on your specific situation, a good instructor can help you remedy the problem. Good Luck!
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RocRobster



Joined: 22 May 2002
Posts: 80

PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 12:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Big Winds has a hook and foot class. I know because my son is going to take that class as soon as he can waterstart consistently...
book in the middle of the week and the class size will be smaller
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vladimir



Joined: 14 Jul 2008
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 12:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you and your husband like to travel, wait till next January through May sailing season in Bonaire, and go there! It is a very forgiving site for the beginners: light consistent wind, shallow water for miles (!), which water is spectacularly beautiful! Spend two to three weeks there, and you will probably be in footstraps by the time you leave. One downside though: you will kinda have to re-learn everything when you get back to the Gorge Very Happy But here is the good news: it won't take long Very Happy
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dllee



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

PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 12:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pull downward on the booms, bear off a little to get more speed, THEN reach back into the straps.
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mchaco1



Joined: 08 Sep 2010
Posts: 645

PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 12:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If youre like I was at that stage, your stalling in straps and in harness is probably from not really sitting down into the harness, if you leanback against it while still just standing up on the board, youll round up. To avoid that you have to really sit down into it with most of your body weight, put your front foot out and your back foot well back so that you can sink onto it in the gusts to avoid being thrown then slowly creep back
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markandmonique



Joined: 04 Aug 2001
Posts: 35

PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 1:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quick question....do you rig your sails or your husband?
Sometimes guys rig the boom on the mast to where they think it should roughly sit, which ends up being way too high for us girls, and it can make the sail maneuvering screwy.

Hard to hook in and get to the straps comfortably.

Anyway something to consider, and yes I would look into a lesson with one of the local female instructors. Money well spent!

Monique (long time Gorge chick)


Last edited by markandmonique on Fri Jul 20, 2012 2:36 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Laura&Joe



Joined: 07 Aug 2003
Posts: 17

PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 1:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am going to be in Hood River this weekend (an every weekend there is wind this summer) so I will try to set up a lesson.
Thanks for your suggestions. I never thought about sitting way down in the harness but now that I think of it that makes a lot of sense.
I rig my own sail. I have had lots of help with that since most of the time all my friends are still on the beach. I took one lesson last year to work on water starts and found out I was using too big of a sail most of the time.
Thanks for the suggestions. If you think of anything else I would appreciate it.
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mchaco1



Joined: 08 Sep 2010
Posts: 645

PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 2:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Laura&Joe wrote:
I am going to be in Hood River this weekend (an every weekend there is wind this summer) so I will try to set up a lesson.
Thanks for your suggestions. I never thought about sitting way down in the harness but now that I think of it that makes a lot of sense.
I rig my own sail. I have had lots of help with that since most of the time all my friends are still on the beach. I took one lesson last year to work on water starts and found out I was using too big of a sail most of the time.
Thanks for the suggestions. If you think of anything else I would appreciate it.

Made all the difference for me, when youre really sitting off the boom the gusts pull your body along and you hardly notice them as opposed to if youre standing on the board hooked in, where the gusts just tip you over and fling you like a cat toy...
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