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Flat water vs. Open Ocean waves/chop
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benspikey



Joined: 02 Aug 2008
Posts: 167

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:25 pm    Post subject: Flat water vs. Open Ocean waves/chop Reply with quote

Which is better? Why?

If I want to improve my skills should I be sailing flat water or open ocean chop? Thanks!
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dllee



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

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Doing one at the exclusion of the other just makes you good at one and passable at the other.
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windward1



Joined: 18 Jun 2000
Posts: 1400

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Which 'skills' are you wishing to improve?
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benspikey



Joined: 02 Aug 2008
Posts: 167

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry I know this is open ended question..

If one wants to go faster and work on racing skills..

Do know that most races do not take place on "flat water".. Is sailing flat water really preparing one for racing conditions?
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cgoudie1



Joined: 10 Apr 2006
Posts: 2597
Location: Killer Sturgeon Cove

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think when working on racing skills on a ski slope, most people
don't charge a mogul field on downhill skis.

If you're already a superior flat water racer, then take it into the ocean.

-Craig


benspikey wrote:
Sorry I know this is open ended question..

If one wants to go faster and work on racing skills..

Do know that most races do not take place on "flat water".. Is sailing flat water really preparing one for racing conditions?
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dllee



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

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 4:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Obviously, you need both.
Flat for trim settings, sail settings, technique work.
Choppy to simulate real world slalom conditions, jibing, and top speeds.
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jingebritsen



Joined: 21 Aug 2002
Posts: 3371

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 6:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i watched a racerhead improve his kona and formula results by spending time surf sailing his kona. helps with fast twitch decisions and muscles.
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bred2shred



Joined: 02 May 2000
Posts: 989
Location: Jersey Shore

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 6:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Open ocean sailing, particularly on a big day, is vastly more challenging than flat water sailing. Anyone with moderate skill can lock into the straps and harness and blast along on flat water. Very few people by comparison can sail the ocean when its overhead and blowing 30. This is why when you go to hatteras, 95% of the people are sailing canadian hole and only a handfull of guys are in the ocean. If you want to push your skill set, the ocean is where its at and these skills will carry over to your flat water sailing.

sm
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nw30



Joined: 21 Dec 2008
Posts: 6485
Location: The eye of the universe, Cen. Cal. coast

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 6:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I started off back in the 80's on flat water, and soon wanted to be one of the fastest ones out there. To do that it required equipment that was designed for speed, a fast board and race or slalom sails.
Then I went into the ocean and never returned to flat speed sailing. The ocean requires completely different equipment, wave or bump and jump boards with mostly wave sails (no cams and shorter booms), and even a different harness with a higher hook level for the waves.
The two disciplines are so different that I would almost call them two different sports, one is board sailing, and one is windsurfing.
So unless you can afford to have a garage full of equipment for both of those disciplines, I'd stick to one or the other.
I found the crossover skills to be limited to your very basic sailing skills that you probably already have.
I'll go back to flat water on rare occasions with some friends just for shits and giggles, but I've never felt like my wave sailing has added anything to my flat water blasting, it just soooo different, at least in my area. When windy our ocean gets very wild, comparatively.

However river sailing (Rio Vista, the Gorge) or ocean bay sailing (SF Bay) is a good in-between option if you have any of those in your area.
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beaglebuddy



Joined: 10 Feb 2012
Posts: 1120

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 8:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Working on your jibe is going to be a lot easier on flat water.
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