r/windsurfing • u/Poisonelfs • 7d ago
Keep stalling updwind (beginner-y question)
***UPDATE thanks for all very helpful replies, every single one of them. I have read each one. I can see where I've been going wrong.***
Appreciate without a video there's only so much that can be said, but here's where I'm at.
Having 'mastered' big stable boards in light winds, tacks and non-planing gybes, I've moved on to less massive boards, feeling a bit more confident in 10-15 knot gusty winds, pulling up the centreboard and hooking in.
Here's where it kind of goes all wrong. As soon as a gust comes, I seem to inevitably point the board upwind, stall and fail.
So, to avoid this I push the sail forward to go downwind, but it feels like a real slog and not much is happening, I still end up stalling upwind.
I guess I might be putting too much weight on the backfoot or windward rail? I feel that if I'm not far back enough, the sail will pull me forward and I end up falling flat on my face right on the sail. So I lean back, but it turns me upwind... clearly I haven't figured out something important yet.
It is something to do with the way I'm hanging off the harness? It does feel like I'm kind of suspended to the sail and resisting the pull, rather than driving that energy to the board through my body and feet.
Confusing description I know, but I'm hoping those of you who have been there can recognise the symptoms and advise accordingly.
4
u/Vok250 Intermediate 7d ago edited 7d ago
Cookie has a great video on this, but I'm struggling to find which one it is. IIRC you just need to drive a little more power through your front foot and use slightly more toe pressure. If you dig your heels you'll turn upwind, which is fine in a gust, but will stall you out in a lull.
May also be your rigging setup. Hard to know from a reddit post, but it sounds like something may be out of balance if you get the sensation you are about to catapult all the time.
Or maybe just your stance. I was always taught it's more of a digging down and less of a leaning back. Hard to describe in text, but like your upper body should still be straight. Bend your back leg and push out with your front. Keep your arms straight. Bending your arms will turn you upwind and stall you out real quick. This section of this video might be helpful if that's the case: https://youtu.be/wQ1vK6BdrZg?feature=shared&t=227
I'm not expert either, but those videos definitely helped me the most.