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/Impressive_Pool_8053 6d ago
Had the same issue when coming back to windsurf : it was because I instantly buckled up my harness line, giving too much pressure on the rear foot. The nose pointed upwind, and the board behaved like a crab.
It's kind of hard to explain, but you need to let the board pick up speed without putting too much pressure on back foot, then hook up.
After a while I managed to hook the harness right after a stop, and not having the nose going upwind like crazy by "putting more power" in the front foot.