First time win surfing results.

[KeziaCinema]

So I got my kit today.<br /><br />
10 foot Slalom board with the Dagger down. 6.5 sqm sail with 460cm mast. 6-10mph winds.<br /><br />
I wasn't really shown how to rig up, so I just drove down to the local boat dock, and toyed around with it.<br /><br />
First, I put the board in the water on the boat ramp so that the nose was touching the cement, and the tail fin was in the water. Then, I unrolled the sail, attached the 2 mast poles together, and ran the 2 mast poles through the sail. I then attached the mast pole into the mast base, and then put the mast cap on the top on. I then cranked down a little on the string that connects the bottom of the sail to the mast base, and then put the boom on. I then secured everything tightly.<br /><br />
I pushed the board out a bit, and tried to get going a few times. I can stand on the board just fine, and at first, I would just pull up on the uphaul with my legs straight, and as soon as I got it up a ways, I would fall backward. I then remembered from a youtube video to bend my knees, and I did that and I was able to get the sail high enough that I could actually grab the boom. Right when I grab the boom though, I lose balance and fall backward.<br /><br />
While playing around, I sliced my toe pretty bad somehow, and was bleeding all over the board. I didn't know how I did it, but I assumed it was a rock. I tried to tear apart my white cotton shirt to tie around it, but it turns out i'm not strong enough to even tear it.. That was embarrassing-- they do it in the movies so easily. So I went back to the car, pulled out the duck tape, and ducked taped it.<br /><br />
I got back in the water, and continued practicing, and then when I fell off again, I sliced the bottom of my right foot in two placed on seaweed (I think). After that, I was a bit more scared to touch my feet to the bottom, but I didn't bring a life jacket, so I didn't really want to go further out. After drifting into a bunch of lilly pads with my new found fear of seaweed, I said ef it, and packed up my gear. I think I'm done with boat docks. I need a beach. I would drive down to the local beach, but have to admit, just from toying around for that little bit, I'm drained. I didn't sleep last night though, so that's likely the cause. I only tried about 7 or 8 uphauls.<br /><br />
Another problem is I can hear water in my left ear. That lake I was in is green as hell, and I know its full of algea. I am almost predicting swimmers ear if I don't get it out soon, so after I finish this post, I'm going to go lie down with my left ear down, and hope it drains out.<br /><br /><br />
Lessons learned today:<br /><br />
You would think you could use the sail to balance yourself, but I find I balance better on my own than with that damn sail in my hands.<br /><br />
Wear a fricken life vest. Swimming is hard work when you're trying to maneuver your mast around the board.<br /><br />
Bend your knees on the up-haul.<br /><br />
Paddling on a sailboard sucks.<br /><br />
Wear earplugs<br /><br />
Don't go to boat docks.<br /><br />
Bring Band-aids.<br /><br /><br /><br />
I know I am a hell of a long way from sailing around the water at all, but I think I need to just try try again on this uphaul. It seems to be a balance issue, and I think if I find a nice sandy spot, a good 30 more tries, and I might be able to enjoy a 5 second ride.<br /><br />
Tommorow, I'm going to go find a beach, and try it again.<br /><br />
The mast I got with the board was broken, and it looks like it was glued back together, but it seems to be holding. I'm sure it will break eventually.<br /><br /><br />
Questions:<br />
I kinda cringe when I roll that sail up. It really doesn't roll well. It almost folds. I hate hearing it crumple because I feel like I might ruin it. Advice?<br /><br />
Any advice on anything? I'll probably just keep posting my progress in this thread. Will be a nice little journal of what it's like to learn solo on a non-beginner board and sail. So far, I don't regret my purchase because I saved a lot of money, but I am humbled by how hard it is to keep your balance with that sail.

[PorhLoeizSkiff]

Hi aarenabe,


That was quite a story! When beginning, make sure you're not the only one around, so if you have a problem you can always get somebody to help you.


Your balance problems probably come from your board. You need a big volume to get started.


You should go find some videos on Youtube on how to rig, cause what you're doing here doesn't look good at all


I don't know what board and rig you're using, so I really can't tell you what to work on.


If you want help, you've got to tell: board, rig, weather conditions, height, weight... We need a lot of info to get the picture.


Plus, maybe you should find someone who knows how to windsurf to teach you the basics -- in person.


Then everything is perseverance.


Good luck, I hope it gets better for you.


PS: this is maybe not the best forum to ask your questions, everyone here speaks french -- not english except perhaps for a few bilingual guys.

[Cath]

C'est un troll, dans un message précédent, il dit avoir un bien meilleur niveau...

aarenabe729 @ 09/07/2012 - 12h37 a dit:

J'ai reçu assez à l'aise avec helitacks, juste commencé à remplir au vent 360, va travailler sur le bas à côté du vent 360.


me demandais si je réaliste devrait être en mesure d'achever helitacks ou contre le vent 360 dans des situations de vent plus élevées, rabotage c'est à dire sur 5.0 ou 6.0?

Je serais tenter vent se tailler 360 n'est pas le vent léger vent arrière 360.

aussi tout juste de commencer canard jibe fin de la saison dernière.


merci ..!

[PorhLoeizSkiff]

Cath @ 10/07/2012 - 18h16 a dit:

C'est un troll, dans un message précédent, il dit avoir un bien meilleur niveau...

aarenabe729 @ 09/07/2012 - 12h37 a dit:

J'ai reçu assez à l'aise avec helitacks, juste commencé à remplir au vent 360, va travailler sur le bas à côté du vent 360.


me demandais si je réaliste devrait être en mesure d'achever helitacks ou contre le vent 360 dans des situations de vent plus élevées, rabotage c'est à dire sur 5.0 ou 6.0?

Je serais tenter vent se tailler 360 n'est pas le vent léger vent arrière 360.

aussi tout juste de commencer canard jibe fin de la saison dernière.


merci ..!

P'tet qu'il a vachement progressé en freestyle


J'avais pas vu les autres messages avant de poster, effectivement ça m'a l'air d'un