First time win surfing results.
Posté : 09 juil. 2012, 12:29
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.
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.
