Tuned in

Question
Hello..... Some days when I am windsurfing I am dialed in. The sail feels light and responsive, I can gain ground upwind, I am making almost all of my jibes...etc.... Life is good.Other days I seem to struggle with the sail and board and stance never getting comfortable and I tend to cut off the wind trying to get upwind.Is this a common ailment at this particular stage of windsurfing? Can you suggest any tips and techniques to help me sort through this problem? It is frustrating , I have the athleticism to do airs, chop hops etc yet sometimes I get passed by nice folks in their eighth decade of life. Whats up ? Thanx !

Answer
Hey Evan,

It is fairly common to have great days and off days. The off days could be your rigging, you being tired, or just a slight change in the normal wind direction. When you find yourself having this kind of day, you need to stop and think about what the root of the problem is. Is it the sail, fin, mast position, harness lines, wind direction, different board, etc. Try to narrow down the problem by eliminating possibilities.

First thing to check would be your sail. It is probably the most critical for getting it set right. You may have a little more or less downhaul than the last time you sailed. Is your outhaul set the same as before in like conditions? If the draft of your sail is forward or back from the last time you rigged (too much or too little downhaul), this will affect the way the harness lines feel. If you have moved your harness lines, check the position in regards to the center of effort of the sail. Check mast position. If it is a bit back for the wind speed, it will be harder to go upwind and it also is putting your weight back on the board, which will affect many manuvers. Check your fin position if it is an adjustable position fin. Back to far can cause you to have trouble getting on a plane and also for going upwind.

Getting dialed in can sometimes be right off the bat or a series of small changes in rigging or positioning. Any changes you make, make small ones until it feels right.

Hope this helps.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover