Batons and speed

Question
Hi Windlover,

A couple of questions if I may.  I have recently purchased a new 10m sail and had to loosen the batons attached to the 3 cams so that I could rig it.  Even though I tightened them back to the original tension (ie. 15 turns) I was wondering if there is a simple way to check the 'perfect' tension if there is such a thing?  I was under the belief that as long as you get all the ripples out and it maintained a good shape it was good.

Next question.  I find when I am overpowered I feel that I have to push hard with my front hand and pull like mad with my back hand in order to stay upright.  It feels as though the wind is coming straight ahead also and I have two wind directions to deal with. When the wind conditions are ieal my harness lines are perfect and can nearly sail with either my back or front hands.  Is there something wrong with my harness positioning?  Hope you can help.

Answer
Hey Billy,

Sorry about the delay in getting an answer to you. Working lots of hours and almost summer days are keeping me busy at home. Sailing season is just around the corner, yahoo!

As for rigging cammed battens, getting the wrinkles out is a good sign of getting proper tension on the battens. The other test is, how well do they rotate on the mast. Once you have your outhaul set, if they rotate easily and the sail pops quickly and easily, then they are about right. If they seem too easy and there is a small wrinkle or two, add a little tension. The cambers will maintain good shape as long as there is enough tension to shape the sail. More tension will create a bigger pocket for light winds but don't overtighten as the battens will not rotate well.

The key to keeping the draft locked in is your outhaul. If it is too loose, your draft will move. Be sure to have at least as much as is recommended for the sail you are rigging. If the wind comes up and you are getting overpowered, downhaul more and adjust outhaul to tighten the sail. Always pull the edge of the sail all the way to the boom end. This also helps lock in the draft.

As for overpowered sailing, if your harness lines are set right, then there are a couple of other things to help correct the push/pull feeling. If you have addeded downhaul and outhaul for higher winds, then you need to move the harness lines just a bit back as the draft has moved back also. You may need to move your mast back on the board just a bit also. Lay your sail down at the rigging area and draw it back as though you are closing the gap. Draw the foot of the sail to the board. Your harness lines should line up right between your footstraps. If they are not, then move the mast track accordingly. This will line the draft, harness lines, and your body up with your location on the board. You may need to adjust the fin (if adjustable) back if you move the sail back.

Try these tips and if you are still having problems, feel free to ask me more ?'s. Try to analyze your problem so your ?'s can be specific. Your previous ? was very easy for me to give you some good advice. For a great forum in getting many windsurf ?'s answered along with local/regional info from around the world, check out iwindsurf.com. I get great info from lots of good sailors from all over the country.

Good luck with your new purchase and Keep On Sailing.
Windlover