I have watched tons of your videos about planning, common mistakes, and getting into the foot straps, and I finally got it down! Thank you so much, this was incredibly helpful! :)
Bing! Lightbulb goes on! Best advice ever. Been struggling to get planing under control and now I understand why. Before, I was too upright and when I did get going there was zero control. If could at least unhook, I'd be riding a bucking bronco until I could head enough upwind to slow down and regain control. If I couldn't unhook then I'd just be heading straight to the scene of the accident. Sheet out a little first and you can drop your body gradually against the increasing power. "Sheet out so you can sheet in" should be a sail sticker - you should get that copyrighted :-) Just had my best weekend of windsurfing (in Scotland!). Finally feels like I'm advancing again after my gear got nicked in 2019 and then lockdowns kyboshed everything. Yahoo! Bit more practice with this and then the footstraps... Thanks, mate!
Great to hear you've had the "BING" moment, and you're 100% right about that phrase- sheet out so you can sheet in- it's helped so many students! I'll be in Vassiliki this summer, already started filming the new series so stay tuned for more videos- or come here if travel allows it!
Thanks! I’m on the snow now for the winter in the northern hemisphere (maybe you spotted on the channel?!) but will continue the windsurf ride-along series when summer returns soon! 👍👍 LoDs more windsurfing tutorial on here for the meantime though!
Again, thank you so much for this video! This is exactly the problem I'm dealing with. Too often I'm exhausted while my buddies are not. This will absolutely change my game! I will get back to you in this comment section after my next session!
Love the videos cookie! As a surfer starting windsurfing, I’m into the harness on some beginners style kit! I wipe out often in freezing British south coast water winter conditions but love it! Your videos have been really really helpful. Rg
Great to hear from you! I’ll be coaching this summer in the warm waters of Vassiliki if you can make it out for a clinic! 👍👍👍 (And more videos coming in the spring too!)
Cookie, your videos are just so helpful. I like 'em lots! Maybe you could do a video on how to get faster once you're fully planing and in your straps. I seem to be stuck at a certain speed (25 knots) and I'm quite certain it's not the material that's holding me back. Thanks and keep it up!
Hi! Really glad you're enjoying these videos. As you can imagine a lot of work goes into making them so it's really appreciated to get good feedback! What you're asking for is on my "to-film" list, I'll get to it when I can. before I do though it's worth noting that 30 knots is fast! Thats a mile stone for loads of good windsurf, being ok at 25 knots is a great place to be in so don't put your self down about that! You say it's not the kit, maybe it the conditions? Have you found a flat enough place to try it in? Have you got a decent length blast before it gets too choppy? Are you doing it in the gust? Perhaps you're even going too far down wind? On a windsurf board the fastest point of sail is not quiet brand reach- it's a little higher that than (a lot of people going for speed go too broad!)! Hope thats a few thoughts for now, I'll get to the video when I can.
@@Cookiesports Wow, that's a lot of helpful info for an answer. Thank you, appreciate that! It could indeed very well be that I go too far down-wind sometimes. I will play around with point of sails in me coming sessions. And will continue working on my stance. Meantime, I'll be looking forward to more great videos!
Really enjoy the videos and instruction. I struggle with when planing. The power seems to be too much and i seem to be constantly fighting it. I just feel like i'm holding on and the slightest wrong movement in pressure on my arms, legs and sail position causes the board to flare up and slew. A few things but not all the same time but on various times i manage to get planing. 1 - board skews into wind as i put front or then back foot into the straps 2) i seem to be pulling hard with my back hand or front hand on different sides yet lines are the same distance on both sides. 3) body seems way low to the water 4) Not sure what my feet should be doing ( pulling up with the toes on the front foot and pushing with the heal on the back foot) 5) When i think about trying a carve i feel i have far too much speed to control the unhooking etc and just end up slewing up into wind to control the speed and end up tacking. (board Severne Fox 120L with 5.4M, 6.5M and 7.1M sails) A few things
Hi Paul! I'll try to help you here, I think best thing will linking your questions to the correct video to explain it all! But... 1) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-h-71U5hWNSk-.html pushing through toes of front foot will stop this! 2) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HxAmoBEObw4.html - I've discovered I set my harness lines slightly different on each side!...just like if I borrow someone else's kit "with their lines set perfectly"... this will be for them, not for everyone. Not wrong, just shows our techies differ slightly from port to starboard and person to person! The points in the video still apply. 3) This video will help with this. As long as you're pushing and channeling the power correctly it's ok to be low! 4) Toes..".pulling up with the toes on the front foot and pushing with the heal on the back foot" as you say here- these actions combined will cause the board to turn quickly into the wind. This video will help... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UO6B9e7hObA.html 5) Carve, I assume you mean carve gybe? Get solid in the straps on the plane before moving onto this move. This play list will help though...ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-onkVcYrLG8o.html Also, a 120 litre board is a small board, and the fox is fast! Maybe go bigger, slower for a while to get more comfortable with things before then swapping back onto the Fox? A Fanatic Geko, starboard Go/Carve or RRD Evolution for example. Hope these thoughts and vides help!
watching this for the 20th or so time, every single time there is another gem I discover! Question Simon: this technique of your body going out and back first will only work is steady, strong wind, right? If it's gusty you're likely to just go out the back a lot. I usually get planing in gusts, so I instinctively sheet out a bit as the gust hits, then sheet in to accelerate as I sink hips and body goes out and back. Is this correct? thanks!
You haven't mentioned foot pressure on the tail, how much or little you give it. I know I changes depending on board size. It would be interesting to know from your point of view. Also what fin size you use on setting up.
I think I’m going to be doing some more felt analysis using students this summer, seeing what other people are doing and listening to my explanation seems to really help!
As great as your videos are, the problem is you make it look so easy😬... but, hopefully when I get to planing stage and then watch the videos again it will make so much more sense...
Great video. New to your channel. Would you consider doing a video directed at overweight windsurfers? Strap 30 pounds to your belly and explain how to handle the center of gravity and weight difference. I find a bigger sail for the conditions is needed in order to water start. Opps, then I am overpowered.
Hi! Thanks for watching, glad you've been enjoying this, and some of the other videos. I'm back on the water in May when I return to Vassiliki in Greece. I'll start filming and will add you request to the list. I'll also be running coaching clinics while I'm there, would be great for you to get involved. Quick response on your problem... you'll always need a larger sail than someone weighing 30pounds less than you- thats the same for water stating as it is when blasting. If I'm on a 4m powered up you'll need a 6/6.5m. But the power needed to waterstart will match the power needed to get going also... either that or one of the techniques needs working on! (Waterstart with less power, or get going and be ok with the extra!)
@@Cookiesports Thank you for the advice. Makes sense when you say it. We generally windsurf on the Outer Bank USA. Windsurfed once on Mykonos and would love to return. I have shied away from larger sails because in my last lesson on Aruba, the trainer pointed out I was having trouble managing the sail and should downsize until I could handle it. Guess its time to move back up in sail size.
@Cookie: This season, I ran into a strange persistent issue with my technique. I kept "snowplowing" my board. I was frequently WELL powered up, but I was constantly fighting to keep the nose across the wind / prevent it from swinging upwind. Small board, big board, little fin, big fin, front foot right up near the mast, sometimes almost in front of it. Constantly struggling to get to a point where I was actually *using* the power, even in 30kt winds, I just couldn't get up on a plane. I think it has to do with being too upright, but I'm not sure. HOW / why? Also, you almost seem to be in the front strap while sub-planing. Is this true?
Hi Charlie, What you're describing it exactly what I'm talking about in this video!... Being upright is a classic problem like you say. It creates a lot of "mast foot pressure", it feels like you have power as the sail is heavy, you could even be pulling down through the harness as mush as you can (and likely pulling the harness up)... but none of this is helping you get going- just uses loads of energy! Sheet out and de-power first, get back on the board- feet and body- head, hips and shoulders to windward of the board (keeping the board from turning upwind by pushing through the front foot.) Once you'e done this you're in a good position to put the power back on by pulling the sail in, or pushing the front had forward if you're in the harness. If you're nicely powered up, you know you can get planing with the power you have, and you know you can stop the board turning up into the wind as you step back, then getting in the front strap nice and early is a good idea!
@@Cookiesports Gentleman. Scholar. You really are just so wonderfully helpful. It's a hard sport, but you make me realize just how much simpler it can be. Thank you, as always.
This is exactly my situation on the port tack for some reason. Starboard I got the move, but port is causing me troubles lately. Thanks for the video Cookie! I'll try to master the move next time we get some wind here.
@@Cookiesports problematic could be gusty conditions. Let’s say the gust comes, the rider goes out back and sheets in, but it’s not enough wind to get planing, gust disappears and rider goes into the wind unless stepping back to the inwards. I would probably choose a bigger sail if power is not enough to plane in gusts. Are there other options?
@@iotarask77 Hi! Gusty conditions will make things harder for sure, however the same technique is there- just more subtle and refined. If you sheet out and so far back that you'd fall in if the wind stopped- you've done it too much for the conditions and power you have. Do it less, test the wind and see how much power you have... at the same time remembering how important VISION is with windsurfing, learning to read the wind so you know if the wind is about to hit you hard or stop!
Thanks Cookie. One thing that I suffer from in the getting out and low to sheet in, is that I either spin-out or career upwind as i put to much pressure on back- foot as i try to resist sail pull. Any thoughts on yhis?
Opening statement stands true for this… “sheet out so you can sheet in”…. By de-powering first this will allow you to get out and low. It’ll also allow you to put pressure through the front foot and drive the board forward without spinning upwind! 👌
Love these vids, I was trying this technique today but I find that cos i'm a heavier sailor the board then tends to have its nose quite high in the water ( like a wheelie) and wont pop on to the plane as easily as my peers around me seem to. does mast track position have an effect with this at all? or should i just not shuffle bacvk as quick as others?
I’m working on another video that’ll help you soon. In the meantime, pop the UJ a little further forward, only an inch or so. And take your time shuffling back, ensuring you have your weight through the front foot.
I think this is exactly what is happening for me as I progress from beginner to intermediate. I get planing fine and into front foot strap and can cruise along at 20mph no problems, but I feel like I am standing upright and can't sheet in enough. I am that Drone shot! Beam reach Broad reach flying but that is it. I kept wondering how the guys get those sails raked back and fly by me all sheeted in and even going upwind. I too get the harness riding up on me like you pointed out in the video. Stoked to try this back out on the water next session! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JAAhoZwhNyg.html
HI! I watched your video and you're exactly right, the drone shot is you to a tee! Follow the steps and you'll be improving loads... SHEET OUT- de-power and head up wind, get your self to windward, back on the board which will then allow you to get lower and under control, before then pushing the power back on, and driving through the front foot to keep the speed up! Excited to see the next video!
@@Cookiesports totally worked! I actually got to sail some up wind while planing today. Thanks so much. Still working on getting my back foot in the strap, but being able to sheet in is fantastic! Here is a link. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-pW0p2t0d16A.html Also did my first full swimming water start today! Hooray!
