93 kg/1.82m
board 115 l Patrik slalom
sails 7.2 ack point seven (not tried yet : arriving this week
) + 6.0 hot sails Gps
fin F4 approx 35 cm...
I had been stuck at 34/35 knts for ages, last week with winds around 25/30 knts I finally managed to improve my PB @37 with the 6.0.
But what strikes me is I always seem to reach PB's in the chop instead of flat water.
I must be doing something wrong !!
I have read about "slingshot" technique, could someone elaborate for me ? (in plain english or with one of Barn's drawings... cause my english isn't that good)
A smaller board and fin would maybe help ? I could use my son's manta 98 with a 33cm fin.
Do I need to "crouch " down a little to lower my gravity center ?
Thanks in advance
Select to expand quoteseanhogan said..
A smaller board and fin would maybe help ? I could use my son's manta 98 with a 33cm fin.
Smaller Board, Smaller fin. In flat water you should be looking at a fin in the 20's
An adjustable out-haul will help you upwind with what you lose with the smaller fin.
I'm no expert but looking at the guys in my GPS team that's what they've got. 
Select to expand quoteseanhogan said..
I have read about "slingshot" technique, could someone elaborate for me ? (in plain english or with one of Barn's drawings... cause my english isn't that good)
If you'd asked for an explanation in Chinese I would've been more comfortable, but here goes in English.
Slingshot refers to the rapid acceleration effect you achieve when going from sailing roughly square (75 degrees slightly upwind to 105 degrees slightly downwind) to the wind; then turning to the optimal broadest angle off the wind (125 to 145 degrees off the wind). This is often the case with certain speed course which lend themsleves to a stretch of water which has ideal conditions off the wind. Have a look at the Luderitz videos, and wtch AA's 52kt run) The course starts out square to upwind , then its like they turn a corner which is off the wind, and its like a slignshot occurs with rapid acceleration. The slingshot also works most efectively when the flattest water is at the broadest angle to the wind 125/145 degrees. Some famous speedrun sandbars are aligned this way. The other effect is the more speed you take into the run b4 you hit the sligshot area, the faster the sligshot will accerlartae you to. Jeez I shoulda sed it in Chinese
Have a look at the 1m10sec mark to about 1 min 18sec, thats when the sligshot is shown
hey,, 37kts on a 115l in some chop, thats really good man, forget seeking advice, you should be giving some out!!, say were going crosswind, board lifting up, back leg engaged, faster, faster, i feel the board really lifting up, in a sorta acclerated state, then i turn off the wind, yeah, i acclerate, plus less sail drag, so speed increases,, but ive been wondering, should you keep the board crosswind, and just turn it off the wind enough to keep it really powered up, and just keep turning off wind gradually, maintaining heaps of back leg pressure, keeping the board real powered up, or should you built up speed crosswind, and really load up the board with down ward force and just turn off the wind hard, a less gradually bear off, aiming for that sling shot feel.....im pretty light, 70kg, and have wondered due to my lack of wieght, that probably means less potential in a slingshot,,,,hey, thanks for ya time
thanks for that Milsy, but I certainly would not be able to give any advice, I am more of an instinct sailor, I'm hopeless at tuning my gear and technical stuff gets me lost !!
I don't find that I go much faster full downwind than on a good powered up crosswind. 
I will have to try engaging more downwind at full speed. should be interesting if I survive !! 
Guys at the beach tell me to give more "lift" to the board... I nod and walk away wondering if I should pour lemon soda on the Patrik or what.....
http://www.windsurfermag.com/magazine/windsurf-speed-sailing-slingshot/?params=MjR8Mjg0fDA=
Why say it in Chinese when someone else has already said it?
Doesn't mean you will understand it though!
Getting the board to feel like it is about to flip (right up on the fin) and then bearing away in the dark patch of the gust in the flattest water is the ideal.
Hard bear away gives good acceleration but you can quickly lose speed. A more gradual bear away keeping some load on the fin wil be better for 10sec speed.
Weight jacket definitely makes a difference for lighter sailors.
thanks a lot "? speed gurus" , very interesting read, lots of advice to take to the water.
Will give it a go one by one to see which technique/setup makes what difference.
Many thanks again
can't wait for Barn's pic of the "amazing lift"
Don't know why all speed sailors don't use the slinghot method. I ran a simulation and it'll add knots you your two second max..
Edit: Oh wow red thumbs in less than 5 minutes! You guys..
barn, you're a legend !!!!
why the red thumbs ? sooooo funny, and I asked for it !!!
Brilliant!!! Superbly and simply entertaining again Barn, 
. Attention to detail with the double hook harness
That is funny s..t. Double hook harness, looks familiar, I never realised how much AMAC looks like the Wile.E Coyote
I'm glad the double harness hook was spotted! Wile E. also has a Gath helmet he borrowed of Kato. The green sailboard is all A.C.M.E, same build has the famous wingsuit..
Guaranteed for the life of the user!
Select to expand quotebarn said..
I'm glad the double harness hook was spotted! Wile E. also has a Gath helmet he borrowed of Kato. The green sailboard is all A.C.M.E, same build has the famous wingsuit..
Guaranteed for the life of the user!
?rel=0
Batty.
No seriously, 37 on a largish slalom is great. From my experience, if it's choppy, you know, more than 15-20cm of rolling chop, then a small to medium slalom board will be faster than a speed board any day, especially if teamed with a smallish symmetrical fin, such as a KA 23 Symmy. Slalom boards simply eat up chop and ride better in these conditions. Maybe that's why you think you're going faster on a slalom board.
