Sailing Downwind

Question
Hi

I have been sailing for about 2 months now, on a Bic Techno 2 board (160litre, 265cm), using either a 6.5m sail or a 7.3 one.  I light winds (not planing) i have no problem going in the direction I want, however when the wind gets up and I get planing, I can at best only sail at 90degrees to the wind and sligtly upwind, but not even slightly downwind.  I am leaning the sail forward and towards the outside of the turn (as I do in light winds), and the board turns a little slightly, but still always ends up heading into wind.  Any ideas as on how to fix this, and how I can stay on the plane and sail downwind??

Thanks
Mauro

Answer
Hey Mauro,

Welcome to the wonderful world of windsurfing. It sounds like you are hooked.

There are a couple of things that you can do to get the board heading downwind. When the board is planing or close to it, you want to NOT use the sail for steering as much as you do in light winds. You should be using the board to steer downwind.

This is done by putting pressure on the toes of your back foot. This will dip the leeward (downwind) side of the board into the water and cause it to turn downwind. You can also lift the heel of your front foot to help it turn. If you are planing, you can straighten your front leg to push the nose of the board offwind while pressuring the toes of your back foot.

If you are getting on a plane, then your sail  should be moved further back on the board. If it is near the front of the slot in light winds, then move it to about center for winds that are getting you on a plane. If the wind is really high, move it even further back. This will help keep the board from turning upwind.

You can also help your downwind sailing with your body position. Going upwind you should lean forward and apply pressure to your heels. To go downwind, your body should be either in a neutral or slightly back position to counteract the pull on the sail. If you are leaning towards the back of the board slightly, you can push on the front foot easier and cause the nose of the board to go off wind. You can also move your hands back on the boom just a bit. The front should only go back about a hand width or so, but the back hand can go 6-12" so that you can sheet in a bit as needed. Remember that as you start going offwind, the sail will be pulling a bit harder so moving your hands a bit will help you keep control.

You can also check out www.windsurfingmag.com and go to the instructional section for a variety of information.

Hope this will help you with your downwind.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover