Schlogging the F-type

[stefan]

Hi Roger,
I've recently joined MOWIND and participated in couple of races. Most of the guys are on old Mistral longboards with daggerboard (IMCO, One Design ..) It's really hard to compete with them on my F-type, given the light winds we had lately. Especially getting to the first upwind mark is hard. I don't expect my F-type aiming high in non planing conditions but I think there must be a way to get there faster or point higher. Would you know any technique that might help me?
Also couple guys told me to ditch my 9.5 Retro and get a camber sail instead. Do you think that would help? How do I pump the Retro on F-type efficiently?

Another question I have for you is about jumping on my Kombat 105 with 6.6 Hucker. I've seen a guy jumping his board (similar size) without any chop. The wind was about 20 knots and it seemed he just popped out of the water, out of nowhere. How do you do that? I've never had a chance to talk to that guy and ask him.

thanks
Stefan

[Roger]

Hi Stefan,
Unfortunately, there's not magical technique that I can offer that will get you upwind in non-planing conditions.
Maybe a full on formula board and huge formula sails would get you planing a little earlier, but will they keep you planing?
That's the "threshold" here.
If you can plane all the time, and well enough to go upwind, you can probalby beat the old style longboards.
If the wind isn't enough to keep you planing, they will win.
Only way to stay with them, is to join them and get an older longboard for racing with them.
I'm not sure what these guys think a cambered sail is going to do that a big drafty Retro cannot, but all I can say is see if you can borrow a big camber sail (not a huge formula race double luff wide sleeve sail) and see if you do any better.
I've raced Retros on both longboards and formula/FE boards in very light winds and I always beat quite a few cambered sails.
What problems are you having pumping your 9.5 Retro efficiently?
If you are trying to pump around the course like the IMCO guys do, on your F-Type, that's not going to work. Put the same rig on a board like they are using (or perhaps a Phantom Race 380) and I think you will find yourself competitive with the cambered sails.
I'm not the guy to ask about flatwater jumps as I really don't do freestyle.
My guess would be that you have to crouch down a bit, kinda coil up your body (like a spring) and then push down hard on the tail of the board (foot over the centerline or nearly so) and "spring" up so your inertia carries both you and the board off the water a little.
Or, go find a bigger lake that has some chop and you will be chop hopping all over the place.
Part of it has to do with raking the sail back as you leave the water to create some vertical lift. It's all about the timing.
Hope this helps,

[stefan]

Hi Roger,
I was expecting the answer you gave me. Thank you.

If I want to stay competitive I'll probably go and buy an older longboard, but I like my Retros. I ask a friend to try out his MS-2 and if the difference won't be significant I'll stick with Retro.

As for jumping, I'll try both of your suggestions. I saw that guy on Wolf lake (really small lake) pretty much no chop, I'll go out on lake Michigan when we get some decent cross shore winds.

Stefan