I normally sail a 144 ltr barge
I recently purchased a 104 ltr slalom board - something to grow into
First couple of times out on the water it is consistantly pointing into the wind when I am not powered up, despite the fact that I have mast tilted forward
Mast foot is central on a 6.5 mtr rig
Foot position?
Heel / Toe pressure?
Harness lines?
MFP?
Any ideas greatfully accepted
I had exactly the same problem when I went to the 105. I found that even though I had rig forward, I pointed up wind.
In my case it was a combination of problems:
I was oversheeting with backhand, had too much weight in back foot and wasnt putting enough pressure through the mastfoot.
I also had my front arm bent. I discovered that if I tried to keep rig further away ie. straightened front arm, I wouldnt oversheet and the rig was naturally forward and I wouldnt point upwind straight away. I also stood a little more center of the board until I started moving up on to the plane.
As I am only fairly new to it all myself, these things may not be exactly correct but they did work for me.
Make sure you have the right size fin - I would be using a 33-36cm fin with your combo. Fin too big might be a problem
Also try sailing without putting your back foot in the strap - place it central just in front of the rear strap - You won't be going top speed but you should still be able to plane in this position.
Then gently ease the foot back into the strap when you have control/feel comfortable.
- J
You don't really steer a 100L board by tilting the mast - use your legs to swing the board downwind, using mast foot pressure as the third point of a tripod with your two feet.
hey OldSalty, That happens to everybody with their 1st short board....Don't worry everybody soon grows out of it.
Keep yourself and your weight forward. If you get planing watch the wind and be ready to get out of footstraps and have your weight over the middle of the board.
Yeah I remember I thought I was pretty good on a big board and when I got a wave board it turned into some mad thing.
Hey Salty, hang in, no biggie will take a few outings then you'll get it.
I have a 105l (older model Exocet), and I found it pointed upwind much more than my 90l and larger boards. Donno why, it really doesn't make sense. Make sure you don't hook in too early, as sometimes by hooking in people pull the boom a funny way.
Once you get the proper planing feeling, it'll beam-reach on ya.
Salty, Could it be that you are not placing your weight over the centre of the board? The smaller board is more sensitive to your foot position and you could be tilting it without realising it. I've found that especially with your back foot it is best to keep it near the centre of the board until you can get planing.
i remember clearly my first effort on a small board. i went from a onedesign to a wave board.
first gybe i put my back foot in the water initiating a gybe.
second gybe i stood on the rail so hard i made the board rail ride. 
seems to be lots of good advice above.
on small gear keep your weight over the centreline of the board.
i brace my front foot behind the universal when getting going
and in really light winds i pull the tail towards me with my back foot also.
