Something I wrestle with is getting upwind on my shorter (wave / FSW) boards..... you can't put the same fin pressure you do like slalom boards on my smaller boards... 85ltr and 105 ltr...
Put down the rail pressure, but it feels all funky.... like I am just trying to wing it up wind.... where as a big fin lets you edge off it and you point heaps higher upwind.... how do I do this more comfortably (I mean more naturally) or is it just part and parcel of riding wavey boards... that you need to just wrestle it along upwind? Have played a bit with harness lines, moving em forward for some more mast pressure, but can't say I noticed too much difference.... and too far back has this bogged feeling.... like the sail is full but its not leading you forward..... centre of power is not forward...... hard to explain... 
Discuss.
- Lean forward - lots
- Twist body to get your chest facing front of board as much as you can
- All weight on front foot, and twisting that foot in the strap so it is almost on it's side, like rolling your ankle (little toe side of foot down)
- Sheet out a smidge - lines too far back will kill your upwind ability
- No lateral pressure on fin unless you are on a FSW with 28cm plus fin
And it still won't get upwind like a freeride or slalom board
There is certainly an art to it. Lots of tutorials around, google what Guy Cribb or Peter Hart have on their pages you should find videos and stuff
Did you check Guy Cribb's tips for going upwind? If I remember: get speed first, push your ass forward, bend the front leg and straighten the back leg, tilt mast into the eye of the wind...give it a go, they're on the web.I think also not sheeting too much helps
Thanks guys. I find it quite tricky with wavey fins and boards. Am going to print this stuff out, laminate it and leave it in my gear box..... then at lunch time, pull it out, assess.....http://canberrawindsurfers.webs.com/tipsandtechnique.htm
Stupid work PC has IE7 so can't use Cribbs site to find the techniques... funny enough can get it through Canberra site :D Because it cuts out the script menus :D
Appreciate the tips. Pretty much what Cribbs is saying.
Sounds like you're about a year behind me K-dog, as I was asking the same question on here two seasons ago. I took on board the advice from some of the members on here.
As you know, freeride/slalom you ride the fin - you push the board over in the leeward rail with your back foot. Fin plus the leeward rail acts like one big fin.
You can't do this on a wave/FSW board (I've tried). Pretty much exactly what the guys said on here (using windward rail). I find driving the board with my front foot rather than the back front made the biggest difference for me (somebodies tip). Another tip I use is ride the chop/waves up wind (if the angle is right).
J
I'm going to try these tips out too. I'm so used to pushing off the fin with my back foot on my 106 SuperX and going straight up wind that it's been frustrasting to work out how to go upwind easily on my 84 FSW. If I'm over powered there is usually no issue going upwind, but as soon ass it's marginal I'm in trouble.
When I was getting into the straps (3 years ago), and was using wave board advice from here on my 150L freeride board and then on a 115L freeride board. I was in the straps, but I reckon I didn't sail properly for a full year - not able to get up wind, sailed extremely slowly, and generally the boards didn't feel right. It wasn't until a Slalom sailor explained to me how to sail a freeride board and how to apply the different foot force angles and what I needed to do to the board. It just goes to show that learning to sail is not intuitive for most people (yours truely !) 
Hi Kurt and Andrew, try not sailing off the back foot but lean more forward, twist your shoulders and sail with the windward rail in the water most of the way along the board. This will allow the wave board to sail up wind more easily. When you feel you are loosing power head down wind slightly to regain power.
This works for me and in one run today on a cross shore wind I sailed 1/2 km up wind easily.
Gave this a shot yesterday when it got a bit marginal in the nulls..... works well, felt way more power.... at least I came away with something yesterday :D
I find that especially when underpowered, it helps to sail with your backfoot out of the back strap. I usually place it closer to the rail between the front and rear straps. Helps get your weight off the fin, and the sail forward and upright, to really get the power on and crank upwind.
Tacking instead of gybing is also a pretty quick way to gain 10-15 meters upwind vs a gybe.
Nah tried a heap of flakas today though, getting closer, did some win ultra high entry speed 540s :D
