Forums > Windsurfing General

What do you do when you fall down?

Reply
Created by duzzi > 9 months ago, 3 Aug 2024
duzzi
1120 posts
3 Aug 2024 10:47PM
Thumbs Up

Might be old age more than creeping in, but last time I was out I crashed twice banging my shin on the side of the board. The second crash, at the entrance of a jibe, on my slalom board, was pretty bad, and resulted in a small but deep impact wound that eventually got infected (is taking more than ten days to clear ).

I can't remember crashing like that, full speed, out of the harness, holding the boom at the entrance of the jibe, and it has been many years since I had a catapult, so I realized that I don't know what to do when you fall at full speed. Do you hang on the boom (foil like), or let go and try to part ways from the board? What do you do?

Subsonic
WA, 3354 posts
3 Aug 2024 11:02PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
duzzi said..
Might be old age more than creeping in, but last time I was out I crashed twice banging my shin on the side of the board. The second crash, at the entrance of a jibe, on my slalom board, was pretty bad, and resulted in a small but deep impact wound that eventually got infected (is taking more than ten days to clear ).

I can't remember crashing like that, full speed, out of the harness, holding the boom at the entrance of the jibe, and it has been many years since I had a catapult, so I realized that I don't know what to do when you fall at full speed. Do you hang on the boom (foil like), or let go and try to part ways from the board? What do you do?



Unhook, but keep hold of the boom (if you can) hanging onto the boom limits the area of the gear you can fall on, or have fall on you. Generally it helps keep you away from the pointy bit of the board too. In some scenarios you can also slow the crash down hanging onto the boom.


Admittedly I've had near crashes where I've seen it coming in time and unhooked/let the gear go, knowing it's the best case scenario. Trying to hang on would've hurt more.


thats what I try to do.

powersloshin
NSW, 1836 posts
4 Aug 2024 6:42AM
Thumbs Up

also try and sheet in while holding the boom, otherwise you can still hit it with your thigh and it hurts badly

Manuel7
1317 posts
4 Aug 2024 5:50AM
Thumbs Up

I do this:

Subsonic
WA, 3354 posts
4 Aug 2024 7:28AM
Thumbs Up

Ok, i've got say it. When i first saw the title of the thread, the first thing that came to mind was get back up again.

Was i the only one?

ptsf1111
WA, 456 posts
4 Aug 2024 8:42AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
Subsonic said..


Was i the only one?




No, that was my thought too. There's generally just no time to think about it as it happens. If you fall often, you could work on your reflexes but you might be overthinking this and just had bad luck with those two crashes. Although it's a good idea to have wound cleaner in your car.

Just fall less is probably a better strategy. Either switch gear, work on technique, or don't push as hard, or... be willing to crash and get injured.

Unless jumping high, it's generally best to hold on to the boom fwiw.

decrepit
WA, 12764 posts
4 Aug 2024 9:14AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
duzzi said..
What do you do?


Try to remember where I am!

Concussion is soooo confusing.

fangman
WA, 1903 posts
4 Aug 2024 11:04AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
Subsonic said..
Ok, i've got say it. When i first saw the title of the thread, the first thing that came to mind was get back up again.

Was i the only one?



I was singing Tubthumping.

?si=XgRBcTPrlj7wqfaR

Subsonic
WA, 3354 posts
4 Aug 2024 11:25AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
said..

Subsonic said..
Ok, i've got say it. When i first saw the title of the thread, the first thing that came to mind was get back up again.

Was i the only one?




I was singing Tubthumping.

?si=XgRBcTPrlj7wqfaR


Yep, that's it. How olds that song?

Wait... Maybe I don't want to know that.

fangman
WA, 1903 posts
4 Aug 2024 1:01PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
duzzi said..
Might be old age more than creeping in, but last time I was out I crashed twice banging my shin on the side of the board. The second crash, at the entrance of a jibe, on my slalom board, was pretty bad, and resulted in a small but deep impact wound that eventually got infected (is taking more than ten days to clear ).

I can't remember crashing like that, full speed, out of the harness, holding the boom at the entrance of the jibe, and it has been many years since I had a catapult, so I realized that I don't know what to do when you fall at full speed. Do you hang on the boom (foil like), or let go and try to part ways from the board? What do you do?


I very rarely have any chance to unhook in a high speed bingle. It's all over before I can do much thinking. I tend to just tuck up knees, tuck in my head, and let the padding on the back of impact vest, and helmet do their thing.

len024
NSW, 130 posts
4 Aug 2024 3:06PM
Thumbs Up

I usually check to see if anyone filmed it

Imax1
QLD, 4925 posts
4 Aug 2024 3:21PM
Thumbs Up

Crashing is a funny thing...
It's a bit like the drink driver that has the least damage when crashing.
I have done more damage to myself when twisting oddly, trying to save a dodgy jibe than getting catapulted through my sail at full speed because of an unseen sand bank.

remery
WA, 3709 posts
4 Aug 2024 4:17PM
Thumbs Up

I'd like to unhook before I crash, but for some reason I just hang onto the boom. Unpleasant when I end up under the sail with no idea which way out.

Imax1
QLD, 4925 posts
4 Aug 2024 6:27PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
remery said..
I'd like to unhook before I crash, but for some reason I just hang onto the boom. Unpleasant when I end up under the sail with no idea which way out.




Unhooking before crashing .?? Really ???
I don't have time to close my mouth before hitting the water.
Who has time unhooking while crashing.?
At no time ever , while crashing , I've had the pleasure of having the time of thinking about unhooking.
I'm in for the ride baby.
**** , I've accidentally Re hooked mid jybe and it's taken me for six. More than once. And at no stage I got any say in it.

Subsonic
WA, 3354 posts
4 Aug 2024 5:31PM
Thumbs Up

You know those times when you come off the back of a piece of chop and you know that you're loaded up all wrong and the landing isn't going to be pretty? Thats the only time i manage to unhook.

MobZ
NSW, 457 posts
4 Aug 2024 10:46PM
Thumbs Up

I try not push and fall off, because sharks.
But when i do, i try to make it such a big one that i'm confident it's scared the sharks away.
Usually i don't notice any pain, injury or kit damage because i was just happy to have not gotten chomped.

If i push this season, good to know what to do when it goes pear shaped.

duzzi
1120 posts
4 Aug 2024 11:39PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
remery said..
I'd like to unhook before I crash, but for some reason I just hang onto the boom. Unpleasant when I end up under the sail with no idea which way out.


It looks like everybody is hanging on the boom, I was just wandering if I forgot something. The crash that made me wonder about ... crashing technique, was not a catapult. I was entering a jibe, and I was already holding on the boom, unhooked ... I just don't get how I managed to hit the front leg shim against the side of the board with enough force to get a deep cut in it.

Anyway ... yes @Subsonic after you fell I think you are supposed to get back up, if you can

aeroegnr
1731 posts
5 Aug 2024 12:02AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
duzzi said..

remery said..
I'd like to unhook before I crash, but for some reason I just hang onto the boom. Unpleasant when I end up under the sail with no idea which way out.



It looks like everybody is hanging on the boom, I was just wandering if I forgot something. The crash that made me wonder about ... crashing technique, was not a catapult. I was entering a jibe, and I was already holding on the boom, unhooked ... I just don't get how I managed to hit the front leg shim against the side of the board with enough force to get a deep cut in it.

Anyway ... yes @Subsonic after you fell I think you are supposed to get back up, if you can


I had a crash like that in the waves. Felt a hard impact on my shin, shook it off, and kept sailing a bit. I got back to the beach and I was bleeding down my leg and had a deep cut.

Didn't realize what happened until I got back and saw hair sticking out of the board. I had hit the rail with my shin and the carbon top layer cut my shin and took a patch of skin with it before popping back into place. Just a small spot on the board that I wouldn't have noticed otherwise that needed a quick repair.

remery
WA, 3709 posts
5 Aug 2024 11:06AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
Imax1 said..

Unhooking before crashing .?? Really ???
I don't have time to close my mouth before hitting the water.
Who has time unhooking while crashing.?
At no time ever , while crashing , I've had the pleasure of having the time of thinking about unhooking.
I'm in for the ride baby.
**** , I've accidentally Re hooked mid jybe and it's taken me for six. More than once. And at no stage I got any say in it.


I reckon I've hurt myself more with the mid-gybe hook in than a full on catapult.

elmo
WA, 8868 posts
6 Aug 2024 5:40AM
Thumbs Up

With speed sailing you don't generally have much of a choice how you dismount, a lot of the time you barely have enough time to go "O...." and after you resurface "h sh1t this could hurt".

Catapults I'm happy to have a bit of air time and swim back to the kit, more than happy to feel the harness lines go "plink": as you reach take off velocity and in the micro second where it doesn't go "plink" know it's going to be really bad when takeoff velocity suddenly become slam into the water velocity with a lot of hard bits chasing you into your impact crater.

Gps's are wonderfull things with telling you after the event from what speed you suddenly stopped, how far you flew or cart wheeled. The hospital will tell you how bad it really was.

sboardcrazy
NSW, 8224 posts
6 Aug 2024 7:55AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
elmo said..
With speed sailing you don't generally have much of a choice how you dismount, a lot of the time you barely have enough time to go "O...." and after you resurface "h sh1t this could hurt".

Catapults I'm happy to have a bit of air time and swim back to the kit, more than happy to feel the harness lines go "plink": as you reach take off velocity and in the micro second where it doesn't go "plink" know it's going to be really bad when takeoff velocity suddenly become slam into the water velocity with a lot of hard bits chasing you into your impact crater.

Gps's are wonderfull things with telling you after the event from what speed you suddenly stopped, how far you flew or cart wheeled. The hospital will tell you how bad it really was.


ausbinny
191 posts
6 Aug 2024 6:34AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
elmo said..
With speed sailing you don't generally have much of a choice how you dismount, a lot of the time you barely have enough time to go "O...." and after you resurface "h sh1t this could hurt".

Catapults I'm happy to have a bit of air time and swim back to the kit, more than happy to feel the harness lines go "plink": as you reach take off velocity and in the micro second where it doesn't go "plink" know it's going to be really bad when takeoff velocity suddenly become slam into the water velocity with a lot of hard bits chasing you into your impact crater.

Gps's are wonderfull things with telling you after the event from what speed you suddenly stopped, how far you flew or cart wheeled. The hospital will tell you how bad it really was.


Example

"

Subsonic
WA, 3354 posts
6 Aug 2024 7:19AM
Thumbs Up

Windsurfing is one of those wonderful sports where the better you get, the more falling off hurts

sboardcrazy
NSW, 8224 posts
6 Aug 2024 11:10AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
Subsonic said..
Windsurfing is one of those wonderful sports where the better you get, the more falling off hurts


That's my excuse is it?
I thought it was old age..

sboardcrazy
NSW, 8224 posts
6 Aug 2024 11:15AM
Thumbs Up

2019- This was back when I was trying slalom boards in chop.
I had a Mach sail on and it filled with water and the mast pointed to the bottom of the lake. The board was richocheting off the chop like a pinball..
It was @##! windy! I only went out 300m and dropped in and turned before the real wind..
I learnt that because a weed fin says 28cms it doesn't mean it's got less area than the 30cms pointer..
I did get a 28kts PB speed for me in chop for back then..
It was after this I decided to get more user friendly gear for chop..

?si=6Q317ydVUF__2lgy

MobZ
NSW, 457 posts
6 Aug 2024 10:10PM
Thumbs Up

ouch ouch.
I think i might be ok with sticking to slow speed sailing where crashes are funny without having to go to hospital.

mathew
QLD, 2133 posts
6 Aug 2024 10:36PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
elmo said..
With speed sailing you don't generally have much of a choice how you dismount, a lot of the time you barely have enough time to go "O...." and after you resurface "h sh1t this could hurt".


Obligatory ...

Bellerophon
83 posts
6 Aug 2024 9:16PM
Thumbs Up


Maybe best to skip the next clip if you still have GPS speedsurfing ambitions.


?si=w62-wSbD5bDNlFsY

duzzi
1120 posts
6 Aug 2024 11:14PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
Bellerophon said..

Maybe best to skip the next clip if you still have GPS speedsurfing ambitions.




Gods and demons! I am switching sport ...

sboardcrazy
NSW, 8224 posts
7 Aug 2024 9:34AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
mathew said..

elmo said..
With speed sailing you don't generally have much of a choice how you dismount, a lot of the time you barely have enough time to go "O...." and after you resurface "h sh1t this could hurt".



Obligatory ...




Select to expand quote
mathew said..

elmo said..
With speed sailing you don't generally have much of a choice how you dismount, a lot of the time you barely have enough time to go "O...." and after you resurface "h sh1t this could hurt".



Obligatory ...


He was lucky to skip along the top . Did he break anything?

MobZ
NSW, 457 posts
7 Aug 2024 10:58AM
Thumbs Up

Pretty sure i saw bits of broken kit flying off.



Subscribe
Reply

Forums > Windsurfing General


"What do you do when you fall down?" started by duzzi