help i can't go up wind when i am planing. I have the wind coming in from the side and i am pulling the mast back as far as i can without falling off, but i still can't go up wind. thanks for your help.
What size board, sail and fin are you using?
It may be that you're a bit under finned, under powered, or both.
Failing that, try putting more weight on your back foot -- really load that fin up!
I'm after the same answers and did a search a few days ago and found this. Interested to try next time I'm out.
www.guycribb.com/userfiles/documents/cranking%20upwind.pdf
the guy crib stuff is great. it sounds to me like you aren't swinging your weight forward at the hips being the main problem.
after that try a little more outhaul on your sail to see what happens. not enough outhaul makes the sail stall when going to windward. this is why slalom sailors use 1-2cm more outhaul than speed sailors.
I'm with Nebbs - what gear are you using, and in what conditions?
The techniques vary significantly between a formula board with a 12m sail and 90cm+ fin and a 70 litre wave board with a 4.2m sail and 22cm fin.
Many of the set up tips are similar though, so Cribby's stuff around harness line placement is worth a look, and understanding the effect of moving your mast base forward and back is also very useful.
Assuming all your kit is matched and works well together...
The technique I use when planing is to look where I want to go upwind.
By looking over my leading shoulder, my weight shifts forward, I load the fin with my back foot and I roll the leeward (outside) rail away from me, bringing the windward rail slightly out of the water.
When not planing, I bury the windward rail and bring the entire rig forward.
Works for me... have not looked at the tuition stuff, so have no idea how this fits in with that...
the guy cribb page does deal with different board/fin outcomes.
it's on page 2 under the section windward edge to the left of the image.
don't forget the back heel comments.
You definately don't want to pull your mast back when going upwind. Just like Guy Cribb said, tilt the mast both towards the front of board and into the wind a bit. It will catch more wind that way, so to make use of the power you must sit heavily into your harness. An old sort of move, but it may help is to try and look around the front of the mast, this forces you to tilt the mast forward and load your weight into it.
The more upwind you go the less force the wind applies onto your sail so it is all about maximising the sails ability to capture the wind and driving every bit of that force into your board through the harness.
But like the others said, we need to know more details about your gear. I used to be silly and put my 8.5m sail onto my 103L board with a small fin when the wind was low. It went fine except when I wanted to go upwind. Didn't take much foot pressure to cause me to spinout.
