Hi All,
At the beginning of this summer I got a JP FSW 92, and a Hellcat 6.2. I never really got it for GPS sailing, but I have developed in interest in going fast with a GPS strapped on since getting it. My previous board was an Extreme 272 converter... an early freeride board which is more slalom than anything else.
So I setup the straps for more slalom type setup in the outside and rearward (2nd from back) positions. When I first for the board I was mainly sailing it in strong wind with a my 5.0. I was pretty comfortable on the board, but find the board a handful in chop mainly because it is very lively compared to what I have had in the past, but I can handle that... just more effort to sail as it wants to jump, and as I get tired, I don't want to, but when wanting to jump the board is really in its element.
Anyway, I then had some 15-20 knots sails, and I am finding it really difficult to find a comfortable setup for just cruising around, and i am not sure if it is because the sail is on the large side for the board, or I am just setting it up wrong. I find that when fully powered up with a big enough fin, I am confortable, but if the wind drops off a bit, I have to lean forward alot.... but if I am fully powered up with big enough fin and I go for a speed reach, I can struggle to keep the fin under control (trying to tail walk etc.). If I stick a smaller fin in, I get better control of the fin on a broad reach (although spinout can be an issue in chop with a small fin), but for normal sailing I am constantly leaning forward to prevent over powering the fin. I find with smaller sails it is much easier to find a setup that is confortable most of the time but controllable in a high speed run through chop.
I did at one point think it was harness lines, as I am old school and had been using shortish harness lines (22") with a low boom, but I got some 22-28" adjustable lines, and fiddled with boom height and mast base position and harness length and could improve things, but was never really happy. Another thing is I find that on a board reach for speed, I find myself pulling my front foot out of the strap and putting most pressure on rear foot. I want the rig to pull me more onto front foot, but not sure if it is setup or technique preventing this.
So anyway, I am just posting to get advice. I think I am probably just pushing this board into a range of use (largish sail, and board is not wide enough to really control a fin that is big enough for the sail) where it is not really as comfortable as a slalom board with wider tail area, and it can do it, but the compromise is it is not as comfortable as a slalom board, but I would appreciate any setup advice people could provide to help me get it all working better... maybe the equipment is perfect for what I want, but I am just not setting it up or sailing it right? Perhaps my old school (short harness line/ lowish boom) technique is the problem.
Oh... another thing... I just got a starboard go recently to teach my wife and kids to sail, and I have taken it out a few times in 12-15 knots, and it is so easy and comfortable to sail in comparison with the same 6.2 sail and 54 cm fin. It is such a cruisey board and ideal for light conditions.
For reference, the fins I use are a Select 32cm swept back freeride rin, and a Select 29cm speed slalom fin. 32cm is much more comfortable and easy to sail, but can be a handful on a reach at 25-30knots. 29cm is OK for control, but hard to get a clean speed run without spinout in the choppy conditions I normally do. It seems no matter what I do, I generally always go 28-29 knots with 5m, 6.2m and regardless of which fin I use. I was hoping to get over 30 one day!! :)
Thanks!!
Adrian
Without getting into the usual stuff about looking for flatter water etc I can tell you I've used a 6.5 race sail on a JP FSW 93 plenty of times and it went suprisingly well - think my top speeds for that sail were in the 37 to 38 knot range (but at Sandy Point). I too had a select 28cm speed fin. My experience was I put the mast base so that the circular bottom (chinook) was just touching the forward end of the mast track (or a little bit overlapping). Also I had the straps outboard and in the rear most position (this may help with a smaller planing surface at higher speed). From memory I don't think it was ever super comfy on beam reach but when powered right up I could get upwind fine and doing well off the wind. Hope that helps - (maybe try and adjustable outhaul and bag out the sail downwind and flatten off for upwind / beam).
Thanks seahorse. I run the mast bast in a similar position to what you describe. I may try to get the straps back a bit more and see what difference that makes. I think this comes down to the board just being not so much a cruisey locked in sort of a board and requiring a bit more sailor input and adjustment to keep it going.
I am really impressed with the early planing for its size, jibing and jumping, and it is comfortable with smaller sails. It is just that in larger sail medium powerd up conditions, you can't just hang off the back of the board and cruise like you can with a wider tailed board with a larger fin. I had these thoughts when I first got the board going from my old slalom sort of board, but got used to it. Since getting the starboard GO, and having some cruisey 12-15 knots sailing on that, it just got me wondering if I had the FSW setup all wrong, but I think it is just a different board.
I have no idea how you guys go close to 40 knots on these boards. Not sure what I am doing, but with a range of fins and sails, and conditions, I always end up around 28-29 knots. Admittedly, this is mainly in choppy conditions. In lighter wind the chop is less so I can sail more efficiently, but lack the power to go faster. In windier conditions I have the power, but struggle to stop fins spinning out or board tail walking... I guess I just have to practise more or find flatter water!! :)
-- Adrian
