Thanks Simon/s and John I will endeavour to digest it all and see how that works out for me on the week end. Appreciate the advice
Gybing is definitely the next on the list whilst working on water starts - sounds like surfinfreak working on the same stuff - good luck mate - let us know how you go.
Cheers
Morgan
Select to expand quoteThe Pom said..
Matt Pritchard taught me this.
(If you don't know who Matt Pritchard is...please hand in you windsurfing gear to Board Crazy...your licence has been revoked).
When he saw my gybing…he laughed and said…"Right now lets do it properly"
This is the same for 9m race sails as it is for 4m wave sails.
1. Front hand on top of boom as FAR FORWARD as it can go AND KEEP SAILING FAST (take one deep breath to slow your actions down)
2. Back hand as far back as it can go AND KEEP SAILING FAST (take another deep breath to slow your actions down)
3. Jiggle feet so they are loose in straps AND KEEP SAILING FAST (take another deep breath to slow your actions down)
4. Unhook and bend your knees and hang down low AND KEEP SAILING FAST (take another deep breath to slow your actions down)
5. Bear off a little, keep hanging low AND KEEP SAILING FAST (take another deep breath to slow your actions down)
6. Back foot out of the strap and on leeward rail just in front of BACK straps (heel on the front bolt of the back strap and toes on the rail…..AND KEEP SAILING FAST (take another deep breath to slow your actions down)
7. Now this next bit will happen fast…so prepare yourself. ROLL your body weight onto the inside of the board to start the turn and SHEET IN HARD WITH BACK HAND and BEND YOUR KNEES and LEAN FORWARD.
8. PULL DOWN REALLY HARD and LEAN FORWARD on your front hand as you start the turn downwind and your body crosses over the centre line. You should feel the rig pull you over the centreline of the board to start the turn…..its a CARVE GYBE - SO BACK ARM BENT - SHEETING IN HARD - FRONT ARM STRAIGHT FORWARDS.
NOTICE: 7 and 8 really happen at the same time. The pull down on the boom and the bear away happen together….I have just broken them up here to make it clearer…..If you DON'T do one…you WON'T be able to do the other.
9. Now this is the crucial bit. Just BEFORE your board goes through dead down wind. PUNCH and I do mean PUNCH (REALLY REALLY HARD!!) the back hand forward AND AT THE SAME TIME STAMP and i do mean STAMP the old back foot in between the mast base and the front strap…now its your front foot!
This is crucial to keeping speed through the turn…keeping the rig light and making the gybe in ANY condition….REALLY turn at the hips…so the PUNCH and the STAMP are the same body / hip rotation. (DON'T ARGUE - JUST DO THIS!)
The PUNCH and the STAMP rotate the board through down wind...AND put your body in the right place to grab the new side of the sail. THIS IS CRUCIAL!
10.The rig will rotate easily because you have your hand a LONG way forward as per 1.
11. You will still be going off the wind on the new side, BUT because you are going fast it will be easy to transition hands as the rig will be very light and RIGHT in front of you!!!!!.
12. Grab the boom on the new side and sink LOW again…you are about to load up the sail as your are still sailing very deep on a broad reach.
13. Once loaded up…start pointing back up onto a broad reach still planning!!!
WELL DONE YOU! Nice gybe.
Interesting I always thought I had to move both hands back along the boom as I started to enter and oversheet but both of you can't be wrong.. 
Not usre what you mean by punch and stamp. IS the punch throwing the sail through the wind? Is stamp changing the feet position and keeping the board flat ( fore & aft) to keep up speed?
Select to expand quoteDwbh said..
Thanks Simon/s and John I will endeavour to digest it all and see how that works out for me on the week end. Appreciate the advice
Gybing is definitely the next on the list whilst working on water starts - sounds like surfinfreak working on the same stuff - good luck mate - let us know how you go.
Cheers
Morgan
Hey Morgs, I gybe successfully around 95% of the time, looking to improve my technique and keep the speed up through the gybe.... to keep up with my GPS buddies like IKW777 who has gone to the next level and is starting to nail 21 knot alphas at Redcliffe 
We were not quite sure if we were going to go for it but the wind seemed to come in – enough for we learners.
Mal off to a good start puts a hole in his sail (Josh the sail repair guy to the rescue) he used my Naish 7.8m sail and loved it. And he took his shark for a spin - Mal is doing really well these days streaked ahead. :-)
Anita put up her 4.5m gun sail on the Rio Drake 41 – smashed it didn’t even get her hair wet. Time to try harder girl…… Did manage to get to the foot straps twice. Then the wind got a bit much – had a smile on 
Josh – took his RSX for a spin with 7.5m sail and did really well
Me – I took the Naish Kailua out with Naish 8.8 (OH What its got cams) and I am sure the cams seemed a bit small maybe for RDM mast and no holes to put hands in. Finally got the it set up and I thought it looked a little high and when I took off and could hardly reach the boom above my head, I had to come back in and reset the thing……. Amazing really the difference when you set the sail correct – these days I do stop and fix stuff – it is sooooo worth it.
I had a great sail planing most of the time – GPS was sitting at home next to the Go Pro – we had a breakfast birthday party for Jaye and our Grandson James 17 and 4 respectively. We were a bit distracted.Non of the electonics and it was still awesome fun – tacked most of the time and didn’t fall in until I started to gybe…………………..learned a valuable lesson in regard to gybing, doesn’t work if you look at the board, only make it half way round – must say it was nice planing carve right up to half way. It was cool looking at the board – must of unzipped my brain as it was fairly fast and forgotten everything, John, Simon and Simon said. Did think about it when I was up the beach packing up in the rain.
I had a couple of fast runs – which were pretty cool.
Sunday was crook so no windsurfing – watched the race (V8’s)
Cheers
Morgan
PS - How is Windfest for we Improvers Jeff
Hey Surfingfreak,
Thanks for your post. Here is the response.
1. FRONT HAND.
Gotta move that bad boy forward. Got to be right up to the mast. Why? it will be come the rotation point of the gybe.
Next time you have a sail rigged in the carpark, stand it up and put one hand near the harness lines and try and hold it...see what it does.
Then try it again holding right near the mast... see what it does.
You can see this point REALLY WELL in the KOOKs video at 24-26 seconds.
He has to move his front had MID GYBE to rotate.
Check it here:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Queensland/Kooks-Video-of-Manly/?page=-2#lastpost
Now the KOOK is a good example of a dude that really sheets in on his gybe BTW....but he could improve by moving that front hand forward before the bear away.
The second reason for putting your hand right RIGHT forward...is to force you to lean forward and PULL DOWN!
But why pull down? It forces the rig forward, forces weight down through the mast base to get the board flat in the water and engage the inside rail...meaning that the board carves on its rocker line rather than "corking" around during the corner.
It forces you to lean forward and bend your knees....Natures shock absorbers work really well and it will mean that you stay onto of the plastic!
The third reason for putting your front hand forward is it makes sheeting in hard easier...REMEMBER push front arm straight...sheet in super hard back hand. For exactly the same reasons as above.
2. PUNCH AND STAMP
"IS the punch throwing the sail through the wind? Is stamp changing the feet position and keeping the board flat ( fore & aft) to keep up speed?"
Yes it is but the wording is very IMPORTANT TO SUCCESS......
"IS the punch throwing PUNCHING the sail through the wind? Is stamp changing STAMPING (FRONT FOOT STAMPS UP NEAR THE MAST BASE" the feet position and keeping the board flat ( fore & aft) to keep up speed?"
These are not soft moves...these are aggressive and positive actions....
For instance...the PUNCH and ROTATE component would use the same amount of force to throw a full gerry can over a 10ft high fence....its that "kind of twist at the hips" action.
I hope that helps?
See you carving your arse off on the bay soon!
Thanks The Pom - valuable information will definitely apply it and get this gybing caper going - looking forward to carving it up out there
The Kook's video is very inspiring and another great video production 
See you out there
Cheers
Morgan
Looking like RQ around lunchtime
Try Fanatic Stingray tt 170 - all repaired - foot straps placed - fin fitted.
noticed some de laminating last night when fitting fin - project for next week
windsurfinglearningcurve.com/fixed-ready-weekend/
Will put Go Pro on and see what happens
Have fun
Cheers
Morgan
Whoa New Favourite windsurfing Board
Go the Sting Ray – Saturday I had my first go on the Fanatic Sting Ray TT 170. WELL….what can I say the Stingray is the next stage in my windsurfing learning curve. What’s different – not as stable as the Naish Kailua – No centre board – weighs in about half the Naish – seems faster.
The day started, wind was around 12 knots at this stage, I set up Naish 7.8m Noa, with Tectonic 50 fin – with great trepidation I set off. Why nervous – last few boards I have tried I haven’t been able to ride – get planing or enjoy.
The first thing I noticed was very slippery compared to what I am used to, and a lot less stable then the Naish (go figure only 10 litres difference). First tack fell in and struggled to get going again – uphauling was hard as I kept on falling in, tried to water start but not enough wind early on. So feeling more nervous at this point, as I didn’t do anything silly like take the Kailua in case stuff didn’t work with that board.
Head for the shallows Lota side of RQ (Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron), which I did – can stand up there in high tide (mud flats in low tide) so don’t have to worry about turning around (tacking/gybing) and as I head out if I pick the right spot where the bank is I can stand up the eastern end of the run too, NICE. Early there was a point I just couldn’t get it going – couldn’t uphaul without falling off and couldn’t water/beach start ran out of breath and walked in to have a breather. (remember that stuff Jeff) Haven’t done that forever – the Rio Longtail and Naish Kailua are very forgiving boards.
Not one to give up – YEP!! In the meantime the wind had build, probs around 15 knots – I can now water/beach start a whole new ball game…..What’s different, I am on the plane easily (how cool is that), front foot goes in the strap easily (Nice), back foot now (where is it), the foot straps are very wide apart – felt like I was doing the splits. All good – got my first real taste of the pure acceleration from this beast…..:-0 hang on tight old timer, you’ve got this. Lets take this one for a ride and see what she’s got – it is pure love – how good is this Different feeling in the straps – usually sensing a bit of overspray on my back foot but with TT, it was on the front foot. Back straps felt like they could be moved out – but will wait a bit for that as the out board strap holes are more aggressive than the Naish and they were a bit tough to get to (I will get there) – will move the front straps back.
When I did that repair to the board I noticed there had been a heap of repairs done and the nose didn’t really have much integrity – knew it was going to give way sometime, but, wanted to try the board see if it has got what I want first before cutting the nose off..
It was a good sail – spent over 2 hours on/in the water – haven’t fallen off and struggled to get going for a long time – tried a couple of gybes. Jaye said I was sheeting out too early….
Stats: Harness 99%, Gybes – 0 from 3 attemps, Tacks 8 from 45 attemps, planing 95%, water starts 2 from 15 attempts, deep water beach starts 100% (when the wind was there), up hauling - heaps, front straps 100%, whilst planing, rear straps 99% whilst planing, Smiles 90%, parking tickets 1 :-(….
All in all a great day on the water and have found my new favourite board and have to learn to gybe on this one for sure.
Just have to fix the de laminating near the rear straps and nose to get it back in the water.
Good write p Morgs.
Lot of love for my Stingray TT aka "pinkbits" "gumtree special" still amazed at how well it works
Makes me wonder why these boards work so well for us when the modern shapes don't?
Your experience on the AtomIQ and my similar trauma on the GO151 compared to our shared success on this ~2005 vintage board leave me wondering what modern boards are equivalent - surely we don't have to rely on these older models as recommended boards for us larger sailers?
Im presently influenced by my success on the LIGHTWIND style of boards which I think are more slalom orientated as guide to next board selection.
My mates success on the ISONIC 137 'a choice against all advice' goes further to reinforce these ideas.
So an intermediate friendly slalom board - does it exist? Looking forward to a ride at some stage on a Futura as these have been recommended also
cheers Jeff
Morgs,
I'm glad the Sting Ray is working out for you. I've just checked some specs on the Sting Ray TT 170. The 170 lits is a virtual volume (whatever that means), it's actual volume is 155 lits which would explain why it feels smaller than your 180 lit Kailua. The Sting Ray at 155 liters, 270cm long, 80cm wide and 8.4kg looks a very good choice for your next board.
By the way, looking at the photos, both you and Jaye need more downhaul and batton tension to remove the vertical and horizontal creases in your sails.
Select to expand quoteJohn340 said..
Morgs,
I'm glad the Sting Ray is working out for you. I've just checked some specs on the Sting Ray TT 170. The 170 lits is a virtual volume (whatever that means), it's actual volume is 155 lits which would explain why it feels smaller than your 180 lit Kailua. The Sting Ray at 155 liters, 270cm long, 80cm wide and 8.4kg looks a very good choice for your next board.
By the way, looking at the photos, both you and Jaye need more downhaul and batton tension to remove the vertical and horizontal creases in your sails.
That explains it - thanks - will have a look at batton tension. Haven't adjusted those before will have a go this morning.
Heading to Victoria Point this morning - Thompson's Beach looks ok around 15knots at 8.30
Cheers
Morgan
Victoria Point Windsurfing with the boys
Victoria Point windsurfing with the boys Jeff, Tony and Brad ventured down from the Northside – Great to see you guys
Jack, Duncan, Jaye, Greg, Duncan, Bob and Mal were also there and some beginners too – good to see.
We were there at 8am – early for a Sunday – tides not so good Sunday. Thompson’s Beach at Victoria Point is a great place to sail – large grassy area to set up, Toilets, Shade and water to rinse gear off after a sail. In the water you can stand up most places a bit like Cootharaba at Thompson’s Beach itself. Coffee and cakes on the corner – what else does a windsurfer need.
Jaye and I set the normal – He had Naish Nitrix with Avanti 6.6m sail, bp 37.5, Me Naish Kailua, Naish Noa 7.8m. Was planning about 45% of the time - should have rigged the 8.8.
Had a go on Jeffs JP Superlight wind 165 - nice
What was really great to see that many different levels of windsurfer on the water from what looked like early beginners to we improvers and some advanced guys having some some fun. If any of the beginners are reading this feel free to come and talk to any of us ask advice of the advanced guys and girls everyone is happy to help. It is a bumpy ride learning to windsurf, but as they say when you are planning in both straps and harness, at one with the board and sail, skimming across the water there really is no feeling like it.
Started out promising but took a while for the wind to come – was a bit up and down. Had a great couple of hours on the water with great bunch
See you at Cootharaba
Cheers
Morgan
Yep really impressed with the venue and variety at Thomsons beach. Always great to have somewhere else to sail
A great day
Nice write up Morgs
Cheers Jeff
Cootharaba Easter development clinic... Are we ready??
Practicing my gybing this week as there is very little wind. So far so good. Will be interesting to see how it works with wind. 25 successful gybes a day is the plan - looking good.
But... am having a lot of trouble rigging the Naish 8.8 Grand Prix top cam doesn't want to play at all - keeps popping off. I have tried taking the spacers out and back in. so much down haul half the sail is floppy, may as well set up smaller sail. Less down haul and won't rotate. My thoughts are to remove the cam all together. Getting very frustrated with my new naish sails.
Using 490 mast with minimal extension. To get the Botton two on it is full, down haul and full out then let the down haul off a bit and on they go. Let it off a bit more and the top one goes on. Bingo! Then full down haul rotates on the beach but by the time I reach the water top cam popped off. Five times yesterday just went out with it popped In the end.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.
Cheers
Morgan
Morgs,
The correct downhaul should keep the cams on the mast. Measure your mast and adjust your extension so that the combined length of mast and extension is approx 10mm longer than the recommended luff on the sail. Then downhaul until the centre of the downhaul pulley is approx 10mm from the centre of the extension pulley. The sail should then have the recommended downhaul. When the sail has this recommended downhaul, do the cams stay on the mast? I've just checked on Google and the recommended luff length for 2012 8.8 Grand prix is 498cm. Hence you need to be using somewhere between 8cm and 10cm extension. How much are you using? do you downhaul so that the pulleys are next to each other.
Select to expand quoteDwbh said..
Practicing my gybing this week as there is very little wind. So far so good. Will be interesting to see how it works with wind. 25 successful gybes a day is the plan - looking good.
But... am having a lot of trouble rigging the Naish 8.8 Grand Prix top cam doesn't want to play at all - keeps popping off. I have tried taking the spacers out and back in. so much down haul half the sail is floppy, may as well set up smaller sail. Less down haul and won't rotate. My thoughts are to remove the cam all together. Getting very frustrated with my new naish sails.
Using 490 mast with minimal extension. To get the Botton two on it is full, down haul and full out then let the down haul off a bit and on they go. Let it off a bit more and the top one goes on. Bingo! Then full down haul rotates on the beach but by the time I reach the water top cam popped off. Five times yesterday just went out with it popped In the end.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.
Cheers
Morgan
You got the right mast?
I've compromised - no Naish mast..I've just been through this with my Naish bullit ..changed some of the cams to shorter length ones and went from a severne ( harder top) to sailworks ( CC) mast and it sets beautifully.It's still a bit clunky to rotates but will see how it goes in the real world .
Select to expand quoteJohn340 said..
Morgs,
The correct downhaul should keep the cams on the mast. Measure your mast and adjusting your extension so that the combined length of mast and extension is approx 10mm longer than the recommended luff on the sail. Then downhaul until the centre of the downhaul pulley is approx 10mm from the centre of the extension pulley. The sail should then have the recommended downhaul. When the sail has this recommended downhaul, do the cams stay on the mast? I've just checked on Google and the recommended luff length for 2012 8.8 Grand prix is 498cm. Hence you need to be using somewhere between 8cm and 10cm extension. How much are you using? do you downhaul so that the pulleys are next to each other.
Hi John
that was the first set up I did top still popped. But I haven't actually measured the mast. I will do that
Update; measured it it is exactly 490
Select to expand quoteDwbh said..John340 said..
Morgs,
The correct downhaul should keep the cams on the mast. Measure your mast and adjusting your extension so that the combined length of mast and extension is approx 10mm longer than the recommended luff on the sail. Then downhaul until the centre of the downhaul pulley is approx 10mm from the centre of the extension pulley. The sail should then have the recommended downhaul. When the sail has this recommended downhaul, do the cams stay on the mast? I've just checked on Google and the recommended luff length for 2012 8.8 Grand prix is 498cm. Hence you need to be using somewhere between 8cm and 10cm extension. How much are you using? do you downhaul so that the pulleys are next to each other.
Hi John
that was the first set up I did top still popped. But I haven't actually measured the mast. I will do that
What brand and type of mast are you using?
Select to expand quoteJohn340 said..Dwbh said..John340 said..
Morgs,
The correct downhaul should keep the cams on the mast. Measure your mast and adjusting your extension so that the combined length of mast and extension is approx 10mm longer than the recommended luff on the sail. Then downhaul until the centre of the downhaul pulley is approx 10mm from the centre of the extension pulley. The sail should then have the recommended downhaul. When the sail has this recommended downhaul, do the cams stay on the mast? I've just checked on Google and the recommended luff length for 2012 8.8 Grand prix is 498cm. Hence you need to be using somewhere between 8cm and 10cm extension. How much are you using? do you downhaul so that the pulleys are next to each other.
Hi John
that was the first set up I did top still popped. But I haven't actually measured the mast. I will do that
What brand and type of mast are you using?
Neil pryde carbon 490. The one i used to use with the loft switch blade
Select to expand quoteDwbh said..John340 said..Dwbh said..John340 said..
Morgs,
The correct downhaul should keep the cams on the mast. Measure your mast and adjusting your extension so that the combined length of mast and extension is approx 10mm longer than the recommended luff on the sail. Then downhaul until the centre of the downhaul pulley is approx 10mm from the centre of the extension pulley. The sail should then have the recommended downhaul. When the sail has this recommended downhaul, do the cams stay on the mast? I've just checked on Google and the recommended luff length for 2012 8.8 Grand prix is 498cm. Hence you need to be using somewhere between 8cm and 10cm extension. How much are you using? do you downhaul so that the pulleys are next to each other.
Hi John
that was the first set up I did top still popped. But I haven't actually measured the mast. I will do that
What brand and type of mast are you using?
Neil pryde carbon 490. The one i used to use with the loft switch blade
This might be your problem. The luff curve of the mast and sail are different. Neil Pryde mast is flex top and the Naish sail is constant curve
Select to expand quoteDwbh said..John340 said..
What brand and type of mast are you using?
Neil pryde carbon 490. The one i used to use with the loft switch blade
What happened to your Switch Blade?
Hey Morg's.
Been through the same thing with my Naish 8.2.
Neil Pryde just doesn't work, compatibility chat here if you haven't seen it. www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/compatible-mastsail-brands/
I had the brains trust at the Wind Wanderers swap day trying to find a solution, with out success. I think the only real one is a compatible mast.
I even had an issue with an older NP 4.9 I had trying to use it in a NP RS6 race sail I bought. Cams were terrible to rotate and I really hated using the sail. Got a matching mast recently and was using it up at the lake the other day, worked perfectly.
Cheers, Brad.
About 40 for extension John, the loft is getting repairs.
Thanks Brad
I took ok it out yesterday without the top Cam and all was good.
Thanks for the tips - looks like I am up for a compatible mast To get that top Cam working.
More gybes today
Select to expand quoteDwbh said..
About 40 for extension John, the loft is getting repairs.
Thanks Brad
I took ok it out yesterday without the top Cam and all was good.
Thanks for the tips - looks like I am up for a compatible mast To get that top Cam working.
More gybes today
+1...Just been through that- luckily had the old cc sailworks mast that helped things
Select to expand quoteDwbh said..
About 40 for extension John, the loft is getting repairs.
Thanks Brad
I took ok it out yesterday without the top Cam and all was good.
Thanks for the tips - looks like I am up for a compatible mast To get that top Cam working.
More gybes today
Is that 40mm of extension? If that is the case then you need 80mm to apply the recommended down haul. If the sail has too much twist at this down haul tension then you need the stiffer constant curve mast.
Select to expand quoteJohn340 said..Dwbh said..
About 40 for extension John, the loft is getting repairs.
Thanks Brad
I took ok it out yesterday without the top Cam and all was good.
Thanks for the tips - looks like I am up for a compatible mast To get that top Cam working.
More gybes today
Is that 40mm of extension? If that is the case then you need 80mm to apply the recommended down haul. If the sail has too much twist at this down haul tension then you need the stiffer constant curve mast.
Sounds like a trip to Simon's coming up.
