Re: Recommend board for learning waterstarts

On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:47:02 -0700 (PDT), Dan Weiss
<dwus484@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

>Placing the booms on the tail of the board is NOT the way to learn to
>waterstart, though this ability certainly is nice once the water
>starting skills develop. The reason for my view is that resting the
>booms on the tail prevents the sailor from controlling the angle of
>board directly through mast base pressure.  The best way, IMHO, to
>lean to waterstart is to practice the basic beach start.

I agree that one should not go straight fromuphauling to waterstarting
without first learning to beach start. I disagree however about the
tail of the board being used as a crutch. My opinion of course after
14 years of waterstarting.

I tend to dislike the newer boards because they have no tail. My main
board is a 1996 Mistral Electron. It's only 88L but the tail is just
long enough that at my boom height I can use the tail if I need or
want to. When I'm getting tired or tossed around I often use the tail
to help clear the sail, especially in marginal winds with a big sail
(6.5). In other conditions I usually don't need it. Get caught once in
marginal winds and you'll appreciate being able to pish the tail under
the boom thereby letting the boar do the work for you.

This thread goes to show that there is no one best method and you can
adapt to whatever works for you.

>By beach starting, the sailor can practice rotating the board upwind
>and downwind using sail pressure, and can practice clearing the sail
>independent of board motion.  Separating these elements really helps a
>sailor understand the what's involved in flying the sail, and how to
>do it without relying on the tail to keep the sail flying.

Good advice. I use the tail to clear the sail only but not to fly it
unless I'm in really light winds, waiting for a puff.

Glenn