Author Topic: Upwind advice  (Read 8756 times)

robcasey

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Re: Upwind advice
« Reply #15 on: September 10, 2016, 03:51:01 PM »
A few thoughts..
-Forward sweeps on the opposite wind side occasional to adjust nose direction (lower straight arm, squat then sweep in a semi circle from nose to feet and/or tail)
-dip your wind side rail down while paddling, should pull the nose upwind
-sit (kneeling is too high) and paddle OC style to reduce your windage. Single blade, probably mostly on the downwind side (using above forward sweeps) and/or kayak style, holding paddle at blade, using longer shaft end as a kayak paddle - dipping both ends kayak style, blade on downwind side. 
 
or for fun, paddle upwind a bit then downwind, sorta a cross wind tack and surf. 
Rob Casey
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Seattle

PonoBill

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Re: Upwind advice
« Reply #16 on: September 10, 2016, 04:17:16 PM »
Funny you should ask, I'm going to go do that right now. Not enough wind to downwind, and too much to cruise, so I'm going to go get my ass kicked for a few hours and get comfortable on the Blackfish in adverse wind.

Move forward, clean up your stroke, feather the paddle in recovery (good idea to do that anytime) and extend your reach. You want the board to weathervane, generally, that is to have more of the exposed rail behind you than in front, so the wind will keep the board pointing into the wind. Extending your reach moves your effective center of rotation forward even if you can't comfortably more far enough forward to do that.

For quartering wind, you're usually better off tacking--alternating directly into the wind, and then taking the wind on the rear quarter. It's a lot of work keeping the nose pointed at an angle into the wind.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

blueplanetsurf

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Re: Upwind advice
« Reply #17 on: September 10, 2016, 06:41:35 PM »
Going sideways in strong wind is kind of like ferrying across a river with a current.  You point your board into the current (or into the wind) and slowly move sideways.  If you point your nose at where you want to go you will end up way down current (or downwind) of where you intended to go.
Robert Stehlik
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cruzanboard

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Re: Upwind advice
« Reply #18 on: September 10, 2016, 09:51:16 PM »
All good points.

In addition, I choke up on the paddle, step forward, and do an extreme Hawaiian stroke, bent over all the way. (to reduce windage) As opposed to my more normal Tahitian stroke (more upright).

Headwind and sidewind paddling is the real challenge.
In races, where you follow the course and not cut up or downwind, it really sets the difference.
Anyone can paddle flat water. Chunky water with a headwind or sidewind, takes some true grit (or stupidity).
Not sure which.


PonoBill

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Re: Upwind advice
« Reply #19 on: September 11, 2016, 08:18:30 AM »
So I ground out about three miles of upwind, to the split rock from the event center. I really like the Blackfish, and I like the small triple fin setup for upwind. Good stability and tracks really well. Holds well in crosswind too. Downwind on the return, I'm struck again at how hard it is to steer with wave pressure from behind. I was catching lots of bumps, but couldn't maneuver well enough to really stay in them as long as I like. I'll be trying one of Larry Allison's dolphin fins, probably next week, and I expect it will make a big difference.

I'll post more on this board elsewhere, but I'm pretty happy to have a 14' board I can move around on, and that stays in trim when I move back behind the handle. I can also move well forward to press the nose down, which helps greatly in getting bigger bumps.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Eagle

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Re: Upwind advice
« Reply #20 on: September 11, 2016, 09:34:58 AM »
Also what helps for upwind - in a lot of wind - is a small paddle blade area and an oval shaft.  Helps slice through a lot easier.  Since we do a ton of 5 mile up down and loops - we often switch set-ups for some variation challenge and fun.  Really seems to help when you put yourself in adverse conditions on boards and fins that are not suited for that crap.  Makes anything less - quite a bit easier.
Fast is FUN!   8)
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Off-Shore

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Re: Upwind advice
« Reply #21 on: October 16, 2016, 04:56:58 PM »
This is quite a good instructional video

https://youtu.be/96shOg_8e6Q
SB 9' x 33' x 4.1" - RPC 9'8" iSUP - SB All-Star 12'6" - Blue Planet Bump Rider 14 - SB Ace 14 x 27 - RedAir 14' Elite Race - SIC Bullet 14v1 TWC - SICMaui F16v3 Custom

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/HksupaHk_SUP_and_Downwinding

 


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