Received: from hplms26.hpl.hp.com by opus.hpl.hp.com with SMTP (1.37.109.8/15.5+ECS 3.3+HPL1.1) id AA09586; Tue, 27 Jun 1995 23:42:49 -0700 Return-Path: <bo3b@rahul.net-DeleteThis> Received: from tango.rahul.net by hplms26.hpl.hp.com with SMTP ($Revision: 1.36.108.11 $/15.5+ECS 3.3+HPL1.1S) id AA012071785; Tue, 27 Jun 1995 23:43:06 -0700 Received: from bolero.rahul.net by tango.rahul.net with SMTP id AA12429 (5.67b8/IDA-1.5 for <wind_talk@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis>); Tue, 27 Jun 1995 23:38:56 -0700 Received: by bolero.rahul.net id AA15521 (5.67b8/IDA-1.5 for wind_talk@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis); Tue, 27 Jun 1995 23:38:56 -0700 Date: Tue, 27 Jun 1995 23:38:56 -0700 From: "Bryan \"Bo3b\" Johnson" <bo3b@rahul.net-DeleteThis> Message-Id: <199506280638.AA15521@bolero.rahul.net-DeleteThis> To: wind_talk@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis Subject: North University of Speed
Saturday was the North Sails University of Speed. Held at
Shoreline in Mt. View. Brad Duffy, former world record
speed holder, was the clinic speaker. No wind with the hot
days, so it wasn't possible to try the ideas out. With the
right wind he likes Shoreline because of the flat water and
convenient access to medical care when you crash at 50 mph.
No speed runs, because there was no speed. Dang.
In the interest of passing along some fascinating tips, here are
some of the things he recommended in order to go as fast as
you can go. I thought some were quite surprising, which is
why I'm posting them here.
First caveat: you have to be fully planing and at least mildly
overpowered before these matter.
Secondly, you know you are at the maximum speed you can
attain with your current setup when your board starts to marlin.
1) Move your mast track all the way to the back, as far as it will go.
In addition, be sure to be using a newer board (last years board)
because the mast tracks are further back in the new boards.
2) Lower your booms to about sternum level. Actually, he said
lower them to the bottom of the boom pocket on the sail, and
work your way higher until you can (barely) sail again. Your
front leg will get very tired.
3) Harness lines are quite short, as the sail is far back, and the
boom is lower.
4) Closing the gap doesn't make any difference at all. (If he
wasn't able to go 50 I wouldn't believe him.)
5) Riskiest part, along with damage disclaimer: Tilt the sail
higher, and further forward. The idea is to be right on the edge
of being pulled over the handlebars, but stay just on this side.
The idea is to try to make the board as flat as possible on the
water at full speed. The setup he describes makes it damn
hard to sail at lower speeds, but is superior once you are
planing. Moving the mast back, and lowering the booms
puts equal pressure on both legs, giving the board more
force than you can supply with one leg. This makes the board
tail drag until you get enough speed so that the fin lifts it up,
making the whole board level.
For most speed runs, he doesn't use the harness because it
slows down reaction time.
The goal is to be sailing in control, so that you get confidence,
which allows you to push it a bit further. Scary wild out of
control at 25 mph means you'll never make it to 45 mph.
It's possible to go fast through the swell, but choose a trough to
navigate down. Preferably off wind, as your relative wind drops
if you aren't going off wind.
Simple right? I might be able to answer further questions based
on my notes if anything seems wrong or unclear.
Yours in the quest for speed outweighing the fear of death,
bo3b Johnson
(bo3b@rahul.net-DeleteThis)
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