transition pre-planing and centerboard use question ??

All,

I am an advanced beginner stuck on the transition to planing. I have a transition board which I am able to uphaul consistently in 15 plus. However the good news ends there.

The board consistently rounds hard upwind and either the nose dives or the upwind rail carves in hard. The result is either a failed tack or a stall.

The board is a Comit F2 and the sail is a 1998 Hurricane. It is in good shape and sets up well.

My question relates to use of the centerboard and planing. What is the relationship? In pre-planing should I use the centerboard? Assuming I am able to master control pre-planing how is the transition to planing done?

Thanks, Dan Sawyer

Dan, While I don't know that particular transitional board, I remember my learning to plane on a Bic Salsa (180 liters, centerboard). The advice I was given was to simply go out with the centerboard up. Having the centerboard down affects the board's turning and railing characteristics in ways that aren't very helpful to the beginning planer (though racers use them to advantage).

Just sail with the centerboard up. Put it down if you can't get home (not enough wind to plane, or you need to sail steeply upwind to get back to your launch. Michael

Dan,

Rounding upwind and sinking the windward rail are probably the same element. The usual culprits are not getting enough weight on the booms, and having the feet too far to the windward edge. Make sure you can keep the board flat or 'railed' that is the leeward rail should be lower than the weather rail. These things are easier to do with the centerboard down. However, once you are really moving, the centerboard adds a lot of drag, and so inhibits getting on a full plane. In marginal conditions partially raising the CB can actually help you get on a plane though. It takes experimenting to find out what works best in each condition.

If everybody else is planing easily, retract the CB fully, and maybe move the mast track back about halfway for now. Don't take the CB out because it is your secret weapon should the wind drop, or in your efforts to plane you end up well downwind of your initial point.

Really key to getting powered up is being able to get well balanced fore and aft on the booms, and getting your weight off the board and on the booms. Once you are able to keep the board flat (point those toes), you can work on sail position. As a big enough puff comes along to get planing, I may unsheet (let out on the back hand) enough to release enough pressure on the sail to be able to bring the tip of the mast more over my head. By having the sail more on the windward side you are able to sheet in while the sail is raked backwards and not have the board round up because the center of effort is enough off the centerline that it produces enough turning moment downwind to compensate for the tendency to round up caused by raking back and sheeting the sail.

Also don't be afraid to bear off. It is much easier to get planing by pointing a little more downwind than a beam reach. Once you are going well, you can point up. Unlike a shortboarder, you can always drop the CB and beat back upwind for another downhill ride.

Most 'advanced beginners' don't get planing because they don't power up the sail well enough. Go ahead and slowly but purposely oversheet a few times so you can find out what fully powered up feels like. Remember to tip the mast to the weather side to compensate for the extra pull. If you get pulled over to leeward while trying this, be sure to hang onto the boom and just ride the sail down.

Hmm. That came out longer and less clear than I would have liked. I'll be glad to clarify any specific points if you like (as I am sure will others)

Jack (Sarasota)

You need mast foot pressure (MFP). Are you using a harness yet? If not you need to be. If you are you need to keep your weight in it. Sinkin gth etail but standing too far back will definitely cause a round up to windward. Forget the centerboard. You will probably never use it again. Weight that harness!