Sinking Clew on Water Starts

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Graham_U
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Sinking Clew on Water Starts

Post by Graham_U »

Whilst in general my waterstarts have improved, as its just over a year since I cracked that first one, there is one problem I often suffer from. That is the sinking clew when trying to fly the rig:evil: There are times that no matter what I seem to do the clew has decided it rather likes the water and would prefer to stay attached. I had this problems a few times on Saturday at Poole, and also the other week at Roadford when I remember Neil complaining of the same thing. Does this problem ring any bells, or does anyone have a magic cure that is a bit cheaper than Huw's magic paint?
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Al Donald
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Post by Al Donald »

As you raise the mast out of the water, give it a sharp pull towards you - in to the wind. That should release the clew from the water. If that doesn't work then move slightly further towards the mast tip and try the same again. Then with the rig free and flying, move back down to the boom.
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Post by kelvin »

try this link for some inovative asistance
http://www.waterstarter.com/default.htm
forget dreaming "its time to loop"
kel www.winsurfing.co.uk
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Graham_U
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Post by Graham_U »

Interesting one Kelvin. :???: I could well knock something like that up from the left over foam sausage that I made a nose protector out of. It could be worth a try, if it save the amount of energy wasted playing with the rig then I don't mind what it looks like. :wink:

Thanks Al, but I always try to pull the rig over my head for that reason, often with one hand on the back of the board for support. I assume that either I lift it too high, or the movement is actually different to what it feels like to me.

Unfortunately this is only an occasional thing, so I can not tell when its likely to happen. Although thinking about it its often towards the end of session or in heavier (for me) conditions. But if anybody ever see me struggling in the water and see an obvious fault please let me know either at the time, or when we get back to land.
Graham
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dro
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seems familiar

Post by dro »

I am afraid I can offer no help.
But if any consolation it seems a very familiar problem.
As you say it seems to happen quite randomly and I find the more I try to force it the deeper it goes,Usually resulting in the board tipping over and ending up in a worse position than when i started
But very occasionaly it does not happen and I succeed and that is very nice indeed

I am almost exactly a year behind you Graham having finally cracked it 1/12 ago and getting very frustrated that it does not seem to work every time.In fact as I get tired it does not work at all,as I discovered in Aberavon.Trying to uphaul in the wind and waves was bloody hard work and the walk back even more tiring.

Anyway good luck not that you will need any with that brilliantly bright orange board.Feel really jealous.
It would look really nice in my Garage.

Huw
What do you mean not ENOUGH wind ?
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Ian Long
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Post by Ian Long »

If you haven´t already, try having a read of the rig recovery pages.

The idea is to get the mast across the wind with you upwind of the mast. Then taking hold of the mast a couple of feet above the boom, pull the mast up over your head and throw it into the wind as if throwing a javelin. It didn't come out too clearly in the pictures but the idea is to keep the mast as close to the water as possible and throw the rig so that it travels parallel to the water. Keeping it parallel to the water is key to prevent the clew from catching. It is the wind passing under the sail as you throw it into the wind that frees the rig from the water and allows it to fly.

If you can think of some (clean) words that could be added to the article to make this stage clearer, please send them to me.

Basically the bigger the sail, the easier for the clew to catch so the more aggressive you have to be when throwing the rig into the wind.

Good luck.
If found, please return to the pub.
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Graham_U
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Post by Graham_U »

Yeap I know or at least have read all that, it was something Neil instilled in me from day 1. The problem is probably in the execution. the more I think about it the more I think it is the exercise of pulling it over my head that lifts it to high (yes I already know I have X-Large head) :shock:
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Post by the tadpoles »

I am by far no expert but I think it is because you are too far upwind. It happens to me sometimes and I think it is because I am not swimming towards the wind but going in a slight arc away from te nose of the board. So instead of the wind going under the jig evenly it drives the luff up first, hence the clew catches - good luck. If you fix it let me know
May some force be with you .....
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Post by Graham_U »

If you look at the date you can see this was a while ago. Happy to say that generally this is no longer an issue. The problem was generally that I was just trying to lift the sail out of the water rather than pulling it into the wind to let the wind lift it.
Graham
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