Awesome guide. Nice that you downplay your abilities; it makes it more accessible for us real 'idiots'. Also good to hear your experience with various settings, gear etc. Ok, we're about to 'self isolate' here on the Gulf of Tallinn this afternoon, so let's see how fast we can get.
Ben, I eagerly wait for your videos, especially the Idiot guides. I laughed at your Defi wind video when you were puzzled about putting the "new " system of outhaul on your boom because there was no pulley. I laughed, because I did the exact same thing....I thought, where the frig is the pulley and what is this little metal ring for! Even in the instructions it showed a picture of a pulley! So please keep making videos because we can all relate to you so well. Ps need more Idiots guides to slalom videos!
Cheers Bob! haha... more will be coming (if we ever get back on the water) I Need to get my head around testing/tuning properly! After doing nearly 20 years of wave sailing where 'a bit of downhaul bit of outhaul and off you go' is good. This Slalom lark is a bit more complicated :)
I never ever compared my speed with waist and seat harness. Even though I don't do slalom it was completely clear for me to do the defi last year with my seat harness. And I can tell you I was totally destroyed after the 2 races too ( and I have been down there for training for nearly 2 weeks). Your videos are great, keep on going!
Freakin AWESOME video Big Ben! Omg! SimmerStyle is looking super fresh on the water with their new color schemes🤙🤙🤙...lol I still have a Neil Pryde Fred Haywood pink seat harness from the 80s....🤙💪😎 doesnt fit me anymore....lol awesome and fun vid Big Ben.....cheers
Love it! Fantastic! You need to give us a how to gybe guide, Ben. Lots of people have had that happen with that GPS watch strap. I saw one fix, which was to use small cable ties to attach a standard watch strap. One friend used epoxy to stick the broken bit back on.
U r in the right place doing the right thing, smiling and enjoying it. That´s what matters...If U smile I smile too..I hope u may keep this mood forever.
Man thanks for keeping up the hype during this time of covid19! I'm a national team sailor who went to coaching and missed the water so I started windsurfing. and goooosh. I'm just absolutely bitten by the speed and direct sail contact you get when windsurfing
@@WindsurfingTV one request though. Make slalom accessible to compete in without being on a team lol. And I thought our Nacra was expensive. Slalom gear is PRICEY for the size of it haha
72kg and I use a seat harness. ;-) I do have a waist harness I won at OBX Wind last year in the trailer. Maybe I'll give it a shot and see how it feels! Your videos are always well done and entertaining. With less going on in the world of watersports these days, I'm finding I can go back and watch your videos and enjoy them just as much the second time through.
Cheers Bill great to hear 👍🏻 ...and yeah give the waist harness ago although i think any transition of harness takes a while i reckon. Which is why i think the seat felt a bit strange to me! I've been using a waist for the last 20 years!! :)
Hi Ben, I am a fan of everything you do for windsurf since many years with pwa and all your videos. For the warh I simply suggest that you use two pieces of scratch band we now find for gathering cables at home. Aloha. Christian.
Downhaul settings, if you find the optimum setting, draw a mark on the tack of the sail level with the bottom of the mast with a marker pen. Next time its easy to rig it to the exact same amount of downhaul. I only started using a waist harness for smaller kit last year, it took a while to get used to it and to sail as fast, at least few months. For flatter water & 6m+ sails I use the seat harness as its comfier for longer sessions, smaller sails/boards and choppier water the waist harness.
I thought to myself, I really like this music. And then I understood, you used Amplifier! Great choice! I always listen to the first album when I go to The Delta to windsurf.
I think you can put the boom and give some tension in it and will be more easy to put the cambers in place in the mast. About the GPS watch, maybe a good tape for fix the strap! Good winds!
Nice video! Martinhal is really nice for slalom racing with nortada. I was there competing in the portuguese championship a couple of years ago and I'm looking forward to coming back, hopefully this year? I personally use the seat harness because of my back (it's a bit of a mess) and I don't know if I could put on a waist harness without dying after 5m. From what I understand the seat harness gives you less freedom to control the gear and that's probably why you say that you feel you could maybe absorb a gust better, but at the same time, if you can set it all up so that the board flies as much as with a waist harness (probably setting the mast track a bit further back than you would), I believe they'd be comparable. Anyway, good job mate!! Looking forward to sailing with you maybe in the near future seeing that we are "neighbours" now.
Another great video Ben. For what is worth only this year i did the same and experimented with a seat and waist harness coming to the conclusion very simular that seat harness is best long distance and sails 7.0 - 8.6 mainly for comfort and holding down the power on big sails but also I dont drop my gybes so often. I use a waist harness for those windy 6.0 days and below because firstly I am crap at gybes in stronger and wavy condtions so end up swimmer more and find a waist harness is so much easier to water start and swim in ;-). Looking fwd to Defi 2021
The strap of my gps also broke last week, now I put it on one of those waterproof pouches made for phones or other non waterproof GPS. Its definitely not as good as wearing it as a watch but at least it still works. Also make sure you wear it on your arm and don't put it under your wetsuit, I believe neoprene blocks the gps signal.
@@WindsurfingTV it sucks, I even contacted the guys from gpsspeedsurfing to ask for a replacement band, but that is not possible since the watch is made out of one piece. Maybe you can get a new one under warranty. Mine was 3 years old already, so I cant. But if you bought yours recently you might get a new one.
@@martijn703 Yeah.. shame. Great watch.. bad strap! But mine is old and has had a lot of use.. had it since the idiot's guide to speed sailing! Maybe a need to get that new box thing i've seen.
Hi Ben, agree with your last comments tuning and measuring, with all the different components to windsurfing,, weights, wind, sails cams, battens, downhauling sail position, brand of sail, match with mast, boom size,boom position, board size. How about get some reps from companies to give you a hand, and ask them hard questions, how do they work better???
You can get replacement straps on ebay; I can' see which version watch you have, but if you can get a nylon/velcro strap replacement as they last better than the original plastic. usually its simple pin replacement. Great video!
From observation when you first used the seat harness, it APPEARED to ME as though the nose of your board was riding higher than the others...? Perhaps moving the mast foot forward a couple of cms might help? IF you can be bothered, lol!!!
interesting... this is the sort of thing i need to be looking at. At the moment just going on feel.. next i need to work out what does what and how to change it up.
@@WindsurfingTV just a bit longer might be the difference between being able to put the power down to the board or being lifted up. I don't think you really have to be heavier to do slalom. Well if you aren't doing PWA. Just try to find your settings and let the board flyyyyyy. Goodluck and loved the vid🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼
@@larsh6159 Totally agree... slalom is about finding your own level in the pack and trying to beat that.. i think. ...and i hear you on the harness lines. I'll try
Ben, regarding the GW60. You have two choices, put it in a pouch of some sort, or get a different watch. My GW60 strap broke on one side and as I was looking at it to see if I could MacGyver a solution, the other side broke. Do NOT trust the strap, the other side will break as well.
I am really looking forward to the rig and board setup tuning tips. Would be great if there are tips for lighter riders (i'm 70kg and 1,88m tall). For example, it makes sense to me to go one sail size smaller than the big guys to handle the power of the rig, but how should i rig it. Because it whas designed for more wind my weight can handle. And how do i feel what the rig needs? When give it more or less downhall? I started windsurfing 3 years ago and got into slalom gear way to quickly but I love the speed and flying feel from the board. Geep up the good work!
Hi Ben this vidéo was Amazing and can you do a vidéo with thé 2xc because i gone a have one with a Orange color and i Would like to have advice and my second question is that where is situated your slalom spot? Thank you
1) Those are some slick gybes. 2) Give the seat harness a chance. But you need to adjust the boom height even if slightly to minimize the chance of being hoisted up in the air. I had that issue initially and as I got used to it, I learned to compensate. 3) Love that spot. Except for the fact that I kept getting my car stuck in the sand....I've a talent for that :)
Perhaps for those long distance races like the Defi, you could go with a waist AND a seat harness. I've seen people do it before, and when you need that rest, dropping into the seat would be just what the doctor ordered.
BTW, if you still have the part of the strap that fell off, what I would try is to thread a long and thin strip of dacron adhesive tape through the holes that would connect the two pieces back again trying to fit maybe three or four loops
Ben glad to see you struggling to rig the Simmer race sail - my 2019 7.0 and 7.8 are a royal pain in the ass to rig, cams don’t rotate well and the top camber on each sail does not want to stay on the mast . I have rigged the sails to the recommended specs and spent a lot of time tuning the sails ...more down haul - less down haul -more and less outhaul and played with batten tension and yes I am using the Simmer SC 10 mast and I have played with about every different combo of shims provided for the top camber inducers. Anyone else have this problem or an idea for a good solution?
Really? That's not me struggling in the video... thats normal for rigging a race sail. Well i think it is :) All my simmer sails for the past few years have been a dream to rotate... the older ones (4 years+ ago) were a bit sticky but 2019 should be good. I have literally Zero problems... rotate amazingly well. Do you have too many cam spacers? Maybe send me a video and i'll take a look.. coaching@windsurfing.tv.
@@WindsurfingTV Hey Ben thanks for answering my comment! I typed the wrong year on my sails are 2016 SC Race sails ...almost spring here so "ill be sailing again soon - next time I rig them up I'll shoot a video - the cam rotation is not that bad - biggest problem is the top camber inducer wants to pop off the mast all the time - I just unrolled the sail and I have 2 spacers on the top inducer maybe I'll start again with none and see how it goes - thanks again
You can get a watch strap extender or wear the gps in a pouch or pocket(tie it in). A friend of mine sewed a little pocket on the front of his vest shoulder and wears it in there. I feel the same as you with seat harnesses as I feel like I'm going to get lifted and thrown.
Admittedly I'm old school, but I don't understand using a waist harness for slalom or speed. For me, the seat harness allows you to use the quads in your legs to counter the pull of the sail and these are the strongest muscles in the body. With the waist harness you are using the weaker back muscles more, so surely you have less muscle power to counter sail power? Ben talked about getting lifted by gusts with the seat harness, but I always used to drop lower and then push more with the quads and turn it into acceleration. You must get lifted by gusts with a waist harness too, but then you have to use your back muscles? Can anyone explain why the seat harness has been marginalised?
Sheath the broken strop inside the Velcro. You stitch together two lengths of Velcro, sheath the broken strip in it. Secure by stitching the Velcro sheath through the holes in the remaining strop. Pass the end of the Velcro through the buckle double up and secure with a bit of the Velcro that folds over. Like it’s done in foot straps
It seems you ended same as most of us. Once we decide to do some tuning - rarely- , this is usually before we start sailing, but once you are on the water, then you forget everything except sailing... You really need to force yourself to stop at the beach, tune a bit your gear, then go back on the water, test impact, etc... And I must admit it is sometime difficult to judge the impact, especially when you have no sparing partner to compare with. Keep going, I'm so idiot you probably need to design another set of 10+ episodes. :-) I'm personally impress by our PWA athletes that can adjust sails, batten, downhall, fins at +/-1 centimeter. This is probably why they are in the top 10, and I'm not :-) Take care on you Ben, Covid is a mess.
Yes Totally.. i actually wasn't going to put the episode on as there was no real conclusion and i didn't do what i set out to do. But then I thought maybe everyone would realize they are not alone... and its bloody hard to get yourself to tune and test. haha
Well, i guess the main problem is sails stretch. So better to have a visual on the sail to refer to.. it also makes you take notice of what is happening up there. But i'm new to this slalom thing... always good to have input.
Hi Philip The NoerStick mast extension has messurements even in milimeters so that should do it for getting the perfect trim every time you take your gear for a session. :) NEW website lounching on the 23 April showing all the new details
Ben, great video, very entertaining and just fun to watch. Regarding the tuning, I have one question that I have never seen answered before. I understand what each change is supposed to do, but no one has ever shown how and in what order do you test and adjust things best. I know, for instance, what happens when I put the mast foot more forwards or more back. But do I test/do that before or after or instead of lowering/raising the boom? Or getting a smaller/larger fin? Or moving my foot straps? Or moving the harness lines? Or, or, or,... What is a proper scientific testing methodology? I have a sneaking suspicion that no one knows, and that is why no one has answered that question yet. Any ideas? Do the pros just keep that as their own secret or do they simply wing it like the rest of us?
Hey Ben why don't you try putting the boom on first before putting the cams on. The cams go on much easier if the boom is already on with a bit of outhaul. Love the slalom videos! You have a killer laydown gybe!
@@WindsurfingTV Boom first makes it easy, as Dylan said, or you can spend your afternoon on the beach struggling to pop the cams on, but you are cool, until everyone gives up and stops watching you try to rig :)
@@WindsurfingTV Ben, I have no doubt you will get there. I'm and old guy (72) and seem to be getting weaker each year. I finally stopped trying to find just the right downhaul amount for the cams to pop on. Switched to 'boom first' and I don't have to be nearly as precise on the downhaul. Besides, I gave up on looking cool a long time ago. 😁
'I hoped it's going to be a bit more educational' haha... me too!! Testing and tuning is not an easy thing to get your head around. i actually wasn't going to realise it but then i thought it's a real thing that I'm sure everyone has done. So maybe people can relate haha
@@WindsurfingTV Oh, I relate to this exactly as well! I had numerous sessions, where went "for testing" and at the end, it was just cruuuuuuzing and having fun! At the end of a day, that's what is the most important right? I love your videos! The passion and humour are great!!
I actually dont know the wind speed.. But i'm 80kg's - 174cm Tall and was powered up on 7m full race sail and 116 Slalom board (3xs from SimmerStyle) Since then i actually put the GPS on.. and was VMAX'ing at high 35 knots!! Not sure if thaty fast or not... seems LOW to what i've seen from the PWA boys but felt fast! The average was way lower!
@@WindsurfingTV well ... pity you don't have the wind speed, that would help me to understand. thank you for the answer :). 35kts is very fast from my point of view since I am blocked under 30kts even in 25kts wind doing some crazy slingshots...with my 6,6 in survival mode.. :( I don't know how to unleash the speed ... 112l board, 6,6 or 7,8 S-type, 85kg and hours on the water ... but speed (10s) is stuck below 30kts and mostly between 25-28kts.
Love these "guide" videos.!! Interesting comment on the harness. I am an old school guy having got my first board in 1989 and love my seat harness until today. A waste harness for me is a wave surfing thingy where I am constantly in and out of the harness lines but for speed and slalom I find the transfer of power from rig to the board way better with the seat harness.
Cheers Nigel, I used a seat harness through all my racing days (stopped in 2000) then since then a waist harness. So a waist harness feels natural now... i love the freedom and how i can get really low when the big gusts come. But if i'm pushing for a long time (defi wind) my back is in pieces. So thought the seat harness would be the answer... but on that little test, every time I got a gust I felt I got picked up out of my position. I'm 80kg.. maybe i need more weight. ..i think i will give it another try and maybe try and get hold of a higher seat harness.. in between the waist and the seat.
@@WindsurfingTV severne cmr, it's a good compromise between the two harness world, it's kinda strange feeling on the beach but on the water I find it really comfortable 🤙
@@WindsurfingTV My harness goes back to when Gods dog was a puppy. It's an ART Pro series harness that was designed using Dainese back protectors. This is cut high in the back and goes over your kidneys. Great piece of kit.
use a Garmin Fenix gps. I have been comparing the Garmin with the gw60. they are only off . .05 mph max. and distance is less. It's not the "official" gps...but for baseline stuff..it is great. for those that use the gram Fenix .... don't use the quick release straps....they can come undone in a highspeed crash. I use a nylon band that you have to remove the pins to install....
@@alohaisland6397 Well it's not a fair question! But i would say - Just going Fast is easy!...but the question is: What is FAST? As it's relative to conditions and the person in question... 35knots feels fast on choppy water but going over 50+knots on the canel is fully scary. Although NOT while you are doing it as you are so focused. Doing freestyle is Technically so freaking HARD... and scary!! I nearly broke my ankle, twisted knee, shoulder the other day in an hour freestyle session trying easy moves!! Reading that back i'm not sure it makes sense... and i dont think i answered the question. Speed is easier... but i'm NOT fast... so it's not easy!! haha
Awesome guide. Nice that you downplay your abilities; it makes it more accessible for us real 'idiots'. Also good to hear your experience with various settings, gear etc. Ok, we're about to 'self isolate' here on the Gulf of Tallinn this afternoon, so let's see how fast we can get.
that's what you get when you mix windsurfing with stand-up comedy... brilliant entertainment.. my favourite channel
Ben, I eagerly wait for your videos, especially the Idiot guides. I laughed at your Defi wind video when you were puzzled about putting the "new " system of outhaul on your boom because there was no pulley. I laughed, because I did the exact same thing....I thought, where the frig is the pulley and what is this little metal ring for! Even in the instructions it showed a picture of a pulley! So please keep making videos because we can all relate to you so well. Ps need more Idiots guides to slalom videos!
Cheers Bob! haha... more will be coming (if we ever get back on the water) I Need to get my head around testing/tuning properly! After doing nearly 20 years of wave sailing where 'a bit of downhaul bit of outhaul and off you go' is good. This Slalom lark is a bit more complicated :)
Windsurfing.TV that‘s the challenge Ben
I never ever compared my speed with waist and seat harness. Even though I don't do slalom it was completely clear for me to do the defi last year with my seat harness. And I can tell you I was totally destroyed after the 2 races too ( and I have been down there for training for nearly 2 weeks). Your videos are great, keep on going!
Freakin AWESOME video Big Ben! Omg! SimmerStyle is looking super fresh on the water with their new color schemes🤙🤙🤙...lol I still have a Neil Pryde Fred Haywood pink seat harness from the 80s....🤙💪😎 doesnt fit me anymore....lol awesome and fun vid Big Ben.....cheers
Kevin Suarez lol ;-)
Thanks Ben ! So nice to see those images and tips while we cannot go windsurfing ! looking forward to the next one ! ;-)
Hello. I really like the video. I was following you from PWA. Keep shooting videos of this type and informing us.
Love it! Fantastic! You need to give us a how to gybe guide, Ben. Lots of people have had that happen with that GPS watch strap. I saw one fix, which was to use small cable ties to attach a standard watch strap. One friend used epoxy to stick the broken bit back on.
U r in the right place doing the right thing, smiling and enjoying it. That´s what matters...If U smile I smile too..I hope u may keep this mood forever.
Man thanks for keeping up the hype during this time of covid19!
I'm a national team sailor who went to coaching and missed the water so I started windsurfing. and goooosh. I'm just absolutely bitten by the speed and direct sail contact you get when windsurfing
Sounds like you're in... no escape now!! haha
@@WindsurfingTV one request though. Make slalom accessible to compete in without being on a team lol. And I thought our Nacra was expensive. Slalom gear is PRICEY for the size of it haha
72kg and I use a seat harness. ;-) I do have a waist harness I won at OBX Wind last year in the trailer. Maybe I'll give it a shot and see how it feels!
Your videos are always well done and entertaining. With less going on in the world of watersports these days, I'm finding I can go back and watch your videos and enjoy them just as much the second time through.
Cheers Bill great to hear 👍🏻 ...and yeah give the waist harness ago although i think any transition of harness takes a while i reckon. Which is why i think the seat felt a bit strange to me! I've been using a waist for the last 20 years!! :)
Hi Ben, I am a fan of everything you do for windsurf since many years with pwa and all your videos. For the warh I simply suggest that you use two pieces of scratch band we now find for gathering cables at home. Aloha. Christian.
Downhaul settings, if you find the optimum setting, draw a mark on the tack of the sail level with the bottom of the mast with a marker pen. Next time its easy to rig it to the exact same amount of downhaul. I only started using a waist harness for smaller kit last year, it took a while to get used to it and to sail as fast, at least few months. For flatter water & 6m+ sails I use the seat harness as its comfier for longer sessions, smaller sails/boards and choppier water the waist harness.
I thought to myself, I really like this music. And then I understood, you used Amplifier! Great choice!
I always listen to the first album when I go to The Delta to windsurf.
For a seat harness with a higher hook and better back support I recommend the Dakine XT seat. Very comfy, and easy to control power in the rig.
I think you can put the boom and give some tension in it and will be more easy to put the cambers in place in the mast. About the GPS watch, maybe a good tape for fix the strap! Good winds!
That GPS in particular is known for being a bit crap with straps. Maybe put it in an aquasac on your arm or the mast.
Nice video! Martinhal is really nice for slalom racing with nortada. I was there competing in the portuguese championship a couple of years ago and I'm looking forward to coming back, hopefully this year?
I personally use the seat harness because of my back (it's a bit of a mess) and I don't know if I could put on a waist harness without dying after 5m. From what I understand the seat harness gives you less freedom to control the gear and that's probably why you say that you feel you could maybe absorb a gust better, but at the same time, if you can set it all up so that the board flies as much as with a waist harness (probably setting the mast track a bit further back than you would), I believe they'd be comparable.
Anyway, good job mate!! Looking forward to sailing with you maybe in the near future seeing that we are "neighbours" now.
Another great video Ben. For what is worth only this year i did the same and experimented with a seat and waist harness coming to the conclusion very simular that seat harness is best long distance and sails 7.0 - 8.6 mainly for comfort and holding down the power on big sails but also I dont drop my gybes so often. I use a waist harness for those windy 6.0 days and below because firstly I am crap at gybes in stronger and wavy condtions so end up swimmer more and find a waist harness is so much easier to water start and swim in ;-). Looking fwd to Defi 2021
good to know it's not just me.. but i'm going to try again! :)
The strap of my gps also broke last week, now I put it on one of those waterproof pouches made for phones or other non waterproof GPS.
Its definitely not as good as wearing it as a watch but at least it still works.
Also make sure you wear it on your arm and don't put it under your wetsuit, I believe neoprene blocks the gps signal.
Cheers, Martijn.. yeah that was my plan B... looking fr a plan A so i can wear it like before. But maybe i just need to buy the pouch!
@@WindsurfingTV it sucks, I even contacted the guys from gpsspeedsurfing to ask for a replacement band, but that is not possible since the watch is made out of one piece. Maybe you can get a new one under warranty. Mine was 3 years old already, so I cant. But if you bought yours recently you might get a new one.
@@martijn703 Yeah.. shame. Great watch.. bad strap! But mine is old and has had a lot of use.. had it since the idiot's guide to speed sailing! Maybe a need to get that new box thing i've seen.
@@WindsurfingTV www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Gps/GW60-strap-extender?page=1
This might be usefull
If it can't be fixed with cable ties and gaff tape - it can't be fixed.
Cool Video. Even for not Slalom windsurfers....Stay strong Ben....
Hi Ben, agree with your last comments tuning and measuring, with all the different components to windsurfing,, weights, wind, sails cams, battens, downhauling sail position, brand of sail, match with mast, boom size,boom position, board size. How about get some reps from companies to give you a hand, and ask them hard questions, how do they work better???
500 Likes. You‘re welcome! Great channel and i like your new home spot! Greetz
You can get replacement straps on ebay; I can' see which version watch you have, but if you can get a nylon/velcro strap replacement as they last better than the original plastic. usually its simple pin replacement.
Great video!
The strap and watch are one piece so that's not going to work.
No replacement possible for the GW60, well known issue. Aquapac arm band and pouch needed.
From observation when you first used the seat harness, it APPEARED to ME as though the nose of your board was riding higher than the others...? Perhaps moving the mast foot forward a couple of cms might help?
IF you can be bothered, lol!!!
interesting... this is the sort of thing i need to be looking at. At the moment just going on feel.. next i need to work out what does what and how to change it up.
The best channel on youtube!
Did you put on longer lines when using the seated harness?
I actually didn't.. but i use pretty long lines (30/32) anyway but good point👍🏻
@@WindsurfingTV just a bit longer might be the difference between being able to put the power down to the board or being lifted up. I don't think you really have to be heavier to do slalom. Well if you aren't doing PWA. Just try to find your settings and let the board flyyyyyy. Goodluck and loved the vid🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼
@@larsh6159 Totally agree... slalom is about finding your own level in the pack and trying to beat that.. i think.
...and i hear you on the harness lines. I'll try
What spot is that? Looks beautiful!!
Martinhal Beach, Sagres (Portugal)
@@WindsurfingTV Ben, you could organize speed week there some day for us "idiots" !!
@@WindsurfingTV - I'm in trying to convince family next time we are in Europe it's the spot for a family holiday with teens.
Who are the other riders? This was clearly Simmer team action. (Or buddies with your gear).
Good video quality, nice music.
Have fun.
Ben, regarding the GW60. You have two choices, put it in a pouch of some sort, or get a different watch. My GW60 strap broke on one side and as I was looking at it to see if I could MacGyver a solution, the other side broke. Do NOT trust the strap, the other side will break as well.
5:40 look at the batten tension, I find it makes a huge difference (as compared to nothing done with it, not so much about fine tuning).
I am really looking forward to the rig and board setup tuning tips. Would be great if there are tips for lighter riders (i'm 70kg and 1,88m tall).
For example, it makes sense to me to go one sail size smaller than the big guys to handle the power of the rig, but how should i rig it. Because it whas designed for more wind my weight can handle. And how do i feel what the rig needs? When give it more or less downhall?
I started windsurfing 3 years ago and got into slalom gear way to quickly but I love the speed and flying feel from the board.
Geep up the good work!
Well, i'll do my Best :) it's actually what i want to find out.. so lets see!
Hi Ben this vidéo was Amazing and can you do a vidéo with thé 2xc because i gone a have one with a Orange color and i Would like to have advice and my second question is that where is situated your slalom spot? Thank you
Cool to see the extension in real life. How does that work?
It's Crazy... works like magic! www.noerstick.com
Windsurfing.TV thank you. Great product - but the price...? Jesus LOL
1) Those are some slick gybes.
2) Give the seat harness a chance. But you need to adjust the boom height even if slightly to minimize the chance of being hoisted up in the air. I had that issue initially and as I got used to it, I learned to compensate.
3) Love that spot. Except for the fact that I kept getting my car stuck in the sand....I've a talent for that :)
1. Cheers 2. i will try that 3.Where do you get stuck in the sand? :)
Windsurfing.TV In the parking lot behind the little cafe/restaurant on the beach...
Perhaps for those long distance races like the Defi, you could go with a waist AND a seat harness. I've seen people do it before, and when you need that rest, dropping into the seat would be just what the doctor ordered.
Just what I needed, Another idiots guide. :-)
Cant wait for idiots guide to freestyle!!!
BTW, if you still have the part of the strap that fell off, what I would try is to thread a long and thin strip of dacron adhesive tape through the holes that would connect the two pieces back again trying to fit maybe three or four loops
AND adding another, wider one, wrapping the strap for safe measure
Ben glad to see you struggling to rig the Simmer race sail - my 2019 7.0 and 7.8 are a royal pain in the ass to rig, cams don’t rotate well and the top camber on each sail does not want to stay on the mast . I have rigged the sails to the recommended specs and spent a lot of time tuning the sails ...more down haul - less down haul -more and less outhaul and played with batten tension and yes I am using the Simmer SC 10 mast and I have played with about every different combo of shims provided for the top camber inducers. Anyone else have this problem or an idea for a good solution?
Really? That's not me struggling in the video... thats normal for rigging a race sail. Well i think it is :)
All my simmer sails for the past few years have been a dream to rotate... the older ones (4 years+ ago) were a bit sticky but 2019 should be good. I have literally Zero problems... rotate amazingly well.
Do you have too many cam spacers? Maybe send me a video and i'll take a look.. coaching@windsurfing.tv.
@@WindsurfingTV Hey Ben thanks for answering my comment! I typed the wrong year on my sails are 2016 SC Race sails ...almost spring here so "ill be sailing again soon - next time I rig them up I'll shoot a video - the cam rotation is not that bad - biggest problem is the top camber inducer wants to pop off the mast all the time - I just unrolled the sail and I have 2 spacers on the top inducer maybe I'll start again with none and see how it goes - thanks again
Hoi Ben. Why you ask....well just because its gold fun to watch.
Solution for your watch...ducktape.
You can get a watch strap extender or wear the gps in a pouch or pocket(tie it in). A friend of mine sewed a little pocket on the front of his vest shoulder and wears it in there.
I feel the same as you with seat harnesses as I feel like I'm going to get lifted and thrown.
Thanks and yep.. a few people have suggested the extender. that will work fine... Seat harness is a working progress :)
Admittedly I'm old school, but I don't understand using a waist harness for slalom or speed. For me, the seat harness allows you to use the quads in your legs to counter the pull of the sail and these are the strongest muscles in the body. With the waist harness you are using the weaker back muscles more, so surely you have less muscle power to counter sail power? Ben talked about getting lifted by gusts with the seat harness, but I always used to drop lower and then push more with the quads and turn it into acceleration. You must get lifted by gusts with a waist harness too, but then you have to use your back muscles? Can anyone explain why the seat harness has been marginalised?
For the watch use a Velcro strap. Take the original strap off, keep the attachment pins and loop a Velcro webbing, home stitched.
how do you take the strop off? It's molded?
Sheath the broken strop inside the Velcro.
You stitch together two lengths of Velcro, sheath the broken strip in it. Secure by stitching the Velcro sheath through the holes in the remaining strop.
Pass the end of the Velcro through the buckle double up and secure with a bit of the Velcro that folds over.
Like it’s done in foot straps
Yes! not only do you provide entertaining stuff. You also use music from Amplifier.I´m chipping beer money now
It seems you ended same as most of us. Once we decide to do some tuning - rarely- , this is usually before we start sailing, but once you are on the water, then you forget everything except sailing...
You really need to force yourself to stop at the beach, tune a bit your gear, then go back on the water, test impact, etc...
And I must admit it is sometime difficult to judge the impact, especially when you have no sparing partner to compare with.
Keep going, I'm so idiot you probably need to design another set of 10+ episodes. :-)
I'm personally impress by our PWA athletes that can adjust sails, batten, downhall, fins at +/-1 centimeter. This is probably why they are in the top 10, and I'm not :-)
Take care on you Ben, Covid is a mess.
Yes Totally.. i actually wasn't going to put the episode on as there was no real conclusion and i didn't do what i set out to do. But then I thought maybe everyone would realize they are not alone... and its bloody hard to get yourself to tune and test. haha
Nice guide ))
Place that boom lower dude! This is Slalom, not Formula Windsurfing! Try it, trust me! Haha ;) Cool to hear that you were at Olimpics.
Hi Ben. Why not just mark the final length of the extension or write it to the sail / in a sticker? (I gues it has a scale on it does it?)
Well, i guess the main problem is sails stretch. So better to have a visual on the sail to refer to.. it also makes you take notice of what is happening up there. But i'm new to this slalom thing... always good to have input.
Hi Philip The NoerStick mast extension has messurements even in milimeters so that should do it for getting the perfect trim every time you take your gear for a session. :)
NEW website lounching on the 23 April showing all the new details
Ben, great video, very entertaining and just fun to watch. Regarding the tuning, I have one question that I have never seen answered before. I understand what each change is supposed to do, but no one has ever shown how and in what order do you test and adjust things best. I know, for instance, what happens when I put the mast foot more forwards or more back. But do I test/do that before or after or instead of lowering/raising the boom? Or getting a smaller/larger fin? Or moving my foot straps? Or moving the harness lines? Or, or, or,... What is a proper scientific testing methodology? I have a sneaking suspicion that no one knows, and that is why no one has answered that question yet. Any ideas? Do the pros just keep that as their own secret or do they simply wing it like the rest of us?
Good question.. i will try and find out! :)
Looks like Defi is totally cancelled this year Ben. They're doing the 20th anniversary next year now. I'm glad as I'd booked the wrong week off haha!
hahaha.. well give me another year to train 😁
That is the second issue of the idiots guide the world was waiting for. #staysafe
Where did you buy the mast extension?
Good question... i was actually sent that to test. www.noerstick.com is the website... It's says New one coming soon with the updates on.
Easy - Animal watch strap - old Skool!! Do you live down in Sagres?
Unfortunately, you cant change the strap.. it's molded! ..But yeah i'm living in sagres now
Hey Ben why don't you try putting the boom on first before putting the cams on. The cams go on much easier if the boom is already on with a bit of outhaul.
Love the slalom videos! You have a killer laydown gybe!
Because all the cool racers just pop them on straight away... i want to be cool!! haha.. 😁🙈
Oh, hahah fair enough 😊
@@WindsurfingTV Boom first makes it easy, as Dylan said, or you can spend your afternoon on the beach struggling to pop the cams on, but you are cool, until everyone gives up and stops watching you try to rig :)
@@bartontb dont you worry i'll get there.. and be the coolest on the beach! haha
@@WindsurfingTV Ben, I have no doubt you will get there. I'm and old guy (72) and seem to be getting weaker each year. I finally stopped trying to find just the right downhaul amount for the cams to pop on. Switched to 'boom first' and I don't have to be nearly as precise on the downhaul. Besides, I gave up on looking cool a long time ago. 😁
Thumbs up! However, I hoped it's going to be a bit more educational ;)
Nice Mastfoot by the way! :D
'I hoped it's going to be a bit more educational' haha... me too!! Testing and tuning is not an easy thing to get your head around.
i actually wasn't going to realise it but then i thought it's a real thing that I'm sure everyone has done. So maybe people can relate haha
@@WindsurfingTV Oh, I relate to this exactly as well! I had numerous sessions, where went "for testing" and at the end, it was just cruuuuuuzing and having fun! At the end of a day, that's what is the most important right?
I love your videos! The passion and humour are great!!
Just a thought. Why Don't you do a show on the best GPS watches for Sailing.
Can i get a specification of the kit? :)
What exactly would you like? 😁
@@WindsurfingTV mast, boom. Can't see details.
@@butcher6939 Well i use all the high end Simmer Style gear... simmerstyle.com/sails/product.aspx?modelNr=10329 all the specs are on there mate.
Dig the hat... I reckon my bald head would look good with that hat.
Can you clarify wind speed and gear size/p, sailor weight...you go fast and there is hardly any chop....
I actually dont know the wind speed.. But i'm 80kg's - 174cm Tall and was powered up on 7m full race sail and 116 Slalom board (3xs from SimmerStyle)
Since then i actually put the GPS on.. and was VMAX'ing at high 35 knots!! Not sure if thaty fast or not... seems LOW to what i've seen from the PWA boys but felt fast! The average was way lower!
@@WindsurfingTV well ... pity you don't have the wind speed, that would help me to understand. thank you for the answer :). 35kts is very fast from my point of view since I am blocked under 30kts even in 25kts wind doing some crazy slingshots...with my 6,6 in survival mode.. :( I don't know how to unleash the speed ...
112l board, 6,6 or 7,8 S-type, 85kg and hours on the water ... but speed (10s) is stuck below 30kts and mostly between 25-28kts.
👍
I am not on lockdown because I live in Hong Kong which means that I still can windsurf
U GO DUDE
Where is this filmed?
Sagres, Portugal
Nice homespot!
Love these "guide" videos.!! Interesting comment on the harness. I am an old school guy having got my first board in 1989 and love my seat harness until today. A waste harness for me is a wave surfing thingy where I am constantly in and out of the harness lines but for speed and slalom I find the transfer of power from rig to the board way better with the seat harness.
Cheers Nigel, I used a seat harness through all my racing days (stopped in 2000) then since then a waist harness. So a waist harness feels natural now... i love the freedom and how i can get really low when the big gusts come. But if i'm pushing for a long time (defi wind) my back is in pieces. So thought the seat harness would be the answer... but on that little test, every time I got a gust I felt I got picked up out of my position. I'm 80kg.. maybe i need more weight. ..i think i will give it another try and maybe try and get hold of a higher seat harness.. in between the waist and the seat.
@@WindsurfingTV severne cmr, it's a good compromise between the two harness world, it's kinda strange feeling on the beach but on the water I find it really comfortable 🤙
@@alezatti340 Any other brands? Severne are not on my Christmas card list at the moment! haha
@@WindsurfingTV My harness goes back to when Gods dog was a puppy. It's an ART Pro series harness that was designed using Dainese back protectors. This is cut high in the back and goes over your kidneys. Great piece of kit.
@@nigelw8575 Ah yeah.. the one with the orange vertebra's? :)
It's a nappy harness Ben.
Cable tie👍
"what we learned?..."
use a Garmin Fenix gps. I have been comparing the Garmin with the gw60. they are only off . .05 mph max. and distance is less. It's not the "official" gps...but for baseline stuff..it is great.
for those that use the gram Fenix .... don't use the quick release straps....they can come undone in a highspeed crash. I use a nylon band that you have to remove the pins to install....
Cheers for the heads up.. but as i already have this one i'm going to try and make it work! I've already been given a few ideas!
Windsurfing.TV make a video of the hack or fix. My band is still ok....but it will most likely break down the line.
Tighten those batens Ben!
i know i know.. i actually just took it straight out the bag! Need to get more on it now with the tuning!
Time to buy a Motion!!
What's that?
Windsurfing.TV Better GPS. 😊
@@Murarrie link :). ...i like toys
Better? means you go faster!! hahaha
Windsurfing.TV of course faster! 🤔 good to see u flying on Slalom gear....time for idiots guide to a PWA event? Yeah!?! 😛
@@Murarrie not happening haha
Please do an Idiots Guide to Freestyle
i have made one... BUT it will NEVER get released!!! I've just spent 2 weeks recovering from that session!! hahahaha
Would love to see that too. He did recently get a freestyle board so could be on the cards
Windsurfing.TV is freestyle harder then speedsailing in Luderitz?
@@alohaisland6397 Well it's not a fair question! But i would say - Just going Fast is easy!...but the question is: What is FAST?
As it's relative to conditions and the person in question... 35knots feels fast on choppy water but going over 50+knots on the canel is fully scary. Although NOT while you are doing it as you are so focused. Doing freestyle is Technically so freaking HARD... and scary!! I nearly broke my ankle, twisted knee, shoulder the other day in an hour freestyle session trying easy moves!!
Reading that back i'm not sure it makes sense... and i dont think i answered the question.
Speed is easier... but i'm NOT fast... so it's not easy!! haha
Windsurfing.TV thanks for the quick reply. Tough day in your home office I guess... Enjoy a bottle of Sagres an sleep well.
flex tape can fix that
Seat harness. Also known as a grown men's diaper. Just sayin' ;)
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Simon Schmidt sauber