I used to have problems getting upwind. Cribby's course made a big difference.
Firstly, wave boards sail upwind better if you depress the windward rail. This holds the board in the water and gives it some waterline - otherwise you're right on the tail and the thing goes sideways.
Second, the rig should be upright ie the boom front end should be above or forward of the mast foot. This gets you more power. When the rig is upright like this the harness lines will lift up meaning....
Third, sit down into the harness so that all of your weight it going down through the lines (which should be long - 28"). Getting your weight very low and forward means that you end up on the sides of your feet in the footstraps - with your knees forward of your feet (your back knee should be in line with your front foot)
Kit wise - sails go upwind if they have a fine entry and a tight ish leech (because the apparent wind doesn't vary so much over the height of the sail when you go upwind). This tends to favour more outhaul in relation to downhaul - remember that taking downhaul off will effectively give you more outhaul tension . The worst sails for going upwind have knuckly entries and leeches that drag.
You shouldn't need a big sail and you don't need a big fin either. I can stay upwind on a fanatic skate in margin winds using a 28cm fin. Big kit can get you upwind but you won't actually enjoy sailing across or downwind nor will you be able to sheet in properly when you enter gybes.
having the mast too far forward can alter the CLR making it hard to maintain an upwind angle. (only on short boards. this is opposite on longboards)
however pushing the mast forward does increase your planing area and therefore provide more lift.
like everything in windsurfing it's a balancing act.
it's probably best to just stick your mast in the middle of the track and concentrate on your stance and the rig tuning and harness line stuff mentioned above.
lift your boom to nose height as well. that always helps get you upwind.
also make sure you don't oversheet the sail and stall. when you swing your body weight forward make sure you aren't pulling on your sheet hand to much. you need to feather the sail to find the correct angle.
notice ginger poms image that he isn't over sheeting.
