I always find it harder to sail on starboard tack than port tack. I find it harder to hook in and get into the footstraps. I am fighting to stop the board from heading upwind. On Port tack, I'm in control, no problem.
Since I sail both equally, why is this so?
Do others have the same problem?
What can I do to even things out?
I am a right hander, but a goofy footer if that has anything to do with it.
well I'm a right handed goofy footer as well, and I don't have the same problem. However my wife complains it's easier for her going out than coming in. (port out, starboard in). I put it down to not having a visible marker on the way out, so she tends to sail at the most comfortable angle in that direction, but on the way in, she's aiming for the launch spot, as she tends to loose ground, that's usually more upwind.
Does it happen on any rig combo? Boards, fins and booms can be asymmetric, although this is unlikely to cause that much trouble.
Could be board trim, if you're weighting the windward rail more that will cause you to go upwind.
When I saw the topic "Starboard tack vs port tack", I thought this was going to be another argument
Try moving your harness lines on the 'bad' side back and forth until you're comfortable.
Also (and this might sound silly but bear with me) you might not really know where the wind is coming from. I've had similar situations occur when learning, and it was because on one day I'd be going across the wind from the start point to a landmark. On another day I'd head for the same landmark, and struggle on one tack but not the other. It took me ages to figure out that the wind was coming from a different direction that day so I had to aim at a different spot 
As all the guys are saying, check the harness lines. If the board is trying to head upwind when you are hooked and strapped in, maybe the harness lines on the port side are too far forwards. If the lines are too far forwards, the sail will sheet out, and your body will move back and over the tail to compensate, which will swerve the board upwind.
If you're having trouble getting into the footstraps because the board is swerving up wind, it could be the same problem - too much weight on the back foot when you are putting your front foot in.
I personally do not believe anyone is completely sailing the same on both directions. And there's nothing wrong with that.
When I was racing (80s), I spent a lot of time studying those faster than me, looking for stance, hand grip, details and all. I always found even good sailors sailed differently on the two tacks. A few I've spoken to also admitted having a "preferred" side.
Same at wavejumping: definitely one side is preferred (unfortunately for me, I'm a goofy and jumping conditions are southerly in Sydney... good for waveriding though).
At freestyle, I always "know" which side I wanna try a new move on.
Again, nothing wrong with that - it's an opportunity to spread the moves on both sides.
Thanks for your suggestions.
I have been sailing for a long time so I think I know where the wind is coming from, and I usually sail at the same location so the landmarks are familiar - it is interesting though that recently I sailed somewhere else and felt much more even...
I'll ponder that.
The harness lines were a little farther back on the starboard tack side because my back hand felt comparatively overoaded, I have evened them up so I'll see if that makes a difference.
I've thought about this a lot more in light of your comments and I think it probably has more to do with the goofy footedness.
I had never thought about which foot I favoured until I tried snowboarding. Being a right hander I had the bindings in the regular arrangement. I was totally useless. After two days of lessons and falls I was ready to go back to skiing, but thought I'd try swapping the bindings around first. Hallelujah! What a difference. Suddenly I felt comfortable and coordinated. So I now know I feel a lot more comfortable with my left foot in front of my right.
Since it is front foot pressure which forces the board off the wind initially, I think I am failing to do that sufficiently on the starboard side because my right foot is weaker or more uncoordinated, which results in heading up wind, sail more sheeted in, body too far forward to hook in, get in the straps and rectify the situation.
Plenty of food for thought next time I go out.
Any more ideas welcome
Yep grumps I was just about to say the same thing.
Windxtasy, sounds like you're sailing your local by the landmarks, easy to do unless you consciously try and sail by wind direction. First thing I'd try next time you're out is check wind direction before sailing, and set up a landmark based on that. Sail that line and see how you go, then change your sailing line a bit either side and see what the difference is.
I too generally sail a bit better on port tack. I much prefer to be steering with my right foot. I think because my left is the non-dominant side, my left foot can get "lazy" unless I pay a bit more attention to it. I do find that if I arch my left foot in the footstrap when on starboard tack so that my toes and heel are pressing down on the board and the top of my foot is pressing up under the footstrap, rather than hooking my toes up under the strap, that gives me the same control as my dominant foot, and makes my jumps more successful. It avoids the sideways push on the back of the board that can lead to the nose of the board heading into the wind, or causing spinout, especially on landing a jump. I've always found that driving the board down through the back foot, as if trying to push the fin downwards to the seabed, rather than sideways to the horizon, always gives improved performance, and it's easier to do this with my dominant foot.
I still can't kick a footy with my left foot though.
).
Hi Windxtasy,
Just my 2c. I'm guessing you're having starboard tack problems at Lucky Bay? I used to as well (still do sometimes
). If that's the case, and you're not having problems at other locations it might be due to the land influence on the wind.
The wind direction can shift back and forth quite a bit since it is blowing over the land, and there also tends to be a permanent bend in the wind quite close to the beach (have you ever noticed you can head high upwind when you get really close to the shore?).
Maybe when heading back to the shore, try getting some speed up first by heading towards the kiters... then go for your harness and straps.
I find Safety Bay an "easier" place to sail, as it isn't anywhere near as gusty and the wind shift patterns are more even (because the wind travels over water not land)
). If that's the case, and you're not having problems at other locations it might be due to the land influence on the wind.
when you are windsurfing,
there is no port or starboard tack.
no goofy or natural.
no left or right.
just windsurfing!
if you can let the constraints go in your mind.
).
Wwaaaaaaaaaaaauuurrrrrrr, grasshopper, when you can snatch the pebble from myyoulittlec@#t !!!!!
... (but that's getting off topic.. there are other threads that discuss the matters of kites, windsurfers and speed runs)
... (but that's getting off topic.. there are other threads that discuss the matters of kites, windsurfers and speed runs)
Select to expand quoteWindxtasy said...
That probably explains everything, but I'm having a little trouble visualising the bend in the wind. Do you have the technical know-how to draw a diagram on a little google map of Lucky Bay?
I knew you could do it! Thanks. That explains a lot.
I am constantly impressed by the level of expertise and helpfulness on this forum.
Goofy feet!
