Written by Rick Martin
USA-19
Richland, WA on the Columbia River
USA-19
Richland, WA on the Columbia River
Brief History of formula windsurfing (FW)
FW arose as an evolution of upwind-downwind course racing with shortboards in venues with enough wind to sustain planing speeds. This is a separate development from that of racing longboards and slalom boards.
It all began about 1998 when wide boards with big fins and big sails started to be raced. In the 1998 Nike Masters in Hood River we saw Roberts AVS boards with 25” to 28” widths and 50cm fins dominating the course because they were much faster at high upwind angles compared to the racing slalom boards of the time.
Over the next several years the boards got wider and the fins got longer. At the US Windsurfing Championships in Hood River in 2001, Phil McGain and Matt Pritchard rode custom meter-wide light blue boards with custom 70 cm fins and custom 11.0 sails, and completely blew all other gear away.
About that time ISAF standardized FW gear rules to limit board width at 100.5 cm and fin length at 70 cm and maximum sail size at 12.5 sq m. The development of the FW class was underway. FW racing became popular in Europe and USA.
Some dozen board makers, led by Starboard, advanced the FW development fray with a long list of boards that showed improved performance with new models every year. Fin makers and sail makers followed suit. ISAF publishes lists of approved production FW equipment.
Development continued until about 2012, when ISAF changed to a 2-year equipment cycle. Development slowed as slalom equipment began to overlap into the FW wind regime and as venues began to switch away from upwind-downwind course racing and into downwind slalom racing.
Now in 2016 most FW racing is conducted in Europe, Florida, and San Francisco. You can follow it at www.formulawindsurfing.org.
It all began about 1998 when wide boards with big fins and big sails started to be raced. In the 1998 Nike Masters in Hood River we saw Roberts AVS boards with 25” to 28” widths and 50cm fins dominating the course because they were much faster at high upwind angles compared to the racing slalom boards of the time.
Over the next several years the boards got wider and the fins got longer. At the US Windsurfing Championships in Hood River in 2001, Phil McGain and Matt Pritchard rode custom meter-wide light blue boards with custom 70 cm fins and custom 11.0 sails, and completely blew all other gear away.
About that time ISAF standardized FW gear rules to limit board width at 100.5 cm and fin length at 70 cm and maximum sail size at 12.5 sq m. The development of the FW class was underway. FW racing became popular in Europe and USA.
Some dozen board makers, led by Starboard, advanced the FW development fray with a long list of boards that showed improved performance with new models every year. Fin makers and sail makers followed suit. ISAF publishes lists of approved production FW equipment.
Development continued until about 2012, when ISAF changed to a 2-year equipment cycle. Development slowed as slalom equipment began to overlap into the FW wind regime and as venues began to switch away from upwind-downwind course racing and into downwind slalom racing.
Now in 2016 most FW racing is conducted in Europe, Florida, and San Francisco. You can follow it at www.formulawindsurfing.org.
FW Equipment
For sailing FW equipment today, you will use a board that is 220 cm to 250 cm long, has a width range of 85 cm to 110.5 cm, a volume range of 145 liter to 175 liter, a fin range of 62 cm to 70 cm, and a sail range of 8.5 sq m to about 12.0 sq m. This will cover winds of about 10 mph to 18 mph. Sailor weights of 140 lb to 230 lb are typical with this gear.
With a short length and big width the wetted area when planing has a very high aspect ratio (ratio of width to chord). This makes the FW board scary fast when planing.
Sails less than about 8.0 sq m are not advised on a FW board because small sails fail to provide enough mast base pressure (MBP) to keep a FW board down on the water at planing speeds when hooked in and in the footstraps. This critical MBP is the reason why racers typically move the mast base forward for smaller (10.0) sails and rearward for larger (12.0) sails.
With a short length and big width the wetted area when planing has a very high aspect ratio (ratio of width to chord). This makes the FW board scary fast when planing.
Sails less than about 8.0 sq m are not advised on a FW board because small sails fail to provide enough mast base pressure (MBP) to keep a FW board down on the water at planing speeds when hooked in and in the footstraps. This critical MBP is the reason why racers typically move the mast base forward for smaller (10.0) sails and rearward for larger (12.0) sails.
Using FW Equipment Today
Sailing FW equipment today for recreational sailing is an excellent alternative to longboard sailing when winds are 12-15 mph. The FW gear is much lighter and more lively on the water. Due to board volumes, it is easy to uphaul the sail. It is also easy to tack and jibe since the volume provides a lot of forgiveness.
Notice that the footstraps are way out on the rails. This enables you to leverage that huge fin and get maximum fin lift for steep upwind angles at high speed. Nothing lets you leverage your gear with your full body weight like FW gear.
Yes, FW gear requires large sails, also for major leverage. Using such large sails provides an excellent aerobic workout.
If you have to use small sails in light winds, longboards are a great alternative since they carry a huge range of sail sizes.
If you can keep a FW planing, nothing can touch it. However, if the winds are light enough that you have to slog, a FW board is a real dog. You can slog around an upwind-downwind course, but you will be really slow. In such conditions a longboard is much better. The reason for this is that the FW has a very short waterline compared to a longboard.
When you trim your FW settings, you have only mast base position, boom height, and harness line length to adjust. Footstraps are in fixed positions way out on the rails of most FW boards. You will find that you have to run a really high boom, about chin height. This is required since the triangle of you, board, and sail a long base. If you run the boom too low it will kill your legs because the rig is pulling you DOWN into the board. This will also slow you down.
So, run a high boom and tweak the mast base position until you feel balanced with light feet and light hands. You can also adjust your harness line length to achieve the carbon body with straight arms. When you have everything adjusted and balanced, you will be amazed at how nice, and easy, and fast, FW sailing can be.
Yes, you can sail FW in the Gorge. I do it all the time, and I’m an old guy. On a day at Roosevelt or 3-Mile or Port Kelley, when most guys are out with 7.0-8.5 slalom gear, I can keep a 10.0 with a FW board and 64 cm fin under control and generally be faster. Fun stuff.
Notice that the footstraps are way out on the rails. This enables you to leverage that huge fin and get maximum fin lift for steep upwind angles at high speed. Nothing lets you leverage your gear with your full body weight like FW gear.
Yes, FW gear requires large sails, also for major leverage. Using such large sails provides an excellent aerobic workout.
If you have to use small sails in light winds, longboards are a great alternative since they carry a huge range of sail sizes.
If you can keep a FW planing, nothing can touch it. However, if the winds are light enough that you have to slog, a FW board is a real dog. You can slog around an upwind-downwind course, but you will be really slow. In such conditions a longboard is much better. The reason for this is that the FW has a very short waterline compared to a longboard.
When you trim your FW settings, you have only mast base position, boom height, and harness line length to adjust. Footstraps are in fixed positions way out on the rails of most FW boards. You will find that you have to run a really high boom, about chin height. This is required since the triangle of you, board, and sail a long base. If you run the boom too low it will kill your legs because the rig is pulling you DOWN into the board. This will also slow you down.
So, run a high boom and tweak the mast base position until you feel balanced with light feet and light hands. You can also adjust your harness line length to achieve the carbon body with straight arms. When you have everything adjusted and balanced, you will be amazed at how nice, and easy, and fast, FW sailing can be.
Yes, you can sail FW in the Gorge. I do it all the time, and I’m an old guy. On a day at Roosevelt or 3-Mile or Port Kelley, when most guys are out with 7.0-8.5 slalom gear, I can keep a 10.0 with a FW board and 64 cm fin under control and generally be faster. Fun stuff.
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