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Upwind tip - lifts and headers

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JS
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Upwind tip - lifts and headers

Postby JS » Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:20 am

As competitive sailors know, wind direction is always fluctuating back and forth. The ability to play these wind shifts is one of the most critical principles of effective upwind sailing.

The same is even more critical for upwind kiteboarding because the upwind angles are relatively poor.

If you meet a windshift that causes you to alter course downwind, you have encountered a "header". Assuming that this isn't just caused by a lull, which will create an apparent header, this is the time to turn onto the opposite tack so that the windshift will assist your upwind angle instead of hindering it.

If the opposite happens, and you find your upwind angle suddenly improving due to a windshift, then you have encountered a "lift", so keep on going while it lasts. Note that a gust will also create an apparent lift, regardless of which tack you are on.

By choosing the appropriate tack for each windshift, you may easily reduce the time and distance travelled by a half or more to reach a point upwind.

Sorry to all of those that know this.

Best regards, James

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Postby kjorn » Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:26 am

Thanks! I never knew that.

monk.e.boy

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Postby tomatkins » Wed Jan 11, 2006 7:07 pm

JS,

Excellent post!

As an addendum to that upwind strategy, I would suggest also, that when you start sensing a big lull, that you turn around and head back into the "river of wind". This way you may be lucky enough to get a few more seconds of windyness, which helps you stay on a plane and keeps you going upwind. I have found that, when using an air jibe, I loose the least distance downwind of any type of turn. This translates into getting upwind faster.

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Postby JS » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:48 pm

Thanks tomatkins,

In certain locations, the wind river you describe is a very consistent phenomenon.

Each locale has its own wind characteristics, often different from day to day. Oscillations in wind direction often happen at a fairly consistent frequency, and you can sometimes anticipate your upwind course by timing the windshifts.

In some cases it's better to sail a bit into a header so you have a longer lift available after tacking, but in most cases it's best to tack the instant you encounter a header. Gusts and windshifts are usually related to the vertical displacement of air. When a pocket of air tumbles down and hits the water, it tends to radiate somewhat outward, so you can often get a good lift by sailing up along the fringe of a gust.

When I encounter a header when sailing or kiting, I usually tack instantly, using the header to initiate the tack (or whatever you call it on a kiteboard). That way, I don't even lose half a second sailing in an adverse windshift. It makes a big difference.

Playing the windshifts correctly can make the difference between going upwind and ending up half a mile downwind. It also might explain why different kiters have radically different opinions about how much wind and what equipment is required to go upwind ptoperly.

One more thing: To help me visualize what the wind is doing and what creates windshifts, gusts and lulls, I visualize water flowing in a small stream, complete with swirls, eddies and speed gradients. It helps me understand why the flowing airmass does what it does.

Regards, James

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Postby Trant » Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:12 pm

Nice post, somthing informative AND useful.

Thanks, this definitely helps. :thumb:

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Postby GAZZABA » Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:14 pm

Agree completely that attention to lifts and headers is of critical importance... especially when kiting in marginal powered conditions and over large areas.

As for tacking at the edge or a shift, puff, etc... one thing to remember:

Lines add 50M (edge of window to edge of window)

Therefore, you will need to kite into the shift further to take advantage of the shift (i.e. two line lengths).

Ride smart / Ride safe.

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Postby solo flight » Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:21 pm

With windsurfing you could always feel the best position for your sail when going upwind.This is lost with kiting,thanks for the 'header ' trick never
would have thought of that . :)

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Postby gdorfman » Thu Jan 12, 2006 6:13 am

I have a lot of time racing sailboats under shifty conditions, but honestly unless you kite in an extremely shifty area, this is a much, much less significant issue in kiting. Wind speed is much more important because it has massive effect on speed and *pointing ability*. In general, shifts are less significant the faster and more easily accelerated a boat is. A kiteboarder is an extreme of this. Shifts are most important (the dominant issue) on very slow boats, which all go the same speed, point equally in different wind speed, and don’t lose anything tacking. Be glad that is not your sport, because it is not extreme.

Also, because wind speed has such a huge effect on pointing on a kite, it is very difficult to recognize a header vs a lull. If you can’t easily recognize shifts, it will be hard to predict them. Also, changing direction is so inefficient, that you will lose too much distance if you try to tack on most shifts. Simply kiting in the strongest wind will have a much bigger effect for the average person.

If you already have a good background in shifts, it might be fun to pay attention to this if you kite in otherwise boring conditions, but I doubt many people could learn any of this kiting and really take advantage of it. If you want to play with shifts, get a sailboat.

But if someone wants to do a bit of this on a kite, and make it easy—just follow this simple rule—generally be on the tack which takes you closest to your destination. If you’re just reaching parallel to your goal, try a transition, and see if that is more direct. But really, this will only be significant over fairly big distances. If you are kiting in exciting conditions in the first place, you hopefully will have better things to think about.

Not trying to be dismissive, but i don't want a bunch of beginner kiters who struggle with upwind progress to now be spending all their time thinking about wind oscillations, when a solid kiter, on powered gear will always beat them upwind by a ton...

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Postby JS » Thu Jan 12, 2006 7:36 pm

gdorfman wrote:...unless you kite in an extremely shifty area, this is a much, much less significant issue in kiting. Wind speed is much more important because it has massive effect on speed and *pointing ability*...

Also, because wind speed has such a huge effect on pointing on a kite, it is very difficult to recognize a header vs a lull... Also, changing direction is so inefficient, that you will lose too much distance if you try to tack on most shifts.
I agree that staying in stronger wind is more important than windshifts, but assuming that you can stay in the good wind, you can definitely benefit from tacking on headers. Some areas have really consistent wind, but most don't. Regarding tacking a kiteboard, it is true that you lose some upwind ground, but with good technique, not a lot. With experience, you can make a subjective decision on when to tack and when to carry on. Ultimately, there are so many other condition variables that effect competitive upwind strategy - persistent or long-cycle windshifts, shoreling refraction, current shear and eddies, wave conditions, and so on.
gdorfman wrote:In general, shifts are less significant the faster and more easily accelerated a boat is... Shifts are most important (the dominant issue) on very slow boats, which all go the same speed, point equally in different wind speed, and don’t lose anything tacking.
I've gotta disagree with this point. Geometrically and practically, lifts and headers have the biggest effect on craft with the worst upwind angles (kiteboards), regardless of speed. If a kiteboard does 20 degrees upwind in a given windstrength, and it is always sailing in a 15 degree header, then it will only be making good 5 degrees upwind. Alternatively, if it's in a 15 degree lift, it will be making good 35 degrees - a massive difference. On sailboats with an upwind angle of 45-55 degrees, this is not as important, no matter how fast or slow they go. Curiously, faster craft usually have worse upwind angles because they have a greater apparent wind effect.

Also, playing shifts is most important on fast accelerating craft because you lose less ground after a tack.
gdorfman wrote:...i don't want a bunch of beginner kiters who struggle with upwind progress to now be spending all their time thinking about wind oscillations...
I agree. I posted this because there are a lot of competent kiters that may not realize how important playing windshifts can be, in the right conditions. That example I made about playing 15 degree windshifts with a 20 degree upwind angle really happens, and even after allowing for tacking losses, it could result in 5-6 times better upwind progress. You may not realize it until you really focus on it. I do, and the results can be massive.

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Re: Upwind tip - lifts and headers

Postby FredBGG » Thu Jan 12, 2006 8:17 pm

JS wrote:As competitive sailors know, wind direction is always fluctuating back and forth.
Though this is common it is not always the case. I know of locations where the wind direction is locked even if the wind is going up and down.
Often currents will effect you more than wind direction changes especially in low wind. Look at the water surface. Slightly smoother water indicates that the current is moving with the wind and slightly rougher water indicates that the current is moving against the wind.

There is one spot where I ride that often has light wind near the beach and I have to ride the really light stuff upwind to where there is more wind. I've figured out the currents there and using them makes it possible for me to get out. I'm often out there by myself on my Speed 17.

JS wrote:The same is even more critical for upwind kiteboarding because the upwind angles are relatively poor.
Some kites have far more upwind preformance than others. Above all with some kites you constantly have to deal with keeping the kite between stalling and pulling you upwind.

The best upwind kite I have seen or tried is the Flysurfer Speed.
It is very easy to go upwind with this kite. Above all you can go upwind at a very steep angle slowing down the board without the kite stalling. You can actually "rest" going upwind.

Last weekend I did a 2 to 3 mile upwinder against both swell and strong chop. I at 225 lbs was riding a Speed 10 while a friend of mine 185 lbs was riding a Venom 19. He is a very good upwind rider and the Venom is too. He headed upwind before me, but I caught up with him and at times overtook him despite my weight and smaller kite. I would have done even better on a Speed 13. We both kept away from the beach to avoid the current.

How you use the swell is important to. If the swell is large enough you can use the downhill side on the back of the swell to increase your upwind angle. If you get up enough speed you can keep that angle up the face of the wave.

Cheers

Fred


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