Where do you start, many many factors are going to affect your speed. I would probably look at the gear everyone that is passing you is using. If you are using freeride gear and all the peeps passing you are on Slalomn gear then that's probably the reason. I would not be so hung up on being passed, there is always going to be someone faster than you, even if your a full on pro. If you want to go faster then maybe get some lessons , look for u tube vids on going faster. Trade your current gear for some faster gear. Just sail as fast as you want to not what other people are doing. That's kind of my thing anyway. Just have fun.

Trick to going fast is to have as little of the board as possible in the water, harness as much of the wind energy available to your body weight and convert it into forward motion with an efficient fin.
Optimising all these things involves myriad complex interacting factors, that vary with the individual, water condition and equipment used.
You can totally tangle your head trying to figure it all out, but after years on the water experience can help.

Tuning, tuning and tuning. Use the same gear and perfect your rigging and technique. And you need to be really powered up.

^+1
Micah Buzianis said exactly that in an article about going faster ...
in same article he "says":

1) get rid of uphaul (i am NOT sure how big a factor that is)
2) rig BIG - go overpowered
3) SIT for speed - seat harness
4) match up - get a training partner - to see which changes work and which do not
5) tension those battens - especially the bottom ones
6) push the rig away - long harness lines, underhanded front grip and lines positioned to push rig
7) get boom height right - shoulder to forehead range !!
8) lead, don't follow

also mentions adjustable outhaul and mast base position experimentation

none of this means I am fast - just Micah

Point your toes, ride the fin.

All advice above is good and will help you go faster, but I can't believe that no one has mentioned the basics...

Get your feet out on the rails & push against the fin (move straps to outer settings).
Put all of your weight on your boom and rake your sail back to close it off against your board (this does depend on sail shape), but don't lean the sail toward the wind too much as although it will provide lift, it reduces the area of sail to the wind.
Twist body forward and hold a strong stance making sure you are sheeted in as much as you can...you'll soon feel 'overdrive' kick in.

Sailhack said...
All advice above is good and will help you go faster, but I can't believe that no one has mentioned the basics...

I can't believe that no one has said ' more down haul' !!

Or alternatively, to avoid the feeling of people flying past you, is to do what I do and sail by yourself. Problem solved

da vecta said...
Or alternatively, to avoid the feeling of people flying past you, is to do what I do and sail by yourself. Problem solved

Second that

da vecta said..
Or alternatively, to avoid the feeling of people flying past you, is to do what I do and sail by yourself. Problem solved

I'm often the fastest sailor around midweek ..shh I won't mention I'm the only..

I did the first few Ledge to Lancelins, always seemed to be tussling with the same guy of similar standard to me. The frustrating thing was I was faster than him on starboard tack and he was faster than me on port tack. No adjustment I made would make a difference. Fortunately for me the race end on starboard tack. :)

sausage said..

Agrid said..
I did the first few Ledge to Lancelins, always seemed to be tussling with the same guy of similar standard to me. The frustrating thing was I was faster than him on starboard tack and he was faster than me on port tack. No adjustment I made would make a difference. Fortunately for me the race end on starboard tack. :)

Could have been the mast base you were using Agrid

He He He.
Are we sure it wasn't the extension.

Dont be scared to bear away. Bear off and get up to speed, then head back up wind once you are going flat out. As mentioned before, rig big, full downhaul, long harness lines, straps out and back, sheet on, bear away with foot steering tilting board away, keep down pressure on the back foot. Get the mast base in the right place, 3cm will make it feel like a different board. Sail lots. Sail in rough water. Sail diamonds rather than reaching back and forth, ie sail 120 to 135 degrees downwind, then sail upwind the gybe, then downwind, then upwind, this will get you used to getting up to speed before trying to sail up wind. If someone is passing you, bear off and sheet on. Pump like crazy, dont let them pass. If you havent sailed like this yet, then give it a try. If you can sail like this for 10 minutes first time, go back to the beach and rig up with an extra m of sail. First time you sail with a big enough sail you just wont last. Dont worry, after a few times you will get it, before long the 9.7 feels like the old 7.8, then when its howling the 7.8 will feel like wave gear. The pros can sail like that all day, but us mere mortals cant. but we can manage a few runs. Gives us all something to aim for. Good luck and sail fast

sausage said..

Agrid said..
I did the first few Ledge to Lancelins, always seemed to be tussling with the same guy of similar standard to me. The frustrating thing was I was faster than him on starboard tack and he was faster than me on port tack. No adjustment I made would make a difference. Fortunately for me the race end on starboard tack. :)

Could have been the mast base you were using Agrid - you should buy a new one

Snags, can you recommend a good shop?

Lose your job...