Haven't used it yet but if I was going to I would do it the same way as you but keep both feet in the straps to avoid twisting my ankle.
I hit an almost totally submerged wooden mast once. It was so long that the way I was hiked out, I couldn't have carved upwind to avoid it. I was too low to see it in time, but if I had, its about the only occasion I can remember where the bailing technique might have been the best answer.

If I get so overpowered I have to stop sailing, I just carve upwind and drop into the water to hold the sail on the surface until the squall passes.

You have an exit strategy You get a choice?

Tack, it's easier...

If I'm really cooked I just sheet out and head upwind, This slows me down quick enough.....A quick tack and I'm off again. I can't remember the last time I came off at high speed but I definitely wouldn't want to be stuck in the straps at any point.

+1

Try the butthole sea anchor with both feet still in the straps and hooked in thats what i do but watch you dont loose your nick nacks !!!!

sboardcrazy said..

When I sail in 30kts + and are way overpowered I like to choose when I stack it and I bail out regularly. Last sail at Canton I bailed out at each end and didn't even try and gybe..
Then I just let the rig go and fell back into the water and kept my rear foot in the strap to make sure the board didn't get too far away. It seemed to work well but wondering if anyone has any bailouts ( deliberate ) that they use and are safe..

If I am too chicken to attempt to gybe, then I just tack, which probably means if it is that windy I will be on my wave board, and so what that really means I will just fall in and start again... Even on the big board the sudden change of heart usually means the tack won't be dry.

I also find when you really overpowered and suffering, and having trouble getting downwind, that rigging the sail very flat with the out haul is counterproductive, better off rigging it as I would would normally or even a little less outhaul and trying to run deep during the lulls, heading upwind when you have too.

terminal said...
The simple answer when overpowered is to turn upwind, but you can then have a problem of getting downwind if the wind doesn't ease off.

If dabbling a bit on formula boards only taught me one thing it was that when overpowered a long way from home turning way downwind is a realistic option. For all boards. Back foot out. It's very wobbly, but if you can maintain just above 20 knots directly downwind you've turned that 30 knot gust into 10 knots of apparent wind. Go deeper in the gusts when the board speed gets too much too handle. You'll slow down, believe me. But concentrate on not losing too much board speed, you need that 20 knots board speed for when the next gust comes from behind. So be ready to tighten up and gain speed in the lulls. Worth practicing next time it's very windy, see how far you can get before falling off. It's just half a gybe really.

Sue I think you need to realise you are on bloody big gear in those winds.

I am 95kg and in solid 30kn I am on 85L, 21cm fin and 4.2. Might increase those sizes a bit if it is gusty.

You at 50 or 60kg (?) are on 95L freeride and 4.5m, which barely holds the nose down and the fin wants to rail up.
Maybe try to borrow a small FSW or a waveboard with lots of vee (not a new school board like an EVO) on next nuking day. You may be able to pick up a 5-7 y/o FSW about 70L for $400 ish one day and it will feel so so much better in those conditions.

Now you are GPS sailing Sue I believe the correct term is "German Gybing"

You do you run
crash the gybe (or just crash)
check your gps to see what speed you did
Then take of and do it all again

Hi Sue,

Have a look at this 360. I think if you went upwind took some speed off and then went for the 360 it would be the way to go. You don't have to try to complete it in high winds just let the rig drop gently in the water once you are 3/4 the way through.

I should have qualified the original post - I only use that method in the flat/flattish water at Canton where it is pretty safe with onshore winds. I wouldn't do it out in the middle of Lake Macquarie in 3 '+ rollers..
The turn upwind one sounds ok although Id have to make sure I weighted the windward rail as Id be worried the wind would get under the nose and flip me.I also don't like the idea of being stuck under the sail with the wind pushing it on me..
The throw the gear away option is ok but I have trouble catching it especially if the wind gets in the sail and it sails away!
If you fell back with both feet in the straps you couldn't twist an ankle could you? I suppose you could strain the muscles on the top of your foot..?

Mark _australia said..

Sue I think you need to realise you are on bloody big gear in those winds.

I am 95kg and in solid 30kn I am on 85L, 21cm fin and 4.2. Might increase those sizes a bit if it is gusty.

You at 50 or 60kg (?) are on 95L freeride and 4.5m, which barely holds the nose down and the fin wants to rail up.
Maybe try to borrow a small FSW or a waveboard with lots of vee (not a new school board like an EVO) on next nuking day. You may be able to pick up a 5-7 y/o FSW about 70L for $400 ish one day and it will feel so so much better in those conditions.

I'm 65kgs ( winter..) and I'd be on a 78ltre waveboard ( which I haven't totally mastered yet..) with a 3.8m or 3.2m sail.I'd still be totally overpowered as I need a 2m in those conditions ( gusting 35 +)..

When I'm going too fast, I put a little more weight on the board and ease the sail out a bit. Gives me more control and less speed. Doing this means you don't have to bail. If it is really, really bad, I'll take my back foot out of the strap, (freeride board, straps out on the rail) stand upright on the board and just feather the sail to keep moving.

Mark _australia said..

Sue I think you need to realise you are on bloody big gear in those winds.

I am 95kg and in solid 30kn I am on 85L, 21cm fin and 4.2. Might increase those sizes a bit if it is gusty.

You at 50 or 60kg (?) are on 95L freeride and 4.5m, which barely holds the nose down and the fin wants to rail up.
Maybe try to borrow a small FSW or a waveboard with lots of vee (not a new school board like an EVO) on next nuking day. You may be able to pick up a 5-7 y/o FSW about 70L for $400 ish one day and it will feel so so much better in those conditions.

Second this. The difference between the wrong gear for the conditions vs the right gear for the conditions is the difference between bailing out with your tail between your legs and attempting and succeeding in your gybes. It's really an enormous difference. The people you see enjoying 30+ are on the right gear for the conditions.

You'd love a 70l board. It'll be your new favourite.

sboardcrazy said..

Mark _australia said..

Sue I think you need to realise you are on bloody big gear in those winds.

I am 95kg and in solid 30kn I am on 85L, 21cm fin and 4.2. Might increase those sizes a bit if it is gusty.

You at 50 or 60kg (?) are on 95L freeride and 4.5m, which barely holds the nose down and the fin wants to rail up.
Maybe try to borrow a small FSW or a waveboard with lots of vee (not a new school board like an EVO) on next nuking day. You may be able to pick up a 5-7 y/o FSW about 70L for $400 ish one day and it will feel so so much better in those conditions.

I'm 65kgs ( winter..) and I'd be on a 78ltre waveboard ( which I haven't totally mastered yet..) with a 3.8m or 3.2m sail.I'd still be totally overpowered as I need a 2m in those conditions ( gusting 35 +)..

Even 78 sounds big for your weight in 30 knots. You should spend more time on the 78 - its a medium sized board for you.
I'm 82 kg and my favourite board is an 86 litre 56cm wide waveboard which I use from 5.7 down to 4.0m sails. It makes it so much easier to handle choppy water and waves. If you have the right 3.2m sail and mast, you should be OK with that sail in 35 knots, but the 78 would be feeling big.