Technique & Technical Help

I called this quite a few years ago the Calema Beach Start. I live in a place where sailing big sails and long fins expands my sailing opportunity. But big fins are a pain to beach start.  So let me show you a more graceful way of not only preserving your fin, but also the ability to avoid running aground as soon as you sheet in.
Basically you set up as a normal beach start, but go between the board and the rig, instead of being to windward of the board.


This way you can push the board away where the water is deeper.
Keep the mast perpendicular to the board's centerline, the clew directly downwind of it, so the wind is not pushing or pulling on the sail;
Then place your back heel on the board's centerline, leg extended. Place the back end of the boom on the bottom so the rig anchors the board away from the shallower water. Keep one hand on the mast to steady the mast and to keep it pointing directly into the wind.


Use the boom as a crutch and hop onto the board, applying pressure directly towards the clew of the boom.



Remember to minimize pressure on the boom clew, and put most of your weight on your back foot, as you hop onto the board. Both feet should end up on the board's centerline, and behind the mast foot.

Once on the board, quickly grab the up haul, pull the rig up and off you go!!