Optimum Pumping Techique

Well it's slower than we use when windsurfing, because the sail refresh rate is not as efficient.

Depending on the style of pumping action, I.e if you can combine rocking the boat to leeward in order to assist the refill or not I'd say pumping a dinghy is only about 60% as efficient as pumping a sailboard.

This research is of course pretty anecdotal, since the natives don't actually like it up them, so peak efficiency can only really be achieved when races get abandoned.

PS And don't even sneeze into the sail down the lake or the miracle mums will scream and rant about waving their arms in the air..

I understood that a sailing dinghy propelled is 6 times faster round the cans.

Originally posted by Peaky Thanks for that. That's a good point about combining with rocking - that forces the pumping frequency to coincide with the roll period. But on windsurfers do you just pump as fast as possible or is there a rate that feels fastest? And could you improve speeds by a fraction of a knot if there was proper research into it?

No, that's a common mistake just flapping as fast as you can, I'd say it's exactly like rowing technique if there's been any research into that it would be worth looking at. Calling it air rowing is pretty accurate, but obviously there are different techniques according to different points of sailing, in much the same way as there are in dinghies. It's obviously banned in dinghies so I've never seen anyone other than ainslie on film and I don't think his techniques is particularly special tbh. Pumping is a very defined art, it requires good timing, it also has to be in tune with any shifts or you lose out, it can also be very effective practised subtley in low wind conditions. It is obviously very reliant on the created wind refilling the sail since the actual 'pump' is replacing the true wind.

Off the start line you live or die from your pumping ability and stamina, it's one place where pumping speed and pumps per second do count if you don't then you die in a maelstrom of disturbed air from everyone else flapping , but that rapid rate just cannot be maintained so once your either up to optimum speed and have generated enough apparent wind to hook in and lock down, or if it's too light you settle down to a rhythm of about 1 pump per second to keep momentum. It's very arduous, light wind races on windsurfing boards are so much more tiring than sailing in a gale of wind.

Peaky,
Should have added in light winds.

It’s the age old chess on the water vs physical athleticism argument... truth is, at Olympic level, I reckon it’s pretty much both and too assume it’s no longer just as ‘tactical’ is at best naive, or worse; damn arrogant.