What Does Luff Mean In Windsurfing?

Luff is a crucial concept in windsurfing sails, affecting its shape, aerodynamics, and overall performance. It is the forward edge of a sail that attaches to the mast’s front side and runs from the top to the bottom. Its main purpose is to control airflow over the surface. In windsurfing, you control where the board goes by luffing and dropping, and lay the foundation for tacking and jibing.

Luff Tube refers to the tube in the leading edge of the sail into which the mast is fitted. Luffing alters course towards the wind, and mast extension is an adjustable version of a mast foot. The downhaul is one of the most important steps to rigging, as it controls the shape of your windsurfing sail and cannot be changed while sailing.

To properly tune luff tension, it is essential to understand the technical terms and concepts related to windsurfing and links to further articles. Before hauling the sail up for the first time in the water, get the feel of the winds pull on your rig by assembling the mast, booms, and sail on shore. Place the mast base in the sand or on the grass, haul up the sail, and allow it to luff.

The luff length is the length of the leading edge of the sail, and when the sail is pointed too high into the wind, it shakes and flutters from the luff. Heading up (luff) is the maneuver of going upwind, bringing the bow to windward (where the wind comes from). A luff tensioner is a rope with which the sail is tensioned in the longitudinal direction, attached to the luff extrusion.