Tips for carrying gear on your head

I used to be able to carry the gear on my head 20 years ago but a break from sailing + a crook neck has me hopeless these days. I think the neck will be up to carrying the smaller kit but I've forgotten how to get the gear from the ground up onto my head.. Any diagrams , videos etc will be great..

I remember I used to line the nose of the board into the wind upside down with the rig on top mast away from the wind then get under it and lift it up.. here's where I come a cropper these days..That technique was to start to carry the board up Nobby's in NE. I think I used to stand the opposite way to go back down..??
Too old and unfit for the surf these days but I sail at Canton and there is a 30' wide patch of deep weed to negotiate to get into the water. Weed gets hung up on everything so carrying the gear on your head in & out will be better. I'll have to get it up there from grass though whereas before it was on sand and I could bury the nose in a bit as I lifted..

technique is the same as 20 years ago. DOnt worry about your helmet damaging the sail. same pressure on it as your noggin.

Connect board to rig

Lie the sail down with the mast foot facing into wind, wind about 45 degrees over the foot / mast

Turn the board over and either rest the tail on the boom at the boom head, or tuck it under the boom with tail touching the mast

One hand in front footstrap, other on underside of boom and lever it up, with the board nose and boom tail still on the ground

Move under the whole rig and either lift above your head or rest the sail on your head and stand up.

Keep hold of footstrap by reaching around the mast and hold either boom or foot of sail (like in your photo) with the other hand. Scratch first because now you have no spare hands.

Walk with the wind coming at about 45 degrees over the front of the board / mast.

Don't turn around, don't let the wind get under the nose of the board, don't let the top of the sail hit a fence / tree / car / dog / small goat

Stagger along like a drunken fool with a large weight on their head towards the ocean in a round about route

To drop it off put it down with the board nose and boom tail resting on the ground and step out from underneath or - turn away from the wind and get slammed to your knees then climb out, or into wind and get flipped over breaking several body parts in the process.

Now go see a neck specialist and take severel weeks off the water


Alternatively.... just make two trips

And on both trips laugh at all the fools slammed under their rigs / with sprained necks / trying to pull a sail off a fence / staggering backwards towards a large transvestite dog

Repeat 100 times until you work out two trips is quicker than one and hurts a lot less

Durr. Don't know why I didn't think of that I use Guy's tips for everything else.Maybe because it's the first time I had a question re wave stuff and I've only thought of him for flatwater ( although I know he does waves).
Basically that's the way I do it .I think I just lack the strength to lift the gear..The sort of tips I was after was if there's a way to let the wind do the work or any other tips people use to lift the board up onto there head..Mind you as most of you are probably strong males you probably don't have any trouble..

Sue, age has got nothing to do with it!! If you know how to do it properly its like riding a bike. You should be able to carry a big multi cammed race sail and slalom board because you use the wind to do all the work for you. Thats why it was invented out of necessity all those years ago.
We use to carry wave and slalom sails from the top car park at Long Reef to the water (approx. 150 meters) down walk ways. It does help if the wind is blowing in the right direction but the principle is the same.
At some where like Canton its the perfect place to learn. Im sure you can picture the following as its where and how we launch.
the wind is dead onshore or slightly from the left, you face the board dead into the wind, the sail you pick up from the mast until its upright and the wind is helping you, dip your head under the mast and place it approx. 2/3rds the way up the sail between boom and board. Bend down, place your left hand just under the boom and with right hand pick up board using your legs to save your back. Use either the front strap (easier) or back strap (better when walking away from the wind) and lift both using the wind to help you. Then simply walk into the wind (truck loads easier than trying to get down the bank with rig and board underhand) until you get where you can drop board into water. Come out from under sail, the rig and board are usually positioned in the right spot. Hop on, sheet in and your gone.
Word of warning, don't drop the sail heavily onto your melon, after awhile it will split the stitching on the luff.
Hope this helps.

Sue,

I don't carry sails on my head anymore because my helmet (Gath) has a rivet like object poking out of the dead-centre top of it and I have put dimples in some of my older wave sails from this. So I carry board in windward hand by front strap and sail by leeward hand placed on boom. Stand in between board and sail. OK for short distances like Canton.
Longer distances, take board down to beach (@ Umina) first and sail second. Then connect the two and do as above.

I think we have hit rock bottom

Solved it!
I got someone to watch while I tried yesterday and I was just standing too far down the mast away from the board so not at the pivot point. Once I moved up close to the sail foot it was easy!
Now I just have to remember how to put it down gently. I just walked out to windward and laid it down but I seem to remember I used to move through the eye of the wind and flip the sail and be able to put the board down gently while holding the rig?.. I'll have to practise in the water. I used to often be placing it on the sand while now it will be grass so I'll have to be gentle.
Don't think I'll try and carry the big gear but anything less than a 5.8m sail + 95ltre board will work.