This is an example of "perfert 7 stance". Shoulders, hips and feet are perfertly in line. But this works only only flat water and steady wind or going upwind only. Of course old school, from a 1999 photo (not me) Short lines and narrow footstrap spread as compared to front straps to mast foot
Sail rake is needed on go fast kit.
Modern slalom sailors still rake the sail, and sometimes open up a bit when really powered up. Also use wide stance and mast track very forward.
Freestyle stance is wide, mast track back similar to wave stance.
They go slow and use smaller sails.
Do you prefer slow or fast?
RELAXED 7 is a good stance.
Go fast needs one technique.
Learning to windsurf a different one.
Freestyle and waves another one.
Now foiling adds 2 more.
Winging?
Fast and tricky?
Compromise. Grey instead of black or white.
Doesn't work for my 38 year old idea of..go fast, turn well, jump high.
I started windsurfing at age 35, so my goals were very low.
I was looking at the desirable stand for slalom sailing that is proposed, I agree all the way but.... The stand proposed is good as long as you are not way overpowered and the water is not super choppy. You will than need to adopt a poo stand and use longer harness line..move mast fwd a notch etc...and from the beach it doesn't look as pretty but it's the way that you will help bitting the bullet. That poo stand come up fairly late...means need to be soooo muuuchhhh over power compare to a novice...but that poo stand will make you bit the bullet...and when it happens you cannot correct the guy...you can just suggest to change sail.
Stand are wider on wave and freestyle, boom are usually higher on freestyle to be more centered on the board, I'm a pretty low level freestyler(spock grubby etc) but higher boom really helping me for sure. But what I understood over the years, windsurfer are like surveys. what works for 98% of the sailors 19/20......there that 2% 1 out of 20 that is a outlier and he is not bull****ting, he can't sail with long line, he can't sail with boom set at chest...or chin...and that's the way it is.
For slalom...I prefer my boom low compare to most slalom sailor...I guess I could work on this to release faster...but I'm not confortable in the high end zone with higher boom...
Yes, freestyles adapt easily to foil due to tiny fins they are used to.
Slalom still appears 22" spread of stance, rear strap starting around 8" from tail, and mast track around 23" from center of front straps.
Similar for high jumps in bump sailing, but track pulled back 1-2". That's for high jumps in flat water.
Australia stopped using the imperial measurement system in the 70's.
I don't understand why Americans still insist on using the cave man measurement system.
We WILL catch up eventually.
Look who we have for President. That shows we're still a century behind.
A way to picture a good stance is a position that a human body must have to travel across the water in a straight horizontal line and with a near still center of gravity.
Then, arms and legs can freely sometimes frantically wiggle up and down with chop, swell and current.
Torso moves in and out to distribute weight load.
Not sure this helps but the idea is that body adjusts to keep harness lines load as water state and wind fluctuate.
I do firmly believe that most stances work over flat water. When the water state starts building, stance flaws are outlined. Arms fatigue, back aches, legs on fire, are all signs that something is off.
A good stance with slight variations depending on gear and conditions will be universal. Well that's my thought anyway :)