Just like when you are holding up a kid’s jumper that is clearly too big for the child it is intended for, the temptation when investing in your first lot of windsurfing equipment is to think, ‘I’ll grow into it’.

But according to Sam that is the worst thing you can do…..

Beginner board

It used to be the basic rule of thumb that the newer you were to the sport, the longer the board you needed. Now it is all about width, volume and reserve volume (we will come to that in a moment…)

Sam, who is an RYA Windsurfing Instructor says, significant advances in kit development over the past five to six years means you are now able to get more out of your ‘starter’ kit for longer, as the wider boards provide greater stability and can better handle a much bigger wind range as well as skill range .

That pattern continues as you move up through your intermediate levels before the kit starts becoming more discipline specific the more advanced your skills become.

Windsurfing is easier now than it has ever been.

So, size does matter? Sam provides his top tips on what to look for when buying a board.

For a beginner take your body weight in kilograms and then add about 20kg, which typically accounts for your wetsuit, rig and board.

That figure will give you the amount of volume needed in the board to float you as one litre will float one kilo. Once you have that figure, double it. That will give you a good amount of ‘reserve volume’ which will add sufficient stability to help you in the early stages.

The more volume you have the more stable you will be and the better you will float.

For example if you weight 80kgs, when you factor in reserve volume, your starter board should be about 200 litres, 60kgs would be 160 litres etc.

Minnis Bay Windsurfing Club – beginners Elaine and Lisa get ready

Once you start progressing into intermediate level, where you may have completed a Start Windsurfing course and are going a bit faster or are maybe using a harness, a board 40-60 litres in volume will likely be more suitable.

That volume recommendation drops to 20-40l for higher level intermediates, this will still give enough volume for uphauling but the board will be better suited for stronger winds.

After that optimum board volume largely depends on what discipline you are doing, for example you would probably add 5-10 litres for freestyle or lose about the same for wave.

Whatever you are doing it is all about having enough volume to float you sufficiently.

A board for planing conditions, with a good sized fin to generate some lift, but not too much, for our light weight sailor.

Things like the developments in rigs that can cope in wider wind ranges and the introduction of boards having more than one fin have all contributed to the fact that boards can now be shorter and more manageable in a wider range of conditions.

Having more than one fin means you can expand the range of a board as the size of the fin should marry up with the size of the sail.

This also ties into the conditions – a bigger fin for light airs as they generate greater lift and lateral resistance and smaller fin for when it is windier to stay flatter – whereas previously you may have gone out and bought another board altogether for the different conditions.

You have to feel comfortable in the full range of conditions with whatever you are sailing. If you start finding it harder to control the board in rougher conditions and/or higher winds, for example, it is probably time to start thinking about getting a less voluminous board.

Mark Hosegood, on a smaller board designed for more advanced riders

But do not look at it as a one-board solution; investing in a smaller board does not mean you should get shot of your bigger board.

Your first board can still be a fantastic, advanced piece of kit in light winds. Many Stand Up Paddleboards (SUPs) now have windsurfing fittings as well so give you the ultimate light wind compromise with or without a sail. Just take your paddle with you where you go!

The most important thing in all of this is making sure you can spend as much time on the water as possible. The better you get, the more you want to progress and learn new stuff, and that comes back to making sure you have the right board to start it all off with.

To find out more about getting started in windsurfing and RYA Windsurfing training courses visit www.rya.org.uk

 Love Windsurfing?  Then why not join the association that promotes and protects, safe, successful and rewarding British windsurfing.  Join today and support the RYA in protecting your rights and freedoms.  Take advantage of free advice and support on a wide range of windsurfing topics; enjoy free third party insurance, as well as a fantastic range of personal member offers.  Find out more by calling 0844 556 9556, email member.services@rya.org.uk or visit www.rya.org.uk

So often you don’t actually realise the last time you sailed at the end of a season is when your kit commonly gets stowed away at the back of the garage on the off-chance it might still get another outing that year.

What that means is all too often boards and rigs hibernate all winter having had no final wash down, while sails are less than lovingly stored away and masts and booms dumped. It’s not just salt that does the damage; kit used on inland waters need as much love too.

Sarah Cartwright is an RYA Windsurf Instructor, Race Coach and Team15 project support officer. She gives us the lowdown on what you should be looking out for when you’re thinking about getting out for the first blast of the season to blow off the cobwebs.

WHAT’S YOUR WETSUIT AND HARNESS LIKE – At the end of the season make sure it’s clean and dry before stashing it away, otherwise you’ve no idea how many holes or other nasties you may find before you go to use it for the first time

ROOF RACK CHECK – if you’re going cart your board around on the top of the car make sure the rack bars, screws and roof straps aren’t rusty and liable to give way at 70mph!

Boards, is your one ready?

PRE-SEASON KIT MOT – make a checklist and go through at home to ensure everything is in good working order before you go afloat. By the time you’re at the water for the first time, if you do find something is broken or missing, it could be a wasted journey.

Any expense or effort expended now will be nothing in comparison to getting caught out if your kit breaks in the middle of a lake, or off a beach, and there’s no rescue cover or anyone around to help you.

How would you get yourself, your board, rig and sail safely back to shore in those circumstances? Bear in mind most breakages are likely to occur when there is a lot of pressure going through it, ie it’s windy! That’s not going to make getting ashore any easier. Not to mention the ribbing from your mates once you do make it back!

1)    Board

• Deck plate – check it’s in working order, still fits properly into the mast track and the mechanisms engage securely
• If you have a moving mast track check it’s clear
• Universal joint (UJ) – if it’s rubber this could deteriorate and becomes weaker over the winter. If it’s one with a hinge joint ensure they still have the rotation and movement required. If your UJ gives way when you’re afloat, the mast and board will come apart. Then you’re in trouble!
• Apply lubricant spray to the fin bolt and the threads in the fin, making sure it still fits properly. This applies to all fins you might use through the season
• Footstraps – ensure there’s no corrosion on the screws and they are fitted securely
• If using a daggerboard check the slot flushers to ensure they are still secure and in place

Sails, ropes, and more; all worth checking!

2)    Sail / rig

• Mastfoot/Extension
  • First thing to check is the pulleys for signs of rust or corrosion. If there are signs put it in warm soapy water whist checking the rest of your equipment
  • Once soaked rinse it off and dry, removing any significant rust with a wire brush ensuring they have their full movement. If using lubricant ensure it doesn’t go onto the pulley directly as the rope won’t have anything to grip when applying downhaul
  • Also check the cleats are clean and free of corrosion
  • Ensure the UJ release lever/button is moving freely and the cleats are clear
  • If using an extension, ensure you can easily adjust its length and lock in place, ensuring the bottom of your mast is clean and clear to allow your mast or mast foot to fit in easily
• Ropes – they may look ok when you first get them out but if they have dried out over the winter they are likely to be more prone to fraying. If in doubt it’s worth changing them for a few pounds rather than potentially having an accident!
• Harness lines – check the lines for signs of wear. It’s also important to check the velcro and webbing, which attaches it to the boom
• Boom – check the boom clamp and rope are working okay and the length of the boom can be easily adjusted.
• Uphaul – it’s essential it’s attached securely and not showing signs of wear

3)    Kit bag/Tool Box – have you got the screwdrivers you need, your easy rig, knife and a way to burn the ends of the rope? Have you got the spares and tools for things you’re most likely to need?

Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security with any of this – your kit may look ok at the start of the season but a winter of corrosion and unattended wear and tear is inevitably going to have caused bits to weaken. Keep an eye throughout the season and if something is starting to look a bit tired replace it or at least make sure you have a spare.

Prevention is always better than cure so at the end of a session give your kit the attention it deserves for having given you an awesome time on the water! After every season give everything a once over to save yourself time, ensuring everything is put away clean and dry, making a list of what needs or may need replacing soon. That way come the start of the following season, getting out on the water for the first time will be a lot smoother!

Getting started

These are some of the common misconceptions held up as ‘daunting’ reasons why potential newcomers to the sport never go any further than thinking it might be a cool pastime reflects Amanda Van Santen, RYA Chief Instructor, Dinghy and Windsurfing.

There are arguably more routes than ever before into taking those first tentative steps on to a board, yet the common reasons not to remain all too well-worn.

Amanda and Gillian Wright, RYA National Windsurfing Development Officer, make it their raison d’être to explain to the population at large –adults and kids – why these ‘reasons’ are nothing more than myths.

Here Amanda and Gillian provide their top tips on getting started in the sport.

At the very earliest point of thinking you may like to learn to windsurf, have a look at the Where’s My Nearest section of the RYA website. You may have already decided that there can’t possibly be anywhere local to you cater for windsurfing as you live in the middle of the country or the middle of nowhere. But there are some 250 RYA Training Centres running windsurfing courses in Britain and overseas so chances are you actually won’t have to travel too far at all. The RYA Start Windsurfing course is for adults and Windsurfing Stage 1 is for juniors.

Amanda Van Santen

Not at the start anyway. RYA Training Centres can provide you with all the kit and equipment you need including a wetsuit. The only things you may need are something for your feet and your own swimsuit. A common mistake is newcomers buy equipment that’s not appropriate for them, either too big and they progress off of very quickly, or too advanced, which hampers progression. We recommend not even thinking about investing in your own equipment until you reach Intermediate course level.

The language specific to windsurfing can be baffling and off-putting to an outsider. A key part of our Instructor training is they are taught to keep language simple so people can understand it, the same language is then as you continue to progress throughout the whole scheme.

We try to get people on to the water as soon as possible. There is a bit of simulated activity on shore to start with but one of the great things about windsurfing is pretty much everyone can go in a straight line by the end of session one. Windsurfing is about technique, which is why size, age, gender etc. don’t matter and you can improve pretty quickly. At the end of a two-day course people generally can get up and move on the board, sail across the wind, downwind, upwind, tack, gybe and understand how to put the kit together. Seeing quick improvements is really motivating for people to keep on wanting to get better.

NWF, the perfect place to catch up with other windsurfers.

Like with any sport the more you do it the better you will get more quickly. Most RYA training centres and windsurfing clubs have a ‘pay and play’ facility to hire kit and get out on the water. Many centres offer ‘pay and play’ discounts for students on their training courses, to encourage them to practice, while others are aligned with windsurfing clubs where people can get discounted hire. When practicing new techniques, stay in a comfortable Force 1-3. People don’t realise how much conditions can affect ability to learn.

Gillian Wright – Team15 champs cup 2011

Windsurfing is a massively social sport, even right from the start. There is a lot more fun to have if there are a few of you, so you can learn and progress together. People of all ages are much more likely to continue with a sport if they have an emotional and social attachment with it. Hook up with like-minded people in your area.  Find a club or group via the RYA (www.rya.org.uk) or Project Windsurf-UK (www.projectwindsurfuk.org.uk) websites or if you’re 15 or under look for your nearest Team15 club. This is one front on which Team15 has been so successful; the emphasis is on being part of a club with your mates.

When the time comes to buy your own kit and equipment make sure you get the right stuff you need for you to be comfortable on the water. Learning can be made easy by taking RYA courses, either locally or on holiday overseas, where all the equipment is provided and suitable for your level. When you’re progressing the kit you can hire will be appropriate to your standard, and change as you progress. But get it wrong when buying your own and you could stop yourself wanting to go! Start with a good fitting wetsuit and buoyancy aid; if you are warm and comfortable then you will want to go more. Buying your own board and sail will help you get out more often. Get good advice before you invest depending on budget.

Take time to think about your options with windsurfing equipment.

Learn how to put your board on your roof rack securely. It’s quite simple, but only if you know how. If you don’t have a car, can’t drive or don’t have sufficient storage, don’t stop let that stop you buying your own kit. Some clubs and centres offer storage for a small fee.

A badly rigged sail can hinder progress. If you buy from a centre or shop, they will show you how. If you buy second-hand ask the seller or a more experienced windsurfer to show you. Someone in your windsurfing group can help you.

Do I need to say more!

Find out more about RYA Windsurfing training courses at www.rya.org.uk

Windsurfing at NWF

Love to Windsurf?  Then why not join the association that supports you?

Join the RYA today and benefit from:

• Free third party insurance
• Representing your interests and defending your rights of navigation
• Personal advice and information on a wide range of windsurfing related topics
• Free sail numbers for Gold Members
• Legal advice on buying, selling and other windsurfing related matters
• The latest news delivered to your door or inbox by RYA magazine and e-newsletters
• Boat show privileges including free access to the exclusive RYA member’s lounge
• Discounts on a wide range of products and services

Get more from your boarding; support the RYA

Want to know more?  Call 0844 556 9556 or email member.services@rya.org.uk or join online at www.rya.org.uk/go/join

New to windsurfing? Find out more about getting into the sport in the Basics section here. 

Everyone should learn to beach start as soon as possible, as it’s a purely mechanical action and has little to do with your windsurfing sills.  So find a gently shelving shoreline with, ideally with a cross-shore wind and walk out into just over knee depth water to give these skills a go.

Beachstart 1

Beachstart 2

Beachstart 3

RIG ELEVATION ‘Slide & Glide’

Set the board up at approximately 90 degrees to the wind.

Never lift the mast straight up. Slide the mast horizontally so that your front arm sweeps the rig from a downwind position to an upwind position. Immediately hold the boom with both hands and look ahead to make sure the board is pointing very slightly upwind of a beam reach.

Beachstart 4 - steering upwind

Steering Upwind

To steer upwind, drop the rig low and back towards the tail.

Beachstart 5 - steering downwind

Steering Downwind

To steer downwind, raise the rig and push forward through the front arm.

In strong winds start your beachstart 5-10 degrees upwind of a beach reach.

In lighter winds start your beachstart 5-10 degrees downwind of a beam reach.

Beachstart 6

Beachstart 7

Beachstart 8

Beachstart 6 - Be strong with the front arm and get the rig as high as you can whilst ‘fanning’ the clew hand up and down to control and exhaust the rigs power. Place your back foot (pointing forward slightly) just to windward of the centerline (if you have straps, place it between the front and back straps).

Beachstart 7 - Make sure the back leg is bent and pulling the tail in towards the body, especially when you come up on to the board. To create extra lift, ‘twist’ the rig like a giant set of handlebars above your head. The front arm extends up and forwards while simultaneously the backhand pulls the clew in towards and up above the head.

Beachstart 8 - To coincide with the rig twist, flex that back leg and duck your head under the boom towards the mast base. Leave bringing the front foot up as late as possible, but when you do, place it up by the mast base and keep low in a wide Super 7 ‘drop and push’ stance.

Beachstart problems?

Never try to push the rig up, this backwinds the sail and sends you down!

Straightening the back leg when coming up onto the board often links into many of the aforementioned problems.

Getting pulled over the front? You’ve turned away from the wind too much.

Sail keeps coming down on top of you with no lift? You’re too far into wind or pulling too hard.

Keep falling back into the water? You’ve stood up or brought the front leg up too soon.

Getting pulled straight over the other side? You’re standing up too soon.

Waterstart

In lighter winds and on larger boards, you need to uphaul or beachstart to get going. In stronger winds, more experienced windsurfers develop a technique known as ‘waterstarting’. The power in the sail lifts them from the water up onto the board, much like a waterskier is pulled out of the water by a speedboat. Sub 115L boards have to be started this way as they have insufficient volume to be uphauled. Once you’ve mastered the basic beach start, try it in deeper water. In time you’ll be able to do it out of your depth. In windy venues and on fast track clinics, they teach waterstarting to relative beginners. It’s actually is a very mechanical move that has little to do with the rest of your windsurfing ability. Whilst it’s not essential keep windsurfing long term, waterstarting does opens up a whole world of opportunity to sail in stronger winds and on smaller boards.

Simple Summary

• Twist the rig up and forward
• Roll the head in and down towards the mast base
• Flex the back leg to pull the tail in underneath you

Simon Bornhoft Windwise www.windwise.net

GOING FASTER

Once you’re comfortable in the harness and straps, you’ll be able to use larger sails and reach planing speeds. On modern equipment, it doesn’t take long to progress enough to experience the thrill of skimming over the water at about 20 Knots. It’s a sensation you’ll never forget and want to repeat as often as possible. Initially, sailing in stronger winds can be physical and you’ll have an increased number of dismounts, but that’s half the fun of learning! If you work on your stance you’ll become more assured with your actions and soon be sitting back and enjoying the ride.

Going faster

To establish a good base stance, think of the number 7 it will help apply some key windsurfing principles.

Vision: Look where you want to go.

Trim: Keep the board flat with equal weight on the feet, extending the front leg and slightly bending back leg.

Opposition: Extend the front arm to keep a distance from the rig and create that counter balance.

Power: With the arms shoulder width apart, sheet the boom in and down by dropping the rear shoulder and hip to windward.

OVERALL THOUGHT: Use the body weight to resist the power in the sail, not the arms.

PLANING STEERING

When you’re in the harness and straps at higher speeds, it’s possible to change direction using the slightest leg, toe and heel pressure.

DOWNWIND STEERING

To turn downwind, push through the front leg and toes of the front foot whilst flexing the rear leg.

If you also lean the rig forward (body stays back) it will accentuate the downwind turning action.

UPWIND STEERING

To turn upwind push through the rear leg and slightly flex the front leg.

If you also lean the rig back, it will accentuate the upwind turning action.

Blasting control

BLASTING CONTROL

How you move, position and angle your body, has a massive effect on being able to adapt to different water states, wind conditions, board speeds and the varying power in the rig. So get ready to be dynamic and accentuate some key points. Using the 7 shape as the basis of your stance, you alter the alignment between head, hips and heels to control and cope with different conditions.

Blasting control

In lighter winds, both in and out of the harness and straps, you’ll want to straighten the ‘7’ stance. This is done by lifting and locking the hips and tightening the torso to encourage the rigs power to transfer through the body to the board. Really extending and pushing through the front leg, also helps to lock the board flat and drive it forward.

“A Lift & Lock Straight 7 Stance”

Rig back, body forwards.

To keep planing through lulls or when heading upwind, lean the upper body forward and rake the sail back towards the tail to counter balance.  In extreme situations this can mean bending the front leg slightly to allow the upper body to accentuate the forward lean.

Strong wind control

STRONGER WINDS

At the other end of the wind scale when you want to control excess speed you need to alter your stance and the forces that transfer from the rig to the board. Essentially you need to commit more weight down into the harness and lock the board flat to the water.

Drop and dig

Strong winds, need real commitment and the rewards are amazing. So whenever windsurfers need more control they use what is often referred to as a Super 7 ‘drop and dig’ stance. This action is used whenever there is a very strong pull from the rig, be that getting going, harnessing, finding footstraps or controlling a speeding board over chop. The principle movement is to ‘drop’ the hips and ‘dig’ the heels (curling the toes up when in the footstraps). This dropping down and back in the harness increases your resistance over the rig and creates a down force onto the mast base that helps lock the board flat. The curling of the toes and the crucial flexing of the back leg absorbs chop and reduces bounce. When it’s windy, you’ll see people locked down and really blasting flat out. No words can describe the sensation this gives you.

“At speed the board responds to your every move as you’re scudding over the surface of the water, powered by the wind and controlled through your body. It’s a feeling you’ll never forget!”

Control problems? Image credit Starboard/John Carter

Looking at the kit, breaking at the waist, bending the arms too much or moving in the same direction of the rig, are all common beginner, intermediate and advanced problems, both in or out of the harness. Working on developing your 7 shaped stance range early on will pay huge dividends as you progress through the sport. Especially when new to planing speeds, there’s a tendancy to be catapulted forward by the rig. To combat this, take a more upwind sailing line and accentuate your ‘drop & dig’ stance.

There will be more from Simon Bornhoft Windwise www.windwise.net in the next edition of Boards Basics soon! For now check out the previous pieces in the series and catch up on any techniques you have missed here. 

Images by Karen Bornhoft Windwise

Some larger boards have carrying slots in the deck, if not you can use the daggerboard handle, mast base or footstraps to help tuck the board under your arm. Always try to carry the board so that the board is downwind of your body. This means that the wind helps to lift the board taking some of the weight for you. If you leave the board alone on the shore, point the tail directly into the wind.

Carrying Kit, what's the best way?

CARRYING YOUR RIG

You’ll initially find rigs harder to handle, especially in a breeze. The golden rule is to always have the mast facing towards the wind.

CARRYING YOUR RIG BY YOUR SIDE

In breezier conditions hold the mast and boom by your side, allowing the rig to fly downwind of you.

CARRYING YOUR RIG ON YOUR HEAD

In lighter winds, it’s possible to carry the rig above your head. Always try to keep the mast facing towards the wind, with the mast base facing forward.

Leave the rig downwind of the board, with the side of the board pointing towards the wind.

To get you gear to the water, stand between the rig and board, lift the rig by holding the boom at the apex of it’s curve and lift the tail or grab a footstrap to help push the board into the water.

Launching

Check out more Basics features here on Boards. 

Written by Simon Bornhoft Windwise www.windwise.net

ARE YOU A PARENT LOOKING TO INTRODUCE YOUR KIDS INTO WINDSURFING?

Answer…..START EARLY!

You're never to young to get involved in windsurfing! Image credit Thorsten Indra.

Venturing into windsurfing at a young age is the best way to ensure rapid progression and become part of a sport without limitations! If you’re young and want the opportunity to try the best sport in the world, get your parents to sign you up for a windsurfing lesson NOW!

You’ll pick it up so quickly that you’ll soon be way better than Mum and Dad! You’ll impress all your mates, get fit, strong and the rush windsurfing gives you is better than any other sport or video game. There’s some amazing user-friendly kit around to make your whole experience on the water sensational. You have to give it a go.

You too could learn to blast fast, do tricks, maybe compete, ride waves and impress your friends. If you’ve got parents who don’t windsurf, join a local windsurfing club, they can help you with kit and you’ll meet and sail with others of your age and ability. So whilst your mates are wondering what to do in their spare time, you’ll be screaming about on the water with an awesome feeling of independence and a rush adrenaline running right through you. It feels even better than all the amazing pictures in this magazine!

Jumping! Image credit Thorsten Indra.

PARENTS

More then ever, windsurfers from the 80’s & 90’s are getting their kids into windsurfing. So if you’re a parent, what’s stopping you? It may even increase your own windsurfing opportunities. Saying, “I’m just off to the beach” on a weekend can be a tough call, but take the kids with you and it’s much more likely to happen. Yes initially you might become an under-appreciate caddy, but the long term benefits of getting the family involved has to be a good thing for everyone. But, it’s really important to go about it the right way, otherwise those wetsuits will only be used once and Facebook will regain control of their lives.

Here’s our BOARDS BASICS guide to get and keep young people windsurfing in a fun, safe and enjoyable way.

Parents FAQ – on page two.

Kids Kit – on page three.

Simon Bornhoft blasting in the footstraps.

FOOTSTRAPS

Being secure in the straps is wonderful feeling and the basis of stronger wind windsurfing.  At first it can be a pulse racing experience to actually get your feet in them. Problems are rarely due to the movement of the feet it’s almost always down to not maintaining a counterbalance. Hence our prime mantra when going for the straps – Body moves one way, the rig moves the other. When you combine this with weight in the harness you’ll be able to move your feet more freely.

KEY PRINCIPLES

Vision Look forward, not down at the straps!

Trim Place the feet close to each strap before trying to get into them.

Stance Form a strong 7-shaped stance, with weight in the harness before and after going for each strap.

POSITIONING

If you’re new to straps use the ‘inboard’ settings.

Once mastered, move the straps to the more outboard settings.

On narrow boards, use a single back strap. On wider boards, use a double back strap.

Getting into the front footstrap 1

Getting into the front footstrap 2

Getting into the front footstrap 3

FRONT STRAP TECHNIQUE 

Rig Forward & Body Back 

Sail across the wind in controllable conditions or slightly upwind in more challenging winds.

Sit back and over a bent back leg to un-weight the front foot. As you do so, extend the front arm to keep the rig forward.

Simultaneously slip the foot into the strap. Once in the front strap, ‘lock out’ adopting a 7 shape stance.

Don’t go for the back strap yet, just sail.

Getting into the back footstrap 1

Getting into the back footstrap 2

Getting into the back footstrap 3

BACK STRAP 

Rig Back & Body Forward 

Getting into the back strap is usually the big stumbling point in marginal or rough conditions, when the back foot seems fixed to the board.

The best way to create that safe and all-important ‘opposing’ environment, is to head UPWIND before going for the back strap.

Through out, it’s vital to weight the harness and pull down on the boom.

Head slightly upwind, by leaning the rig back.

This enables you to then lean the upper body forward un-weight and slip the back foot into the strap.

Once in the strap, put the rig forward re-establish a good 7 shaped stance, steering downwind if you’ve lost speed.

BACK STRAP PROBLEMS

• Excessively pulling on the arms is a harness and footstrap killer.
• Don’t stab at the footstrap slide the foot in smoothly.
• Getting catapulted? This usually means you’re too far downwind when going for the straps.
• Keep heading upwind? You’ve leant back, stood up or pulled the boom too close.
• If you’re going too fast, head upwind slightly by digging the heels, raking the rig back and sinking harder in the harness.

SIMPLE SUMMARY

On the water, a lot seems to happen all at once, so weight that harness and follow your mantra.

Look forward and form a decent 7-shaped stance before and after hooking in.

Rig forward and body back when going for the front strap 

Rig back and body forward when going for the back strap 

We’re going well now, next up how to get some extra blasting control!

Check out the rest of the Basics section for more technique and advice for getting into windsurfing, plus head to the technique section for online coaching across all levels. 

Want to feel part of the board and rig?

As you progress into slightly stronger winds you’ll soon seek and appreciate the wonders of harnessing. Not only does it save your arms, but it also makes it far easier to control the power in the sail. You can try harnessing in very light winds with a small sail, but that amazing feeling of lying back against the rig needs a decent size sail and a reasonable breeze to support your weight. Harnessing is soon followed by slipping your feet into the footstraps, the combination of these two key components gives you the control and freedom to blast wherever you want to go! Here’s how to do it with ease!

Ready to get into the harness?

Waist harness

HARNESSING

Your first consideration is buying the right harness. It’s now pretty much universally accepted that a waist harness is the best short and long term style of harness to own for all-round use. Get one that fits well and has an easy tightening system. As for harness lines, buy them to suit the length of your arm (see below) and then take some time to position them correctly on the land before fine-tuning on the water.

Waist harnesses are positioned so that the hook is below belly button height on men and above belly button height for women. They should sit snug around the body and be tightened so that the hook doesn’t ride up when you hook in.

Harness Line Length

HOW TO SET YOUR HARNESS LINES

The Velcro tabs should be no wider than a hands width apart.

Place the very tip of your elbow in the line and tension it.

Elbow to ‘chicken bone’ part of palm minimum length

Elbow to ‘blister pad’ part of palm maximum length.

Harness Line Position

HARNESS LINE POSITIONING

Before going on the water, use this great tip to get a STARTING point for harness line positioning.

Find a place out of the wind, hold and lift the boom with two fingers.

Adjust to find the balance point so that the boom is horizontal when you lift it.

Fix your harness lines just either side of that point.

You’ll notice that…

On smaller sails the lines will be placed slightly further forward on the boom. 

On larger sails the lines will be placed slightly further back on the boom. 

Remember this is your starting position, YOU MUST FINE TUNE ON THE WATER!

HOW TO HOOK IN

VISION & SAILING LINE

Apart from a brief glimpse hooking in, look forward and sail slightly upwind to help bring the harness line outboard and towards you.

STANCE Form a good 7 shaped stance before and after hooking in.

Hooking in step 1

Hooking in step 2

Hooking in step 3

Sink low to pull the whole rig to windward.

Then use a short sharp pull on the boom to swing the line towards the body.

Simultaneously lift the hips to hook into the line.

Once ‘hooked in’, push back and down in the harness to keep the weight in the line.

Look forward and re-establish that 7 shaped stance, leaning outboard to maintain harness line tension.

Your weight distribution should be 90% harness and 5% on each arm.

TOP TIP: To unhook, pull the boom towards you and slightly lift the hips.

ON WATER TUNING GUIDE

Move the harness lines back if you feel the backhand pulling a lot.

Move the harness lines forward if you feel the front hand pulling a lot.

HARNESSING PROBLEMS

• Avoid standing up to hook in other wise you get pulled over by the rig.
• Do you suddenly head into wind? This is due to sheeting out too much or over weighting the back foot.
• Keep falling out of the harness line? You’re pulling on your arms too much.
• To control excess speed, avoid catapults or being pulled over by the rig, adopt a wide foot spread and put more weight down in the harness.
• Should you get caught under the sail whilst hooked in, don’t panic, push the line away from the hook and swim away from the rig.

Settled in the harness? The next quest is the comfort and added control of the footstraps!

Check out the rest of the Basics section for more technique, help and advice for those just starting out in windsurfing.

Photos: Karen Bornhoft Windwise

Simon Bornhoft Windwise

www.windwise.net

Windsurfing off Hove Lagoon

The sessions are coming to an end and after a full on year on the water with most of the time spent being in the water, not on it,  I’ve been loving it! Starting off I was thinking that I would never get it and now I am in the harness and on a sea when it’s nice and flat. I am now setting up goals for future session and I want to LOOP… but first I might need to used the foot straps and learn how to turn a board that is not the size my garden decking.

I had my first really good sea moment the other day launching from Lagoon Watersports on a Sunday afternoon clinic, with ideal conditions. The session was about getting going and into the front strap, which were bits I had attempted with not a lot of success in the past. It started on the land with a group of us being shown on the simulator with very broken down demos and coaching points with a lot of encouragement. The instructor helped with getting the right kit for the conditions and ability and we were quickly rushed onto the beach to get on the water. With rules set out and the instructor in a boat I felt happy to bear away, strap in and blast!! As we got on the water we met out by the boat and started off with a follow the leader out away from the beach. He told us to just drop our weight back and down, and just go. With most of us starbursting over the sailing area with this new found speed the instructor had the massive task of rounding us all up but with the time on the taxi boat back to upwind land we had time for some one to one coaching.

Bump and jump - this is what James is aiming for next!

On my second blast I got more speed than I had got before and felt that I needed to be in the straps so I took the leap and went for the front strap. When it was in and I was planing; it felt so alien to think I was in the first strap. It was bouncing around and still not going where I wanted it to go but it felt great for the whole 30 seconds I was committed to the board. Back on the boat on my taxi back upwind I was told a way of stopping the unpleasant bouncing around and go for the back strap as well.

Things were looking good for ending the year in the straps and blasting but I needed a couple more runs and a lucky gust to hold me up. As I started up again I was back in the front strap and shimmying the back foot back, I had no idea I was going downwind but I was flying and didn’t care!! There was a moment where the water was flat and I went for the back strap but as soon as I did the board shot into with, stalled and I fell in! Again, after that I was back in the boat being coached on the next step.

Nik Baker on the water; James is aiming high and looking to get looping in the future!

That was it, I had all the know-how but just needed the bottle to go for it and again I had my spot of flat water and the wind to be planing comfortably, front strap came with ease as all I was thinking about was the coaching points and the back strap. As I stepped into the back strap the board this time didn’t shoot up into wind and I kept going with even more speed and I just had to go with it and hope for the best. I heard the powerboat coming from the side with a very excited instructor shouting away at me to keep going, I was buzzing! I went into a lull and it was all over but the feeling was amazing and it was the biggest change in my windsurfing, turning the board around was still a small issue but I do not care, I was just planing in the straps on the sea with nothing stopping me apart from French customs that may have something to say.

The first year has been going from step to step and now strap to strap with coaching along the way from anyone willing to help a beginner, which in the windsurfing community is always easy to find. So, from a time where I was just giving it a go the sport has eaten my time and energy in the best way possible and now as the winter is coming to a start I am thinking what to do – maybe Dahab or a very thick wetsuit!!

Find out more about Lagoon Watersports:

website: www.lagoon.co.uk

phone number: 01273 42 48 42

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LagoonWatersports

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/hovelagoon

You might also like to read:

Gybing is a downwind turn where the rig is swung over the nose whilst the body remains at the back of the board. In lighter winds it’s a relatively simple turn, but in stronger winds it becomes a fast, dynamic and really exciting move. Like all transitions, it’s down to good vision and maintaining a counter balance with the rig before during and after the rig is released and rotated over the nose. Developing the right technique in lighter winds will give you the skills and confidence to master faster and faster turns in stronger winds. Carving a turn on a small board feels incredible and well worth the effort to learn it!

NON-PLAING CARVE GYBING

High-speed turns are called a carve gybes, but because you’ll be learning in lighter winds at a slower speeds, the first gybe you’ll learn is a non-planing carve gybe (NPCG). These uses the core principles, foot movement and rig rotations skills that can later be transferred into stronger wind planing gybes.

GET THE BASICS RIGHT FIRST

1. Always adopt a wide hand and foot spread for maximum control and leverage.
2. Try to look forward and where you want to end up, not at the kit.
3. As ever, position and move the mast and whole rig in the opposite direction to the body. E.g. If the rig is forward and leant out of the turn, the body should be back and leaning into the turn.
4. If you’re board has a daggerboard, always have the daggerboard up for gybing

Especially mid turn, orientation and simplification are key.

So use this LOOK, LEAN AND LEVER mantra.

LOOK where you want to go!

LEAN where you want to go!

LEVER the rig in the opposite direction to counter balance!

E.G. If you’re turning downwind to the right – Look right, lean to the right and lever the rig to the left.

Gybe 1

NPCG Gybe Entry

Adopt a wide foot and hand spread. Use your downwind steering skills to turn the board by twisting the rig forward with an extended front arm and flexing the rear arm, keeping the body low over the back foot on the inside rail.

Gybe 2

NPCG Mid Gybe: LOOK, LEAN & LEVER!

As the board turns downwind, the mast/rig is levered forward and out of the turn as the body looks and leans back and into the turn. This whole process is made so much easier if you focus on one key skill and that’s keeping the rear/clew hand pulled in close to your head. Pulling in and down on the rear hand, locks the rig in place, encourages the board to turn and counter balances against the mast that’s leant out of the turn.

TOP TIP: Before the foot change and before the rig rotation, try to keep the whole rig at roughly 90 degrees to the board.

Gybe 3

Gybe 4

NPCG Shift & Switch The Feet

As the board faces dead downwind, look where you want to go and pull down on the boom. Keep the shoulders back and continue leaning sideways into the turn as the mast is leant out of the turn. Keep the shoulders back as you bring the front foot back to switch the feet round. Before, during and after the foot switch, keep pulling that clew hand in and down towards your head and keep the rig at 90 degrees to the board. Always re-adopt a wide spread on your feet to help steer the board and prepare for the rig rotation.

Gybe 5

Gybe 6

NPCG: Rig Rotating

Slide the front hand up to the mast and look where you want to go. Release the rear hand and try to keep the mast forward as the boom swings over the nose. Extend the mast hand to keep the rig away from the body as the old backhand passes under the boom to grab the new side of the boom and draw the rig forward.

Gybe 7

After collecting the rig, drawn it forward with the new front arm, sinking down and back into that ‘drop and push’ Super 7 stance to counter balance the forward rig.

GYBING PROBLEMS

Board won’t turn? Usually down to not looking, leaning or pulling that backhand in towards the head to help lever the rig out of the turn.

If the rig falls downwind at the end, it often means the rig rotation was too late, you broke at the waist, looked at the sail or were too far into wind when releasing the rig.

If the rig won’t swing over the nose or the mast comes in towards the body, it often means that clew hand wasn’t pulled in tight enough or the sail was rotated too early.

Simple Summary

Look where you want to go.

Lean the rig forward and out of the turn as the body stays back and leans into the turn.

Extend the front arm and pull in and down on the clew hand just before, during and after changing the feet.

Keep the rig at 90 degrees to the board and rotate it on a board reach.

Drop low, use an under arm movement to grab the boom on the new side and low out of that turn!

So that’s tacking and gybing sorted, how about we learn to sail faster in the harness and footstraps!

SKILLS & DRILLS

A great skill to practice the end of a gybe is a clew first beachstart. Start on a broad reach, keep the rig at 90 degrees to the board and pull in and down on the boom with the clew hand.

Clew First Beach Start

It’s really worth setting a board up on the beach to practice the foot and rig work for tacks and gybes.

Simon Bornhoft Windwise

www.windwise.net

A tack is a controlled 180 degree turn where the sail sweeps across the back of the board and the body nips round the front of the mast before sheeting the rig in on the new side. It’s how everyone first learns to turn round.

Tacking

HOW TO TACK

Successful tacking relies on good vision and always moving the mast in the opposite direction to the body to maintain a counter balance. You’ll find your upwind and downwind steering skills link into the beginning and end of the tack respectively. You then add in some swift footwork in the middle of the turn to tack successfully. Once mastered you’ll be able to tack very quickly on very low volume boards.

Vision

Vision

To turn upwind, look upwind and push off the back foot whilst leaning the rig back towards the tail. To counter balance the rigs rearward movement, step forward with both feet, simultaneously moving your front hand to the mast or front of the boom near the mast as the board turns more towards the  wind.

Rig Back-Body Forward

Rig Back-Body Forward

To keep the board turning, angle the rig back and down so that the clew almost touches and then passes over the tail. Imagine trying to knock a beer can off the back of the board. To counter balance against the rig, move the body, hands and feet forward. As the rig is angled back, wrap your front foot right around the mast base and move the whole body forward.

Body and Rig Cross Over

Body and Rig Cross Over

As the board keeps turning, look back down the board and pull the clew end of the boom right over the tail. This indicates that the board has crucially passed through the eye of the wind. Never try and tack until you truly have swung that clew right over the tail. To initiate the tack, swivel the head to look out of the turn.

Switch The Feet

Switch The Feet

As your body moves from one side of the board to the other, the rig moves in the opposite direction. Keep the mast raked back and use the mast hand to force the rig across the board and downwind as the feet switch close to the mast base and onto the new side.

Rig Forward-Body Back

Rig Forward-Body Back

To re-establish your counterbalance, step back with the new rear foot and force that rig forward. Note how the head looks out of the turn, not down at the equipment. Sink into your drop and push stance to steer downwind.

TACKING PROBLEMS

Most people fall in mid tack because they pull the mast to close to the body or fall by moving the same way as the rig.

Simple summary

1. Look where you want to go.

2. Oppose the rigs movement with your body to maintain that vital counter balance.

Rig back body forward for entry.

Rig across, body across mid tack.

Rig forward, body back for exit.

3. Use a quick two-step movement close to the mast base to switch the feet.

Next time we will cover a more dynamic and rewarding downwind turn; the gybe! 

Simon Bornhoft Windwise www.windwise.net

Windsurfing upwind

WIND DIRECTION

Your first thought is to work out where the wind is coming from. Look for local signs like flags or feel the wind blowing onto your face. Once you know the wind direction, you can then work out which direction you can windsurf in. Most windsurfers sail back and forth at 90 degrees to the wind. In sailing terms this is known as ‘beam reaching’ or sailing ‘across the wind’. Windsurfers always have their back to the wind so that they can lean back to oppose the power in the sail. So if you stand near the shoreline with your back facing directly to the wind and put your arms out to your side at 90 degrees to the wind, that will give you your approximate ‘beam reach sailing line to the left or right’.

It is possible to sail in other directions and our Wind Direction Diagram shows the different angles that you can sail in relation to the wind. Whilst this might seem complicated now, you soon start to get a sense of direction and how a board and sail align to the wind.

The idea is to try and sail back and forth and not drift downwind, so here’s some top tips to get you going.

NO GO ZONE – It’s impossible for a windsurfer to sail directly into the wind, it will just stop.

BEAM REACH or SAIL ACROSS THE WIND – This is what most people do most of the time.

UPWIND – You can sail roughly within 45 degrees of the wind.

DOWNWIND – You can sail directly downwind.

SETTING UP TO GET GOING

“Uphauling doesn’t need to be tiring, if you use the right technique!”

Stand with your back to the wind and position the board at approximately 90 degrees to the wind with the sail directly downwind of the board. If you have a daggerboard, make sure it’s fully down and then pull yourself up onto the board, holding the uphaul to steady yourself and help you onto your feet. Place both feet to windward of the centerline, with the front foot just forward of the mast base and the rear foot shoulder width apart.

TOP TIPS

Keep your back straight and pull the sail up using your legs, not your back.

Dig your heels to tilt the windward rail, this helps lever the board against the mast, which massively assists in releasing the rig from the water. Always try to slide the rig out of the water in the direction of the mast.

If the rig is lying downwind at 90 degrees to the board, that means the board is on a beam reach across the wind.

Look and choose a landmark ahead of you as a goal point to sail towards.

As the rig clears the water, let it swing freely downwind of you. Do all you can to stand straight and avoid breaking at the waist. Look forward, not at the sail. When the sail is clear of the water, position the board so it’s pointing slightly upwind of a beam reach line. Use the rig to turn the board just upwind of a beam reach. A good visual sign for this is that the clew end of the boom is angled slightly more towards the tail, like in this photo.

Sweep across your body

To get going you want the nose of the board facing 5-10 degrees ‘upwind’ of a beam reach.

If the board turns too far into wind, lean the rig forwards towards the nose, push through the front leg and the board will turn away from the wind.

If the board turns too away from the wind, lean the rig back towards the tail, push through the back   leg and the board will turn back into wind.

Getting going

When you’re ready to go, look forward grab the boom with the front arm (left in pic) and draw the rig forward positively with the front arm and ‘sheet in’ with the rear arm by leaning your rear shoulder out and back towards the wind. You’ll feel an increased pull in the sail. To avoid breaking at the waist form a 7 shape with your body, keeping the shoulders outboard to resist and counter balance the pull from the sail. As you sheet in, the board will move forward! Congratulations, you’re windsurfing!

At lower speeds – both feet move forward and inboard, with increased toe pressure.

At higher speeds  – Shift both feet back and outboard, with increased heel pressure if ever the board starts to excessively accelerate.

SIMPLE Summary

No matter what board you use, getting going uses the same principles.

• Start slightly upwind of a beam reach.
• Use your legs and body weight to lever against the sail to slide it out of the water.
• Look where you want to go and point the front foot forward.
• Pushing the through the front arm and pull on the rear arm to power the sail up.

Once you’re up and going, adopt an upright ‘7’ shaped stance; hips up, shoulders back and arms extended. This enables you to oppose the rigs power, drive the board forward and prevents you breaking at the waist.

Uphauling smaller boards is a little trickier!

With practice experienced windsurfers uphaul boards so small that they sink well beneath the water until they have sufficient wind to get up and blasting!

Next up we will look at how you steer, control speed and turn! 

Simon Bornhoft Windwise

www.windwise.net

To give you a better idea of each discipline and where you can take the sport, here’s where windsurfing can take you….

CRUISING

Cruising. Image courtesy Severne.

Just because it’s non-planing winds doesn’t mean you can’t get a lot out of your time on the water. Getting out on a larger board with a manageable rig is a great way to use your windsurfing skills cruise about and enjoy your surroundings. Both in the UK and abroad there are endless stretches of water that can be explore by board. Sailing between islands and checking out local lochs, estuaries and harbours is all incredibly rewarding and very feasible on a board. Even if it’s sailing a short distance along the coastline or across the bay to grab a snack before sailing back, you’ll really feel a sense of adventure. Just make sure you check the weather forecast, choose your journey well, take a large volume board for safety and never do it alone.

SKILLS TRAINING

Skill Training

Train light, sail right! The benefit of getting out in lighter winds on a large board and small sail to practice key hand, foot and rig movements for stronger wind situations is invaluable. You can replicate specific parts of moves and repeat muscle memory skills time and time again. When it’s windy things can happen very fast, so breaking it all down into stages and getting brilliant at the basics enables you to make use of any wind condition and make much more progress than if you only wait for windier conditions. So get on the water, no matter what the wind might be doing, especially if you want to improve!

FREERIDING

Freeriding fun! Image credit Thorsten Indra.

Check out your local stretch of water and Freeriding is exactly what 95% of recreational windsurfers do. It might be on a lake, reservoir, estuary or coastline, but it’s all about getting out there and enjoying the elements and the rush of windsurfing. It doesn’t matter what level you’re at or the kit you’re using, essentially most people just love to blast back and forth trying turns and having a great time. In lighter winds and flatter water the Freeride kit tends to be higher volume boards and larger sails. As the wind increases and the water roughs up, the kit selection changes to smaller faster Freeride boards, that turn tighter and produce a lot more spray!

WAVE SAILING

Robby Swift. Image PWA/JC.

The term wave sailor refers to someone who enjoys sailing in rolling swell or breaking waves on the sea. This requires greater windsurfing experience and smaller boards to nip between, along and through the waves. You have to be able to waterstart and sail a sub 100L board to wave sail, but the sensation and thrill of it is incredibly exciting. Most people take at least a year or so before they can venture into this environment. But once you get a taste of jumping, riding and turning on waves, you just want more! There are thousands of recreational wave sailors around the world who rush to the coast the moment there’s a decent wind and wave forecast. At competition level, riders are scored on the difficulty of their manoeuvres and size of the waves they ride. From national circuits to the Profession Windsurfing Associations (PWA) events, the level is incredibly high, with jumps over 30 feet, double loops and ripping it up in incredible conditions. Unsurprisingly, the events are hotly contested by the younger and more fear free windsurfers.

FREESTYLE

Freestyle

Freestyle originated on long boards with graceful, almost balletic moves. It’s now been taken to extraordinary levels using small boards at high speeds. Whilst you do get some very good recreational freestylers, it’s those who compete or dedicate months and years to learning complex tricks who really impress. Freestyle tricks are now so ridiculously complicated that it’s almost impossible to describe what can be done on a board. There are endless names and combination moves that make up a full repertoire. Freestylers love flat water, so they can spin, rotate and weave body, rig and board in to lightening quick trick sequences. Rarely is the board being used conventionally, they’re usually going backwards, sideways and spinning 360 degrees, often all at the same time. Despite the insane tricks, Freestyle boards are actually very easy to sail, but the top guys use tiny fins to encourage the board to spin sideways, which is what everyone else is trying to avoid. Those with freestyle ambitions need to be incredibly agile, flexible and resilient to knocks and crashes as it takes hundreds and hundreds of attempts to perfect each move. But unlike wave sailing that’s very conditions and location specific, freestyle can be done on any flat water. In fact, the latest craze is to take freestyle to non-windsurfing environments like waterparks, where the riders are towed in behind a jet ski and then released to perform wild tricks in no wind at all!

SPEED SAILING

Speedsailing

It’s all about getting from A-B  quickly! Whether it’s just for fun timing yourself on a waterproof GPS or entering a speed event, the concept is to load up and sail as straight and as fast as possible. At competition level, you’re given an average top speed over a 500m straight-line blast. To reduce wetted area and drag, speed boards are very thin and ultra low in volume. But to handle massively powerful camber induced sails, speed sailors tend to be superior in stature and some even wear weight jackets. When you’re trying to lock the board and rig down in up to gale force winds, as you scream across inches from the water, it takes strength, bulk and incredible nerve. Recreationally the average Freerider blasts about at about 25-27 Knots, top speed sailors are regularly doing over 40 Knots. The world windsurfing speed record is held by Antoine Albeau in Saintes Maries del la Me Canal, with an average 49.09 Knots over 500m. That’s 56.49 mph! The water is incredibly hard if you come off at that speed.

RACING

Racing

If you are the competitive type, then how about some racing? There have been various formats over the years, some replicating triangular yacht racing courses with upwind and downwind legs. Yet the most exciting windsurfing racing is downwind slalom, where races are held in heats over a short course with five or six fast gybes as they zig-zag downwind to the finish. Each race lasts about 2-4 minutes and is very intense with a very high-speed start and tight congested racing at each mark, which is great for spectators when the racing is held close to the shore. Various brands have team riders who use and develop the latest kit, which you can buy and use. But buyer beware, it’s very powerful stuff. It’s not uncommon for racers to be using 7-9m massively powerful sails in the same winds where recreational windsurfers are using 5-6m rigs. To get into racing and other types of events, we’ve listed the various paths you can take through the sport in our Sport Pathway section. Will you ever beat Bjorn Dunckerbeck, He’s the sports most successful competitor ever, with over 32????? world titles!

Written by Simon Bornhoft.

I’ve got the need for speed, but even more the need for some control! After completing my RYA Start Windsurfing and receiving my ticket that now states I have started on the drenched road to windsurfing land I have become hooked! With many friends and work mates confused by the idea of going outside in this beautiful English summer let alone going out on the water people are starting to wonder what I have started doing. I have been found going up and down the lagoon for hours on end, only wondering how I get on this drug you hear the other windsurfers craving for. I’ve been watching windsurfers coming over from the other side of the wall where the infamous sea is kept with both signs of satisfaction and frustration on their faces from either getting planing or not, but with an excuse for both! I want to be on this!

Improver Lesson at Hove

Having loved my start course and having spent quite a few hours floating around practicing what I learnt I started going to the improvers nights on a Thursday after work for a bit of assistance with my windsurfing. The first time I went out on the water after my course it felt like I had just passed my driving test and this was the first run to the shops I was nervous but so excited to be back on the water. With the lagoon giving such an easy starting point and then ongoing support I jumped straight in and got up.. then fell in! With so many things going on in my mind it seemed like I had forgotten it all but after a few minutes and some guidance from the instructor I was back up and blasting on my plastic fantastic and a sail that I only wanted to make bigger.

After an exciting sail a few days before I was back for more! While getting my kit out I saw a bigger one next to my normal sail and I just had to give it a go. Once I was on the water, before I pulled up this monster of a four meter, I looked at the others with their airplane sized wings thinking I’m almost there. The session went well on my new bigger sail and like always I left the lagoon again wanting to go bigger and faster! The next time on the water came a new surprise in the form of a board that felt like a tea tray. I was motivated by an instructor to move onto the Fanatic Viper which to move around was a lot easier but on the water it was a bit of a surprise, after being on my floating piece of decking that offered me so much comfort. With a few very wet tacks I started to stop looking at my new board and got my balance back. I was just so happy with myself that I had now moved off the start kit and onto the more colourful improver gear and I felt like my windsurfing was improving at a very good rate.

Windsurfing off the beach at Hove

With days of not windsurfing I found myself on weather and windsurfing websites waiting for the wind and work to be done so I can go back out on the water. And then it came, it was windy and I had an afternoon off to go and see if I can sail in a storm. Keeping with my new board and being on the lagoon this flat water but windy base meant I was safe to give it a go no matter what the weather. With the wind blowing I ended up moving … and moving really too fast! I was holding on and that was about it. Sailing at what felt like a hundred miles an hour for the first time was a massive rush and I could see how people get addicted and I most definitely was.

Now I am up and going and truly hooked I’m going to move on and I have been told I’m ready for the intermediate non planing course to get me out and onto the big blue. For me I feel I have improved and am loving the sport and want to continue because my next goal is getting onto the sea and going even faster!

Windsurfing at Hove

Written by James Hart

Find out more about Lagoon Watersports:

website: www.lagoon.co.uk

phone number: 01273 42 48 42

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