Saturday saw a decent amount of wind for some on water action with demo kit provided by RRD/Ezzy, Fanatic/North and Gastraa/Tabou.

Boardwise’s report on the weekend:

The Aberdovey Bonfire bash last weekend was a huge success, thanks to everybody who turned up to see and try some of the new 2013 kit from Fanatic/North , RRD/Ezzy , Tabou/Gaastra and Starboard was great ! We had enough wind on both days to get some of the bigger kit with 6.5 – 9.0m sails , and had a surprising number of beginners braving the cold . Around lunch time on the Saturday everyboby got blown off the water when a huge squall came through followed by a hail storm. This saw Nick Baker sprinting down the beach like Usian Bolt to catch up with his Fanatic Wigwam tent thingy that was exiting the beach !! It’s never dull in Aberdovey ! The Aberdovey Fire service provided hot dogs and Burgers on the beach and the Town put on a great Firework display .

Thanks to the Dovey Yatch Club for the hospitality yet again and providing a great venue and band for yet another epic (if rather messy) evening . If you missed this one then remember to suscribe to our mailing list to get info on our june Aberdovey Demo and other demo’s we do throughout the year .

Thanks to Dave White and Doug for the pictures and for letting us have them so quickly.

Who let these guys in?

Mr Williams doing his bit

Dave White comments on the get together -

The Boardwise end of season demo traditionally mixes high wind action on the water with equally high jinks action in the bar. A late storm in the afternoon ensured the wind tradition remained intact despite most of the day being dominated by the Firemove’s. It’s the first time we’ve been here for bonfire night but the fireworks kicked off a high jinks evening in the Dovey Sailing club, so no one was surprised to find Sunday’s start matched the gentle easterly breeze, though like the rest of us that soon picked up to to provide a entertaining end to a great weekend. We’ll be back next year to ensue the tradition continues…

All headed to Balevullin, where we were greeted with light winds from the right and small waves. As the day progressed and the tide moved in the waves built slightly which meant head judge Mark Hoosegood called the women’s and youth’s fleets onto the water for their first rounds.

The youth fleet headed out first in a ‘trial’ heat to test out the conditions, unfortunately by this point the higher tide meant that the waves were now sheltered from the wind behind the headland making it even lighter and trickier.

After eight minutes the youth competition was called off, as from the start the wind was very light but Tris Levie shone, managing to get some great waves in the challenging conditions.

Most of the women got on the water before the heats took place; Justyna Sniady took to the water for the first time since breaking her foot and carefully managed some runs whilst Debbie Kennedy showed why she has won the previous years events with some solid riding. Unfortunately the women’s heats didn’t get underway at all, but on a positive note two more female competitors turned up today to push the numbers up to an incredible 11. Dave White took the opportunity to get all the ladies together for a mini photoshoot on the beach, so watch out for these piccies very soon!

Before the winds picked up Ben Proffitt, Andy ‘Bubble’ Chambers, Phil Horrocks and Chris ‘Muzza’ Murray gave some tuning advice to the other fleets. Light wind days up here are the perfect opportunity for picking up lots of tips on equipment, technique etc, so every day the conditions do not deliver activities like this will be arranged.

Tomorrow, along with images, we will provide a run down of the top tuning tips from the guys involved in the chat and will continue to do this with any other advice offered from the  pros. So, up next we will have further coverage of today’s activities hopefully with some reporting from the windsurfing action too!

Elimination ladders:

Pro ladder

Amateur ladder

Master's Ladder

Youth ladder

Ladies ladder

Check out the previous gallery and intro to the day on the page below….

Rhodes reflection:

I am just back from my from 10th Anniversary of coaching clinics in Rhodes and off to Brandon Bay, Ireland next week for my WaterPerson (WP) clinics there. Prasonisi gave us a few days of very light winds until the hairdryer came back on and gave us a fine send off, hats off to the crew for being focussed, fun and most of all relaxed about the delay in the wind, as we all know that there are no guarantees in life and even in Rhodes the wind needs a breather sometimes.

Rhodes crew

Autumn action:

Since my return it has been great to get some autumn action in and enjoy conditions around my local breaks, and also on a road trip down to Camber Sands. There is something about the colder weather, the rain and changeable conditions that seems to excite and inspire me, and yes there is no place like home : )

Jem Hall enjoying his new RRD and Ezzy set up on home shores

Toys, toys, toys – we love em:

During my ocean realignment on my home turf I have had the opportunity to really get to know my new toys and I must say I am loving my new Ezzy Panther Elites and the New RRD Wave Cult Quads.

The 4 battened Elites are lighter, easier power and more neutral for rides, gybes and style and really allow you to throttle the power on or off, yet they are still strong and with a huge wind range and a massive top end.

Now that I have had some quality testing time on my New Cult Quads, and in a range of conditions, I am happy to say that I have them dialed in and am really appreciating their virtues. It is also worth noting that not only am I enjoying them but so too are the people I lend them to in order to test them and provide me with valuable insight, same goes for the Elites. The feedback thus far on the RRD Cult Quads is that they are earlier to plane, have more wind range and a livelier / faster ride. Due to the narrower tails and increased tail rocker, with more vee, they are looser and now with more drive too. Yesterday saw my onshore wave riding performance  definitely go up a notch – I LOVE THEM! Get in touch if you want to discuss or test either of the above.

Jem Hall in action and looking forward his 2013 clinics

Clinic News: 

Marvelous Marsa Alam, Egypt is now open for bookings so come on down to take a break from Winter and get tuned up for your 2013 season on March 13th and 20th. The early booking offer has now been extended to October 31st.

Perfect Prasonisi, Reliable Rhodes which over 10 years and around 40 clinics has averaged 4 – 5 days a week of planing conditions and has just commenced taking bookings and we also have an early booking offer on this too – till October 31st. New for 2013, in Rhodes, is my ladies clinic, called Jem’s Jewels, where I will be assisted by a female co – coach and will be providing a supportive, inspiring and focussed environment where ladies will have the opportunity to not only enjoy a great holiday but also seriously improve their windsurfing.

The Mecca of Moulay, Morocco on May 9th and 16th is already taking a lot of bookings and we are ready to give you a fab holiday and an awesome waterperson (WP) / wavesailing experience, bookings are with Oceansource.net 

Email mefor more details on these clinics and to discuss your booking.

Jem Hall runs many of his clinics with Sportif, check out the other locations that Sportif run holidays to here. 

You might also like to read:

Jem Hall on his Ezzy Panther Elites

The sail is receiving very high acclaim from customers, shops and rider. Jem Hall, Ezzy brand manager UK, has this to say about the Elite:

‘I received the sails in late July and my first few sessions were in bump n jump conditions and then I really got to know them on my wave clinic in PSC, Baja, and furthermore in Rhodes and during our recent fun filled autumn sessions. I have now used them  in flat water, waves and chop and for bump n jump, freestyle and, of course, wave sailing and I found the sails to be very light, have easy power, very stable and the usual massive wind range that you expect from an Ezzy. The power is similar to the Ezzy Tiger yet it is a softer delivery and due to the 4 battens the sail has an on / off switch that you can illicit from sheeting in or out and down to this the sail is quite neutral through gybes, riding and freestyle. I am really enjoying the sails, from 5.7 to 3.7, but the proof of the pudding is that when you hand it so someone to try then they are definitely are too.’

Here is what David Ezzy and his team have to say about the sail.

David Ezzy Speaks about the new 4 batten wave sail called the “Panther Elite” from Ezzy Sails on Vimeo.

The All New Ezzy Panther Elite

The 4 batten Panther Elite is the latest addition to the Ezzy Sails line up.

The Panther Elite is the culmination of years of development and it sets a new standard for 4 batten wave sails. David Ezzy didn’t just remove a batten and rush to market with a 4 batten sail like so many other companies. Ezzy decided that he wouldn’t even put a four batten sail in production unless it was better in all aspects over his existing 5 batten wave sails. Of course the Elite feels lighter, but what is amazing is how stable and easy to sail the Panther Elite is. This sail is great in the waves, but the Elite can double as a perfect flat‐water sail too.

The Panther Elite incorporates a new vertical head shaping design that controls twist and doesn’t allow for any leech flutter.

The Elite’s unique batten spacing better addresses the loading and profile demands of a 4 batten sail. After extensive testing David settled upon the magical blueprint. The battens are located higher in the sail to better optimize the sail’s performance.

Jem Hall on his Ezzy Panther Elites

The Panther Elite is handcrafted with the finest high‐tech materials available. Technora cloth along the leech reduces distortion. Spectra X‐film in the boom area gives great visibility and impact strength. The Color Fusion Tri‐Lite used in the upper sect reduces weight. The tack and foot are protected with high density Spectra X‐ply film.

But what is it all worth if you can’t rig it correctly? David Ezzy has taken all of the guess‐work out of rigging the Panther Elite. The Elite features a new system for gauging downhaul that will blow you away. It’s called “Calibrated Rigging System”. Never before has a sail been so simple to dial in.

And, like all Ezzy Sails, every Panther Elite is rigged and tuned in the Ezzy factory before being shipped.

Available from all Ezzy dealers http://seaspritesports.com/retailers.html

Mark Hosegood. Image credit Dave White.

Name:        

Mark Hosegood aka: Sparky

DOB:            

21^st February 1979

Windsurfing History:      

A lot! PWA judge for the last five years and instructor/coach for the last 16! Loads in between including managing windsurfing shops in the UK, managing and setting up watersport centres around the world including helping to set up The OTC in Tenerife and equipment tester for UK and international magazines and manufacturers. I was also semi pro which involved competing in a range of competitions, national and international plus “trying” to teach Jeremy Clarkson to windsurf for the BBC’s Top Gear (most incompetent student ever…don’t worry, I’m sure he’d agree with me!)

Who has inspired and influenced you in windsurfing?

Robby Naish was, and still is, my childhood hero and Francisco Goya is one of the most inspirational people I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. Nowadays, I think the guys like Kauli, Brawzinho, Jaeger Stone and Philip Koster are the most inspirational and awe-inspiring windsurfers around. Then you have some of the young English guys who I was lucky enough to be involved with from a very young age: Graham Woods, George Shillito and Adam Lewis. Being the “old” man now it’s an inspiration seeing how successful they are, all in their own way and are fairly unique in the directions they’ve taken and are now heading. The boys over in Somerset that I grew up sailing with also had a massive input in my early years, especially Stu B, who taught me how control my fear, by mainly convincing me (or convincing each other) that it’s a good idea to do some really dim things, normally with Dad there watching with his head in his hands!

Mark Hosegood SUPing with Roberto Ricci and many others at NWF. Image credit Dave White.

Why did you enter NWF?

Because I was there helping out on the Ezzy and Seasprite stand.

What fleet did you enter, where did you finish and what was the experience like?

I went in for the pros light wind freestyle event and I won! Beating guys I normally judge on the PWA Freestyle World Tour….with a bit of luck! The wind was actually picking up in the afternoon finals session so we switched from old school longboard freestyle to high wind new school freestyle, which definitely favoured everyone but me. In the end the wind didn’t come through and with no-one planing I went into sail spin mode, in which I love to flow from one move to the next, combining as many moves into one until I run out of ideas. Luckily for me the judges scored me higher for that then some of the more difficult technical individual moves the others were doing.

Mark Hosegood spinning his way to victory. Image credit Dave White.

What was your favourite part of the event this year?

I loved the whole thing! But in particular it was seeing a lot of old friends that I’ve not seen in a very long time having lived in Tenerife for the last five or six years and been out of the UK windsurfing scene.

Have you entered any other events this year?

I had a go at The OTC slalom event in Weymouth earlier this year. My first slalom event and it was great to get some competitive fire back!

What’s next for you?

I’m out to Denmark and then Sylt judging and then have a very exciting windsurfing project starting up in Tenerife in November…. Watch this space!

What do you want to progress with your windsurfing?

I’d like to change my mindset with windsurfing. I injured my knee very badly about four to five years ago and have had major problems with it since. I’ve had to be really careful in the way I sail now, where as before I’d go for stuff and figure out the consequences later, now I basically can’t crash badly. Because of this I’ve not learnt anything new for years. But now my knee is feeling much stronger, I’ve been lucky enough to find a very high quality Ossur CTI carbon knee brace that’s kept me injury free since I got it three years ago and I’m now a Personal Trainer and utilising that knowledge, managed to train and build up the knee to a much better condition.

Mark Hosegood on the top of the podium. Image credit Dave White.

Check out the rest of the NWF Stars series:

Oscar Carmichael

Simon Bornhoft

Adam Sims

Megan Kraft

Plus, The Only Way Is The Beach aka a day in the life of George Shillito!

]]> http://boards.mpora.com/features/stars-nwf-mark-hosegood.html/feed 0 http://boards.mpora.com/technique/the-moves-that-matter-carve-gybe-overview.html http://boards.mpora.com/technique/the-moves-that-matter-carve-gybe-overview.html#comments Thu, 06 Sep 2012 09:16:48 +0000 Amy Carter - Editor http://boards.mpora.com/?p=42525 Jem Hall joins Boards, for the next installment of his technique series ‘Moves That Matter’. This time Jem gives us a full breakdown on the carve gybe and the main top tips involved.

Gybing in pictures...Image credit Karel Tyc

I hope that you are getting into my new technique series now and please remember you can feedback and question over on our fine forum (new members invited and very very welcome) and on the very own Moves that Matter thread – by clicking here.

After presenting the key gybe tips in pics last month, this feature now gives you a video with the overview of the carve gybe, which like all good books has a very clear beginning, middle and end. This gives you all the tips to improve certain areas of the gybe YOU identify as important to work on.

Carve Gybe Overview from Dave White on Vimeo.

It is hard for both you and I to take on all the key points of any move, so look to take a mental note of a few of them and then put those into practice. For example, as I am improving my aerials I might have one tip in mind as I approach (not during) the move – for example ‘look back to the beach as you take off.’ The tips in this feature are what I use if my gybes are not quite working too …

• Back hand waaaay down the boom
• Lock out of the turn
• Get down James Brown, in your exit.

Next up I will be breaking the carve gybe into it’s key areas and suggesting that you work on each stage and I will present you the visual images with which to do this.

Jem is sponsored by RRD boards, Ezzy Sails, Flying Objects, Big Salty Weather and Prosport Sunblock.

Check out www.jemhall.com for more details on Jem and his coaching.

For more information on Jem’s coachinc clinics head to the Sportif website here.

Technique features can be seen from both Jem and Simon in our technique section, and many of their coaching destinations are featured in our Summer Destination Guide. 

Jem Hall:

I am now back from a Perfect Punta San Carlos wave sailing camp where both my crew and I loved the action on offer, and oh what a happy bunch of water people and boozers my crew were – huge thanks to them, and to my amazing new Ezzy Panther Elites of 4 battened deep joy.

Jem Hall

My latest technique article on the Carve gybe is online and out on Thursday in the technique section of the Boards website, the latest clinic availability and it is mainly, once again, to say please GET INVOLVED & REGISTER for the National Windsurf festival this September 7 – 9. I will be there and all who come down and race, check out the toys and soak up the atmosphere absolutely love it, so I hope to see you there.

LATEST CLINIC NEWS

Prasonisi, Rhodes & Jeri, Brazil are now all FULL until further notice.

Marvelous Marsa Alam, Egypt is now open for bookings so come on down to take a break from Winter and get tuned up for your 2013 season on March 13th and 20th.

The Mecca of Moulay, Morocco now has dates confirmed for May 9th and 16th and we are ready to give you a fab holiday and an awesome waterperson (WP) / wavesailing experience, bookings are with Oceansource.net

Email me for more details on both clinics and to discuss your booking.

Simon Bornhoft: 

We’ve had a really busy summer, with lots of great courses and brilliant atmosphere on and off the water. We’re now getting ready for the NWF and then our Cornwall, Egyptian, Mauritian and Australian adventures. One last minute place for Marsa and Mauritius!

We’ve also just announced our 2013 Winds Of The World Tour dates.

Simon Bornhoft

Join us for a fabulous windsurfing experience with our total commitment to help your quest for windsurfing greatness. We’re with you all the way and can guarantee you a great time on and off the water with all the progress you desire.

THINKING OF ATTENDING THE NATIONAL WINDSURFING FESTIVAL?

ALREADY ENTERED THE NWF & WANT TO BE PART OF OUR TEAM?

JOIN TEAM WINDWISE FOR NWF

Friday 7th Sept 

FREE SIMON BORNHOFT ON WATER CLINIC 

10.30 – 2PM OPEN TO EVERYONE!

Sat 8th & Sun 9th Sept

JOIN OUR TEAM WITH FREE COACHING!

Simon Bornhoft Support & Tushy Demo Kit

SB SHOW/CLINIC 3.45PM SAT 8th Sept!

Click for more details and how to enter the event!

2013 WINDS OF THE WORLD TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

Expert coaching, stunning locations, great socials and the best local knowledge!

Improver-Intermediate & Advanced Courses

Dedicated coaching, progression guaranteed and a fabulous holiday for all levels!

***SPECIAL OFFER £50 OFF FOR EARLY BOOKING FEE BEFORE END OF SEPT 12***

Click here for more details and to contact Windwise for that last place!

CHECK THESE WISE CHOICES OUT……..

MARSA ALAM 2013 NEW DATES! Warm, windy and loads of fun. See you in Marsa Alam in FEB, MARCH, APRIL & SEPT 2013. ONE LAST PLACE FOR 19th-26th SEPT 2012 – CONTACT WINDWISE NOW! Read More

MARGARITA 31st Jan-14th Feb 2013 Margarita, a stunning tropical paradise for your winter Windwise fix. Read More

MAUI YOU CAN SAIL IN MAUI! Flat water and easy waves to suit your level Read More

Moulay, Morocco 2-9th May 2013 A real adventure with awesome conditions for getting into and enjoying wave sailing. Read More

Alacati 8th-15th & 15th-22nd June 2013 Fabulous freeride paradise for intermediates and improvers. Read More

CANARIES  CANARIES ADVENTURE TRIP We return to the Canaries for a superb mid summer session! Read More

MAURITIUS 10-20th OCT 2012 Le Morne Mauritius, Indian Ocean 3 star resort with stunning conditions! ONE LAST PLACE! Read More

Western Australia December 2012 COURSE & BOOKING DETAILS BELOW! Read More

Jem has a few last minute places available in Prasonisi, Rhodes and Jeri, Brazil head to Jem’s website to find out more information  http://www.jemhall.com/clinics.asp

Jem Hall

Gybing in pictures...Image credit Karel Tyc

I hope you have enjoyed my recent articles in my new technique series, the Moves That Matter (MTM), and you can check the technique section for a recap should you so wish. Now we are getting down to some Gybe talking please take the time to refresh your memory with the previous article covering how YOU can take action learn and boost your gybing here. 

This month, in the second piece of a mini series on carve gybes and freemove / ride sailing I will look at some pics of both me and my Reliable Rhodes rippers,  from my recent June coaching clinics. Next month will see me presenting video tips.

Focus, believe and ENJOY. Image credit Jem Hall.

As a recap I will list the main gybing skills and drills that I suggest you should be equipped with:

• Stance
• Tacks
• Light wind skills
• Back hand, back hand, back hand
• Unhooking
• Bearing away into your gybes
• 360s
• Duck gybes

The pics I will present will look to show that picture is worth a thousand words but I will also embellish them by describing the action and good practice being demonstrated. Try not to think of the gybe in its entirety, yet look for competency in key areas of it, i.e. it is tough to get a good exit without a strong entrance.

Most important – a fast, effective and efficient stance

Great stance leads to great gybes. Image credit Jem Hall.

Maria has come along way with me and her great stance means she will enter the gybe with speed. Check out the upright rig, board locked down with a straight front leg (here in abbreviated SFL) and a bent back leg (BBL) with the sail sheeted in from low out board hips.

The Approach

Awesome preparation to carve. Image credit Jem Hall.

Mads has unhooked smoothly and turned downwind (check his track) and is outboard and low with a SFL and BBL, extended arms to keep the sail powered and the board flat. All this keeps vital entrance speed!

Ready to carve. Image credit Karel Tyc.

Henrik is pulling down on the boom to flatten the board and the sail is still sheeted in to act as an engine on the approach. His back foot is right back by the back foot strap and he is now ready to roll across the rail in his carve.

The carve – roll across the rail and show the sail

Heather showing the sail. Image credit Jem Hall.

Heather has approached the gybe very well and from here she can tip the rig forward and begin to roll across the rail by bending her ankles and leaning in to the turn. Her straight front arm (SFA) keeps the nose down and the rig away and this is very important.

How low can you go? Image credit Jem Hall

Ok, we are cheating here, Jacob is about to do a 360 but to get him to really attack his carves I got him trying these and he is in fine form. The sail is showing to the water, inside of the turn, his ankles are bent and his front hand is back on the boom to drive the rig forward.

Increasing that back foot pressure. Image credit Karel Tyc

Henrik is showing the sail on a SFA, which keeps the nose down and the board carving smoothly and his wake tells you that he is applying gradually increasing back foot pressure through the ball of his foot to carve the board so it goes round the corner

The middle of the turn – open the sail and moves your hips across then switch your feet

Open that sail. Image credit Jem Hall.

Micheal made very few gybes on his clinic and yet look at him here – he is in a perfect position to. Back hand way down the boom, opening the sail and swinging the hips to the inside of the turn and starting to look out of it.

Hammer that rail. Image credit Karel Tyc.

Peter’s gybe ended shakily but what is most important is that he is going for it! He is really pushing down through back foot to carve the rail hard, check out his wake. People often ease the pressure on the back foot – carve hard to take the board through the turn.

Perfect counterbalance – rig out and hips in. Image credit Karel Tyc

Dan works very hard on his sailing and his reward is this. Hands perfectly positioned way down the boom so that he can punch open the sail with the backhand. His hips can then swing across to get the weight over the back foot in readiness for the front foot to switch across. Rig to the outside, hips to the inside.

The exit – clew first, rotate the rig, then get down James Brown

Controlled clew first action. Image credit Karel Tyc.

Huw is low and outboard and could even plane clew first here. From this position he is low and in control, so he has slid his front hand from the front harness line to the front of the boom in readiness to rotate the rig and finish.

Carve the board as you rotate the rig. Image credit Jem Hall.

Sean is outboard and low and from here he can swing the rig round to rotate it and, crucially, be in a position to carve the board through his heels as he looks forward. This action will turn the board through the last part so you collect the rig across the wind in a strong position.

Get down James Brown and get planing. Image credit Nick Jones.

Dave has finished the gybe and got right on down on extended arms with a SFL & BBL, so he can push the board downwind to get planing and then get in the front strap BEFORE he hooks in. This can be the secret to windy planing gybes – get down James Brown after all your moves.

Moving on up – trying other moves to help you gybe

Try new moves! Image credit Jem Hall

Roger is not the duck gybe master but he goes for them and it has helped his gybes. If you don’t go you won’t know. Enjoy your sailing and try new moves.

360s help your gybes. Image credit Jem Hall

I urged Jon to try some one handed 360s to feel where the rig wants to go in this move and it really helped him to commit to the carve and concentrate on feeling the rail as he carves through it. The rig is away and the backhand is in perfect placement, for this move, as he really leans in and hammers the rail.

Tack so you can stay upwind to try more moves. Image credit Karel Tyc.

Dan, and many of my carve gybe learners and legends are very competent at tacking so they can try more gybes and stunts. The move also contains the key actions of looking where you go, hip swinging and a straight front arm (SFA) backed up by good preparation.

How does coach do it – exaggerating key actions

Lay that sail down to depower it and commit to the turn. Image credit Karel Tyc.

As the coach I will exaggerate key actions and push the moves that bit further. In this gybe I am over sheeting the sail to depower it. You can see this makes the rig twist at the head, lightens the sail and really commits me to showing the sail and feeling the rail. All aided by my backhand being way down the boom.

Get planing clew first. Image credit Nick Jones.

People make a real breakthrough in their gybing when they aim to plane clew first in the exit phase – as this keeps them low and outboard and in control and makes the pilot and not the passenger. As I am clew first I am very low, with wide hands and I really pull down on the boom whilst I carve subtly through the heel of my back foot.

In, out and shake it all about. Image credit Nick Jones.

I practice what I preach in that I throw in duck gybes to enjoy them and get my hips moving in the right directions. Here my rig moves out and my hips move across and to the inside to carve the board and, come on baldy, I should be looking out of the turn more!

So there you have it, lots of tips and skills for you to consider and practice. If you can’t wait for the next installment then please check out some of my technique clips on the Boardseeker technique clips on our sister site

Or you can check out my Live Coaching chapter on carve gybes, from Beginner to Winner, right here.

Of course, you will learn so much more on one of my fine coaching clinics as you can get all this live, instant and direct with the conditions to put it in place, pimping done now.

“Be ready for tomorrow, but live today.”

Clark Jolly, fellow Southsea, Hampshire waterperson.

If you seriously want to improve and have a fantastic holiday book on one of Jem’s coaching clinics NOW! For 2012 he has places left for reliable Rhodes in September, and the pièces de résistance, PSC, Baja in August and Jeri, in beautiful Brazil in November.

Check out the Sportif website with whom Jem runs many of his clinics.

Jem’s brand new wave technique movie Winner to Wavesailor is ready to PURCHASE NOW, and for all your fundamentals he has Beginner to Winner. You can now buy all 3 movies, including Freestyle, in the Trilogy box set.

RRD boards, Ezzy Sails, Flying Objects, Big Salty Weather and Prosport Sunblock sponsor Jem Hall. Check out jemhall.com for more details.

Four British windsurfers, Boards editor Amy Carter and BWA competitors George Shillito, James Cox and Steve Thorp guide you through their beloved sport and how it is affected by the weather.

George Shillito in action

From those taking their first steps on a board through to windsurfing addicts who follow the forecasts daily, we are all eager to find the right conditions and enjoy them to the fullest. Luckily for us the UK provides a brilliant range of windsurfing weather and locations for everyone, but first things first, what is windsurfing?

A windsurfer basically consists of a board, mast, boom and sail. The principle of windsurfing is simple; you stand on the board, with your feet roughly shoulder width apart, and hold the sail up with your hands. The aim is to control the board and execute all the different manoeuvres with a variety of techniques. When you learn to windsurf it will be in a safe, calm environment where you can get to grips with the theory and techniques of the sport. After mastering these you can move onto sailing in more challenging conditions and continually improve your windsurfing ability.

Windsurfing – fun for all!

George Shillito, a regular on the BWA (British Wavesailing Association) Tour and manager of a successful watersports centre, knows all about introducing new people to the sport. George shares his knowledge on getting started in windsurfing, as well as how the weather will affect your first, and all future, sessions on the water.

“For windsurfers, checking a forecast is the blood line that links the first-time novices to the international-travelling, wind-battered professionals. For each and every windsurfer checking the forecast kick-starts a chain reaction of religious routines, preparations and difficult deliberation as to what kit to take, where to take it and why take it there.

Just a few days ago I found myself explaining to a group of keen beginners that their ideal forecast which they should be searching high and low for is a steady force three (on the Beaufort scale) and a Northerly wind making the water nice and flat down here at Polkerris Beach on the South coast of Cornwall. As I found myself uttering these words I was quickly confronted with the question “what’s the windiest you’ve ever been out in?” to which I had to answer “a good force nine to ten!!”

As you can imagine this opened the flood gates to a barrage of questions which got me thinking; what is it that windsurfers look for that make an identical forecast spell disaster for some, but offer perfect conditions for others?

For your first steps on a windsurf board, flat water with a constant light wind (Force 2-3) are more or less ideal to enhance your learning experience, as at this stage you are what is referred to as unconsciously incompetent. You know don’t know what you’re doing as you have never done it before, but then again you have nothing to compare yourself to and your brain is working over-time to ensure you stay upright and resemble something similar to what the instructor is saying nearby. In short, there is much too much to be thinking about to worry whether a small gust maybe just about to collide with your sail as everything you are doing requires thought. For this stage the safer the water the better, so learning at any RYA training centre will insure certain, high quality standards are met.

Once you’ve been bitten by the windsurfing bug you’ll quickly succumb to the excitement and intrigue of learning more and it will soon have you back out on the water. As your experience grows so to do your limits and the gentle winds no longer produce the new arousal levels you are now accustomed. This is due to the fact that as you do more, more of what you are doing becomes subconscious and you do things without thought. Whereas previously you worried about where your hands and feet were, now it comes naturally to you, so your brain has more space to start thinking about new quarrels that it has not encountered before, such as water state and wind inequalities.

As time goes by what once was you perfect forecast is now just seen as a light bit of fun on the water with friends or used to learn new skills for windier days when things happen much faster.

Once you reach planning level (when you overtake your bow wave ie go pretty fast!) you will naturally find yourself well on your way to becoming a fully-fledged windsurfer and will have no doubt chosen a discipline you want to focus on.

Windsurfing, like any other sport, has a few main disciplines one can focus their attention on and for each the dream forecast is always slightly different. Most windsurfers don’t necessarily chose which discipline they want to take part in, rather the local beach, lake or area of water set the parameters for what is possible. So below is a list of the main disciplines and for each one I have explained, in short what each require in terms of forecast and kit.

Freeride / Bump and jump: This is the main type of discipline recreational windsurfers take part in. Ideally they look for about eighteen to thirty knots and use non-specific, go anywhere, do anything boards allowing them to make the most of any wind-blown chop for jumping or sheltered flat water areas for carving manoeuvres.

Wave: The more extreme end of the windsurfing spectrum. Wave is when windsurfers use waves as stunt ramps for high jumps and tricks such as forward or backward loops. They then surf the wave on the way back in combining bottom and top turns. They have to be on the brink of planning as the boards they use are much smaller (70 – 95 litres) to allow for control on the wave and in the air, ideally twenty-three knots (plus) with wave size anywhere from waist to four metres high or bigger!

Top freestyler Gollito in action. Image courtesy Fanatic/Tom de Brendt.

Freestyle: The skateboarding of the windsurfing world. It relies on doing explosive, sliding and spinning manoeuvres on completely flat water, the flatter the water the better. Again this relies on the windsurfer planning but it uses slightly bigger boards (90 – 105 litres) than wave so they can get out in similar winds to freeride, about eighteen knots plus. Freestyle is normally best when a stretch of water, across the wind is sheltered by a low lying wall, sand bar or spit of land for constant wind but has no fetch (area for chop to form on the water).

Race: This discipline is in itself split into many different categories which incorporates almost all wind strengths from RS:X which is used in the Olympics (please sign the petition to keep it in at: http://www.change.org/petitions/isaf-keep-windsurfing-as-olympic-discipline# ) designed specifically for use all over the world at different venues, inland and costal. Formula which has kit that can get planning in about eight knots of wind and Slalom which can be done in some of the highest wind speeds nature can put out.

All of the aforesaid disciplines do at some stage interlink and defining them can sometimes be difficult. I have used wind strengths for a typical windsurfer but that is not to say that for all of the above there will be many exceptions. Lighter/more skilled sailors will be able to get going earlier, slightly different conditions will allow different opportunities and as kit progresses people are able to get out more and more.  So a forecast to a windsurfer is like opening a book with the same content, yet arriving at an infinite amount of different endings. Depending where you are on your windsurfing journey be sure to check the forecast so you can arrive at your own conclusions as you can be sure the person next to you at your local spot will have arrived at a slightly different one!”

As you progress with windsurfing and sway towards one or other of these disciplines, following the forecast becomes a little more exciting. While it maybe easy to get out on some flat water to go freeriding, you may crave a perfect wave to improve your wave riding or some ultra flat water to learn the new freestyle move.

For many following the forecast and searching for their own personal ideal condition becomes an addiction, James Cox an avid competitor well known for his meteorological knowledge explains why and what many look for in a forecast.

James Cox. Image credit Duncan Dumbreck.

“Windsurfers do not have the luxury of booking a court or scheduling a regular after work slot of leisure activity; we wait for the weather to decide when the games can begin. And as a keen windsurfer I know, and thoroughly enjoy, the process of being finely tuned in to the weather forecasts in anticipation of the next brewing storm and the next chance to hit the water. We wait for the latest forecast updates to plan our week ahead. Most often work and social engagements are planned around the windsurfing and the weather.

A chase makes life more exciting and following the weather is exactly that. As a windsurfer you will have your own ideal conditions that you will be looking for – your own idea of perfection! For Steve, George and Amy this will most likely be something such as raw big surf and strong winds; whereas for another individual it might be moderate winds on a secluded and sheltered lake. So we will all be concentrating on the weather forecast, but we might be hoping for different things.

This is just one of the reasons why Windsurfing is such an incredible sport. The weather constantly changes the playing field making every session unique. There is no good or bad weather in windsurfing – only good weather! But as suggested  above, it’s the extreme weather conditions that keep the most experienced windsurfers perpetually hooked.

James Cox in action. Image credit BWA/Dave White.

Finding the right weather for your ability is only a part of what we look for (and something that the Met Office website www.metoffice.gov.uk  does very well), it is also very important to know which locations handle those conditions the best and which are most suited to you ability level. This is something that Bigsalty Weather www.bigsalty.co.uk focuses on. So in unison these websites allow you to track the weather and locate your ideal location based on the conditions.

The most important weather indicator that you want to look for when windsurfing is of course wind speed and direction. A learner might look for a wind speed of 7-18kts (F3 Bft – F5Bft). This is windy enough to get a response from the sail but not too windy to be out of control. Wind direction or more specifically wind orientation is something else we look for.

As you gain experience of a local area, you may find that a particular wind direction suits one location over an alternative. Indeed you may also find that a specific wind direction may accentuate the wind speed due to a thermal enhancement (e.g. sea breeze) or acceleration due to topography. Beach orientation and sea bed topography also effect what wave action will be present at the beach. This is where the above weather forecasting sites above can help, but it’s also extremely beneficial to pay attention to these localised effects yourself.

Generally speaking, if you are getting in to windsurfing for the first time you don’t have to worry too much about too many detailed weather factors (I am assuming you are taking advice from an instructor) but by making an effort to understand them you can make more sense out of the forecasts available to you and perhaps read between the lines.

As well as wind speed and direction, I personally look at tides and the wave (also known as swell) characteristics: wave height, wave period and wave direction. Broadly speaking, wave height tells me how high the waves may be, wave period tells me how much energy and power the waves will have and the wave direction tells me what angle the waves will need to wrap through to reach my favourite beach. Tides will also affect the waves on their approach to the shore but this effect varies greatly from beach to beach.

Understanding the weather is part of the rich and exciting experience of being a windsurfer. You will never completely master either of these things, but this means there is always something new to keep you hooked.

Essential weather and information websites to take with you on this journey are:

• The Met Office (www.metoffice.gov.uk )
• Bigsalty Weather (www.bigsalty.co.uk)

Additional weather sites that are frequently used are:

• Windguru (www.windguru.cz)
• Magicseaweed (www.magicseaweed.com)”

Why?

Because you can!

Graham Ezzy in action on the AWT

With a mind full of new techniques to try and a body ready to fall a few times, you can improve tremendously in just hours.

When I went to college, I only had a few weeks a year to windsurf, but I was also trying to remain competitive on the world tour. I was forced to analyze my training and come up with a very focused analysis of windsurfing moves.

I’ve got all this windsurfing knowledge bottled up inside me on how to do moves. And the little secrets that allow you to plane out rather than sink.

I want to teach these secrets in my Baja camp this October. But I can’t wait till then; I need to share windsurfing secrets NOW. I feel antsy. Like when you know the answer to a question just asked to a crowd and you want to shout out the answer.

So, I will teach you something now. Send me a request and I’ll make an instructional video of the top requests and supplement it with written techniques and tricks. Why should you wait till October to be a better windsurfer? Start now.

Send an email BEFORE Friday the 20th to grahamezzy@gmail.com with your request. The request can be anything in windsurfing from tacking to push loops to carrying gear on the beach.

Here are some samples: tacks, pushloops, backloops, cutbacks, shove-its, flakas, tabletops, etc

(I don’t want to do general instruction on forward loops because the windsurfing world is so full of forward looping instruction. However, if you have a specific question on forward loops, feel free to ask it.)

Gybe Talking CREDIT: Sue Winston

I have previously covered the basic tips on how to waveride front side, now it is time to get Gybe talking.

This first piece of a mini series on carve gybes and freemove / ride sailing will present the main skills with images and text, I will then follow this up with video in the next feature.

As I have often said, ‘ordinary actions done consistently will produce extraordinary results’ so it is the small parts, that make up the big picture of the carve gybe.

Perfect stance will get you great gybes. CREDIT: Jem Hall

TOP GYBE TIPS:

Stance

I have mentioned before just how important the holy trinity is and if you want great gybes, then you need to focus on planing early, sailing fast (under and overpowered) and flying upwind. All these skills means that you can try more gybes as you will be more upwind and in a position to bear away and go fast into your gybes.

Tacks will let you attack your gybes CREDIT: Mary Bush

Tacks

With the modern wide boards and people now venturing out in light winds more this move is now back in vogue and very very useful. Please learn and improve and upon it, as you will use it later should you get into wavesailing and it means you can get and stay upwind. When you are confident you can stay upwind you will try more gybes and bear away in your preparation to gybe, both of which will drastically improve your carving skills.

Marti does his clew first drills! CREDIT: Mary Bush

Light wind skills

I see the most improvement in peoples gybes after a session of drills and skills in light winds on a floaty board or windSUP. Getting to grips with the footwork and timing of the gybe, aggressive steering up and downwind and being the master of clew first sailing will fire up your muscle memory and give you both valuable and transferrable skills to utilise in planing conditions.

Back hand back – do it now and forever please. CREDIT: Mary Bush

Back hand, back hand, back hand

Simply put the further back your rear hand is positioned the better many of your moves will be. The people on my clinics who place their hands the furthest back learn and improve their gybes the fastest. I say this as my first coaching point and plug it as the most important part of the gybe and the bottom turn, forward etc etc. When learning and improving your gybes this is the first action you perform before you look to gybe.

Unhook low and then keep low CREDIT: Mary Bush

Unhooking

How you hook in and unhook is more crucial to your sailing than you think. Do it well and your stance and footstrap usage develops fast, do it poorly and you’ll be out the front door! My clients and I have found it best to unhook by bending your arms from a low position before we gybe (do moves) so as to keep us low, the alternative is to raise your hips which puts you upright and sinks the tail … not good. We can lose so much precious speed before we even start gybing just by inefficient unhooking, so please get down James Brown and unhook by hanging off straight arm, then bending them to release the line from your hook.

360s boosted Andy’s Gybes CREDIT: Jem Hall

360s

Now we are moving into the moves where people who can gybe should be working on. Great gybes, planing ones especially, take a good amount of time and as we enjoy the journey it is best to try some other moves on the way to keep you fresh and challenged. By working on 360s your entry speed will be boosted and you will gybe more off the front foot AND you will really commit to carving hard. My clients really enjoy going for these now, and often the one handed variation too.

Duck gybes seriously improve your carve gybes CREDIT: Mary Bush

Duck gybes

This is a fantastic move and everyone remembers getting his or her first! It is a more simple gybe than a carve gybe and can often be your first planing gybe due its less technical nature. You duck the rig early and then just focus on carving. The duck gybe will give you a great thrill, increase your confidence and make you more dynamic – get into them.

Bearing away into your gybes

Now all these skills and drills will really get your gybes talking and flowing but I have saved the best tip for last (along with a reminder to get your back hand back). After getting your back hand waaaay back, and unhooking smoothly, if you bear away into your gybe and stay low you have the best opportunity ever to significantly step up your gybes! Turning downwind / bearing away by scissoring the board (not carving it) and keeping it flat will see your board speed rocket and the sail will then go light, whilst the board will then be ready to carve. Going fast into your gybe will give you a wider arc and therefore provide you with the time to do all that damn footwork and rig opening and rotating. More on all this later ….  Including all the nitty gritty of the actual whole process of gybing.

So there you have it, lots of tips and skills for you to consider and practice. If you can’t wait for the next instalment then please check out some of my technique clips on the Boardseeker website too.

Plus all of this and more is covered in my technique DVD ‘Beginner to Winner.’ 

Or you can check out my Live Coaching chapter on carve gybes, from Beginner to Winner, right here:

More Windsurfing Videos
Jem Hall runs a range of clinics both in the UK and abroad, head to his website for all the information. 

A number of these clinics are with Sportif, head to the Sportif website for all destination details.  

Jem is sponsored by RRD boards, Ezzy Sails, Flying Objects, Big Salty Weather and Prosport Sunblock. 

Scroing Ireland from the word go

Words from Graham…

“Ahhhhh. The adventure begins to begin.

Seated beside Mikey in his van, I set out for County Sligo to catch my first Irish waves and wind. The drive from Dublin to the west coast takes about 3 hours, possibly 2.5.

We arrived at the spot around noon and the car’s outside temperature gauge told us the air was a balmy 6 degrees Centigrade. Lovely.

Ireland loves its rain. Clouds cover the sky and showers pop up without warning all the time. This makes everything a wonderful green. But the rain combined with the un-Hawaii temperature made it a bit cold for me.

Against the elements, I did have 2 main weapons: a 4/2 Matuse wetsuit and a Helly Hanson thermal (?) shirt to go underneath. No gloves, no boots, no hat.

But once the feet go numb, it really doesn’t matter how cold it is. And for the hands, I find that they never stop hurting but if I constantly wiggly my fingers or tap along the boom, they never go too stiff from the cold. Performance is key.

That day was fun and the waves beautifully glassy. The wind was gusty which frustrated me. And the current was a hell of a lot stronger than it looked, but it wasn’t much of a problem with the strong wind (gusty as it was)….”

Follow more of Graham’s trip on his blog – surf-matic.com

‘A Very Merry Xmas to you and a ripping New Year.

I would like to share my first Go Pro, aka Duracell Jem, Movie with you courtesy of a feature in Boardseeker. Check out me Going Pro in perfect Punta San Carlos, Baja.

Big thanks to Clive ‘El Toro’ and Nick Coleman for the awesome edit and loan of equipment respectively.’

Head over to www.jemhall.com for more.