Windsurfing at Lagoon Watersports, Hove

Lagoon Watersports in Hove are running some fantastic taster courses this bank holiday weekend. 

Inspired by the Olympics?

We want to offer you the chance to try some Olympic Watersports and non Olympic Watersports here in Brighton and Hove. It is really about getting out on the water and trying something new. Finding out if watersports is for you or your kids

To follow up on the Olympics we have some great opportunities for you to give watersports a go.

Sportivate Multi Watersports for Teenagers Age 14 – 16 - Just £10 ! – 6 x 2 hour sessions  trying Sailing, Windsurfing, Kayaaking, Stand up Paddleboarding, wakeboarding. The usual cost of these would be over £200. Click here for more details, dates and too book 

Sportivate Learn to Windsurfing for Women age 19 – 25 – Just £40 ! - 6 x 2 hour sessions, plus 4 x club training sessions. The usual cost of this course would be over £200. Click here for more details, dates and too book 

Coastal Sailing Taster from Brighton Marina – Just £10 ! - 75 mins sailing experience off the Brighton Coastline on our Sigma 8 metre performance sailing boats, with an RYA sailing instructor on board to give your the a hands on sailing lesson. Please click this link to book your place

Inspired by the Olympics – Watersport Tasters September 29/30 – Just £25 ! -  Why not try our Olympic Watersports Taster Sessions at Hove Lagoon. Full tuition and all equipment is provided, including a wetsuit. You get to try three sports for just £20 -

Women only – Adults – Kids

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

Learning to windsurf is often thought of as something for younger people only, but actually the great thing about windsurfing is that it is a sport for everyone, regardless of age.

During my time instructing I have taught a whole host of people from five to 80 years, and everything in-between. Learning a new sport such as windsurfing is great fun, inspiring, fantastic fitness and above all incredibly social!

Paula Brockwell is a great example of someone who has put all the myths behind her and decided to take up the challenge and join her friends to learn how to windsurf…….the only problem is now dealing with that well known windsurfing addiction we all eventually suffer from!!

Paula Brockwell in action

Paula tells us all about her learning experience over the last 12 months and how it’s all about  being able to launch, sail, and get back to shore without falling in…….coping in really strong wind and just having a ball!

RYA: Tell us a little bit about yourself and the type of person you are.

Paula: I am an outgoing, friendly person who is up for a challenge. I have a sense of humour and willing to have a go at most things.

RYA: As this article is about learning windsurfing ‘slightly’ later in life, do you mind me asking how old you are…….roughly is fine!!?

Paula: 45 or roughly 32!

RYA: How did you get into windsurfing and what was it that inspired you to learn?

Paula: A friend at work already windsurfed and was really enthusiastic. Then another colleague gave me her daughter’s old board and rig and that was the beginning. I had the kit and the push I needed to have a go.

RYA: What made you decide to take RYA Courses, not learn from a friend or teach yourself? 

Paula: It’s so much easier to learn from an expert, I had been to Aqua Sports previously with my children so I knew the staff were really lovely and would be gentle with me. I couldn’t have taught myself, I hadn’t got a clue!

The Aqua Sports Company, Mercers Lake

RYA: Aqua Sports is an RYA Training Centre, do you feel learning at an RYA Training Centre and taking RYA courses has been an advantage to your progression? 

Paula: Absolutely – you know you are getting the full package from people who have the experience and expertise to teach and make it an enjoyable challenge.

RYA: What have been your biggest achievements or most memorable moments so far?

Paula: Being able to launch, sail, and get back to shore without falling in!  Coping in really strong wind and having a ball!

RYA: What have you found most challenging about learning the sport?

Paula: I’m not a great one for the theory work, I like to get on the board and learn from my mistakes.  What I have found challenging is knowing where to put my feet in relation to the rig, at the right time, whilst juggling everything else. I think about it all too much and have to learn to just get on with it.

RYA: What would be a perfect day’s windsurfing for you and where would it be?

Paula: At the moment – Blowing a Hooley at Aqua Sports!

RYA: What are your five top tips for someone looking to learn how to windsurf?

Enjoying a blast on the water

Paula:

1. Go to a recommended RYA approved centre

2. Visit before you book and check out the staff (friendly ones are nice!)

3. Start saving up because you get hooked and then you want your own rig!

4. Have very understanding families who have to start to fend for themselves.

5. Prepare to have fun and achieve something for yourself!

So what are you waiting for…….if you are reading this article and fancy taking up the challenge and joining the rest of us on the water – it’s never too late to learn, DON’T put it off until tomorrow!!

If you want to know more about learning to windsurfing and find your nearest training centre visit: www.rya.org.uk

Check out further information and features from the RYA on Boards. 

Mention the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) to many windsurfers and they will generally acknowledge us as the guys who hand out certificates and coordinate training courses. You perhaps remember the RYA from your first embarrassing attempts to balance on a board without falling over and spectacularly face planting in the water, while an instructor looked on and tried not to smirk. RYA Windsurf Level One anyone?

Anyway, chances are that you have long since left those days behind and are probably quite keen to forget all about those tentative first steps. This means that, unless you’re a windsurfing instructor, your dealings with the RYA may well be limited. After all, windsurfing is all about being free spirited and, at first glance it’s difficult to see where the RYA figures in all that.

Despite this, there are actually around 8,500 windsurfers who are RYA members, and they are taking advantage of a number of benefits which the RYA can offer them.

Learning to windsurf

So why join the RYA?

Benefits

Well, the most obvious and tangible benefit for windsurfers is that, if you join the RYA, you get free third party insurance up to a value of £2,000,000.

This is a pretty significant benefit, as it means that if you’re going mach ten on your board and plough into a shiny new yacht, you’re insured against any damage you do to the boat or anyone else in the process.

This is a pretty useful benefit, particularly as it often doesn’t even occur to us that we need this type of cover until it’s too late. By joining the RYA, and stating that windsurfing is one of your boating interests, you’ll automatically be signed up for cover without any hassle.

All very useful, and for many, reason enough to join the RYA, but  while you are out there blasting in the smug knowledge that you can nail your board in to any yacht with impunity (joke), there are other, broader reasons for joining the organisation.

There are also a whole host of other great membership offers and discounts coming up all the time so it’s worth checking out what’s in store and you could save yourself some money (which is always a good thing!).

Team 15 Champions Cup 2011 in Northampton

Developing the sport

One of the central tenets of the RYA’s existence is to encourage participation in the sport at its very grass roots. For windsurfers this comes in the form of Team15, a programme run by the RYA to get more young blood involved in windsurfing.

At present there are around 70 Team15 clubs, with kids taking part in friendly competition with the ultimate aim of winning the inter-club championship. As every windsurfer knows, gathering together all the kit you need as cheaply as possible is a challenge in itself, so Team15 clubs can provide beginners with free kit and the cost of sessions is kept low.

Now, you may think that this is all very laudable, but not much to do with you, but it is in all of our interests for windsurfing to continue to flourish. If nothing else, the fewer active participants in the sport, the more expensive the kit becomes. For the more sociable windsurfer, more people participating in the sport means more competition, higher standards and more people out on the water with you.

So that’s two good reasons to join up with the RYA, but for those free spirits out there who still think that the RYA is not really for them, there is another compelling reason and that is the one thing that windsurfers hold very close to their hearts; freedom, protecting your rights.

Bic Techno Racing: Rowena Conway

Protecting your rights

Now this sounds very worthy, but what does it actually mean? Well, on a basic level, it’s all about making sure that you can go out and enjoy your windsurfing without getting tangled up in the red tape.

This may seem a bit far-fetched, but the RYA keeps a very close eye on any legislation which might stop you from enjoying getting out on the water; for example the Government Marine and Coastal Access Act. This may seem far removed from the world of windsurfing, but bear with me as there were aspects of it which had the potential to compromise your freedom to hook in and start blasting.

The RYA went through this Bill with a fine toothcomb before it was passed and used its influence to ensure that the wording was such that the Bill could not be used in a way that might unduly compromise our on the water activities.

Sounds dull, but that’s the point; the RYA is there to ensure that you don’t have to worry about this kind of stuff.

On a more local level, when windsurfers in Gwithian, Cornwall were threatened with reduced access to one of the UK’s finest wave sailing beaches, the RYA ensured that it was on hand to provide advice and support to help ensure that windsurfers were afforded unrestricted access to the water.

So there you go; three very good reasons to support the RYA and the work we do and we haven’t even mentioned all that coaching and expertise that brought windsurfing into the public eye after our successes at the Beijing Olympics. Oh, and of course our training courses, which cater for all levels from; complete beginner to improving your skills, right through to instructor level.

For more information on what we do, go to www.rya.org.uk,

Find more from The RYA on Boards

• It’s never been easier to learn, burn and turn!
• We’ll give you the knowledge, guidance and inspiration to get the most out of the sport.
• Get ready for a mix of magazine and online tips, tricks and all you need to make your initial moves on a board!

To help you through your journey we turn to BOARDS technique editor and internationally recognised coach Simon Bornhoft.

Welcome to windsurfing!

“Modern equipment and coaching techniques mean you, your friends and your whole family can enjoy the sport!”

EASY DOES IT

“The board’s are so much bigger and stable, when you fall off, you don’t fall in! It’s brilliant!” cheerfully exclaimed a recent newcomer. While staying dry isn’t guaranteed, the technical advances in equipment for beginners and enthusiasts is astounding. Windsurfing is now so much easier and more achievable than ever.  Boards have become lighter, wider and much more stable leading you into more progressive areas of the sport with less effort and in a shorter time scale.

On your first day you’ll soon be windsurfing back and forth!

In 2-3 days you’ll increase your control, speed and be hooked!

In a week you’ll be calling yourself a true windsurfer, like thousands of others around the world!

REASONS TO WINDSURF?

• The buzz and thrill accelerating across the water, powered only by the wind, is sensational!
• There are schools and fabulous windsurfing locations all over the UK and around the world!
• You need nothing to get started!
• It’s a fantastic way to get fit, active and be on the water cheaply.
• You can buy complete second hand beginners boards from £300-500.
• With good guidance you’ll quickly gain confidence and new skills.
• There’s no greater day than one spent windsurfing!

MODERN KIT AND TERMINOLOGY

Modern kit

It can be confusing getting to know new lingo, but this is all you need to know for starters.

The Board = The floaty, stable platform you stand on.

The Rig = Refers to the combined components of mast, boom and sail.

1 – Board

Modern windsurfing boards are very stable, easy to sail and offer the perfect platform for quick progression.

The board you’ll learn on is likely to be 170-200L and approximately 85cm wide. Easy!

2 – Fin
The fin gives lateral resistance and helps you turn (where you want to go!).

3 – Daggerboard

Most beginners boards have a daggerboard which, like a yachts keel, give added stability and assists steerage in lighter winds. They can retract up into the hull, to reduce resistance, when you ‘plane’ at faster speeds.

4 – Mastbase

The mastbase, positioned approximately 135-140cm from the tail, connects the board to the rig.

5 – Mast
Carbon ‘masts’ are light and make the sail feel more stable, easier to handle and lighter in the hands.

6 – Sail

The clear ‘monofilm’ sails are light and measured in sqm’s. Beginners learn with sails 2.5-4.5m, then, once you’re past the initial stages you’ll can use larger 5-8ms sails in winds between 5-18knots. In stronger winds, 18-30knots, you’d use smaller 4-6ms sails. The first sail you might own would be between 5-6m depending on your stature.

7 – Boom
The ‘boom’ is what you hold onto and it should be set at shoulder-chin height, when standing on the board.

Windsurfing is for all ages and levels!

Youngsters...

Women...

...and the not so young!

What Do You Need?

Most windsurfing schools provide all you need to get started when you take lessons. Once you decide to take up the sport (it won’t be long) your initial purchase would be a wetsuit, boots and buoyancy jacket.

Wetsuit

‘Blind stitched’, ‘Steamer’ or ‘smooth skin’ wetsuits, are glued and stitched to minimise water penetration through the seams, so they are warmer. ‘Over-locked’ or ‘double lined’ suits use a more basic stitching system which allows some water through, so they are used in warmer weather. A good compromise for the Spring-Autumn in the UK is a short arm, long leg blind stitched steamer.

Boots: Neoprene windsurfing boots are advisable to protect your feet.

Buoyancy: Although wetsuit give you buoyancy, most schools insist on you wearing a buoyancy jacket for your initial lessons/hiring of kit.

WINDSURFING PHRASES

Like every sport windsurfers have their own lingo, here’s two key phrases you might hear.

“What’s it doing out there?” This refers to the strength of the wind.

“What are you on? This asks what size of sail or board other windsurfers might be using.

WINDSURFING FACTS

Windsurfing is over 50 years old and was invented in the UK!

Top windsurfers can reach speeds of up to 50mph!

The largest wave ever windsurfed is higher than your house!

Intermediate windsurfers can easily blast around at about 25mph!

FitnessWise

FITNESSWISE

Windsurfing is fabulous for toning, fitness, core strength and a very healthy lifestyle. Being on the water for a few hours beats being in the gym and you get an amazing feeling too! Recreational windsurfers burn approximately 200-400 calories per hour with a heart rate range of 110-175 bpm. Advanced windsurfers in the waves burn over 500-600 calories per hour, often reaching their max heart rate! Top Olympic Windsurfers require the same fitness levels as world-class athletes.

TECHNIQUEWISE

Not only has equipment changed, but improved teaching and coaching methods mean the skills you learn as a beginner can be used and applied to the highest level of the sport. Here are some of the key principles that you’ll hear use and should accentuate!

Windsurfing Principles

Windsurfing principles

Vision – Always look forward in the direction of where you are going or want to turn.

Trim – Position the feet inboard and forward at low speeds, outboard and back at high speeds.

Balance – To create a counter balance, the body moves in the opposite direction to the rigs force and position.

Power – Sheet the boom, in back and down to help drive the board forward.

Stance – Forming a ‘7’ shaped stance is a good way to establish a strong stance.

SAFETY CHECK

Don’t go out in strong currents or offshore winds.

Wear a buoyancy when learning and never sail alone.

Get proper lessons and good guidance for a safer more enjoyable experience.

WHAT NEXT?

What are you waiting for? Check out our map for your nearest windsurfing school or centre in the UK to sign up for a taster session or full course. Further advice info@windwise.net

WindWise

Seeing as he wrote the national coaching system and provides incisive technique features for BOARDS, it’s worth checking out Simon Bornhoft’s www.windwise.net for beginner improver / intermediate / advanced books, courses, fabulous holidays and advice.

Beginner board

You’ve probably seen the comedy sketch where a bewildered customer goes into an off-licence and spends a life-wasting period of time scanning the shelves. After a long deliberation, he turns to the retailer, “What’s best then, red or white?” It’s not the funniest, but it could have been shot in a windsurfing shop, where there’s a vast array of boards on offer, and you might well end up thinking “Which is best then, the red one or the blue one?” At first, board selection can seem perplexing, but if you make a considered choice you can find the right ride for you.

First piece of advice – don’t just buy that £100 board you see on eBay as it’s likely to be the windsurfing equivalent of a wooden tennis racquet! Have lessons first, hire for a while and then you’ll have a better concept of board sizes, names and what you want from the sport. When you’re ready to buy, select a board that offers long-term potential for your needs and aspirations, but isn’t too challenging to sail. In basic terms, boards are of similar length, but they vary more in width and volume. Wider, higher volume boards (140-200L) are more stable and easier to sail and suit beginners, improver-intermediates, lighter winds and inland waters. The small, fast boards (75-135L) you see people using are for more experienced sailors in stronger winds and rougher coastal conditions. They require more technique to sail, so are likely to be your choice of second board when the time comes. Right now you need something easy that you can evolve with, and then keep to partner any smaller boards you might progress on to in the future.

Most people relate to one of the three following categories, so read through these to help narrow your first board choice. (If you can’t afford a new board then look at second-hand options that fit into the criteria we’ve outlined here.)

Beginner board

Beginner

If you plan to take the sport quite gradually, sail occasionally, or it’s a family activity with a broad range of levels, statures and ages using the board, I strongly suggest buying a high volume ‘beginner board’. The new ‘widestyle’ boards are so much easier and lighter than boards from a few years ago. They’re at least 75-90cm wide, which reduces your chances of falling off and increases your control and ease of getting ‘planing’. They’re undoubtedly the easiest boards to sail on the market! The ones we’re suggesting here aren’t the massive white 200-220L school ‘platforms’ you might have had your lessons on: these are sporty, fun and perfect for embracing the early stages of the sport.

Daggerboard

Daggerboard vs Centre-Fin

Most beginner boards have retractable daggerboards which, when down, give greater lateral resistance, stability, and aid staying upwind in light wind, ‘non-planing’ situations. The daggerboard is retracted into the hull when the board is sailed over the water at ‘planing’ speeds. The alternative is a fixed centre-fin that bolts onto the underside of the board and can be removed with a screwdriver for stronger winds. Given a choice between the two, I’d recommend a retractable daggerboard – especially if you sail inland.

Beginner board

Beginner Board Q&A

Volume? 165-190L

Width? 75cm+

Daggerboard / centre-fin? Yes

Foostraps? Initially you don’t need to fit them, but once you start to use a harness they help stabilise you on the board.

Anything else? Soft deck options are great for scrambling onto painlessly without ruining the knees of your wetsuit!

What to avoid? If anyone tries to sell you a second-hand ‘beginner board’ that’s less than 70cm wide, run away!

Beginner board in action

Progressive Beginner-Improver

This would be a more ambitious, longer term purchase for those who know they’ve got the bug! If you’re looking to windsurf a reasonable amount with a realistic goal of getting into the harness and footstraps in a wider range of conditions, then consider an ‘improver board’. Manufacturers refer to these as ‘large freeride boards’, and you’ll probably end up with one between 140 and 160L depending on your weight. You should only buy this board once you can happily sail back and forth on a beginner board, so you might need to rent or borrow one for a while before buying. Being narrower and lower in volume with no daggerboard or centre-fin, freeride boards are less stable and harder to sail upwind. Although initially (first few days) they are more challenging, the big reason for buying a large freeride board is that you won’t grow out of it so quickly. Essentially they’re lighter to carry off the water, then on the water they’re faster, more responsive and encourage you to venture more quickly towards high-wind, ‘planing’ windsurfing. However, it’s vital to point out that they should still be of high enough volume to easily uphaul and sail around on in lighter winds. Here’s what to go for…

Large freeride board

‘Large Freeride’ Board Q&A

Volume? Sailor weight of 45-60kg = 130-140L / 60-80kg = 140-150L / 80kg+ = 150-170L

Soft deck? Not essential

Daggerboard? No

Foostraps? Yes

Freeride board in action

Experienced Improver & Fast Learner

Windsurfed before? Been on a course abroad and are now harnessing? If you’ve got some windsurfing experience or you’re a super-fast learner and want to get into planing windsurfing, it’s well worth renting / trying a few large freeride boards to see what volume you can sail. Then when you do buy one, you’ll be that much more experienced and can get away with a slightly smaller board (125-150L) depending on your weight. ONLY DO THIS IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE and can sail in a harness, as you need to be able to use larger rigs to get the most out of them.

Simon Says…

Worried about sailing without a daggerboard?

Vision: Look upwind.

Trim: Tilt that windward (upwind) rail and point the front foot forward.

Stance: Adopt a nice ‘straight-7’ stance to cruise upwind.

Freeride board

Freeride Board Q&A

Volume? Sailor weight of 45-60kg = 125-135L / 60-80kg = 135-145L / 80kg+ = 140-150L

Soft deck? Not necessary

Daggerboard? No

Foostraps? Yes

Beginner board in action

What About the Rig?

Most board packages come with a standard rig and choice of one sail. For now, if you’re under 80kg go for a ‘rotational’ sail sized between 5m and 5.5m. If you’re over 80kg go for a 5.5-6.2m sail.

Windsurfing Phrasebook

Non-planing: A term related to lighter winds when the board is travelling slowly, pushing through the water.

Planing: This is when stronger winds encourage the board to accelerate, fast enough to ride on its own bow-wave like a speedboat. (Happens at about 12-15mph).

Upwind: Sailing diagonally towards the wind and not drifting or being blown away from it – or ‘downwind’, as it’s called.

Daggerboard: Retractable ‘keel’ in centre of the board.

Freeride: Category of board that is predominantly used for sailing back and forth as fast and comfortably as possible.

WiseWords!

Whatever your category, don’t buy something too small, ultra-light or anything that has ‘race’ written on it. Volume is good for your first and largest board! It’s safer, easier, keeps you on the water and acts as a good partner for smaller boards.

Next time we look at rig sizes, quiver planning and buying your first harness. See you on the water very soon…

Seeing as he wrote the national coaching system and provides incisive technique features for BOARDS, it’s worth checking out Simon Bornhoft’s www.windwise.net for beginner improver / intermediate / advanced books, courses, fabulous holidays and advice.