It is never easy to pick up and master a new skill, this includes windsurfing. Many people consider windsurfing to be difficult, but there are several things you can do to ensure you have an easier time with it.
In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about windsurfing, including tips to make it easy, and more! So, if this is of interest to you, then read on!
What Is Windsurfing?
Windsurfing is an activity in which an individual rides on the ocean using a sailboard. It is considered to be a type of sailing, in which the board is powered by the wind.
Boards with sails have been used for hundreds of years by Polynesian people, and it was in the 1960s that windsurfing became the sport that it is today.
What Makes Windsurfing Difficult?
There are difficulties at different stages of the windsurfing stage, but the main challenge comes in when you want to go from being a beginner windsurfer to an intermediate one.
Here, you will need to test your limits to see how quickly you are able to use the high winds to fly across the water. This is known as planing.
Planing is a difficult thing to master, because you need everything to be aligned perfectly in order for you to be moving quickly and in complete control.
Meanwhile, the challenge for beginners is learning how to sail and balance. This can be challenging when it is your first time on the board.
Tips To Make Windsurfing Easier
If you are new to windsurfing, then don’t be surprised or disheartened if you do not pick it up right away. It takes a lot of time and effort to learn a new skill, and to develop it into a talent.
However, we have some tips that can make windsurfing a lot easier. Check them out below!
Perfect The Basic Stance
This tip generally applies to beginners only. If your stance is wrong, then nothing is going to go right. This makes perfecting your stance essential when it comes to windsurfing.
Which brings us to our first tip: the best way to perfect your stance! To begin, your feet should be shoulder-width apart and situated behind the mast foot.
Your hands also need to be shoulder-width apart and holding the boom. Your back needs to be straight, and your forearm needs to be extended.
Additionally, your back foot should be situated across the board and your front foot needs to point to the windsurf board’s front – this is also called the “nose.”
So, your feet here should make an “L” shape. If you find that the back of the nose of the windsurf board is sinking, then you need to adjust so you are standing slightly more forwards or backward as required.
Use The Right Equipment
You’re going to need to use the right equipment if you want to perfect your windsurfing technique.
Board
Your windsurf board, particularly if you’re just starting out, needs to be wide. The wider the board is, the more stable it is and the easier it is to maintain your balance. The aforementioned stance tips come into play here, too.
Sail
You will also need to have the correct sail size if you want to master your windsurfing technique. If you are a beginner, then you will need to use anything from a 3.5-4.5 m2 (meter squared) sail.
This way, you are ensuring that the sail is big enough that you feel the benefit of its power, but light enough that you are able to pick it up with ease and control it.
It is important to remember that there is nothing wrong with using a smaller sail, and a big sail does not necessarily make the best windsurfer.
Practice In Suitable Conditions
The conditions you find yourself working in will have a significant impact on how challenging you will find it to windsurf.
So, if you are a beginner, it is best not to go out in winds that are too strong. We recommend going out onto the ocean when the wind speed is anywhere between 6 to 12 knots. The water should also be flat. Flat water will enable you to place all your attention on steering the board.
However, if you are planning on windsurfing in the ocean and you notice the water is flat, then please be aware that this may mean there is an offshore wind.
An offshore wind has the potential to be very dangerous. Here, the wind blows out to the ocean, so the wind will hit the back of your head if you are facing it.
If this is the case, then beginner windsurfers need to completely avoid these conditions. You may be blown out to sea, and it will be very difficult to return to the shore.
Take Windsurfing Lessons
No matter your skill level, you can always benefit from windsurfing lessons! Instructors will be able to advise you on the correct equipment, technique, and conditions.
They will make sure the learning is simple and easy. They are also professionals who will be able to help you succeed and develop your skills even further than you could by yourself.
You can pick up decent windsurfing skills in around two hours, but it can take many years to master the sport. So, it is always useful to pick up tips and tricks from a professional instructor who has those years of experience.
Practice Makes Perfect
You cannot get anywhere with mastering a new skill if you do not pracitce! It is important for any skill, especially windsurfing. So, if you keep at it and follow our advice and tips, you’ll be a pro windsurfer in no time!
Tips For Planing
Here are some tips to learn how to perfect your planing technique!
Equipment
When it comes to planing, then you will need a light board. Heavy boards have a more difficult time being lifted out of the water. You will also need to invest in a larger sail.
Technique
With successful planing, you will need to take the power from the sail and place it into the board. This needs to happen horizontally as possible.
So, in order for this to happen there needs to be a lot of wind power in the sail. First, you need to bear away from the wind (90 degrees or more.) Keep the sail as vertical as possible while you sheet in.
Then, you need to place the power horizontally into the board. So, place your shoulders as far back as you can to make sure you maintain the sail’s power.
Then, you need to push your hips forward, with your front foot towards the nose. Focus on this well, and do not simply lean back while putting your weight down or this will cause the board to sink.
Keep practicing this technique and you should master planing in no time!
Final Thoughts
Windsurfing is a fun sport and activity, but it is definitely not easy to master. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to make it easier for yourself, while still maintaining the fun and freedom that is key to the sport.
Follow our tips to learn how to windsurf with ease – and don’t forget practice makes perfect!
