Learn to Windsurf - your free windsurfing lesson
(copyright 1998 Windcraft, all rights reserved)
If you want to learn how to windsurf, congratulations, you've found the the right place!
Windcraft wants everyone who wants to learn to windsurf to have fun and enjoy the sport. So here is a narrative lesson composed by Master Instructors, Instructors and students who teach and have learned from Windcraft since 1986, when we started teaching people of all ages how to windsurf. We love to windsurf. We are also a business. If you would like to become an instructor, please contact Windcraft (and do not use these instructions without first obtaining permission from Windcraft).
For beginners: there are many people who know how to windsurf but do not know how to teach windsurfing. They may also lack insurance, training, beginner equipment, first aid/CPR training, or might not even be a legal business. Please be sure to check out the instructor before handing over any money for a lesson.
This material covers safety, basics of how to windsurf, and a little windsurfing theory.
Answers to some questions about windsurfmg:
Some people think windsurfing is hard and that it takes a lot of strength. Is this true? No. Windsurfing has a couple of key concepts that, once understood, make windsurfing fairly simple. Windsurfing is definitely not a strength sport - people who "muscle" the equipment when they are learning are doing it wrong! Windsurfing is a finesse and balance sport that is particularly good for young adults, women, men and the active adult set Each year, Windcraft teaches many children how to windsurf. We make sure they weigh at least 60 pounds and have confidence in the water.
Has anyone died windsurfing or been bitten by a shark? Not in fresh water. As far as we know there have been few deaths (we think the number is less than 6). There has been one shark bite of a board on the North Coast of California but, after tasting the board, the shark did not return (nor did the sailor hang around). There have been incidents in Hawaii but we do not know the details. If you are concerned about sharks there are many exceptional fresh water locations, with plenty of wind. to windsurf where sharks cannot coexist with windsurfers.
Can I get hurt?As with any exercise or sport there are risks of injury. If you are careful you will probably enjoy years of windsurfing without injury. Some injuries to knees have occurred as a result of wave jumping. There have been collisions between motorboats and windsurfers that resulted in injuries. There was at least one collision between a windsurfer and another windsurfer's board that resulted in injury. There are thousands of windsurfers worldwide and the sport is better known for it's beauty and excitement than the injuries.
Is this sport called sailboarding, windsurfing, boardsailing, or wave sailing? All of these names are referring to the same activity. Sometimes windsurfers just call it sailing. The windsurfers usually refer to themselves as sailors. (The alternate names came about because, at one time, there was a product patented and marketed that used Windsurf as a product name).
Is kitesailing just like windsurfing?
No!
Mitch Morrow, Manager of Windcraft, is a certified kite instructor. Please consult him concerning kite sailing advice.
Kite sailing videos and other helpful information is available at Windcraft.
Safety, Safety, Safety!! (read this part!)
Sunscreen. Yes, you should always wear it. Get the kind that is waterproof and the highest SPF possible. We like the stuff made for kids so it won't bum if it gets in your eyes. Do not use suntan oil. It will grease your skin and your board and you won't be able to stand up. You'll be miserable. Get suntan lotion and put it on before you leave the house so it has time to dry into your skin. There is no shade when you're on the water so this is very important. Hats and T-shirts are also good ideas.
Footwear. You can windsurf barefoot and some people really prefer that. If the beach is rocky or is used by fishermen, has a lot of glass or other debris, we recommend a comfortable pair of water shoes or a cheap pair of sneakers.
Sunglasses. Yes, you should wear them. Get tie-on straps so you don't lose them if you fall in the water. (It might be a good idea to get some inexpensive glasses so you are not concerned or distracted if you do lose them).
Personal flotation device. It is a smart thing. You can wear any kind of PFD but there are some made especially for windsurfing that allow considerable arm movement and are cut to fit over harnesses (you'll find out about those later). Your board can also be used as a PFD. You can climb on it and get some rest if you are tired. If you fall in the water and lose your sail, stay with the board, even though your sail will sink. Sails can be replaced but people can't. Remember this rule: STAY WITH THE BOARD.
International distress signal. Waving both hands over your head is the international signal of distress. If you are in trouble, use this signal, preferably from a sitting position on your board so that it is easier to see you. If you see someone using this signal, call for help.
Know the site. Look around at the place where you've chosen to learn. Ask some questions: Are there other windsurfers around? Is there a school at the same place? Is the wind strong or light? Do I have the right size sail and board for this wind condition? Is the wind blowing in one general direction or is it swirling around? What did the local forecast say about today's weather? Are there sharp rocks or barnacles at the shoreline? Is the water warm? Is there a good place to paddle to safely if I get stuck? Is there someone who can help me if I get tired? Am I using common sense?
How about some answers to those "Know the Site" questions?
Are there other windsurfers around? It's a good thing if other windsurfers are around. First, you know you've found a place that's good to windsurf because they are there. Second, if you get in trouble, they might be able to help you. If they are not on the water and just standing around, you might want to go ask them why, there might be a reason.
Is there a school at the same place? If there's a school at the site, you can guess it is probably a good place to learn. Note, however, that you will usually find instructors willing to offer advice, you might need to sign up for a class because they are more than likely trying to make a living.
Is the wind strong or light? If you're just learning, a gentle breeze is the best type of wind. If there are flags and they are billowing gently, that's probably perfect. If they are whipping straight out and the water is whitecapping, you should not go out on the water. Instead, watch for the wind to drop off. Lighter winds give you time to learn your new skills and practice. Everything is the same in higher winds, except you have to be able to respond and move your body quicker. As you learn your new skills, you'll naturally get used to higher winds. Don't push yourself into higher winds because you'll just get frustrated. And remember, if there's no wind, don't bother going out at all.
Do I have the right size sail and board for this wind condition? If you don't know, ask someone. The mystery of sail size is to find out the size that is right for you once you know how to sail. When you are just learning how to sail, choose a small sail and a big board. By using a little sail you won't go fast but you will be able to concentrate on learning. Our school sails range from 3.5 to 4.0 square meters. A big board provides a stable platform to stand on. Our school boards have a volume around 270 liters. This basic setup is used for people from, around 70 to 220 pounds.
Is the wind blowing in one general direction or is it swirling around? If the wind is swirling around in circles it is very difficult to learn to windsurf. Lakes that are below a dam or with high land mass on one side will probably have this kind of condition. That doesn't mean don't go there - it just means you might have some trouble learning to windsurf at that site because of the conditions - not because you can't learn. Consistent breezes from generally the same direction makes the best place to learn.
What did the local forecast say about today's weather? You can usually get a good idea of the wind conditions at a site by checking your cable weather channel, listening to local radio weather channels and even some television weather news stations. If storms and lightening are forecast, wait for a better day.
Yes, there is a part of windsurfing that is for the "extreme" sea which you see in commercials and in Hawaii. This type of windsurfing is very exciting and, if you really want to, you can learn that too. But today, we'll start with the basics (the skier's equivalent to the bunny slope). If you are planning to windsurf in Hawaii, we recommend taking a windsurfing lesson before you go so you will have more fun when you get to Hawaii.
As with any sport or exercise, do not overdo it. Take breaks and drink water to prevent muscle fatigue or dehydration from overexertion.
Do I have to be a good swimmer? You should be comfortable in the water and going underwater. When you fall into the water you usually end up about 6 feet or so from your gear. A few strokes and you can get up on the board and get going again. We highly recommend a personal flotation device (PFD) for all windsurfers as it is one extra level of safety that won't hurt to have. even if you don't need it. A PFD could also come in handy if you need to help someone else.
Can my friend teach me? Sometimes. If your friend is a good, patient instructor and has beginner gear, it might work. Usually it doesn't work because someone who knows how to windsurf doesn't always know how to explain how to windsurf. Also, partners (people in a relationship together) should probably not try to teach to a partner. This can create frustrations that have nothing to do with windsurfmg! A better idea would be to get some beginner lessons and then have the partners encourage each other to go beyond the basics together. (We usually encourage a partner who already knows how to windsurf to sit through our class, no charge, so they can help out their friend on the water).
Is windsurfing expensive? It depends on what you want to buy. You can rent gear almost everywhere for about $15/hour or more (before you rent, look over the section on gear so you know you are renting the right gear). Usually you have to show a certification card from a school showing that you know how to windsurf or take a class from the rental company.
Buying your own gear will certainly help you get better quick and will give you more opportunity to windsurf. Good, new beginner gear - complete - runs around $700 to $1000,and will last for many, many years. Of course, you can spend more or less. Since you can windsurf almost anywhere there's water and you can carry your gear on top of your car without a trailer, it can be an inexpensive way to have fun and get good exercise. And don't worry about buying beginner gear, you might grow out of it and want something else but you will probably always use it to teach your friends and relatives or you can sell it at a swap meet.
New and used gear is available from most local windsurfing shops. Windcraft, holds two huge swap meets in the spring and fall, where people can look for something that might fit their needs. Before you buy at a swap meet, get some idea of what you need before you go so that you don't buy the wrong kind of gear. For example, some older equipment in good condition might look like a good deal until you find out that you can't get spare parts anymore. (See gear section for more information). You can also buy mail order, but the prices are not usually better than the shops and mail order doesn't support the local shop where you will go when you need help, advice or repairs and spare parts.
Are there sharp rocks or barnacles at the shoreline? If there are, you might consider wearing some kind of waterproof foot protection.
Is the water and air temperature warm? Consider a wetsuit if you think there's a chance of hypothermia. When you windsurf you are usually wet and standing in the wind - so wind chill is a factor. Wear a smooth surface wetsuit so the wind doesn't blow through your wetsuit and give you a chill when you are standinp- on the board. If you are a beginner, you might want to hold off learning in conditions requiring anything other than a light wetsuit.
Is there a good place to paddle to safely if I get stuck? If you're just starting out, choose a site that has "edges" like a lake. Oceans and rivers have currents that can be unpredictable to a beginner but fun for intermediate skills. Give yourself a break and learn at a place that will help you learn windsurfing quick so you can go out in the ocean and rivers and learn more fun windsurfing skills. If you are planning a vacation to a resort destination like Hawaii, Aruba, Bonaire or elsewhere, consider taking a lesson first so you will have more fun on your vacation.
Is there someone who can help me if I get tired? The buddy system is recommended in almost all sports. Having someone around who knows where you are and can help you if you need help is just a good idea.
Are you using common sense? If you have doubts, don't force yourself to go out on your own. A class is available almost anywhere there's water.
The Gear Section
We assume if you are doing this on your own you know how to assemble your gear. But let's go over things enough so you can see the difference and similarities of the gear. We'll also start using terminology that is unique to windsurfing that you will find helpful as you get going.
The board, mast, sail and boom are "parts of the rig." When the parts of the rig are assembled, it is called a "complete rig." Other, small but important parts of the rig are the daggerboard, fin, mast, base, and uphaul. After sailing, it's a good idea to check around and make sure you've picked up the small parts so you won't have to replace them. The following is a brief description of each of these parts, just to get you familiar with what you are looking at when you see a complete rig.
Board. "Long boards" will be "high volume" boards and all long boards have daggerboards. The higher the volume the more they float. Volume ranges from 80 liters to 330 liters. Beginning boards will be long boards with enough volume so that you can float when you stand on them. A "short board," also called a sinker board, does not have a daggerboard and usually sinks slightly underwater when you stand on it. This kind of board is not for beginners. When you buy a board the sales person will probably advise you to buy a board with lower volume, usually in the "transition board" category - that is, a board with a daggerboard with lower volume and length than the board you learned on because you will probably want the lower volume board so that you can go manuever quickly. High volume is best for learning during those first four hours. After that reducing the volume until you find vour favorite board size is a good idea. (But having an extremely low volume board doesn't mean it is a better board - that depends on sailing conditions at the site).
Boards range in length from less than 8 feet to longer than 12 feet. A board about 11'6" is a good beginner board. A transition board will range from 10' to 11,' with considerable options in volume. All of the boards made in the 90's have retractable daggerboards so you can sail without a daggerboard. Sometimes you will see a sinker board sittiing next to a long board, both about the same length. The difference is that the sinker board doesn't have a daggerboard.
Some boards have footstraps, padded "handles" on the top back end of the board that you tuck your toes under to get a good connection to your board. For beginners, you can ignore them for now and just use them as convenient carrying handles. You can even remove them from the board altogether to prevent accidental tripping over them. But keep them in a safe place, because you will want to put them on the board someday.
Mast. Masts are all around 15' to 15'6" and are either two piece or one piece. Two piece masts are preferred by some people because they can be stowed inside a vehicle. Other people prefer one piece, which means they ride on a rack on top of your vehicle. This is just personal preference. Masts are made of a variety of materials from aluminum, to fiberglass and carbon composites and are made to bend at a particular "stiffness" to correspond to a sail type. A lightweight mast is the best to learn on. If you have access to a carbon mast try to use it. A fiberglass mast would be our next choice. Remember,you will bang this equipment around when you are learning so we don't recommend using a friend's brand new carbon mast. With older gear, check to make sure the mast fits in the mast sleeve on the sail. Older gear was not always interchangable among different brands.
Booms. Booms are the U-shaped handles that attach to the mast and go around both sides of the sail. When you set up your equipment, set the boom height to no higher than your collarbone but no lower than your chest area. Boom height is also a matter of personal preference once you get going, but start with the height at this setting.
Booms are made from either aluminum or carbon composites. Aluminum booms are most popular because they are lightweight and durable. They are covered in a foarn grip material for your comfort. The booms should attach to the mast using a clamp system. If it's the old style that ties on, to reduce your frustrations, you should find a clamp on boom instead of trying to figure out how to attach a tie on boom tightly at the right height. Otherwise you will have to find someone who knows how the boom was designed to be attached to the mast and it is difficult to fasten them securely or move them if you want to raise or lower the booms.
Boom length matters when you use different sails with the same mast and boom. The boom needs to adjust inward or outward in length to correspond with smaller or larger sails. Most booms have some manner of adjusting within a certain range of sail sizes. So its important to have a boom that adjusts to the size of your sail.
Sails. Sails in windsuifing are more like wings to a plane than a sail to a sailboat. They have very important built-in features that you will enjoy when you know how to windsurf. As a beginner, you should start out with a "soft sail." A soft sail is basically just that: you can roll it and fold it and it will offer very basic performance on the water. Again, it will help you learn the skills in windsurfing that apply to all levels of windsurfing. Some sails have "battens," fiberglass sticks that stiffen the shape of the sail to help the sail use the wind more efficiently. Some sails also have "cambers" or "camber inducers" to help the sail keeps its shape stable and perform better. Cambered sails are great sails but only use them on your first day out if you have no choice because it can be harder for beginners to rotate the sail when you turn around (don't worry if you don't know what this means, even if you have to use one of these sails the first day out). Sail rotation is automatic with soft sails. But when you buy a sail, you want the kind with battens and you might want one or more cambers. You also need to match the sail to the mast for best performance and ease of assembling.
Sails come in many different sizes and have some variation in shape. The size corresponds generally to the wind speed and the shape corresponds generally to the type of sailing you do. Sails are measured in square meters and typically range from 3.0 (three oh -- the parentheses show how the windsurfers say this) to 9.0 (nine oh). Having three sails, a 4.5 (four five), 5.0 (five oh), and a 6.0 (a six oh) offers a wide sailing range, particularly with newer sails that can be used in wider wind ranges than older designs. Bigger sailors might want bigger sails and correspondingly, smaller sailors might want smaller sails. You get to know this as you learn your sailing style. We know some small people who sail on big sails and know large people who sail on small sails. lt just depends on what you like.
The three basic sail shapes are wave, convertible and slalom. The shapes correspond to the type of sailing conditions you typically sail in. Wave sails are for sailing in waves, slalom sails are generally speed, flat water conditions, and convertible sails cover both types of sailing. You'll learn the type of sail you prefer after you've been sailing a while.
Daggerboard, fins, mast base and uphaul. The daggerboard comes with the board and they do not interchange between board manufacturers. Fins come in many styles, lengths, a couple of materials and a variety of costs. As you learn how to windsurf you will develop a preference on which fin to use in a certain type of condition. Your local shop can advise you on the best board/fin combination for the specific type of sailing you do. The mast base usually comes with the board and some newer bases can be used in different boards. Don't lose this part if you are buying older gear because the part may not longer be available. The last small part is the uphaul. This is a length of thick rope or elasticized fabric that is attached at one end to the boom near the mast and, at the other end, to the mast base. The uphaul is used to lift the sail out of the water.
After you've sailed a few weeks you should try different gear so you will learn your preference on boards, masts and sails. Most shops have demonstration gear or will rent different equipment to you.
An answer to the measurement question: Do windsurfers use metric or English units? Windsurfing is an international sport and uses primarily metric units. In the US, most windsurfers refer to their board length in English units, use metric units for their sail sizes and board volumes and don't answer you if you asked about the lengths of their boom and mast because they're not really sure how long they are.
The wind clock and targets
Okay, we're getting closer to the part when you can get on the water. Just a few more bits of information.
The wind clock. Windsurfers, and sailors too, use an imaginary wind clock to help make sure they have completed a turn, to catch the best amount of wind, and to get to specific destinations.
The wind clock is an imaginary analog (not digital) clock. You stand at the center of your wind clock. If you turn to face the wind you are looking directly at 12 o'clock. If you turn around, you are facing 6 o'clock. If you hold your hands out to your sides when you are facing either 12 or 6 o'clock, you will be pointing to 3 and 9 o'clock. 12 o'clock is also called "upwind" - the direction the wind is coming from. 6 o'clock is also called "downwind" - the direction the wind is going to. 3 and 9 are going "across the wind."
If you walk around or imagine yourself standing on your board in the middle of a lake, you should also notice that the positions of your clock don't change because you are always at the center of your clock and your clock moves with you.
When you are sailing, you are generally sailing across the wind, toward 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock. When you make your board turn toward 2 o'clock or 10 o'clock you are still sailing across the wind but you are now heading slightly upwind. If you make your board turn toward 4 o'clock or 8 o'clock you are also still sailing across the wind but now you are heading slightly downwind. Leaming to control the direction that you are traveling is how you get to specific destinations - like to visit a friend, help another windsurfer, get back to the cooler for a refreshment or go home. You will learn how to control the direction you are sailing in the next section. But remember your wind clock when you are reading the next secfion and especially when you are on the water.
Last, remember you cannot sail directly toward 12 o'clock. If the nose of the board is pointing to 12 o'clock, you will probably be able to stand on the board in a good sailing position but you will not go anywhere. You will more likely drift backward toward 6 o'clock. You must correct this by turning your board to head across the wind again and then return to a sailing position. When you are beginner, generally the area between 10:30 to 1:30 of the clock is upwind. We sometimes call this the "no go" zone.
Targets. Targets are essential to windsurfing. Before going out on the water, look at where you are launching from and find a landmark. Look across the body of water (assuming it's not the ocean on your first time out!). When you go out, you will start out moving across the wind, toward the 3 or 9 o'clock position) and find a target to aim for, preferably something a bit upwind from where you are starting (like 2:00 or 2:30 or 10:00, or 10:30, depending on which side of the clock you are on when you are starting). If you can consistently reach your targets, you are doing great. After you've got some of the basic steps described next, you should focus on aiming for targets. If you think about aiming for targets you will automatically learn how to steer the board to go where you want it to go. And you've got to remember your wind clock the whole time you are on the water until you have perfected getting where you want to go. Then you can forget it because it will be part of your subconscious!
You can also choose downwind targets, particularly if you are not having problems going upwind. Downwind targets are good to learn once you understand upwind targets. This is because whenever you are not sailing, your board will be drifting downwind anyway, so beginners generally end up drifting downwind while they are working out the steps to windsurf. Most of the downwind drifting occurs during the turns because students usually maneuver so carefully and slowly that they don't notice they are drifting, and drifting and drifting. This is why it is important to paddle back close to shore and practice the steps to windsurfing before you go out on an adventure.
[Hint: If you don't follow this advice, don't be surprised that you have ended up somewhere downwind and will have to walk your gear back to the beginning. This is perfectly acceptable! Windsurfers have been and continue to do this walk at every skill level, even the most advanced! Some of our best adventure stories involve the historic "walk of shame. " Do it with dignity. We all had to do it one time or another. Really. Just try to make sure the walk back doesn't include farm animals or heavy traffic.]
[Another hint:- pick stationary, land-based targets like trees, docks or other landmarks. If you choose a car or a person or another windsurfer they will probably move and then you will have lost your target.]
Does this mean that I don't have to know wind speed in knots or miles per hour or the direction the wind is comine from in compass directions? That's right. The size sail you rig is more relative to your sailing style than the wind speed. After a while of sailing you will just know by the feel of the wind and the sail sizes of the other sailors. The onlv important thing to remember about wind direction is 12 o'clock because the rest of the clock numbers are in relationship to the 12 o'clock position.
[Yet another hint: Wind speed is measured in either mile per hour or knots. One knot is equivalent to 1.1 miles per hour. Not too many windmeters measure in tenths anyway so don't lose anv sleep about knowing the difference between your knots and your mph. Go sailing.]
Okay, let's learn how to windsurf. You must be tired of reading!
Let's start to understand what you do when you're on the water. Some schools, like ours, use a "dry land simulator" to teach windsurfing. This is a platform on a turntable on dry land. When you stand on it, with your instructor next to you on the ground, the instructor will work you through all your new skills without getting wet! You can probably simulate some of this on the land with your own gear - but probably not the turning and you need to be especially careful to not damage yourself or your gear on the land. Schools will not be able to let you use their simulators without an instructor as a part of their school insurance policy.
We start this instruction at the point when you have completed assembling your gear into a complete rig.
Make sure your booms are solidly attached (they should not wiggle much at all) to the mast no higher than your collarbone and all the parts are securely attached to one another. You should know all the terms used and that the "clue" of the sail is the pointy part of the sail the end of the boom, farthest from the mast. The clue of the sail is pulled out to the boom using the "outhaul line.
Once you're out in the water, remember these general rules:
1.Your back is always facing 12 o'clock.
2.Your sail is always on the 6 o'clock side of the board
3.When you turn, the board turns under your feet, the sail stays in the 6 o'clock position.
4.Pick land-based targets and landmarks to sail toward and from.
5.Use common sense.
Getting out in the water. Carry your sail out into the water and set it down. Then go get your board and carry it out and place it next to the sail and connect the sail and board. If your gear is light enough you can attach the sail to the board on land and carry both together into the water. Do not leave a sail unattached or unattended on dry land. The wind can pick it up and send it flying. Someone could get hurt or the gear can get broken.
[Hint: Set your board upwind of the sail with the mast pointing toward 6 o'clock- Move your body so that you are at 12 o'clock with, the board between you and your sail and the board pointing in the 3 or 9 o'clock direction you would like to start going in]
Walk your gear out to a depth deeper than the length of the fully extended daggerboard, this is usually about mid thigh. Extend your daggerboard.
Raising the sail. Hop on the board facing the sail and place one knee on either side of the mast base. When you are ready, reach out and get the uphaul in your hand. With one hand on the uphaul stand up on your feet, again, with one foot on each side of the mast base.
[Hint: be aware of whether the board is tipping from side to side. If it is, you need to shift your weight to keep the board as flat as possible in the water. Fool around with this by shifting your feet and bending your knees. Stay close to shore until you can keep the board fairly stable.
As you stand up keep your back straight, knees bent and hand on the uphaul. You will begin to lift the sail out of the water. As the sail becomes lighter, because the water is sheeting off the sail, you will be able to lift the mast into a nearly upright position. If you pull it too far in toward your body you will probably knock yourself over backwards. If this happens you will need to reposition the sail to the 6 o'clock side of the board and start over. This time, don't bring the mast so close to your body,
Notice you are still holding only the uphaul. You should not have needed to touch the booms.
Neutral position. Now that you're standing with the mast nearly upright and your hands are on the uphaul, transfer one hand to the mast. TIhen transfer the other hand to the mast. It doesn't really matter where you hold the mast so long as you are comfortable. The board should still be pointing generally across the wind and the clue end of the sail should be pointing toward 6 o'clock. Your back should be to 12 o'clock. If this is true, you are in the "neutral" position. That is, you are not sailing and there is no wind in the sail. If any of this is not true, paddle back close to shore and start over again until you are comfortable in the neutral position.
[Hint: Try to be aware if you are accidentally turning the board upwind or downwind depending upon the angle of the mast with respect to the front and rear of the board. If you lean the mast toward the nose of the the board will turn downwind, if you lean the mast toward the tail of the board, it will turn upwind. You can practice doing this deliberately near the shore and you will learn how to control the direction of the board. This is really good practice that will come in handy later.]
Ready, set, go. Okay, pay attention and practice the steps on dry land, with an imaginary sail, until you feel like you've got them down. If you are getting excited, take a couple of slow, deep breaths. The "ready" position is when you reposition your feet. You shift the foot closest to the back of the board back about 8 to 10 inches, a comfortable step back. You slide the foot closest to the front of the board so your toes point to the front of the board and your arch is next to the mast base. Notice your body is now behind the mast as a result of this shift of your foot position and you have not moved the mast at all. Your sail should still be in the neutral position.
The "set" position changes the position of the mast. Since you are now physically behind the mast you should be able to tilt the mast to an upright position over the mast base, with the top of the mast slightly over the center of the board toward the 12 o'clock side of the board. The clue of the sail will still be out toward 6 o'clock. Your board should still be pointing across the wind.
Place your back hand (the hand closest to the back of the board) in a comfortable position about 1/3 of the way out along the boom.
[Wait -- what is a "back hand?" Good question! Stand with your board lengthwise in front of you. The hand closest to the back of your board is the back hand. Your front hand is the one closest to the front of the board. If you get on the other side of your board, you will see that the back and front hand switch. This is why we don't refer to left or right hand throughout this information.]
The "go" position is just that - time to go sailing! Gently and deliberately move your front hand from the mast and position it on the boom near the mast. Face your hips toward the sail and gently draw your back hand, and only your back hand, back toward your body. Just bringing your hand six inches closer to your body is usually plenty. Do not move the position of the mast or your front hand, just move the back hand. You will feel the wind fill the sail and your board will start to glide across the water.
[Hint. Hands are normally in the knuckle up position on the booms. After a while you might try switching your hand closest to the mast to "knuckles down. " Use whichever hand position is comfortable. Try not to get in the habit of gripping the booms tightly. Trv to just hold them and gently catch the wind in the sail.]
Stopping. You better have read this whole thing, or you won't know how to stop! The simplest way to stop is to let go of the boom with your back hand only. Hold the boom with your front hand (which should still be close to the mast) and allow the sail to swing out back to neutral. You will have stopped sailing but you will sdflbedrifting. You can also simply let go of the sail and allow it to drop into the water. The drag of the sail in the water will slow you down quickly. Andlast, you can always let go and hop in the water -- but remember to stay with the board.
Turning. Okay, so leaming how to sail in one direction wasn't that tough. But don't forget you have to know how to get back to your beach! There are two kinds of turns: an upwind turn, called a "tack" and a downwind turn, called a "jibe."
[Hint. Take a moment to visualize yourvelf doing these movements before vou try them on the water.]
The tack. The tack is an upwind turn. When we say upwind, we mean that as the board turns, the nose of the board will rotate upwind and through the 12 o'clock position on your wind clock. As long as you maintain the turning position, the board will continue to turn toward the opposite position across-the-wind on your wind clock. For example, if I am sailing toward 3 o'clock and I do a tack, the nose of my board will turn, in a single smooth movement toward 12 o'clock and keep turning, and rotate beneath my feel as I change my body position. The whole time I will stay in the middle of my wind clock and watch the nose of the board sweep around the clock numbers like a backward moving second hand. When I get back to almost 9 o'clock, I move into my ready, set, go position, with my hands on the other side of the booms and sail toward my new destination. Okay. that's the concept. Here's the step- by-step specifics:
Return to the neutral position. Both hands on the masl feet on either side of the mast base, facing the sail. Lean the mast back. Lean the mast back toward the water at the tail end of the board. You can even dip the ends of the boom in the water if you are in very light wind.
As you lean the mast back, notice that the nose of the board is beginning to turn upwind toward 12 o'clock and that the clue of the sail is moving across the back of the board. The back of the board will pass under the clue of the sail. This is perfect!
Move your feet. Begin moving your feet around the mast as the board turns and keep your back to 12 o'clock (if you keep your back to 12 o'clock, your feet will have to move around the mast as if you were moving in an area in front of the mast). As you lift your feet (take baby steps, shuffle and stay in the center of the board so you don't lose your balance) you will allow the board to turn under your feet. Do not move your body faster than the board is turning and keep leaning the mast back and away from you! Notice that your board turned and you are still with your back to 12 o'clock and the clue of your sail is still pointing toward 6 o'clock. The only thing that changed was the direction of the nose of the board.
Keep leaning your mast and moving your feet until your board is turned all the way around into the new across-the-wind position. If you started facing the 3 o'clock position, you will now face the 9 o'clock position. If vou started facing 9 o'clock. you will now face the 3 o'clock position. Congratulations!
Don't just stand there,. ready, set, go on the other side of the booms in your new direction!!
The jibe.The jibe is a downwind turn. When we say downwind, we mean that, as the board turns, the nose of the board will rotate downwind and through the 6 o'clock position on your wind clock. As long as you maintain the turning position, the board will continue to turn toward the opposite position across-the-wind on your wind clock. For example, if I am sailing toward 3 o'clock and I do a jibe, the nose of my board will turn, in a single smooth movement, toward 6 o'clock and keep turning, and rotate beneath my feet, as I change my body position. The whole time I will stay in the middle of my wind clock and watch the nose of the board sweep around the clock numbers like a forward moving second hand. When I get back to almost 9 o'clock, I move into my ready, set go position, with my hands on the other side of the booms and sail toward my new destination. Okay. that's the concept. Here's the step-by-step specifics:
Return to the neutral position. Both hands on the mast feet on either side of the mast base, facing the sail.
Lean the mast forward. Lean the mast forward toward the water at the nose of the board. You can lean it at a very extreme angle.
As you lean the mast forward, notice that the nose of the board is beginning to turn downwind toward 6 o'clock and that the clue of the sail is moving toward the front of the board. This is perfect!
Move your feet. Begin moving your feet around the mast, as the board turns and keep your back to 12 o'clock (if you keep your back to 12 o'clock, your feet will have to move around the mast as if you were moving in an area behind them ast. As you lift your feet (take baby steps, shuffle and stay in the center of the board so you don't lose your balance) you will allow the board to turn under your feet. Do not move your body faster than the board is turning and keep leaning the mast forward and away from you! Notice that your board turned and you are still with your back to 12 o'clock and the clue of your sail is still pointing toward 6 o'clock. The only thing that changed was the direction of the nose of the board.
Keep leaning your mast and moving your feet until your board is turned all the way around into the new across-the-wind position. If you started facing the 3 o'clock position, you will now face the 9 o'clock position. If you started facing 9 o'clock, you will now face the 3 o'clock position. Congratulations!
Don't just stand there.. ready, set, go on the other side of the booms in your new direction!!
An important summary. Remember a tack is an upwind turn. Lean your mast to theback to tack. Remember a jibe is a downwind tum. Lean your mast forward to the front to do a jibe.
But teacher! I couldn't stop turning! I keep doing little circles! That's okay student, be patient with yourself and be aware that you will keep turning until you stop leaning the mast. When you want to stop turning, bring the mast back to the center of the board.
[Hint. the speed of vour turn will depend on a number of factors: your weight, your sail size, your board size and volume and, most importantly, the wind speed. The more you practice, the faster you can turn.]
[Another hint. Practice doing your tacks first. When you are well upwind of where you started, then do a jibe. Believe it or not, jibes are easier to learn. This is because you will move your feet in a direction that keeps you in the part of the board that has the most flotation. But think, if you only do jibes, you will have to walk your gear back to where you started because the wind is always blowing from 12 o'clock toward 6 o'clock (upwind to downwind.]
Self rescue. This is important to know and equally important to practice. The basic self rescue is to lay down on the board, with your feet toward the tail of the board and the sail in the water and paddle back to home or, the closest land. The sail will be heavy and make paddling difficult if there is considerable distance to paddle. You can also partially disassemble the rig by undoing the outhaul and the boom (Yes, this is awkward, but remember you are not doing this because you want to. Do NOT undo the uphaul and the base). Roll the sail around the mast (neatness does not matter) and move the boom so it is parallel with the mast. Push the mast and boom onto the board and let them hang off the back. Get back on the board and hold the mast and boom between your legs and paddle to the closest land. Notice a couple of things: you did not detach the uphaul, so the boom won't sink or get lost. And you didn't undo the mast so you won't lose the sail or the mast. See, you can paddle without concern about losing your gear! If you have battens in your sail you can't roll it up unless you remove the battens and stick the battens in your bathing suit or wetsuit (careful, they are fiberglass).
There are many good reasons not to get yourself in a situation that requires a self rescue. Practice a self rescue close to shore but in a depth over your head so you can see how much trouble it is to get out of trouble. Better to practice maneuvers close to shore and paddle back when you are just a little way out. When you have practiced enough, then go out further across the lake. And even if you do that, still practice a self rescue because the wind is unpredictable and if it stops blowing or blows harder than you can handle at your skill level, you should be prepared to get to shore safely.
Steering. Steering is a like doing part of a turn. For practice, try holding the mast (or the mast and uphaul line, or just the uphaul line) without putting your hands on the boom and tilt the mast slightly toward the tail of the board. Notice the nose of the board begins to turn toward 12 o'clock. Then bring the mast back to the normal sailing position. The nose of the board will return to the across-the-wind direction. Practice doing a snake dance across the lake. Then turn around, by doing either a tack or a jibe, and do the dance again, except this time lean the mast slightly forward. Notice the nose of the board begins to turn toward 6 o'clock. Then bring the mast back to the sailine position. The nose of the board will return to the same across the wind direction. Do more snake dances across the water. When you feel comfortable, do the snake dance with your hands on the booms.
[Hint: the amount of leaning the mastforward or backward will depend on the size of the sail, size of the board, size of the sailor and amount of wind available. Less wind means slow turns and leaning the mast at more extreme angles.
Getting to places you want to go. When sailing don't go directly toward your destination, unless your destination is conveniently directly across the wind. You will need to think and plan your route. In order to get to a destination upwind of where you start you must consistently said toward your upwind clock positions and do upwind turns until you reach your destination. To go to a downwind destination, sail toward your downwind clock positions and do downwind turns until you reach your destinations.
Things that complicate getting places: the wind stops blowing and the sailor has to do a self rescue, when trying to sail upwind the windsurfer is actually drifting downwind and doesn't figure this out because they forgot to reference their targets, there is a current in the water that the sailor forgot to find out about something broke and the sailor has to do a self rescue. All of these are reasonably preventable.
Other interesting stuff that you might want to review
Common mistakes for beginners. We hope you find this section helpful. It's difficult to describe how to do something wrong and harder yet how to correct it. So if you have suggestions on how this can be clearer, we'd by glad to hear about it.
Butt out. This is a description of the appearance of the sailor. Having gotten under way they will be so happy that they do not realize that the mast is tilting out over the 6 o'clock side of the board so far that they have been pulled into a position that has them leaning from the waist with their butt sticking out. This is the wrong position and can cause unnecessary back pain. Stop if you are in this position. Go back to neutral. Get the mast upright. Then ready, set, go. If you feel the mast getting heavy it's probably because it is hanging too far over the side of the board. Get the mast upright in front of you and even tilted across the center of the board (remember, you are behind the mast so you should not be in a position where your mast will knock you in the water).
Going sailing when there is no wind. This is a common mistake of the people who really, really, really want to learn how to windsurf. If you can see reflections in the surface of the water and the experienced windsurfers are just sitting around looking forlorn, join them on the beach and wait for the wind to come up.
Going sailing when there is too much wind. Again, this is for the truly determined. When you are a beginner you should be out in steady, gentle breezes so you can pay attention to leaming your skills. After you have learned your basics, and can get back to where you started pretty easily, you will naturally move into stronger winds. Don't push yourself and get discouraged. But, if you are determined, you might find that you learn so much that any lighter wind conditions you encounter in the future feel easy.
Forgetting the wind clock. Many beginners forget the wind clock and forget which side of the board they should be standing on, which side of the board the sail is supposed to be on and other important details. Remember to stop. Relax. Breath. Think. Then sail. If you are standing on the 6 o'clock side of the sail when the wind blows you can get knocked into the water by the sail.
Going way, way downwind. The determined beginner will have a long, long walk back if they overlook how far they have drifted from their starting point. Better to paddle in when you are close to your starting point and keep starting over until you get the hang of it . We strongly recommend you do not allow yourself to go way downwind.
Getting "in irons." This is a sailing term which means that you do not have any wind in your sail because it is passing on both sides of the sail. The sailor is in irons when the sail is in neutral and the nose of the board is pointing directly toward 12 o'clock. The sail is effectively in the neutral position with the clue of the sail pointing toward 6 o'clock. lt doesn't matter where the sailor is standing in this situation. A sailor in this position should go back to neutral (get the board positioned so that it is across the wind and the sail is still in neutral). Then ready, set go and watch to see if you are accidentally turning the board upwind until you are standing in irons. If you are accidentally doing this it is because your mast is leaning slightly toward the back of the board, which makes the board turn upwind until it "stalls" (goes nowhere) with the nose facing 12 o'clock. You might want to paddle back to shore and practice steering until you can control the direction of the board.
Right of way rules. Are other windsurfers, who were friendly to you on the beach, scowling at you when you are on the water? If this is you, you might want to review right of way rules. These can be complicated to explain, but lets see if we can make it understandable.
Note: if you are determined to be a really fast sailor you should know the right-of-way rules to prevent on-the-water accidents.
Another note: you should always check your direction of travel and make sure you are not on a collision course with any watercraft. If you are, change direction and prevent either an accident and /or a conftontation.
When a windsurfer is sailing toward you and you might collide if you both stay on the same course, this is what you do. First figure out which sailor is downwind. The downwind sailor should yield and turn further downwind, obviously, so that the sailor who is upwind can stay on course. The upwind sailor has the right of way.
If two sailors are sailing in the same direction, the upwind sailor has the right of way again and the downwind sailor must yield to the upwind sailor.
If you have doubts, and there's enough room, you can stop and just tell the other sailor you are a beginner. They might scowl at you but they're just being rude because they are having a bad day and, knowing you are a beginner, they will likely sail away from you so potential right-of-way issues won't occur again. If you did everything you could do to stay out of their way and you still got a dirty look , you probably only could have made it worse. Smile and wave and sincerely apologize. The windsurfer will probably he so surprised at your gracious attitude that you will have a new friend who will give you tips on how to sail better!
How the whole thing really works. There is a relationship between the daggerboard and the sail. Imagine a big circle in the middle of your sail, somewhere above the booms. Imagine a big circle on the side of your daggerboard, when it is in the fully extended position. When these two circles are lined up vertically along an imaginary line going up through the center of the two circles, you will go straight through the water, basically toward 3 or 9 o'clock. If you move the sail circle forward, by leaning your mast forward toward the water in front of the front end of your board, your board will turn downwind, toward 6 o'clock. If you keep leaning it forward your board will turn completely around and keep turning, in a little pirouette, until you stop leaning your imaginary sail circle forward of your imaginary daggerboard circle. The opposite is also true. If you move the sail circle backward, by leaning your mast back toward the water at the back end of your board, your board will turn upwind, toward 12 o'clock. If you keep leaning it backward your board will turn completely around and keep turning, in a little pirouette, until you stop leaning your imaginary sail circle backward of your imaginary daggerboard circle. So if you want to control your direction of travel, think about lining up the imaginary circles on the sail and the daggerboard.
[Hint. If you want to impress people, the circle on the sail is called the "center of effort" and the circle on the daggerboard is called the "center of lateral resistance.]
Beach starts. Beach starts are a fun way to play with your new windsurfing skills. If you hang out on the beach for awhile you will doubtless see someone do a "beach start' right in front of you. What they are doing is holding the sail in a neutral position with both hands on the boom and standing about calf-deep in the water. When they feel a nice little puff of wind, they fill the sail with wind by bringing their back hand slightly closer to their body, push the mast straight up and step up into the center of the board with one foot (either foot will do, just be comfortable). The other foot naturally follows and the sailor places it somewhere in the center of the board. This is all accomplished in one, smooth movement -- after you've practiced awhile. As you sail away you adjust your feet and adjust the amount of wind you catch in your sail and start to turn your board in the direction you want This takes practice and it is the first step to learning other tricks.
These instructions were provided to you courtesy of Vic Swanson, owner of Windcraft and Sue Kateley, Master Instructor
Acknowledgments: Susan Allen, Director, Boardsailing Instructor's Group,Mitch Morrow, Windcraft Manager, John Schuck, Instructor, Kevin Glatzel, Instructor. Terrie Rowland, Student Extraordinaire. All the instructors who have taught for Windcraft or been certified through Windcraft, all the students who have learned from Windcraft.We thank you all.
Vic Swanson personal insight:*
"Here's the deal. I learned to windsurf without the aid of formal instruction. Although I would not advise that pursuit I would advise seeking qualified, insured instructional venues to learn the art of windsuring and kitesailing. It saves a heck of a lot of frustration. I wish ABK was there when I started."
"Learn to walk on water."
* Having operated instructional schools I can attest to their value. I would encourage anyone to take lessons at any level where there are good instructors. At Windcraft we don't care where you learned or on what equipment, we will take care of your windsurfing needs from the day you walk in the door. Please don't hesitate to ask us for clinics or instructional events in our area - we let you know - regardless of who sponsors the events.
You can write to us at: Windcraft, 17124 East Sherman Island Levee, Rio Vista, CA 94571 phone:916-777-7067
Windcraft Windline: Rio Vista: 916-777-7007
