Windsurfing

Main Points

• History
• Equipment
• Technique
• Types
• Rules
• Interesting Facts
• Celebrities

History

• Windsurfing didn't emerge until the half of the 20th century
• In 1948 Newman Darby invented a sailboard
• The sport was developed in USA during 1960s
• Became popular in 1970s
• Spread rapidly from California, throughout USA, Europe, and Australia

Equipment

• Board usually 2.5 to 3 meters long
• The sail area generally ranges from 2.5 m2 to 12 m2

Technique

• Perfect stance is the good posture of windsurfing
• Windsurfing with shoulders squared to the sail and looking mostly through the sail while sailing across the wind or upwind (= driving a car)

Technique with light winds

• Feet further forwards toward mast track
• When sailing upwind in light winds the front foot moves more toward the outer edge and windward side of the board as well.

Technique with high winds

• Feet further back down the board.
• Planing in the foot straps: Front Foot still points towards the nose of the board as much as possible.
• If your front foot is not pointing forwards towards the nose of the board you will not be able to twist your hips forward

Types of Windsurfing

• Light Wind Cruising
• Race, Slalom, or Speedsailing
• Freestyle
• Bump & Jump
• Wave Sailing

Light Wind Cruising

• winds under about 15 mph
• help you point upwind easily
• sail a large, and high volume

Race, Slalom, or Speedsailing

• get your board hydroplaning
• Turning and jumping is not usually the emphasis in this type of windsurfing

Freestyle

• mind-blowing tricks
• can be performed in light or heavy wind

Bump & Jump

• high wind and moderately choppy conditions
• moving obstacles and ramps (in the form of waves
• easy to chop-hop, jump, and possibly throw in the occasional loop

Wave Sailing

• combination of surfing and windsurfing
• combination of wind and wave power to maneuver
• The most radical jumping is found in wave sailing

Rules

• Keep a distance of three masts from swimmers, surfers and bodyboarders
• Windsurfing is always forbidden in bathing beach and coastal swimming areas
• Maintain direction and speed
• The first windsurfer in the wave has right of way

Facts

• A beginner lesson is 2 to 3 hours. That will get you windsurfing in 5 to 10 mph winds
• 5 years and up can practice this sport
• Florida and Texas has the largest population of senior citizen windsurfers
• It cost between $80 and $120 to learn how to windsurf

Facts

• Not necessary to be a good swimmer
• The board is the primary flotation device

Celebrities

• Enrique Iglesias started windsurfing after moving to Florida in the 80’s
• Prince William
• Prince Charles

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