Windsurfing (Basics)

Windsurfing is in between surfing and sailing.

Courses

  • Close hauled: as much upwind as possible, ~45° –> Slow
  • Close reach: upwind –> Fast
  • Beam reach: crosswind, ~90° –> Fast
  • Broad reach: downwind –> Fast
  • Dead run: nearly or totally downwind, ~180° –> Slow

Gear

  • Board: Board, Fin, Daggerboard
  • Rig: Sail, Mast, Boom

Starts

  • Uphauled start
  • Beach start
  • Water start

Speed

  • Faster: Sheet in (close the sail)
  • Slower: Sheet out (open the sail)

Don’t sheet in/out too much. That area changes with the speed.

Steering

  • Downwind (Leeward): Incline the sail forward
  • Upwind (Windward): Incline the sail backwards

Maneuvers

  • Tack (Upwind turn): Bow goes through the wind, Variation: Heli tack
  • Jibe (Downwind turn): Stern goes through the wind, Variation: Carve jibe

Style moves

  • Leeride
  • Clew-First
  • Fin-First

Priority order

  • Inter
    • Ship > Windsurfer = Sailing boat > Motorboat
  • Intra
    • Same direction: Downwind > Upwind
    • Opp. direction: Starboard tack > Port tack