Starting Out Windsurfing

Starting Out Windsurfing - What You Need For Windsurfing

Before you begin windsurfing, be sure you have the equipment needed. The two main pieces of equipment are a board and the rig. The board is the portion that you stand on that is similar to a surfboard. The rig is the portion that holds the sail in place.

Learn About The Equipment

The board is shaped just like a surfboard and has foot straps and one or more fins on the bottom to aid in keeping the back end in the water and the front end of the board out. The rig will have a mast, the boom and the sail. The mast is the pole that goes up and down and aids in the raising and lowering of the sail. The boom is the pole that you will hold on to and will serve as the horizontal support for the sail.

Getting Started With Windsurfing

Once you have assembled the board and rig, make sure not to raise the sail. You will then take the thing out to sea far enough so that the fins on the board do not touch the bottom. Determine the direction the wind is coming from and climb onto the board from that side. Slowly hoist yourself up, being careful not to fall off the board. Then you will raise the sail and let the wind start to pull you along the water as you hold onto the boom. Speed and direction will be altered as you pull the boom closer or push it further from you allowing more or less wind to fill and push you around. It takes practice to be a great windsurfer!