8 COACHING WINDWISE TECHNIQUE
HOW TO STAY
PLANING FOR ALL
LEVELS
WORDS:
SIMON BORNHOFT
PICS:
WINDWISE, KATE OCEAN AND
JONNY CLOTHIER
SAVE TIME, ENERGY,
MONEY AND BEING
LEFT BEHIND!
HOW TO PLANE
EARLIER
BEGINNERS: get that planing buzz for the first time!
INTERMEDIATES: get more out of your freeride kit!
ADVANCED-PROs: wave, freestyle leave those lulls behind!
No matter your level, board volume or size of sail, the skill and value of ‘getting
planing early’ makes a phenomenal difference to your whole windsurfing
experience. Good technique saves energy, reduces frustration and the need to use
or buy oversized sails and boards. I’m not advocating trying to jump down on to tiny
kit, you just don’t want to be sailing over-powered, or always be the last off the blocks,
bogging along needing a double digit sail size to fire everything up. So, if other sailors of
similar stature, board and sail size are ‘going’ and you’re not, you could blame the kit or
Windguru, but the chances are it’s time to work on YOUR early planing.
You don’t need burn off downwind pumping and thrusting with your legs to bounce the
board onto the plane. Simple, wise, efficient early planing and a few smart pumps, can
transform how quickly you plane, stay upwind and allow you to use a ‘sensibly’ powered
sail. Plus, those who improve early planing always make faster gybe exits, get through
waves and shore break quicker and generally have a much better time on the water.
uk
WIND
SURFING