ED’S NOTE 3
WIND
SURFING
uk
TEZ PLAVENIEKS
JUNE 2019
RIDE EVERYTHING…
As an avid
watersports
enthusiast – not just
windsurfing – I want to
be on the brine as
much as possible.
There are a couple of
reasons why, but
mainly fun, and I want
to experience as
much of that as
possible (who
doesn’t?).
Unfortunately, with
the best will in the
world, conditions in
my backyard don’t line
up for any one
particular thing consistently. For sure, we get periods
where a run of decent wave sailing weather will swing in.
But then that disappears and we may end up with a
period of no wind.
I see time and again the froth and stoke on sailors’ faces when
it’s blowin’ dogs off chains. Then, when there’s not a puff to be
felt for weeks, those same smiles turn to frowns. In a lot of
instances the desire to get wet is still there and a good many
do still venture out; possibly aboard stand up paddle boards,
maybe kayaks, whilst others go surfing if waves are a thing. A
large proportion bust the bikes out and peddle the hours away.
For me though it’s always been the water (and drums) that has
the most draw. And with that the need to diversify my moisture
led antics. I’ve tried biking but I’m not too fussed. If I want to
cover distance then I’ll get aboard a SUP – of late a prone
paddle board.
It’ll come as no surprise to those regular readers of these
pages that I get opportunity to use a variety of different
equipment. After all, I do the majority of the testing for WSUK
(also SUP Mag UK). This variety and diversity of sled is also
addictive. I appreciate not everyone is in this position, although
demo gear is readily available from your local retailer or school
so should be made use of.
So for me as much as I enjoy getting wet I also enjoy using a
diverse range of watery toys to keep that spark alive. Not only
that but skills learned in one discipline, and experiences gained
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in the ocean generally, cross
over directly to other craft.
Therefore it makes you better
and more rounded as a (dare I
say it) water woman or water
man. I hate those terms but
they do (more or less) describe
anyone who enjoys multi-
disciplines in the sea. (This
doesn’t necessarily make you Jack of all trades master of none
either. I’d like to consider myself a proficient level at most of
these sports).
If you’ve closed your mind to other forms of going afloat, yet
still find frustration with your chosen pastime, then maybe it’s
time to embrace something new and/or complimentary. None
of us are getting younger and every second counts – something
that was brought sharply into focus at the start of 2019 (see
my ed’s note from last issue).
There are so many ways to skin a cat, so the saying goes. Even
within windsurfing itself you have access to a variety of different
wind driven machines to play with. This summer (hopefully it’s
a decent one) why not bust out of your bubble and try
something new. I’m not suggesting fork out loads of Dollar for
new kit – far from it. As I already mentioned above there are
plenty of places you can access demo gear. Get stuck in,
broaden your horizons and discover just what you’ve been
missing out on…ride everything…
Hopefully you’ll find inspiration in the latest issue of WSUK.
Don’t forget to check out our website as well for more diverse,
but wind led, stoke. Enjoy this issue, enjoy your time afloat and
I’ll maybe see you out there in the deep blue…
Let us know if you have any questions, feedback or queries –
door’s always open!
uk
WIND
SURFING