45
CRUISING
STYLE
THE BENEFITS OF LIGHT WIND,
NON-PLANING
WINDSURFING
WORDS: WSUK
PICS: JAMES JAGGER
CALL IT CRUISING; CALL IT MESSIN’ ABOUT
ON THE BRINE; CALL IT NON-PLANING;
CALL IT SIMPLY FLOATING ABOUT IN THE
SUNSHINE. Whatever you call it there’s no
substitute for simply being on the water.
Now (hopefully) the weather has improved
there’s no better time to grab your floaty
board (or old school longboard), small sail
(or even trainer rig) and get at it
Pro/guru coaches have been banging on about the joys
and benefits of windsurfing in light airs for years. All
that low wind work helps build muscle memory and
improve your overall sail handling technique. You can
whirl and twirl – perhaps reaching the equivalent
dizzying heights of flowstyle master Caesar Finies –
until the cows come home but nothing beats simply
settling into the motion of edging forwards, in mellow
form, and cruising along to the beat of your own drum.
Getting lost in your thoughts, simply happy to be on the
water and indulging in your hobby is addictive –
whatever you may think. Do it often and we guarantee
you’ll be loving it!
OK we’ll admit light wind windsurf cruising isn’t as
adrenaline infused as it’s full power planing
counterpart, but it has a unique draw of all of its own.
As such it shouldn’t even be compared. And with the
advent of windfoiling there’s a way to maximise low
wind strengths in a performance manner if you want it.
Yet the cruising style of windsurfing still has its own
unique appeal and is no less enjoyable. Unfortunately
during the last few decades you’ve been conditioned to
think the opposite.
uk
WIND
SURFING