“ You too will have probably had that
Eureka moment as a gust of wind billowed your sail and projected you forwards at an increased rate of knots.”
64FEATURE FREE RIDE
“ You too will have probably had that
Eureka moment as a gust of wind billowed your sail and projected you forwards at an increased rate of knots.”
Rocking up at your chosen launch( forecast allowing of course), rigging accordingly and selecting the board of your choice. For some it could be their favourite 130L cruiser, for others it may be that trusty 100L( or so) blaster, as depicted in the accompanying images, while riders elsewhere may opt for something more sporty and manoeuvrable.
The fact is: we’ re all freeriders at heart. Whether you have a penchant for chucking the latest whirling and twirling move, busting loose through a contorted top turn, legging it round a race course or cruising the coast, chances are for the majority of the time on the water you’ ll be blasting, enjoying the ride and simply feeling the exhilaration as you skim across the water’ s surface. It’ s the reason we all got bitten by the windsurfing bug and still, to this day, pour over weather forecast data, tide charts and eye up windows of opportunity in diaries.
Cast your minds back to those first steps you took. At first the uniqueness of standing atop a board with a multi-rotational rig in your hands was interesting enough to keep your focus. During windsurfing’ s inception this was the sole hook. But in time the lightbulb went off and riders realised that more wind =
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WIND SURFING more speed. You too will have probably had that Eureka moment as a gust of wind billowed your sail and projected you forwards at an increased rate of knots. It may have resulted in a big splash, after a few short seconds, but the seed will have been sown.
Progressing, learning and nailing down windsurfing’ s fundamentals sailors will have begun to get even faster until one day, hooked in and happily cruising along, Mother Nature’ s blow sees fit to lift your kit, push the board past its bow wave and get you fully planing – yet another epiphany! OK, footstraps may seem like a long way back towards the tail but zooming along you can’ t help but grin and realise you’ ve entered into a different windsurfing realm.
Next comes acceleration. With perseverance those far off straps are located and feet tentatively slotted into. Feeling yet another release your speed increases and you imagine yourself as Han Solo would’ ve experiencing the Millennium Falcon’ s warp drive for the first time. A wave of euphoria washes over and although you’ re not strictly in control 100 %( check behind and you’ ll see your instructor chasing you down as you fly off on a broad reach!) there’ s not a care in the world save for enjoying the moment.