Fast-tracking Your Second Grade in Windsurfing

cgoudie1 · Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 10:14 am Post subject:

and 30 years later, there still are. ;*)

-Craig

AndreiA · Joined: 14 Apr 2013 Posts: 73

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

DelCarpenter · Joined: 06 Nov 2008 Posts: 499 Location: Cedar Falls, IA

Windsurfing is great for producing the exciting adrenaline rush that accompanies planing and makes the sailor feel like the world is being conquered. That's part of grade 2. I get that part of the time. And windsurfing of a different, calmer level is also great for producing a feeling of gracefulness that makes the sailor feel united to the world. That is grade 1 which is about 95% of my windsurfing.

Let me count the ways in which I am still in 1st grade: 1. only two waterstarts ever; 2. no planing jibes; 3. not good at non-planing jibes either, 4. not in the foot straps even when planing; 5. still poor sailing downwind in winds over about 12 mph; 6. never tried wavesailing, 7. never jumped; 8. my only freestyle move is fin first sailing for a very short distance.

For many the first reaction on reading that list will be something like, "if you would learn to ..(waterstart, jibe, use foot straps, etc).. you would get hooked and then you'd learn all of those things in a few weeks or one or two seasons."

But I'm already so hooked on windsurfing I didn't need to learn any of those things to have a great time in 31 summers of on-water windsurfing. I'm so hooked on windsurfing I raced in 9 events this year (3 in FL, 1 in IA, 3 in MN, 2 in WI), sailed with a windsurfing rig in 86 days this year so far, and have sailed with a windsurfing rig in Iowa 259 months in a row (counting land & snow & ice sailing).

I realize my level of satisfaction with grade 1 is somewhat a result of being an inland lake sailor. Not planing is more satisfying when a shore is close and the scenery is always changing. Not planing is also more satisfying when the gusty conditions of a small inland lake in the Midwest makes any planing a relatively short experience. Formula boards and other short boards rule on both coasts for good reasons. Long boards rule in the Midwest for equally good, but different, reasons.

gvogelsang · Joined: 09 Nov 1988 Posts: 435

Sailboarder · Joined: 10 Apr 2011 Posts: 656

adywind · Joined: 08 Jan 2012 Posts: 665

Came upon this somewhat old but still relevant in-depth article. It's focus is the equipment mainly not so much technic- choosing the right boards while progressing from the absolute beginner to advanced-but I think it would be a good addition to this post. Just keep in mind that it has been published in 09-before the WindSUPs and Freemoves were made popular, so consider those aswell.
http://boards.mpora.com/equipment-tests/tested-equipment/group-test/soft-tops-freerides-jan-2009.html#sFCG85oM6ySxG7rE.97

joethewindsufa · Joined: 10 Oct 2010 Posts: 1190 Location: Montréal

"learning waterstarting" is an interesting concept
when i was doing that, it was a lot of work - with leg cramps
THEN i took the small board out in bigger winds with 7-oh and 6.3 sails.
it became "controlling water starts" - rather than "learning to do"

unfortunately i can plane without getting in the straps
and have somehow managed to avoid catapults
that's my next objective = getting strapped

getting out as often as one can = TOW
enjoying it no matter what = FUN
reveling in it = STOKED
NO matter what "level" one is at Smile

Darbonne · Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 5:29 pm Post subject:

Thanks Del, I feel better about my sailing after reading your post. Going to start my 4th season in the spring. Totally self taught. Got my ass kicked at the Kona worlds. Managed to finish one race. No waterstart, not in both straps, no planing gybe. I love windsurfing all the same. Part of that love is the challenge of accomplishing new techniques. Thinking about getting some instruction this year. Sometimes it is good to be thankful for what you have or can do and not what you need to learn. I am confident that I will learn those things, but it will take time. It is not that I don't want a lesson or two, it is hard to break away and travel. Not to mention expensive. I can just be happy to learn at my own pace on Lake D'ardonne which is right outside my back door.