The OFF Season – Coping with Windsurfing Withdrawal

Darbonne · Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2016 8:01 pm Post subject:

Not going to suffer through this winter with no WS. I am lucky to live in the south where it stays relatively warm. Last year I finally broke down a bought a 5/4 suit and a neoprene beanie. I am committed to sailing through the winter this year. My advice to anyone who lives in the frozen tundra is move! or take a long vacation in Bonaire.

justall · Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 442

mamero · Joined: 25 Aug 2013 Posts: 380 Location: Vancouver, Canada

Practice your core moves in your basement. That's what this guy does and he seems to be making good progress in the winter. I just need to find the space indoors to do this.

Jibe Windsurfing Exercises, Part 1/3
https://vimeo.com/56532173

Jibe Windsurfing Exercises, Part 2/3
https://vimeo.com/56534280

Jibe Windsurfing Exercises, Part 3/3
https://vimeo.com/80757636

grantmac017 · Joined: 04 Aug 2016 Posts: 946

Guys,
He's in Vancouver, it's basically Seattle weather and not really that cold (frost is rare, ice on the puddles even less). I've done prone surfing in the same environment and the winter is the on season for that!
A decent drysuit or even 5mil with hood, gloves and booties is all you need.

Then again I've been in the lineup with snow falling in the past, so I'm perhaps a little insane.

vylewind · Joined: 17 Oct 2016 Posts: 6

Of course does not work if you have snow, but I have been windskating and it's really helped me tons with transitions particularly. I highly advise it.
Video I shot underneath.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49FrgCZ4R0Y

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

AND if it does get colder
you can always try this !!
NOT ME and WAY faster, better at it than me !!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb4pBHltObM

alap · Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 156

mamero, this guy is me Smile

and yes this helped me tremendously!

I would add so much more to those videos , those are few years old, I had improved a lot.
The main thing I'll add - forget about Dasher. Dasher is only good as a prerequisite. At least for me - don't want to open a can of worms here!!!.

Cribb (dvd and tons of .pdfs on his site) is my teacher nowadays, plus a lot of ideas in Peter Harts words. Made tons of progress lately (see my latest clips)

BTW, I am in Calgary so it is a bit colder than in Van, but sooo much more sun, plus you can afford a basement here. And I love winter (skiing) very much too. In Oct. I want summer to continue, and in April/May I feel the same about skiing.

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

Sailing with a windsurfing rig is not just for fluid surfaces.

My frozen or hard surface windsurfing rig sailing has lasted 22 years so far: a. I modified a toboggan to accept a mast base for hard packed or frozen snow sailing; b. bought a long skate board for parking lot sailing; c. added cheap hardware store angle iron to the toboggan near front and rear to prevent sliding sideways on ice; d. added a mountain board to make parking lot sailing safer; e. added ski sled with canted skis for faster hard pack snow sailing. In addition to the original toboggan I have three ski sleds and six varieties of parking lot sailors (decks from 44" to 75" with wheels ranging up to 16" in diameter).

Sailing with a windsurfing rig is not just for fluid surfaces or warm weather.

grantmac017 · Joined: 04 Aug 2016 Posts: 946

Del,

I'd really like to see a few pictures of your pavement sailers! I have a wild thought to get something similar put together.

-Grant

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20936

Take a plank a few feet long.
Round off its corners so they aren't sharp.
Strap it to your feet.
Make sure your health care insurance is robust.
Put a safety net around your trampoline.
Work on your aerial stunts all year.
Not joking.