What are some tips for windsurfing beginners?
Use a small sail. The bigger sails are harder to control, take more effort to pull out of the water, and will make you go faster than you're comfortable with. You'll want the minimum sail size that ensures you get some acceleration, given your body weight. Check out this chart for a ballpark.Go out on a day, and in a location, where the wind is coming into shore. Every time you fall and reset yourself, you'll drift somewhat downwind. It's a lot nicer to be drifting towards your launch point than away from it.Try and go on a day with medium but consistent wind. It may be tempting to go out when there's very little wind, but that actually makes it harder to get moving and maintain forward momentum. Also frustrating is gusty or unpredictable wind. If you have a choice, try and find a day / location with consistent wind that isn't too slow. It's really fun and harmless to fall. If you get pulled off balance, or the wind shifts, just go with it: toss yourself into the water, cool off, climb back on and start again. Use your body weight more than your arm strength. If you're pulling on the sail, you'll tire quickly. Lean back to counterbalance the sail, while keeping your arms extended but not flexed. This is true when uphauling and when sailing.You can stay in neutral position for as long as you need. Figure out a way to be really comfortable standing that way, balanced on the board, without stress on your body, or worry about what to do next. This gives you a good resting point from which to start sailing. If you try and uphaul => move to neutral => sail too fast, you'll make everything harder and more tiring.Don't worry about jibing and tacking, at first. You can just go in a direction you want, then drop back into neutral position, shimmy around the mast, and go in your new direction. Also, you can just fall and then reorient your board. Better to get out there and have fun going in one direction, then stress the more difficult maneuvers. Understand the very basics of wind direction and movement, e.g. that you can't sail directly upwind. Know which direction the wind is coming from before you start out.
What's the best windsurfing camp for beginners in Europe?
There are numerous destinations that would fit the bill in most countries that have a sea border. The only real deciders are your budget, time allowance and how ‘warm’ you prefer the water to be ;-)To name but a few, you could do worse than head for any of these were they have variable conditions depending on the time of day and season: Tarifa, Kos, Alacati, Kefalos, Coralejo, Gran Canaria, Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer.All have training camps and equipment to hire, to suit all from beginner to intermediate to advanced.Good luck!
For new windsurfers: how much wind is "too much"?
Short answer - 20mph. I have over 30 years experience, starting with an original windsurfer and teak booms. I think that wind speeds between 5 and 10 mph work well for beginners. The real key is STEADY wind. You can almost always sail around and learn the basics with a 6.0 tuned for that wind range if you're an average size guy. At 5 - 10 mph, you'll be sailing, at 15 you may start going pretty fast and sneak up onto a plane with an early planing board, which will either be a lot of fun, or scare you silly. But, if the wind is swinging directions from E to N and going from 5 to 15 mph every five minutes you're going to be frustrated. OTOH, if the wind is a steady 15 to 20, a smaller sail, say 5.0, PROPERLY RIGGED can work well. Just realize that everything will happen more quickly.A larger sail has the advantage of something to steady yourself against, though heavier to up-haul. Any sail over 10 years old should be treated with skepticism. General rule: If it has a cut off top like a trapezoid, it is probably a modern enough design, assuming it's on the right mast. If it's a triangle, with a pointy top, beware. Those sails are far less "tune-able" and forgiving. It's like learning to ski with old style skinny skis. Doable, but the equipment isn't helping you. Any knowledgeable sailor will help you learn how to rig the sail - or you can search on line for rigging videos from Ezzy or Sailworks sails.
Where is the best place for a beginner to learn to windsurf?
The best place is a windsurfing school - you can be sure the location and conditions are safe and suitable, you’ll get a great introduction to the sport and get off to the best start (less chance of being put off by a bad experience or frustration).Once you know the basics, and you are practicing, ask a local windsurfer, they will know the best locations for the current conditions including wind, tides and other users. Local knowledge is best, they’ll know from experience what hazards exist that may not be obvious to a visitor or newbie.Ideally go with someone else, or where other windsurfers are around (they will keep an eye on you). Location should feature cross or onshore winds (never offshore), very little tidal current (if sea), flat water, no hazards (other water users, boats, rocks etc.).Enclosed lakes or estuaries, or a deep bay are often best as they eliminate many of the hazardsGood rigging space, easy access to the water, a gradually sloping bottom so you don’t get out of your depth suddenly is useful. Always allow for downwind drift, so start at upwind of where you might need to land. Always try to go upwind if you can (money in the bank), it’s easy to go downwind and a long walk back.Always be aware of your personal responsibility, don’t rely on someone rescuing you so keep that in mind while sailing, don’t go out too far or overestimate your abilities, you can get tired and/or hypothermic quite quickly even on fine days, so always were a wetsuit unless it’s really tropical (wind chill can be sneaky, and when you are learning you can spend a lot of time and energy uphauling etc.)
Where is the best place to buy windsurfing gear?
Always buy local to the place you are windsurfing. The shops cater to the conditions in the area and have experts for the area you can meet in person. Delta Windsurf Shop near Rio Vista, CA has some of the best equipment for the jump and bump conditions of the Delta. While they can order for big wave conditions, such as those in the ocean, (or any equipment for other conditions) it would be worth the trip to the Bay Area to shop the stores that are typically stocked with big wave gear. You can shop online but prices are rarely much better and you do not get to view the condition of the equipment in person. I found a new harness that was 3 years old for a much better price at Delta Windsurf Shop than I had found online (I shop online to avoid sticker shock when I am ready to buy). Buying local also supports people who surf the same spots as you. Keep in mind your local stores can replace lost or broken equipment in the time it takes to drive there, so you don't lose your entire day to a broken mast or missing post base.
What is the best wind speed for windsurfing?
Best answer is - it depends. It depends on your skill and your style. Beginners do best in 8–10 mph on teaching gear. Intermediates getting into harness and foot-straps need 15–20.BUT - best answer is that wind needs to be steady. 15mph +/- 10 is almost un-sailable. 20 or 25 +/- 2 is like a dream. So search for steady winds and then adjust gear. Beginners rig for the gusts and slog through the lulls. As you improve, (and if equipment is up-to-date and rigged right) your rig for the lulls and enjoy the gusts. EEEEE-Ha.
How long does it take to to learn windsurfing?
The key for learning is TIME IN THE WATER and practice. It is NOT a sport you will learn in 3 hours, that would just cover the very basics for non planning sailing. Which option gives more time in the water? It seems that option 2.... The other advantage of option 2 is that is happens in several days, so likely in different wind conditions, which is very important. And the fact that there are other people is a plus to me... you may find somebody there that then you can sail with. One on one classes are fine, but they will be more expensive, so for the same money you get less. Once you get the basic instructions, the key is PRACTICE, so if in Option 2, each one will have a board to practice, I would go for it. Doing this over several days gives you more time to assimilate what you learned, they say the movements and how your brain reacts is actually perfected during the night, while you sleep... If you have your own equipment, and it is good beginner board, then my recommendation may change some as you could take a one on one class and then practice on your own, but overall Option 2 looks better.
How expensive is it to go windsurfing? Is it worth the cost?
Depending where you live, there may be a windsurfing club near you which offers either formal or informal instruction and access to school windsurfing equipment at little to no cost.To go windsurfing in this manner, could be anything from free, to perhaps 25 dollars for a one day lesson plus beginner board rental.Yes, it is worth that cost to try it out. It is one of the best sports out there. You will have fun the first day. Just pick a suitable day with warm water, a medium 5-10kt breeze, and wear a life jacket as always, as you would with any pleasure craft. Take instruction. Use a small sail. You can also refer to this question for more detail:What are some tips for windsurfing beginners?As with any sport there are different milestones you achieve, and each open up new doors to the sport. You can learn skate style tricks, learn to ride waves, or just blast around back and forth.Here are some examples of the different types you can learn:FreestyleGollito Estredo Training in El YaqueWaveLightwind FreestyleFlat Water Slalom SailingSpeed SailingIt's all fun.Hope this helps and enjoy your surfing.