Guide windsurfing.
On this page we have collected some films and instructions that are good to know when you are new to the sport. Our ambition is to constantly add more information. If you are missing something - contact us, we will help you with your questions./Surfers in Varberg
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF WINDSURFING!
Great that you are interested in windsurfing!
With this guide we want to help you find the right equipment.
As a newbie to windsurfing, it is easy to end up in the wrong place and buy the wrong equipment, which makes it difficult, if not impossible, to learn, not to mention that you are being deceived by a salesperson but by not having the knowledge and understanding yourself of why a certain piece of equipment is more suitable than another, what the differences are in the equipment and what significance it has for me. We hope that after this guide you know what you want and need.
Prerequisites - be honest with yourself
If you have never tried windsurfing or taken a course and learned the basics there, you basically have the same prerequisites. Anyone who has never faced A windsurfer with his own equipment will quickly catch up with someone who has tried it a few times before. So the need for equipment is the same when it comes to buying your own. The equipment we recommend differs from the one we use in our school because the course is designed to teach our students the basics of windsurfing in a short time and for them to experience how fun it is. The equipment we use in our school is more beginner-friendly and you quickly get used to it if you use it more frequently.
The first thing to think about when buying your first board is to be honest with yourself. It is important for you to have as much fun as possible.
-What are my requirements, where will I windsurf most often?
-What are my physical conditions like? Young and fit people can often choose a slightly more adventurous package.
-When will I be windsurfing and what conditions are most common at that time? Where will I likely be heading?
Consider these factors when choosing your equipment.
The seven components of a windsurfing kit.
Windsurfing board that often includes fins, centerboard and even foot straps.
Shape and volume are of great importance for how a windsurfing board is experienced in the water. The volume of the windsurfing board provides buoyancy so that it floats when you stand on it, the volume also affects how forgiving it is to sail. Just as important as having enough volume in the board is that the volume distribution and shape are correct. In simple terms, the properties of a windsurfing board are affected by three sub-signal elements that all interact and give the board different properties.
Outline
The shape of the board. The shape and width of the board affect stability. A wider board is more stable and more forgiving. A rounder outline gives better maneuverability in both planing and non-planing. A straighter outline with parallel edges has better speed characteristics.
The bottom curve
The bottom curve is the second element and is the underside of the board's profile when viewed from the side and it affects how the windsurfing board behaves in the water. How easily it glides through the water, how easily the board levels out and how it is experienced in the sea while sailing. It affects how technically demanding the board is and how maneuverable the board is perceived.
The edges
The third is the edges of the windsurfing board. The thickness of the edge and the shape affect both the stability and maneuverability as well as how fast the board is in planing.
So depending on the type of board and what properties you are looking for, windsurfing boards look a little different and sometimes both can be Boards that look the same can behave completely differently.
Centerboard/Centerfin.
The launch boards are equipped with either a centerboard or a centerfin. The centerboard and centerfin are intended to stabilize and increase altitude gain in light winds. If you remove the centerfin or fold in the centerboard, plans the board faster and increases speed.
The Fin
Your board comes with a good all-round fin. You can trim your board a little extra by using other more specialized fins.
Larger fin:
+ Earlier planing
+ Height gain
- Control in strong winds
- Top speed
- Maneuverability
Smaller fin:
+ Control
+ Top speed
+ Sharp turns and maneuverability
- Later planing
- Height gain
Fin cassettes
Powerbox is the most common variant on everything except road and formula boards. The fin is mounted in the cassette with a centered screw that goes through the board. With this option you don't have to think about adjusting the fin.
Tuttlebox is most often used on performance-oriented boards that require large fins that need to be anchored properly. Mounting in the cassette is done using two screws that also go through the board, which means no adjustment. This box is also available in a deeper version called "deep tuttle".
US-box is most often found on small boards and the fin is mounted using a screw and washer that runs in a groove in the cassette. In other words, this model allows you to change the fin's position.
Trimbox is a combination of US and powerbox in such a way that there is still a continuous screw to attach the fin. The difference is that the fins for these boxes have several screw holes and in this way make it possible to change the position of the fin.
Fin placement
By moving the fin forward or backward, the properties of the board are affected. The best all-round properties are achieved with the fin centered in the fin cassette.
A front-mounted fin gives the board earlier planing and better height gain.
By mounting the fin further back, you get higher top speed and control.
Mast cassette
Virtually all boards of later models today have a mast foot cassette where the mast foot is attached with the help of a nut that is attached to the cassette. By screwing the mast foot you get it fixed. The position of the mast foot affects the board's properties.
For the best all-round properties, place the mast foot in the middle of the mast cassette.
By moving the mast foot back, the board feels livelier and faster.
By moving the mast foot forward, you get increased control in choppy water and a lot of wind. With this placement, the board also levels out a little earlier.
Air screw
The screw behind the mast cassette is used to compensate for the difference in air pressure inside and outside the board. The screw should always be unscrewed when sailing.
Important!
Open the valve when the board is to be transported in an airplane.
Footstraps
The footstraps give you control over the board when you are gliding. The boards have a number of different placement options for the straps, the idea being that you will learn to use the footstraps faster, as well as increase the range of use and performance.
The first few hours on the board, so you don't need any straps at all, because you can feel that they are loose.
Placement of foot straps.
1. Far forward/far in:
The best position for learning to stand in the straps. Here it is easy to get into the straps without flattening.
2. Forward/far in:
With this position the board will be leveled up. Install the straps in this position when you feel comfortable with position 1 (black).
3. Back/far in:
To place the straps in this position, you need to be able to sail at planing speed. Otherwise you will not be able to get far enough back on the board, but when you have become so good that you can have the straps up, you will be stuck in the sport.
4. Far back/far out:
With this placement, your board has a completely different performance compared to position one. With the straps far back and out on the edge, the board goes faster and takes much better height.
What board size should I choose as a beginner?We recommend that if you have never windsurfing before, you buy a board with a volume between 180 and 200 liters and a width between 80 and 85cm to be as all-round as possible. We recommend a board with a real centerboard that is foldable. Do not choose a board with a so-called center fin because they are a bad compromise. The centerboard gives the board better cruising characteristics in lighter winds and increases the board's stability.
For lighter people, children and young people, we recommend choosing a board with a volume of around 160 liters and a width of 75 to 80 cm depending on the shape of the board in order to have a board to develop with over a slightly longer period of time.
A good starter board should have the right length, width and volume so that it is easier to learn the basics. A starter board should also be equipped with a retractable centerboard. The foot straps should be able to be placed in a number of different positions - so that you can gradually learn to use them.
The sail is an important part of the rig, it is the sail that catches the wind and propels the entire crew. Sails come in a wide variety of both categories and models with different properties. To start with, we recommend road, starter or freeride sails. They are the most all-round and suit most boats. Freeride sails also come in a wide variety with different properties and are adaptable to the user's needs and wishes to varying degrees.
The size of the sail is of great importance and it is important that it is correct, so we will of course help you in the store if you are unsure. It is individual and there is a difference depending on type and model what is right for you. If you choose to buy more than one sail, perhaps a couple or three sails to cover a larger wind span, you can generally say that there should be around 1 square meter between the sizes. We recommend that the size difference between the sails in a line should be greater between large sails and the smaller the sails, the smaller the size difference should be because the force of the wind increases in proportion to the square of its speed.
As a small guide, we can say that for beginners, an adult man should weigh a sail around 5.5 square meters and a woman around 4.5-5 square meters and a child around 2.5 to 3.5 square meters depending on physique. When purchasing the so-called school rigs, we recommend that you choose a sail half to a full square meter smaller than those in the more expensive rig package, as this type of sail is more adapted to light winds and is therefore easier to handle.
A freeride sail/wind sail or a starter rig is a good start.
Today's masts are divisible and can be adjusted in length and stiffness according to the sail's specifications. Today's masts are developed to be very light as possible because the mast's reflex speed is affected by its weight. The higher the carbon content, the lighter and faster the mast. With a faster mast, the sail is both more efficient and easier to handle because the sail has the right shape a greater part of the time. The mast is the rig's engine, you could say. Masts come in two different diameters, std and rdm. Both types of masts work in road and freeride sailing.
The boom is equipped with a quick-release coupling to the mast, removable for mounting a sling, equipped with integrated blocks and cleats for outriggers and can be used on both RDM and SDM masts. The feel of the rig is important and is affected by how stiff the boom construction is and how firm the connection between mast and boom is
A taut that is attached to the boom front and around the mast foot. Without this, the sail cannot be raised.
A mast extension is often required for the mast to reach the sail. Sails are designed based on a mast with a certain length and stiffness and to be able to rig the sail on To do this, you need to extend the mast to the right length. This is often referred to as the LUFF, which is the combined length of the mast and the extension. A mast extension can never make a mast stiffer, only longer.
The mast foot is what connects the entire rig to the board. It is important that they are of the same system as the mast foot adapter or mast extension. A good mast foot should be easy to assemble and disassemble without it coming loose by mistake.
There are many different categories of windsurfing boards on the market. market. They are designed to work as well as possible in certain specific conditions. For those of you who are new to windsurfing, it is mainly starter boards and large freeride boards that are relevant to you. But as a pure orientation, we will go through the most common categories below.
Starter/beginner boards.
As soon as you stand on a windsurfing board, you will realize that it is all about stability. If you can stand stably on the board, you don't have to be a tea bag and can concentrate on actually learning to sail the board. Starting on a large and modern starter board is very important if you want to learn quickly and make the step to "real" windsurfing as little as possible. A course for the first few hours on real school boards is recommended.When talking about the size of windsurfing boards, nowadays people usually talk about the volume of the board. A beginner board has a volume of between 220 and 160 liters. The large volume means that even adults have enough volume to have a stable platform. Lighter people can do well with 160 liters while heavier people need 200 liters.
Without sufficient volume in the board, it will be difficult and frustrating to learn to windsurf. The more volume, the more stable the board you get.
A start and beginner board should have a centerboard. This provides extra stability and allows you to cruise against the wind even in light winds. A start/beginner board is usually covered with EVA on the because (like a sleeping pad) this is comfortable to stand on and you avoid chafing/torn wetsuits when you crawl up onto the board after you've fallen off.
Freeride boards.
Once you've learned the basics, you'll probably find your starting board a bit slow, lifeless and heavy. Don't get us wrong, you can learn a lot on a big and stable starting board. On With a starter board you can learn everything from hoisting the sail and getting away, to beach starts, hanging harnesses and even flat-footed foot boarding. But you get to a point where you want to get a little more out of your board, such as speed and maneuverability.A freeride board is the natural step up from a starter/beginner board. A freeride board is designed to be fun and sporty to ride around on, while also being forgiving to maneuver and gybe with. A freeride board will feel much faster and more playful because they have less weight and a rounder outline.
Depending on your weight and level of skill, your first freeride board can be anywhere between 135 and 180 liters in volume. Usually, a volume of 145-160 liters is a good compromise between stability and fun.
The latest models of freeride boards are wide, short and thin. This gives them good stability, early planing and a very sporty feel. Freeride boards are available from 100 liters up to 180 liters. The difference between performance and user safety are clearly great on the smaller ones compared to the larger ones.
Freestylewave boards.
These boards are a good combination of a freeride and a wave board (a more logical name would be freeride/wave). A freestyle wave board has a volume between 90 and 120 liters and is, in short, a fast freeride board that also works well for riding waves.Slalom and competition boards.
These boards are only for those who compete. They are like doped freeride boards. Light, agile and incredibly good at their specific thing. Nothing for those who are new to the sport.Freestyle boards
Freestyle can best be compared to skateboarding on water. Freestyle today is all about doing tricks. The boards are designed to do rotation tricks on flat water and glide both forward and backward. When freestyle came as a "branch" within windsurfing, the boards looked different to what they do today. In the past, they were more forgiving and more all-round than they are today. That's why there is a category called freestylewave. A modern freestyle board can only be recommended for those who want to sail freestyle today. The special shape and development of the boards means that today we see completely crazy maneuvers that you couldn't even dream of being able to do in the past.Waveboards
Yes, these boards are designed to be sailed in waves. These boards have been adapted to work as well as possible to turn on waves with. They are not as fast and don't plan as early as a freestyle waveboard, but they turn better and have more control. Waveboards today usually have the option to be run with three or four fins.Waveboards are generally used when there is quite a lot of wind. The volume of a waveboard is between 70 and 110 liters. The size is chosen as usual depending on the sailor's weight, knowledge and wind strength.
Equipment that is not included in our complete packages but that we recommend is harness straps, harness and wetsuit. We usually call it personal equipment, what you wear on your body. This also includes shoes, buoyancy aid, helmet and possibly board bag. Why they are not included is because they are very individually adapted and are available in a very wide variety on the market. Everything from how long the harness straps you want to have, to what model, brand and size of wetsuit, harness or shoes.
It is difficult to know what is right for you, and it can be good to try a few different models and brands to find what fits best. It is just as individual with wetsuits and shoes as the model and size of the harness. But we recommend that you start using a harness as soon as possible so that you can be outside as much as possible, as you will save a lot of strength on using the harness.
If you are unsure of what length of The suspension lines you should have, we recommend that you choose a pair of adjustable lines. A pair of so-called vario lines, as it is cheaper to buy the wrong ones before finding your length. There are also many who like to use vario lines, as they can change the length of the suspension lines depending on the conditions they are windsurfing in.
To go windsurfing in Sweden, you must have a wetsuit, both for your comfort and for your safety. It is important to keep your body warm and cooling down is not a big problem when it comes to windsurfing. To find the right wetsuit, there is our wetsuit guide as a guide.