Windsurfing...

Windsurfers seem to be the most seaworthy thing going these days...
How is it that when all us dinghy folk are sheltering from the wind and the abandonment flags are getting ripped to shreds the windsurfers are all out there surfing the waves and zooming and boosting and not seeming at all phased by the gale that's knocking the rest of us off our feet?  How do relatively small people hold down a fair size windsurfer rig in a howling storm and be powering along nicely and not swimming around in the water like most of us dinghy sailors would be?
This winter has been a bit of a joke for windiness down at Thorpe Bay and even going down on Sundays these days seems to be a bit of a waste of time!
Anyway I've decided.....i need to learn to windsurf!!

Originally posted by Prince Buster How is it that when... the abandonment flags are getting ripped to shreds the windsurfers are all out there

Because they're rubbish in light winds and the sport has become set up for 20knots plus. Quite handy really, you don't have to have a boat that can race in more than 25 knots: instead race dinghies in lower wind strangths and blast on a board in the big stuff.

How can they do it in strong winds?

Easy, you use a progressivly smaller rig that is designed to be used only in planning wind, and boards that sink when you stop. I'ts what the kit's designed for. In 12knts of wind I'll be on my 8m rig and free ride board, 17ktns it'll be 5.7 and smaller, 25knts and it's wave eqipment all they way. Don't think it's instant to get to this standard though - most good windsurfers have been at it aas long as most good dinghy racers.

Boards DO work very, very well in light winds, an old style long board will destroy almost any dinghy around the cans, and the Formula boards can actually beat Americas cup yachts up and down wind.

Oh, and the kitesurfers all come off the water at the same time as the dinghies....

In complete agreement with JimC, windsurfing and dingies go great together! When the crew chickens out, time to dig the boards out the van!