Windsurfing Magazine

kristin
2008-04-03 09:30:07 | 2519 views | 1 Comments

Many years ago, I learned to water-start the hard way. I was in the middle of an alligator-infested lake on a sinky little shortboard while two of my friends sailed back and forth right in front of me on big floaty longboards. I could barely understand what they were trying to say because they were laughing so hard.

Eventually, though, fear, a little luck and the words, “Go slow and stay low,” got me up and out of the water. Although I don't advocate learning to water-start the way I did, amid all their taunts and ribbing, my friends did give me some decent advice. You definitely want to take your time during the maneuver. Rushing a water start usually results in big mistakes that are hard to correct, so don't be to hasty in your zeal to stand up. And stay low throughout the move so your body weight is positioned well over the board, not over the water.

Step 1: Sweep The Mast
With the board and sail lined up 90 degrees to the wind, hold the rear foot straps with your back hand and grab the mast above the boom with your front hand. To get the sail flying, gently sweep the mast into the wind above the water until the rear end of the boom just starts to float up. Steering the board slightly downwind increases power, while steering the board upwind increases control depending on conditions. (Practice your steering in a place where you can touch bottom.)

Step 2: Back Hand on Boom
With the back of the boom floating just above the water, it's time to release the foot strap and place the back hand on the boom a few inches behind the harness lines. At this point, if you're learning at a site where you can't touch bottom, you must begin treading water. When placing the back hand on the boom, try being extremely limp-wristed. Grabbing the boom aggressively will cause the sail to overpower or make the board turn upwind.

Step 3: Front Hand on Boom
Next, release the mast and place your front hand on the boom right next to the front harness strap in an overhand position (including thumb). The key to maintaining good sail control here is easing off the rear-hand grip as you release the mast. With both hands on the boom, swimming toward the back of the board decreases power if you're losing control, while swimming toward the front adds power and stops the board from turning upwind.

Step 4: Pull Board Beneath You
Now you're going to place your back heel up on the board. It's extremely important here that your back heel is placed just to the upwind side of the centerline. The job of the back leg is to pull the board in underneath you, helping to get the mast vertical and your weight over the board. If the back foot does not end up straddling the centerline, the board will tip. As the heel goes up, be sure to power the sail a bit by moving your body forward, pointing the mast more into the wind and allowing your arms to extend up.

Step 5: Wind Gets Mast Vertical
Remember, before you can pull yourself up on the board, you must allow the wind to help you get the mast in a vertical position. Rushing to get up results in soggy problems. Continue moving from the back of the board toward the front, pointing the mast more into the wind. As the wind lifts the sail, allow your arms to extend higher above your head. Sheet in with the back hand, lean your head toward the mast base and keep your front leg in the water. Once the mast is vertical, you can hang most of your weight down on the boom.

Step 6: Front Foot to Centerline
As you're getting up, remember not to pull back or out on the boom or you'll pull the sail over. Now, with your weight hanging down, you can bring your front foot in over the centerline. Be careful not to stand up too quickly to avoid getting pulled over when you're on the board. As you stand, you may need to move your feet forward to avoid rounding up, and sheet out aa bit to avoid getting yanked off by the power in the sail.