September 2007 Trip Report: Friday

Friday's weather was perfect for windsurfing. The wind blew around 25 gusting to 29 MPH. Unfortunately, I was the only one in our group arrived Friday. Their loss. The Worldwinds staff agreed that it was the best windsurfing day they'd had in a month.

After a little practice on the JP X-cite Ride 145 and a 6.0 meter sail, I took the waterstart class with Olivier. He also gave me some pointers on my beach start and getting into the front footstrap.

For the beachstart, his biggest hint was to keep the boom close to the body. The boom is supposed to do all the work as you gradually twist the sail into the wind. Yanking on the boom and jumping on the board is poor form.

In waterstarting, the ah-ha moment was turning my hips forward as I get pulled out of the water. With the hips forward, it becomes possible to collapse the back leg to pull the board into position under the body. The motion of the arms in the waterstart is very similar to the beachstart except the arms are above the head. Again, the front arm pushes forward and out as the back hand sheets in. Once the sail is just right, you pop out of the water. The back leg pulls the board under your body, and the front foot lands on the board.

I tried getting into the front foot strap a few times, but never quite managed it. I get my foot right next to the strap, but I keep unintentionally sheeting out as I concentrate on my feet. If I can get one more day of good planing wind to practice, I think I can make it.