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Windsurfing: Dos and Don’ts for Protecting You and Your Equipment

Windsurfing is an amazing sport but like most sports that involve this much of an adrenaline rush there are dangers and equipment can be expensive.

With boards and sails costing in excess of £1500 you want to make it last as long as possible. Let’s have a look at ways to make your equipment last longer and ways to protect yourself from injury.

Rigging and De-rigging
When you are rigging up your equipment try and do it on a soft area free from rocks and stones, preferably on the beach or on some grass.

So often you see people rigging up their £700 mono-film sail on a concrete car park scratching all the batten pockets and luff tube, a definite windsurfing don’t. T

ake care to pack your equipment away properly roll your sails straight and give them a good wash when you get home or at the beach where possible.

Protect Yourself
Depending on where you are sailing will depend on the type of protection you should consider to use but almost definitely wearing a helmet is high on the windsurfing dos list.

Whether you are wave sailing on a reef or speed sailing on a flat water lake a helmet is going to protect your melon from serious clashes with the mast and boom let alone any reef.

Windsurfing at Sea
Most young windsurfers will be against taking out flares because of the extra weight or having nowhere to put it but the fact is you can get some excellent flares that will sit right inside your harness or in a luff tube pocket on your sail even though on your person is better.

If your sail and board become separated and you can’t keep hold of both, even if the sail cost more money, you have to let the sail go a definite windsurfing do. Trying to paddle your board to safety dragging a sail is going to take forever and tire you out quicker.

Let People Know
Always tell people where you are sailing and what time you expect to be back, where possible sail with friends so you can keep an eye on each other and make sure you have fun that’s what it’s all about.

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