Windsurfing Adventures
Windsurfing Adventures Introduction
Windsurfing is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. At one time referred to as “surfing’s ginger haired cousin” by the sport’s legendary champion, Robby Naish, windsurfing has long struggled to present a coherent image of the sport to outsiders. Indeed, participants will regularly use different names to describe the sport, including sailboarding and boardsailing. Despite the term “Windsurfing” becoming the accepted name for the sport, participants are still called “sailors” or “board heads” and not “surfers”. Windsurfing is a sport which, once mastered, can be enjoyed, even at an advanced level, well into retirement and then at a more sedate level for considerably longer still. This is partly due to the fact that windsurfing crashes tend to cause less injury than those sports which take place on harder surfaces. Although, being reckless whilst windsurfing in advanced conditions can still cause serious injury or death due to the speeds and altitudes involved. Thus, the equipment you use for your particular windsurfing adventure and the location you choose for it should be chosen carefully.
- windsurfing adventures introduction
Windsurfing Equipment
Most modern windsurfing equipment falls into one of several categories. These include freeride, Formula Windsurfing, wave boards, freestyle boards, slalom boards and beginner boards. Freeride boards are meant for comfortable recreational cruising (mostly straight-line sailing and occasional turning) at planing speed (aka blasting), mainly in flat waters or in light to moderate swell. Formula Windsurfing boards are shorter boards up to one meter in width, for use in Formula Windsurfing races. Wave boards are smaller, lighter, more maneuverable boards for use in breaking waves. Freestyle boards are related to wave boards in terms of maneuverability, these are wider, higher volume boards geared specifically at performing acrobatic tricks (jumps, rotations, slides, flips and loops) on flat water. Slalom boards are shortboards aimed at top speed, rather than maneuverability or ease of use. Beginner boards, sometimes called funboards often have a daggerboard and are almost as wide as Formula boards, have plenty of volume and are therefor more stable. There is also a variety of materials used to make windsurfing equipment. The original Windsurfer board had a body made out of polyethylene filled with PVC foam. Later, hollow glass-reinforced epoxy designs were used. Most boards produced today have an expanded polystyrene foam core reinforced with a composite sandwich shell, that can include carbon fiber, kevlar, or fiberglass in a matrix of epoxy and sometimes plywood and thermoplastics. Racing and wave boards are usually very light (5 to 7 kg), and are made out of carbon sandwich. Such boards are very brittle, and veneer is sometimes used to make them more shock-resistant. Boards aimed at the beginners are heavier (8 to 15 kg) and more robust, containing more fiberglass. When choosing the equipment for your next windsurfing adventure make sure to take into consideration the whether conditions at your chosen destination in order to maximize both safety and fun.
windsurfing equipment
Windsurfing Locations
The best windsurfing location for you and your windsurfing adventure will depend on your skill level, but there are several spots around the world known for amazing windsurfing. At the top of the list for windsurfing destinations is Tarifa, Spain. Tarifa is located on the Straights of Gibraltar at the southern tip of Spain. The Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean meet there and Tarifa is commonly called the wind capitol of Europe. Windsurfing is a large part of the culture with windsurf shops dotting the moorish-style street landscape. For vacations in July and August you should seriously consider Rhodes. Being part of the Greek Dodecanese Islands, Rhodes is commonly called Isle of the Sun because it is sunny for 320 days per year. The wind conditions change from flat in the mornings to extremely strong by late afternoon. This provides windsurfers of all levels the opportunity to consistently have some time on the water. Maui is one of the eight islands of Hawaii and is also on the list of top windsurfing destinations. Windsurfers from around the world choose Maui as their best vacation destination. Whether your a serious windsurfer looking for a “sick set” or a novice in search of a great vacation and a place to fit some windsurfing in, there is a windsurfing location perfect for your particular needs.
windsurfing locations
Windsurfing adventures are a great way to relieve some stress, enjoy time with the family or compete competitively. Make sure to chose the windsurfing equipment and location that will best suit your particular needs on your next windsurfing adventure. A guided fishing charter is a great addition to any windsurfing adventure.
