Technique

Repairing a damaged windsurf board is no easy task unless you have the right tools & know how. One website that really goes into all the detail you would ever need is www.boardlady.com.

The best place to start with learning how to repair a windsurf board is to understand how they are constructed, that way you know what it is you will be dealing with before you actually start digging around a repair. Get to know everything from the “EPS” expanded polystyrene cores right through to the reinforcements of either fiberglass, Carbon, Kevlar® or combinations thereof. The ‘board lady’ has a page dedicated to board construction right here: Windsurf Board Construction.

You can get a menu to access information about everything from the tools required to adding non-skid to your finished product…Windsurf Board Repair Menu.

A good example of the basic steps involved in repairing a damaged windsurf board can be seen in this visual YouTube clip:

Happy repairing and happy windsurfing!

Check out the latest windsurf freestyle moves being thrown down by the pro’s in this video taken from the Sylt 2011 PWA Event. Amazingly the pro windsurfers were pulling off these freestyle moves even in no wind, being pulled in by jet ski.

OK, so this is all cutting edge, latest windsurf freestyle moves but you can start out with some great light wind freestyle training at the Poole Windsurfing School next summer. All the skills you learn in the light wind freestyle can be transferred to the high wind stuff & will really make the whole process of learning the latest windsurf freestyle moves so much easier.

If you haven’t already heard of the Flaka then you are in for a treat, its a super sweet windsurf freestyle move that will have your fellow windsurfers green with envy! Basically, its an aerial upwind 360 – simple.

Having tried them myself, I can tell you that learning takes some amount of bravery. You will definitely be taking some punishment while you try to figure out just how the windsurf Flaka move is done. The pro’s doing them in the videos tend to make them look super easy & completely controlled with no potential for pain!

Checkout this how to Flaka movie, which also has some nice little gems of wisdom thrown in by the guy actually performing the Flaka in the video…

More Windsurfing Freestyle Videos

Make a note of the summary points at the end of the above windsurfing Flaka clip, its good to have any high speed move such as this broken down into entry, mid & exit with some key pointers for each stage.

If you want a break from hurling yourself into Vulcans & Spocks (as I occasionally do) then why not hurt yourself in a new way by trying to learn to Flaka!

Check some of our other posts about windsurfing freestyle moves & windsurf wave moves:
Forward Loop
The MATADOR
Spock
Light wind freestyle moves
Ladies windsurf freestyle
Summary of the next generation of windsurfing moves & movies

Keep trying & keep progressing.
Happy Windsurfing!

For all of you that want to look after your body & develop your postural awareness, Pilates classes are really fantastic. You will be given tools to improve your strength, suppleness, posture and thereby increase your ability to perform at the sports you love to do, such as windsurfing.

Karen Kriegbaum is a local Pilates teacher, who runs small Pilates classes locally in the Poole & Bournemouth area. Teaching from a dedicated Pilates studio, the classes are limited to 5 students, with access to all the equipment needed to get the most out of your Pilates matwork class.

Karen Kriegbaum - Pilates Classes in Poole

Karen is trained under the Pilates Foundation, who are committed to maintaining the highest standards of teaching. Because of their lengthy training, Pilates Foundation Teachers are trained in original Pilates repertoire as well as modern adaptations. They can can also modify exercises appropriately for an individual’s specific needs and abilities. The small group setting of her Pilates classes in Poole also provides a base for more 1:1 attention than you will receive in bigger groups.

This type of Pilates is not just an amazing exercise system but also teaches awareness of how we hold ourselves and develop healthy movement patterns.

Karen teaches Pilates in Bournemouth & Poole, to join her Pilates classes at The Studio, 25 Guest Avenue, Branksome, BH12 1JA give her a call on 07847 176603 or send an e-mail to karen@kriegbaum.dk

Karen Kriegbaum - Pilates Classes in Bournemouth

Awesome combination move by the Belgien freestyler Steven van Broeckhoven…

Airfunnel into Double Puneta by Steven van Broeckhoven B-72.

Once you have the basic building blocks of windsurf freestyle, combination moves (albeit a little more straight forward than the above example!) start to become possible. The best way to start your windsurfing freestyle career is with plenty of light wind practice sessions. This is how you start to get the awareness & muscle memory for these advanced high wind freestyle moves. Practice, practice & more practice in the light winds & your whole windsurfing game will be taken to new levels!

Light wind ‘muscle memory’ practice really applies to any windsurfing skill you are trying to master, whether its a tack, carve gybe, harness or anything else, the majority of any skill can be learnt in light winds.

Everyone wants to be able to forward loop, whether they openly admit it or keep it to themselves! A windsurf front loop simulator would make a perfect stepping stone, giving muscle memory for when you actually start attempting them for real on the water. This is exactly what it seems like some clever people have created – read on!

The video below is a compilation of windsurfing forward loops which is a promotional trailer for a new ‘windsurfing forward loop’ DVD. The video clip gives a collection of loops and loop drills plus a very brief glimpse of what looks like a great dry land windsurf forward loop simulator (go to 2:34 in the video).

From the quick bit of footage, it looks like the ultimate teaching aid for learning this windsurfing move. Hopefully the full DVD will go into detail about the on-land forward loop simulator.

In the world of windsurfing freestyle, new moves are being developed on what seems like a weekly basis. One of the most impressive windsurfing freestyle moves to date has to be this one from the master, Jose Gollito Estredo and its called the MATADOR.

During training in El Yaque, Gollito was trying to master this windsurf freestyle move ready for the PWA World Cup on Lanzarote. Despite not quite getting it nailed during this training he tried it out again at the PWA event and this time got it dialed, as you can see from the footage below! Gollito, the king of windsurfing freestyle, decided to call the new move MATADOR.

Easy when you know how – just a planning, back to sail, one handed grubby 540! And most people find carve gybing a challenge!

Gollito is the No 1 windsurfer on the PWA – Professional Windsurfers Association so maybe its fair enough that he is just a little bit ahead of most of us in the windsurfing skills department.

OK, so this is just our opinion but the best watersport IS windsurfing. Lets justify this claim a little bit.

Windsurfing involves a cardiovascular and muscle workout, basically a great sport to keep you (or get you) in shape. You develop balance, coordination & strength from controlling your windsurfing kit out there on the water. You have the balance from surfing, wind awareness from sailing & stance from snowboarding. Basically windsurfing can open up a door to all other forms of sideways standing board sports!

Unlike surfing you have more freedom to maneuver & decide where you go and the progress starts from day one. With the modern windsurfing equipment & some beginners windsurfing lessons you can be up and windsurfing under your own steam within minutes/hours rather than months/years. The sense of achievement & skill is hard to beat with any other watersport.

At the Poole Windsurfing school we use brand new windsurfing kit that is very light weight & easy to use. All our windsurfing boards have soft, foam grip to protect yourself and make balance a whole lot easier. The sails have RDM’s (Reduced Diameter Masts) to keep overall weight down & make handling the sails easy. The affect of these RDM masts is really noticeable when windsurfing students are trying to complete their turns, a thinner mast is just a lot easier to get hold of & grip, meaning more success in keeping the sail out of the water. Now a days, windsurfing really does make for an easy to learn watersport.

The south coast of England & Poole Harbour in particular are perfect locations for windsurfing, giving you many more suitable days on which you can go out and enjoy your watersports than say surfing.

If you are looking for a watersport in Poole to try on holiday or take up as a regular activity, windsurfing really does give you the greatest scope for getting out there on the water & having some fun!

Happy Windsurfing!

Check out the action & keep up to date with all the photo’s & video from Poole Windsurfing. See photo’s from the windsurfing lessons direct on our photo gallery page or have a browse through our extensive range of Windsurfing Photo Albums, including some scenic shots from around the area.

Another perfect sunny day - Poole Windsurfing student getting Poole Harbour all to themselves!

You can also check out some video footage from our windsurfing lessons, to get the inside line on how to do the basic windsurfing moves & to see our teaching location at Poole Harbour.

Many more how to windsurf video clips to be posted on our Poole Windsurfing YouTube Channel over the coming weeks/months so stayed tuned & subscribe so you can follow all the windsurfing video tips.

Follow the Poole Windsurfing Facebook Fan Page for some interesting windsurfing chat & up to date info from the world of windsurfing.

News & Reviews on the Poole Windsurfing Facebook Fan Page

Here in the UK we are getting close to the best season for windsurfing lessons & practice time for beginners & improvers. May through to October really is the right time to be getting out there on the water & learning or improving your windsurfing skills.

Before May the water temperature is just too cold to enjoy your windsurfing. It really helps to be able to feel your hands & feet when you are trying to balance on a windsurf board. Starting in May will mean you get the most out of your windsurfing lessons or practice time. Even though the air temperature can pick up, the water takes much longer to heat. At the other end of the scale, after a summers worth of warmth the water temperature is usually at its peak, even if the air temperature starts to fall.

During this May to October period is your ideal time to get out there on the water & train your windsurfing skills. At Poole Windsurfing there is a range of windsurfing lessons & windsurf hire options to help get you up and going, whatever level you are at.

For some inspiration have a look at this light wind freestyle video clip of Caesar Finies, the worlds best at this sort of action…

OK, so at this level it seems almost unbelievable but the beauty of light wind freestyle is that everyone can do something! Students who have only been out on the water for a few hours can start learning to take a hand/foot off, spin the sail, go backwards, etc & for the intermediate windsurfers there is an endless supply of tricks to really get your balance & coordination going.

Where we are based at Poole Harbour is a great place to learn & progress with your windsurfing so I hope to see you out on the water soon!