How To Look Like a Pro At Your First Windsurfing Lesson
Bring on the social awkwardness, it’s time to start a new sport!
Remember looking out at those cool cats rocketing across the water, flipping boards and looking sportsy? That’s going to be you soon!
One little catch… No one looks like a pro at their first lesson.
But you can look prepared, confident and knowledgeable! Read on and you’ll get a jump start on what to bring and how to stand up for the first time.
Relax, windsurfing is going to be awesome, so get excited about the experience!
5 Things you HAVE to bring
1. Swimming costume
I’m talking a practical swimming costume that will cover the important bits and not come undone when you fall off your board.
2. Sunscreen
Even if it’s a gloomy overcast day, the sun reflects off the water and will be more intense that you’d expect. Wear ample amounts of sunscreen to prevent looking like a cooked lobster.
3. Shorts and Rashvest or Wetsuit
Your instructor will tell you what you need to wear. If you are in the Caribbean, some shorts will be just fine. Lessons in Cape Town will require the warmth of a wetsuit. If you do wear shorts, wear ones that are made to get wet. Most schools have wetsuit hire available or included.
4. Booties(optional)
If you are wearing a wetsuit, pair it with wetsuit booties. They keep your toes toasty and protect them from any accidents.
5. A towel for after
It’s a wet sport, you will get wet and you will need a towel.
You learn the important stuff before you even touch the water
Once you arrive at the school, you’ll be asked to change and given a life jacket. The life jacket is to give you a little extra buoyancy when in the water and climbing on top of your board.
You’ll be matched with a board and sail sail good for your height and weight. Beginners get boards with a lot of buoyancy and smaller sails that are easier to handle and pick up.
The instructor will explain the wind that day and what angles you can move forward at. You cannot go dead into the wind, as your sail will fall limp and you will begin to drift. Don’t worry the technicalities too much, most people have an ‘AHA!’ moment while experimenting on the water.
Much like a surf instructor shows people how to stand up while still on the land, a windsurfing instructor will do the same. You’ll learn how to pull up your sail and how position it according to the wind.
You are windsurfing, right? So there’s bound to be wind. Your instructor will show you how to carry your board and sail down to the water without loosing control of either one. Don’t worry if you struggle, most people take a few tries before they get it perfect.
Finally, you’ve made it to the waters edge
You’re in the water, grasping on to your board, wondering how you are going to look scrambling on and trying to pull up the sail…
Don’t worry about looks or failure. Just take a leap of faith, jump, and pull yourself onto your board. Yank on the rope, pull the sail up and try move forward.
After a few moments, you’ll get going, it’ll feel great! You did it! First try!
…And then you’ll fall. This is a totally normal process. Its also normal to struggle with maneuvering your board in the direction you want to go. No one said wind surfing was easy! Keep at it and you’ll slowly get a natural feel for what you are supposed to do.
If you get stuck going too far in any one direction, simply drop the sail and paddle back to shore like you would if you were on a surfboard.
After a few tries, you’ll catch the wind, have your first ‘AHA!’ moment and smoothly glide like a pro over the water. Mission accomplished!
After all that hard work, you deserve a treat!
Pina Coladas, anyone? It’s hard work being a badass windsurfer, you deserve something special for all your good efforts!
Once you’re done packing up and rinsing off, feel free to boast to all your friends about how cool your new sport is.
3 Tips that will save you some trouble
- Prepare your arms with a few push ups in the days before. You’ll be able to lift the sail with herculean ease.
- Don’t drink too much the night before your lesson. You will loose your balance more easily when trying to stand up on the board.
- Your instructor will never place you in a dangerous situation. If the wind gets too strong they might have to postpone the lesson to a later date.
New things are scary, but you got this!
Just imagine how cool it’ll feel when you can show your friends pictures of your awesome self whizzing across the water like a pro! Going to your first lesson is going to feel a little overwhelming, but now you know exactly what to expect.
You can do this!
