Windsurfing
Windsurfing (also called board sailing) is a sport involving travel over water on a small 2-4.7 meter board powered by wind acting on a single sail, which can range from 1.7m2 for kids to about 15m2, depending upon the wind strength, and is connected to the board via a flexible joint. The sport is a hybrid between sailing and surfing. The sail board might be considered the most minimalistic version of the modern sail boat.
Windsurfers can travel over flat water as long as there is enough wind; they can also cut into breaking waves and perform spectacular stunts.
There are two classes of boards: shortboards and longboards. Longboards are usually used by beginners, and generally have a daggerboard. Shortboards, also sometimes called funboards, are usually classed as less than 3m in length and are designed specifically for planing, where the board is sliding over the surface of the water, rather than cuts through displacing it. Planing yields significantly higher speeds, more maneuverability, but involves completely different techniques than the displacing mode. Most windsurfers don't even consider sailing if the wind is not enugh to plane. All shortboards should be planing with adequate sails and tuning at wind speeds of 12 knots. The aim of planing at lower winds has led to the development of wider and shorter boards, that plane at wind speeds as low as 8 knots.
Windsurfing is particularly enjoyable at wind strengths of Beaufort 3 or, better, 4 to 5.
Windsurfing competitions
In competitions there are three main types of sailing:
- racing - Course sailing, fastest to complete the course wins. This can be further subdivided into these distinct groups:
- Raceboard (longboard) racing - This represents the traditional racing displines, taking place on very long, narrow boards equipped with a daggerboard, and with a relatively low maximum sail size limit. The main board used in Raceboard racing is the IMCO (Mistral One Design Board), and this is the board used for Olympic competition. The aim here is a board which can be used in a wide range of sailing conditions, both planing and non-planing. This is especially important for its use in the Olympic Games, as it is not possible to postpone the event in order to wait for the correct conditions.
- Slalom - a fast race in a course shaped like a figure of eight. Most of the course goes on a beam reach with obstacles that have to be gybed.
- Formula racing - In contrast to the longboards used in the Raceboard disciplines, Formula racing uses a more modern, 'wide-style' board, shorter and far wider than it's companion. This allows much larger sails to be used, and this in combination with the 'wide-style' design, allows planing in very low wind conditions. However the boards cannot be used and events will not take place if these low wind requirements are not met, as the design means that non-planing sailing is very difficult.
- SuperX - This is a relatively new discipline in windsurfing competitions. It is a cross between freestyle and racing. The competing sailors are racing on a short course, and are required to perform several tricks along the way, such as jump over an obstacle, perform a duck jibe, body drag or even front loop.
- freestyle
- Usually a timed event which is judged. The surfer who has the greatest repertoire, or manages to complete most stunts, wins.
- wavesailing
- Similar to freestyle (though wavesailing preceded freestyle) except that the stunts are generally performed airborne and in the surf.