Speed Windsurfing

Windsurfing as a sport has all the elements to capture your attention – the thrill of riding the waves, the challenge of controlling the board and the flexibility of practicing a range of maneuvers. This makes windsurfing a hot favourite among adventure sport lovers. There are various levels of windsurfing that you can practice depending on your expertise and inclination. Those who practice windsurfing for recreation usually reach only up to the intermediate level. However, professional surfers indulge in advanced windsurfing forms like slalom or speed sailing.

Speed Sailing

Along with windsurfing, speed sailing also incorporates certain principles of skateboarding. With the increase in popularity of windsurfing, the number of surfers taking up high speed sailing has also increased. A large number of speed sailing competitions are held around the world. The locations are chosen based on their proven track record of strong wind conditions.

The shores of the Mediterranean Sea, Pacific and Atlantic oceans provide perfect conditions for speed sailing. Usually these competitions comprise of several legs with points given for the surfer’s placing in every leg of the race. The surfer with the highest points tally wins. Speed sailing competitions are held on a 500m course.

The International Speedsurfing Association (ISA) under the umbrella of the ISAF is one of the major organizers of speed sailing contests across the world. The World Sailing Speed Records Council keeps track of all the speed sailing results during speed sailing contests organized by the ISAF.

The European Speed Meetings and Speedweeks/fortnight held in Australia are the other major speed sailing competitions that witness major participation from speed sailors. Surfers across the world also organize smaller speed sailing competitions at the local level.

Such organized speed sailing events enable wind surfers to not only enhance their racing skills but also compare the speeds notched by surfers across the world.

Speed Sailing Record

Antoine Albeau, the famous French windsurfer, is the current record holder for speed sailing. He created the record in March 2008 at Saintes Maries de la Mer Canal after he clocked 90.91km/hour (49.09 knots) on a 500 meter course.

Before Albeau, it was Finian Maynard who held the record with 48.7 knots. Maynard achieved this feat on April 10th, 2005. Finian Maynard hails from Ireland but sails for the British Virgin Islands.

Before Finian Maynard, the longest standing record in speed sailing is honoured to the famous Yellow Pages Endeavour – a vessel owned by Australian sailor Simon Mckeon. The Yellow Pages Endeavour held the record for speed sailing for eleven long years, from 1993 to 2004 and had clocked 46.52 knots.

The other big names in the field of speed sailing include Anders Bringdal, Bjorn Dunkerbeck and Robby Naish.

With the advent of modern technology, better quality surfing equipments are now easily available at a comparatively cheaper price. These equipments are user-friendly, which makes it easier for surfers to master different surfing maneuvers. All these factors have greatly contributed to the increase in number of surfers taking up advanced windsurfing forms like speed sailing.

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Marc Fredman is an experienced windsurfer and regularly shares his thoughts on various aspects of windsurfing. Beginners can learn basic windsurfing tips here. Also read about slalom windsurfing to learn advanced windsurfing forms.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/speed-windsurfing-1182977.html

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Longboarding Skateboard – Dynamic And Amazing Surfboards

Skateboarding is quite a modern and fashionable sport. It has become a part of our culture and has been accepted by children, teenagers as well as today’s youth, for carving the streets and enjoying the free riding, trick skating and ramp shows. A skateboard has basically been inspired by surfboards. The skateboards vary in size from small to big. The huge skateboards that are more than 9 feet long are basically used for surfing, both on the street and in water, are called longboarding skateboard. It would not be an exaggeration to say that longboarding skateboard is a dynamic manifestation of many aspects of surfing. Surfing competitions are being organized and many contest sand sports events are being held, where skateboarding has got its special status.

Longboarding skateboard is also used by many solely for recreation and as a hobby. They fully use their summer vacations for enjoying a smooth glide in waters if they are in coastal areas and also for street surfing. The longboarding skateboard is different from the normal skateboards in their dimensions as well as functionality. The performance and maneuverability that you can display on skateboards are quite different from those that you do on long boards. The tricks, the stunts are all different from each other. Longboards also appeal to the beginners a lot and are very safe for them.

The wheels are an important part of longboarding skateboard. It is the wheels that keep your equipment in motion so before taking in the plunge, it is very important that you gain a good knowledge about the usage and variety of wheels. Commonly, longboarding skateboard is used for cruising and transport, so they should be more stable and provide a joyous and comfortable ride to the skater. As the size of the wheels are bigger, hard plastic cores are preferred over polyurethane, which makes them too heavy to manage and also uncomfortable for the skaters. And you should also select the wheels according to your body size too. This will help you enjoy a safe and joyous ride.

With longboarding skateboard you can painlessly exercise your body muscles and sport a new look. Once you master the art, you can also opt for advanced longboarding, where you learn the art of carving with a long board and balance yourself well. The options are various. It all depends on your efficiency and hard work, how proficient you become.

Well! If you are planning to buy a longboarding skateboard, there are certain aspects which you really need to care for. Quality is one important fact that you must consider before finalizing your deal. A good and through search on the Internet can really be helpful to you. Not only can you get assured of the quality of the product, but also its price, functionality and usage. This will in turn help you get advantages from your product that are worth the price. So have a happy and joyous ride on your longboard.

Thomas is an expert in the field. For more information on <a rel=”nofollow” href=’skateboard”>http://www.goskateorgohome.com/1fgasrette300gr.html’>skateboard decks and on <a rel=”nofollow” href=’longboard”>http://www.goskateorgohome.com/longboards.html’>longboard skateboard Please visit: http://www.goskateorgohome.comArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/longboarding-skateboard-dynamic-and-amazing-surfboards-1169647.html

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Windsurfing Mast Extension

Before you start practicing windsurfing, it is vital to understand the various equipments used in it. A windsurfing novice can be easily misled into thinking that windsurfing involves only the surf board and the sail. However, there are various smaller parts like the boom, fin, uphaul, mast and mast base that play an equal role in windsurfing. Yet another important component of this kit is the mast extension.

Windsurfing Mast Extension

As the name suggests, mast extension refers to the extension that joins that mast to the luff of the sail. Usually the mast extension is adjustable so that it becomes easy to join different types of sails. The mast extension consists of pulleys that help to pull high degree of tension during downhauling. There are different types of mast extension systems from which you can choose the one that suits your mast and sail.

1. Grooved Extension: The grooved extension supports the mast with the help of a metal circlip. This circlip fits in the mast extension and supports the mast collar. The grooves or channels in which the circlip fits are at an interval of 1-2cms. The grooved mast extensions are known to offer great durability.

2. Spring-loaded Collar Extension: One of the most widely used mast extensions, the spring-loaded collar extension is the easiest to attach. The spring loaded extension can be easily adjusted according to the sail. Like the grooved extension, the spring-loaded extension too has holes drilled at fixed intervals. While strapping the mast extension collar, a pin is inserted through these holes so that the collar is attached at the desired level.

3. Pin System: In this type of mast extension, the tube comprises of holes drilled diametrically opposite each other. The mast collar is placed above a pin that is positioned through the hole at the required height.

Tips for Choosing Mast Extensions

Apart from the type of sails, it is important to keep a few factors in mind while choosing mast extensions. Some of the factors to be considered while choosing mast extensions are as follows:

1. Ensure that the mast extension is compatible with various brands of masts along with a carbon mast. Also, the extension must be designed to endure immense wear and tear including salt water exposure, huge amount of dust and sand particles.

2. The mast extension must be extremely efficient in downhauling. Opt for a mast extension with 15mm pulleys and a capable ratchet system.

3. It is recommended to opt for light-weight mast extensions that are easily adjustable as well as easy on your hands.

4. Always remember to check ring and collar adjustment system in a mast extension system.

5. It is preferable to have mast extensions that are easy to rig.

6. Several mast extensions available these days comprise of carbon fiber tube. This is a good development as this enhances the strength of the extension. It is also lighter in weight than the usual aluminium mast extension.

These are some of the basic aspects of mast extension. Often surfers do not give great importance to mast extensions and focus more on surf boards. However, a good mast extension plays a key role in windsurfing and hence must be carefully selected.

Marc Fredmen an expert windsurfer and author regularly shares his thoughts about windsurfing on basic windsurfing. Learn more about windsurfing mast base here.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/windsurfing-mast-extension-1114973.html

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Windsurfing Techniques

Windsurfing as a sport provides excellent combination of skill, technique and pure fun. It is this unparalleled combination that makes windsurfing such a popular activity. However, before beginning to surf it is essential to follow a few important instructions to maintain safety.

Vital Windsurfing Techniques

1. Once you have completed assembling the gear in a rig, ensure that the booms are firmly secured to the mast. They must be secured to the mast in such a way that they must not be higher than your collarbone.

2. While surfing, ensure that your back is always facing 12′o clock position and the sail is always on the 6′o clock side of the board. Remember that while turning, the sail remains constant in its 6′o clock position and only the board turns.

3. Raising the sail: To raise the sail, first get on board by placing one knee on either side of the mast base. Then gradually reach out to the uphaul and grab it. Then with the help of the uphaul, slowly stand up by placing one foot on either side of the mast base. Ensure that your back remains straight and knees are bent while standing up. Now start raising the sail from the water. As the water recedes from the sail, it becomes lighter and it is possible to position the mast in an upright position.

4. Before starting to surf, get the board in a neutral position. In this, you hold the mast with both your hands while the board is across the wind and the sail should be positioned such that the clue end points at 6′o clock.

5. To start surfing, keep the position of the mast and the front hand constant and only move the backhand. This would allow the wind to enter the sail and the board would start gliding over water.

6. To stop surfing, the best way is to release the boom from the backhand allow the sail to swing back to neutral. This would stop the board instantly.

7. Especially while practicing beach surfing, learn the turns – the upwind turn (called a tack) and the downwind turn (called the jibe). The speed and precision of turns depends upon the size and volume of the board, the sail size, the wind speed and your weight.

8. While surfing, remember not proceed to the destination directly. You must plan your route precisely to reach the destination.

9. Do not venture out surfing when there is too much or no wind. It is recommended, especially for beginners to surf when there are steady wind conditions.

10. Remember to check the position of the board, the position of the sail and your position before setting out to surf.

11. While surfing if your mast is tilting over the 6′o clock position so far from the board that you have to bend from the waist with your butt jutting out, then you must stop immediately. This is the wrong position to surf and can cause back pain. To regain the correct position, get the mast in straight position and start again.

These are a few instructions that can especially windsurfing beginners and move on to the next level.

The author Marc Fredmen is an experienced windsurfer and has been practicing windsurfing for several years. He provides online guidance on windsurfing at basic windsurfing. Check out more freestyle windsurfing instructions here.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/windsurfing-techniques-1099620.html

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Windsurfing Tutorial

Windsurfing is an exciting adventure sport and has become a rage among adventure lovers. To master the sport, a surfer must systematically move from the basic level to the more advanced levels. Only when you are thorough with the first level can you graduate to the next level of windsurfing.

Windsurfing Learning Curve

Before beginning to surf, ensure that you have the right equipment and a qualified or experienced windsurfing professional to guide you. Before beginning to surf, make sure that you have top quality wetsuit, helmet and life jacket. These are the bare essentials in windsurfing and venturing without them can cause serious trouble for you.

Then you proceed to learn the basic lessons of windsurfing.

1. Basic Level: This is the beginners’ level and you are taught basic techniques of windsurfing. These include balance, uphauling & powering the sail & steering the board. You are also taught tacks and gybes. Tacks refer to turning the board upwind while gybes refer to turning the board downwind. In this stage, you also learn to control the sail upwind & downwind. In the basic level, you would surf during light winds.

2. Transitional Level: In this level, you will learn the following skills:

Windsurfing in Strong Winds: Surfing during strong winds requires skill, strong technique and great control over the surf board. For this, you must have a very good stance with your arms stretched out and feet positioned behind the mast. It also includes balancing your weight against that of the sail rig.

Fast Tacks & Flare Gybes: Once you learn tacking, the next step is to do those turns faster and more swiftly. For this you must be precise with your footwork and have great control of the sail. Flare gybes refer to spinning the board swiftly in moderate wind conditions.

Surfing with Harness: Windsurfing with the help of harnesses is essential for learning more advanced surfing techniques. Only when you reach the semi-professional level of windsurfing can you start practicing surfing with harnesses.

3. Advanced Level: This is the final level of windsurfing and is mainly meant for professionals. In this level you can learn advanced windsurfing techniques like footstrap sailing, the carved gybe, deep waterstart, chop hopping and wave sailing.

Deep Waterstart: With the deep waterstart, you do not have to lift the sail from the water. Instead it is the wind that lifts it. Learning deep waterstart allows you to surf without getting very exhausted.

Carve Gybe: The carve gybe is one of the most difficult maneuvers in windsurfing. It involves turning of the surfboard on its edge in a 180 degree arc with a change in direction. The key in carve gybe is maintaining high speed of the board till you make the turn. To become an expert in carve gybing; you must practice it consistently over a period of time and in difficult wind conditions.

Wave Sailing: Wave sailing refers to the high jumps on waves, which is possible only for windsurfing masters.

A windsurfing enthusiast must follow these levels systematically in order to master the sport and its inherent techniques completely.

Marc Fredman is an experienced windsurfer. He provides windsurfing tips on how to windsurf for beginners. You can also take online windsurfing lessons at windsurfing lessons and tips.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/windsurfing-tutorial-1094971.html

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