Necessary Knowledge, Book 2 of The Windsurfing Bible

Necessary Knowledge, book two of The Windsurfing Bible, could easily be entitled Windsurfing Terms and Concepts. Learning terms and concepts is to mastering windsurfing, as learning vocabulary and grammar is to mastering a foreign language. You can't master one, without learning the other.

The following is arranged from simple to mildly complex. Depending on the extent of your windsurfing experience, some concepts might not be immediately clear. That's OK. If confusion or mental overload sets in, skip that section and read the next. But, as your windsurfing skills increase, return to the concept and give it another chance. You'll benefit in the long run.

Parts of the Sailboard

There are two primary parts of the sailboard (windsurfer): the board, which includes the centerboard, footstraps, and skeg (fin), and the rig, which includes the sail, mast, mast-base, and boom. Coordinating these two parts, is one of the two great challenges of windsurfing.

Illustration (coming soon)

Notice in the illustration that there's an imaginary line running from the bow, through the mast-base, to the stern. This is the centerline. Until you start sailing in footstraps, the arches of both of your feet must remain rooted to that line. If you sail with your toes or heels on the centerline, you'll double your windsurfing trouble.

Table of Contents Book 2

Parts of the Sailboard

Parts of the Sailor

The Clock

Windward & Leeward

Sailing Directions

Shore Winds

Turns

Sheeting-in

Neutral

Sheeting-out

The Centerboard

Sinking the Rails

Center of Effort

Center of Lateral Resistance

Apparent Wind

Sail Trim

Hazen's Laws of Windsurfing

What's next?

Sample Illustrations

Parts of the Sailor

Figure 2.2- There are two "primary" parts of you, the sailor: your top half, which includes your head, chest, arms, and hands, and your bottom half, which includes your navel, hips, legs, and feet. Coordinating these two parts, is the second great challenge of windsurfing.

Figure 2.3- The bottom half of your body also contains your center of balance (CB) sometimes called your center of gravity or center of mass. It's an imaginary point between the center of your navel (3 inches below your bellybutton) and the base of your spine; it's also one of the most important things you bring to windsurfing. Instead of using the strength of your arms, use your center of balance to counterbalance the pull of the sail. Once you can counterbalance by instinct, rather than having to think about it, your windsurfing skill will have reached a higher level.

Necessary Knowledge is not yet available.