WINDUSURFING MASTS: Carbon Content:
Masts are available in different percentages of carbon ranging from 15% carbon to 100% carbon. No mast is truly 100% carbon, as it contains fibers (carbon, fiberglass or Kevlar) mixed with resin to bond it all together. As a general rule, the higher the carbon content, the lighter the mast will be and the quicker it will respond to return the sail to its optimum position. More »
What is a WINDSURFING MAST for and why should I care about carbon content and stiffness?
Good question!
Without knowing what the mast does how can we make sure we get the right one? The mast provides a sail with three things; shape, response time and flexibility. Changing any one of these elements makes for a drastically different feel on the water. So let’s get right to the bottom line and de-mystify THE MAST! More »
How a WINDSURFING SAIL Works in the Wind:
1- When the wind blows on a correctly trimmed sail the air flow separates and passes on either side of the sail.
2- On the leeward side, the wind is accelerated by the built-in curve of the sail. This results in an area of low-pressure
3- On the Windward side. An area of high-pressure is created, thus creating an imbalance in air pressure.
4- This difference in air pressure actually pulls the sail into the wind. More »
How the WIND Works:
Basically, wind is a direct result of horizontal differences in air pressure. Air flows from areas of high pressure to low pressure.
For instance, we are sure that you have experienced opening a can of coffee that has been vacuum packed. The noise that you hear (a pop-pssst type of sound) is caused by air rushing from the area of higher pressure from inside the can to the area of lower pressure outside the can. More »
Different Types of WINDSURFING SAILS:
WAVE SAILS:
You may be saying to yourself “Wave sail, I don’t need no stinking wave sail, I live in Montreal!” However, the qualities of a good wave sail – good wind range, easy maneuverability, stability and durability – are the requirements of pretty much all higher-wind sailors.
In high-wind conditions, nobody is particularly worried about maximum power, acceleration or speed because it’s windy and there is enough power for everybody out there. More »
Different Types of WINDSURFING SAILS:
If you have spent any time looking around the windsurfing market, you may have noticed the different variety of sails that are out there. It can be confusing, but with a basic knowledge of what sails types are available, you can make an educated decision about what you want according to your goals.
As with the boards, a wide variety of sails exist because there are an infinite variety of different wind strengths and water conditions that you can go windsurfing in. Fortunately for everyone, there are clear categories for sails as well. More »
THE WINDSURFING SAIL (PART 1)
The triangular Dacron sails are now the thing of the past! They have been replaced with a design that is lighter, more performing, much easier to use and will bring to the level of eventual maneuvering and speed. They no longer just have a beginner’s use, and can last you as long as your needs can carry them.
Now we’re going to examine the anatomy of a sail. Before you go out and purchase something, let’s get you familiar with the terms. More »
The Importance of Your Bodyweight in Determining the Correct First Time Intermediate WINDSURF BOARD
If you plan on taking this sport of ours to the next level and are an ambitious learner, then you have to pay close attention to this. Your bodyweight is crucial in determining the board that is right for you.
When we discuss the average weight windsurfer, we are talking about individuals that are in the 70-83kg (+/-155-185 lb) range. But obviously, a 13kg difference can be enough to make a difference in your own needs. So, in order to fine-tune the figures for board volume and width to your own bodyweight (lets use the average 120 liter / 65 cm board as an example). More »
WINDSURF BOARDS The Width Factor:
As if choosing a board wasn’t hard enough, now you have to consider the width of the board. If you have been doing any reading of past windsurfing oriented magazines, you may have noticed a trend in board widths. They are getting wider.
Why are they wider, you ask? Good question!
The difficulty in determining what width is best for an individual comes in due to the fact that when individuals are learning to plane, by definition, they spend an enormous amount of time NOT planing. More »
WINDSURF 
BOARDS, Volume vs. Width:
You may have done a little of you own research in this fabulous sport of ours and discovered that nowadays both WINDSURF BOARD WIDTH and BOARD VOLUME are coming up time and time again when referring to how a board performs. Yes, it is confusing! However, to simplify things a bit, nowadays the far more important factor of the two is BOARD WIDTH.
Unfortunately width is also the factor which is less easily grasped as an indicator of size particularly if the variation is small (does a 62cm wide board perform differently than a 65cm board?)
See what we mean? More »