Boating-sailing
Windsurf
Tatt Report
Forget Brexit, the real debate is on body art! Tattoos, love ‘em, hate ‘em or ‘not bovvered’ either way, there’s no denying they are a ‘thing’ right now in windsurfing and in the ‘gun shows’ on display at PWA competitions there’s plenty of ink on forearms. Over 30% of the UK population between 16 and 44 have them and their appeal seems to rise by the day for the ‘selfie’ generation. It’s a fact of life though that as the popularity of tattoos grows, so too does the market for tattoo removal. So tattoos, rad or fad? We questioned a selection of sailors on their views of needles and ink, sending our very un-trendy reporter, John Carter, on a mission to discover who is in and who is out amongst the trend for tattoos in the windsurfing fraternity. Tatty journalism at its finest, this is the results of our first and last ‘Tatt Report’.
10+ min |
Issue 379 - September 2018
Windsurf
New Views
“Excited and nervous for where the progression of windsurfing is going.” - Jaeger Stone, 22 July 2018, Pozo Izquierdo, Gran Canaria.
5 min |
Issue 379 - September 2018
Windsurf
2019 Mediterranean Travel Guide
Bordered by Europe, Asia, and Africa, the Mediterranean Sea's exotic waters are prime playgrounds for windsurfing, offering conditions from flat water to waves and catering for beginner to pro. Find your ideal Mediterranean getaway as we highlight some of the best spots with our micro guides and get expert advice from Sportif Travel and Planet Windsurf on their recommendations for the region.
10+ min |
Issue 384 - April 2019
Windsurf
Redcar Wind Power
The northeast coast of England on its day has some of the best surfing and windsurfing conditions in the UK, but many of the spots are a closely guarded secret or off the beaten track. Redcar though is a well known windsurfing beach and its credentials as a windy spot not in doubt given the huge wind farm just offshore. John Carter, Timo Mullen and Steve Thorp fill us in on a recent Redcar session, one of the North Sea’s top windsurfing spots.
9 min |
Issue 384 - April 2019
Windsurf
Project Portugal
Always searching for the best conditions, ‘The Windsurf Project’ have been on the road again, this time destination Portugal and its wild west coast. Chasing an XXL swell and north winds were project stalwarts, Thomas Traversa and cameraman Jamie Hancock. John Carter got the last minute call to join them and gives us the lowdown on the mission.
10+ min |
Issue 384 - April 2019
Windsurf
The Spinny Gybe
It goes by many names, but the basic pivot gybe is not only a practical ‘get out of jail’ card, but also introduces technique elements that should take your regular carve gybing to another level. Harty elucidates.
10+ min |
Issue 384 - April 2019
Windsurf
Two Big Onions!
This month Harty sings the praises of Tobago, a very special island.
5 min |
Issue 384 - April 2019
Windsurf
Windsup Skills
WindSUP doesn’t just offer a light wind alternative, but also a gateway back into some potentially long-lost longboard skills, once the target of all windsurfers! So while you’re eyeing up those summer breezes, let’s look at a few top tips to make the most out of your WindSUP this summer.
2 min |
Issue 388 - August 2019
Windsurf
Kids Rule
Whatever sport you look at, there is no doubt youths are the future. They will ensure the survival and the development of a discipline, especially in windsurfing. In the past, perhaps this was forgotten in terms of specially adapted and efficient equipment for youngsters. Today though, kids can finally find boards and rigs that will boost their progress. All they have to do is to spend time together in the water, because kids loving being with other kids and pushing themselves to progress. So ignoring the rule of never work with children or animals, I organised a mega trip for a bunch of talented kids in their school holidays, with the aim to get everyone on the water as much as possible, this is the story of how my ‘Water Academy’ went down!
8 min |
Issue 388 - August 2019
Windsurf
Rig Tuning Basics
In keeping with summer, the high season for newcomers to windsurfing, we go back to basics this month and look at the fundamentals of rig tuning. Getting your rig to its optimal state is all about finding a base to work from and then tune, experiment and reflect from there. This piece is not going to disappear off in a haze of luff curve, flex response time and other fancy jargon, but rather provide you with the basics that I have seen benefit hundreds of people I have coached. The main areas we will cover are: harness line length, spread and position, boom height and the main trimming variables of both outhaul and downhaul.
6 min |
Issue 388 - August 2019
Windsurf
Flying On The Edge
High wind foiling with big sails is not for the faint hearted. The 2019 Catalunya Costa Brava PWA World Cup saw some of the wildest professional wind foil racing to date as sailors battled raging Tramontana winds. On the flip side, the opening day of the event saw some of the lightest winds yet encountered for professional foil racing and then, later on in the event period, for the first time in the PWA, the sailors competed in slalom foiling. The event put the sailors on the edge of foil performance in a variety of conditions; John Carter asked the pros their opinion of the limits for foil racing being explored to such extremes?
9 min |
Issue 388 - August 2019
Windsurf
Life Of Dorian
Thirty-year-old Dutch windsurfer Dorian van Rijsselberghe is the proud owner of two RS:X windsurfing Olympic gold medals. He won his first at the 2012 Olympics in Weymouth, and second at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. And needless to say, he has his eyes set on number three in Tokyo in 2020! Dorian gives us an insight into his life, thoughts on foiling and the PWA and just what it takes to be an Olympic champion.
9 min |
Issue 388 - August 2019
Windsurf
Defi Diaries
‘DéfiWind de Gruissan’, is the original ‘DéfiWind’ event and doing a ‘Défi’ has become a must do on windsurfing bucket lists. Seasoned ‘Défi’ dude John Skye and first timer, Karo van Tonder take us behind the scenes of the world’s largest windsurfing race with their ‘DéfiDiaries’!
10+ min |
Issue 388 - August 2019
Windsurf
Island Of The Winds
Mykonos may be known as a playground for the rich, but it’s also famous for its consistent winds. Chris Sammer tells us why it’s ideal for a family windsurfing trip.
9 min |
Issue 388 - August 2019
Windsurf
The Simple Beauty Of Sagres
One sail, one windSUP and the simple beauty of Sagres – Franz Orsi gives us a guide to this beautiful corner of the southern Algarve in Portugal and reflects on why windSUP is one of his preferred modes of travel.
7 min |
Issue 388 - August 2019
Windsurf
The Life And Times Of The Windsup
In keeping with the windSUP theme this month, Harty relates his personal 13 year relationship with these overgrown surfboards.
4 min |
Issue 388 - August 2019
Windsurf
Starboard Hyper Nut 4 In 1 7'4
WEB SUP.STAR-BOARD.COM PRICE £1325
3 min |
Issue 388 - August 2019
Windsurf
Sealion WINGS 7'6
WEB WWW.KAISPORTS.CO.UK PRICE £1599
3 min |
Issue 388 - August 2019
Windsurf
Reasons To Windsurf
A suggestion of quitting windsurfing was the best motivation reader Michael Fairrie ever received. Read on to find out why.
4 min |
Issue 360 - October 2016
Windsurf
Olympic Aspirations
Did an extraordinary Olympics for team GB give you Olympic aspirations? There’s no harm in a little dreaming.
4 min |