Table of Contents

• OVERVIEW
• LEGEND
• WATERSTART
• LONGBOARD PIVOT JIBE (LIGHT WIND)
• SHORTBOARD PIVOT JIBE (LIGHT WIND)
• GETTING INTO THE STRAPS
• SHORTBOARD TACK
• FOOT STRAP ADJUSTMENT
• LONGBOARD TACK
• CARVING STEP JIBE
• HARNESS ADJUSTMENT
• HARNESS LINE ADJUSTMENT
• BOOM HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT
• PROPER STANCE
• GETTING UPWIND
• GOING FAST

Overview

This cheat sheet is a concise guide to windsurfing technique. It's not intended to intended as a substitute for getting some instruction. Use it when your having trouble with a particular technique and you need to refresh your brain. This tip sheet tends to geared more toward intermediate sailors. There's not a lot here for beginners or advanced sailors. I put this list together to help intermediate sailors get through what I believe to be the most difficult phase of windsurfing, that is waterstarting and getting into the straps. Once you have perfected waterstarting; sailing dialed in and planing in the straps; the rest is gravy.

Legend

• Light Wind Technique
• High Wind Technique
• Note
• Advanced Technique
• Safety Tip
• The key to performing the skill
• Bullet

Waterstart

Orient the board/sail

1. Orient the rig so that the sail is leeward of the board and clew is pointed downwind.
2. If needed, flip the sail by lifting the clew into the wind and working hand over and on the boom back to the mast.

Clear the sail

1. Rest the boom on the back of the board and let the wind get under the sail.
   • Can also swim out to the tip of the sail and lift it.
2. Orient the mast 90 degrees to the wind and pull the sail forward and then up.
   
   • Throw the sail - Don't just lift up
3. If headed in the wrong direction:
   
   • Flip the sail by pushing the board downwind, bringing the tip of the mast though the wind and rotating the sail by the mast hand. One hand should be on the back strap and the other on the mast.

Fly the sail so that it keeps you afloat

• Hands should be in normal sailing position on the boom.
• Adjust your hands on the boom if the pull on the hands is not equal.
• Pump the sail with back hand using a circular motion.
• Sheet in if sinking, Sheet out if you are about to be pitched
• Fly the sail higher and more upright.
• Fly the sail lower near the water.

1. Keep the board at 90 degrees to the wind.
   
   • Point the board a little upwind.
   • Point the board a little downwind.
2. To point the board more downwind, increase pressure on the mast base by:
   
   1. Sheeting in or
      
   2. Pushing down through the boom and mast with arms.
      
3. To point the board more upwind, decrease pressure on the mast base by:
   
   1. Sheeting out or
      
   2. Releasing pressure on the booms
      

• KEEP THE FRONT ARM STRAIGHT!
• You can also point the board by moving the rig forward or backward - keep sheeted out
• Don't manhandle the sail, should not require a lot of effort

Get up on the board

1. Put back foot on the board in between front and rear straps - Just the heel.
   • May put back foot further forward.
2. Put your head under your front arm
   • KEEP FRONT ARM STRAIGHT
   • DRIVE FORWARD
   • BEND THE KNEES
   • ROTATE YOUR HIPS FORWARD - keep the front leg back
3. Let the sail help pull you up and pull the tail of the board under your butt.
   • Spring up and get the sail as vertical as possible.
   • Keep pressure on the mast base by driving on the boom.
   • Use your leg to get up.
4. When coming up, make sure feet get planted on the centerline.
5. Once up, keep front foot pointed forward to keep from getting launched.

Longboard Pivot Jibe (Light Wind)

1. Move hands back on the boom.
   • BEND THE KNEES.
2. Lean the rig forward and windward - Bow and arrow.
   • Lean the rig more forward.
   • Lean the rig more winward.
3. Step front foot back so heels touch - Duck footed stance.
   • Apply pressure to the windward rail
4. Steer board by tilting mast windward and sheeting in.
   • KEEP THE KNEES BENT.
5. Open up the sail when approaching new reach
6. At 1 or 2 hours past six, move the new front foot forward up to the mast.
   • Keep the feet and weight on the centerline.
7. Settle and sail out clew first a bit
   • Keep the hips in.
8. Slide the front hand forward to the mast and bring the mast in by bending the front arm.
   
   • Keep the rig erect; don't let it develop a lot of weight.
   • LOOK OUT OF THE JIBE.
9. Release with the back hand and reach under with under hand grip to the new side.
10. Pop the sail and drop.

Shortboard Pivot Jibe (Light Wind)

1. Move hands back on the boom
   • BEND THE KNEES
2. Lean the rig forward and windward - Bow and arrow.
   • Lean the rig more forward.
   • Lean the rig more winward.
3. Move back foot back between the straps and weight the back of the board - bow and arrow.
   • Can step further back on the tail of the board.
   • Front foot should be facing forward on the centerline.
4. At 1 or 2 hours past six, move the old front foot back and new front foot forward.
   • Keep the feet and weight on the centerline.
5. Settle and sail out clew first a bit
   • Keep the hips in.
6. Slide the front hand forward to the mast and bring the mast in by bending the front arm.
   • Keep the rig erect, don't let it develop a lot of weight.
   • LOOK OUT OF THE JIBE.
7. Release with the back hand and reach under with under hand grip to the new side.
8. Pop and drop

Carving Step Jibe

Initiate

• You must be in the straps and planing.

1. Move your back hand down the boom a little.
   • LOOK DOWNWIND AND BEHIND!.
2. Unhook by bringing the hips up for a second - DON'T BRING YOUR BODY IN OVER THE BOARD.
3. Take the back foot out of the strap and put it on the leeward rail with your toes pointed slightly into the turn.
4. Let the sail pull shoulders and hips over the centerline.
   • Bend knees and get the weight inboard.
   • Go downwind a bit and build up some speed before carving.

Carve

• Don't carve too tightly.

1. Get the shoulders and head in front of the feet.
2. Bend your knees and drive them forward in the center of the turning circle.
   • Drive off the back foot.
3. Put constantly increasing pressure on the leeward rail.
   • Hold the rig at arms length away and keep sheeted in.
   • Keep the rig at a right angle to the board.
   • Don't lean the rig and board over too steeply, can keep it erect.
   • Put pressure on the mast base though the boom.

Step

1. At 6:00 pivot front foot out of the strap.
   
   • STEP WAY UP, move the back foot up a bit.
   • KEEP THE KNEES BENT.
   • Keep weight on the leeward rail with the heels of both feet.
   • Keep the rig in front at arms length and upright.
2. Slide old front hand to the front of the boom.
3. Step up with new front foot and release rig at the same time.
   • Alternatively can step up first and sail out clew first and then flip the sail.
   • Sheet in and out with the mast hand.
   • Counter mast weight by leaning head winword and keep the butt in.
   • Keep your weight over the centerline
   • LOOK OUT OF THE JIBE.
4. Reach under and grab front of boom with new front hand.
5. Pop and drop.

Longboard Tack

• Daggerboard down and mast track forward.

1. Place front hand on mast just below the boom and front foot in front of the mast foot.
2. Weight the back of the board with toes depressing the leeward side.
3. Rake the sail aft onto the deck and sheet in with the back hand.
4. Hold position until board is though the wind.
5. Transfer your weight to front foot with in one hour before 12.
6. When one hour past 12, when though the wind, quickly step around the mast.
   • Don't hang around in front of the mast.
   • KEEP YOUR BUTT IN AND HEAD UP!.
7. Grab the font part of new side of boom with new your front hand.
   • Hands and feet move at the same time.
8. Move new back hand to the new side of the boom
9. Pop and Drop.
10. Lean the rig forward and sheet in. (Bow and arrow).
    • Use the front foot to push the nose around.

Shortboard Tack

1. Place the front hand on the mast at waist height below the boom.
   • Weight the windward rail.
2. Rake the sail back just a little - Don't develop a lot of clew weight.
3. Wrap front foot around the mast base as far as possible.
4. At one hour before 12, transfer your weight from the back foot to the front foot.
   • KEEP YOUR BUTT IN AND HEAD UP!
   • Keep your feet on the centerline.
5. At one hour before 12, quickly step around the mast and bring the mast ACROSS.
   • Hands and feet move at the same time
6. Grab the front part of the boom with the new front hand.
   • If you get backwinded - drive the front hand forward and release back hand, let the sail luff and catch the wind.
7. Pop and Drop.
8. Lean the rig forward and sheet in. (Bow and arrow).
   • Use the front foot to push the nose around.

Getting Into the Straps

• Must be powered up and planing on the back third of the board.
• Hang of the boom and keep constant mast base pressure.

1. Move the back foot between the straps onto the center line.
2. Push hips over the back foot - a little bend in back knee.
3. Move the front foot in the strap
   
   • Push with the toes - no weight on the heels.
4. When the board has settled, push hips forward lifting front heel off the board bending front knee slightly.
   
5. Move the back foot into the strap - Slide it around the strap.
   • DO NOT LOOK DOWN AT THE FEET.

Foot Strap Adjustment

• The Back screw on back strap should be lined up with the leading edge of the fin. Can be further back if the fin is swept.
• Shoulder width stance, but can be greater or less.
• Straps should not be too tight or too loose.
• Too tight - you have a hard time controlling the board in chop.
• Too loose - you can't get out in an emergency.
• The toes should just poke though on the other side of the strap.

Harness

• Tighten leg straps first to keep harness from riding up.
  
• Tighten bar across the hips, the tighter the better.
  

Harness Line Adjustment

Initial Setting

1. Find the center of effort in the sail.
   • Stand leeward of the sail and push on the boom with one hand. Move the hand until you find the balance point.
   • Fly the sail on the beach as best as you can. Move the hands until the pull is equal.
2. Put the lines six inches on either side of the center of effort.
   • You can move the lines closer together as you advance.
3. Another good starting place is to align front strap an inch behind an imaginary line from tip of sail to the tack grommet.
4. Put back strap a foot behind that

On the Water Tuning

• If front hand is over loaded - push the line toward the mast. Just a little.
• If back hand is over loaded - push the line toward the clew. - "Move toward the pain"
• You should be able to sail with one or both hands off the boom.
• Line position will change with rig tuning and wind strength.
• The flatter the sail the further forward the lines go.
• As you get powered up the further back the lines will go.

Harness line length

• The loop should be just deep enough to accommodate forearm for light wind conditions.
• The lines need to be shorter for planing conditions - elbow to wrist length or shorter

Harness Line Use

• Practice getting into the harness for the first time in light wind.
  
• Apply your weight to the harness gradually at first.
  
• When hooking in the for first time, apply just a little weight.
  
• Lift your hips to get in and out of the harness, try not to bend the elbows.
  

Boom Height Adjustment

• A good starting place is between the shoulders and chest.
• Lower boom height for more speed.

Proper Stance

• Your shoulders and hips should be parallel to the sail
• Square off your shoulders with knees and hips
• Knees slightly flexed.
• Head should be looking over the shoulder.
• Keep the arms straight.

Getting Upwind

• Must be powered up.
• Go downwind and build up some speed before heading upwind.
• Increase mast base pressure by leaning forward.
• Get your head up to the mast or beyond.
• Bend the front knee and keep weight on the back foot. Drive off the fin.

Going Fast

• Hold the rig still and upright.
• Sheet the sail on to the deck.
• Point the toes and keep the water off your feet by motoring the board.
• Use no heel pressure.
• Hang off the rig.
• Body should be straight from shoulders to ankles.
• Keep the hips in.
• Use as narrow a boom grip as possible.

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