North Beach Windsurfing Blog

Starboard Waterline Review

When we got our first batch of these boards last summer, they sold out almost immediately. We knew these were going to be a favorite among flat-water paddlers, but we were unable to try one out for ourselves, until now, and we love this board! The Water Line is everything you’d ever want in a touring board.

Light-weight? ✓

Stable?✓

Smooth ride? ✓

Effortless glide? ✓✓✓

These boards were designed to let you go out and have the most relaxing and enjoyable flat-water paddling experience, and it does exactly that. The Water Line cuts through the water like butter. The way the board is shaped (really narrow v-shaped nose and aggressive tail cut-outs) make this board effortlessly glide through the water so every paddle stroke gets you further. These boards come in either a 28” or 30” width, and both widths are extremely stable. Volume is packed on the side rails where you stand to help keep the board from feeling “tippy”. There are foot markers printed on the deckpad that show you exactly where to stand, which is really important on this board. If you stand too far back, the board will not glide or track as well as it should, so pay attention to the foot markers so you can fully enjoy the Waterline. There are 2 different tie down points so you can easily secure your dry-bag or life jacket. This board does great going straight, does great in turns, and does great when you push it go fast. If flat-water touring is your thing, check out the Water Line, we know you’re going to love it as much as we do.

Technical Specs:

14’ x 30” 284 liters. Designed for heavier riders and those who want even more stability.

14’ x 28” 259 liters. Designed for riders up to 110 kilograms.

12’6” x 28” 224 liters. Designed for riders up to 90 kilograms.

Check out our video review below!

If you need any assistance feel free to contact us via email, call, or text

☏ 727.656.6569 | ✉ info@nbwindsurfing.com

Beginner Windsurf Lesson from a Beginner’s Perspective

Are you curious about taking windsurfing lessons and want to learn more? Well here is what it feels like to windsurf from a beginner’s perspective. In hindsight, I have never done water sports in my life before windsurfing. If you were wondering if you need to be athletic to windsurf, you do not. A lot of people think you need a lot of upper body strength, but technique is more important. The sail can feel heavy when you are pulling it out of the water, but in the first lesson you learn how to use the weight of your whole body to help you.

In the first lesson, you will learn sailing terminology as well as the first steps of windsurfing. The instructors will familiarize you with the parts of the sail and board and walk you through each step on land. Then you get to put your new knowledge to the test and get comfortable on the water. Your instructor will allow you to get used to getting on and off the board as well as moving the sail in relation to the wind direction.

Learning to use the wind is key to successfully windsurf and to getting the board moving. The instructors will then show you how to sheet in and out, meaning how to adjust the sail by moving the boom away from and towards your body. Without getting overly technical, “sheeting” is the terminology windsurfers use to describe the action of capturing the wind in the sail. Once you get the basics, you will be cruising around on your own. It’s amazing how quick you can go from feeling really awkward on the board to almost comfortably sailing away, turning around and sailing back to the beach!

You will stick to the basics in the first lesson and spend quite a bit of time practicing on the water. In the next lesson, you would move to a larger sail (so you can go faster) or perhaps learn to use a harness. Harnesses are used in faster wind speeds and allow you to not rely on holding yourself up with your arms as much as you did during the first lesson.

Are you ready to try windsurfing? Sign up for lessons here!

If you need any assistance feel free to contact us via email, call, or text

☏ 727.656.6569 | ✉ info@nbwindsurfing.com

North Beach Goes Northeast

How did we end up 1,300 miles away from sunny St. Pete teaching a wing clinic in Rhode Island? As the newest toy on the beach, wing foiling has been growing like crazy and lots of people are giving it a go without having a local instructor. The crew in Rhode Island had been getting gear and technique advice from us all summer, and they were having a blast learning on their own. By the end of summer they were hungry to accelerate the pace of progress -that’s where we come in. There were enough people and excitement in one area that it made sense for us to pack some gear, and book some plane tickets for our first traveling 2-day wing clinic.

Day 1: No wind? No problem!

After a lot of morning debate about where it might get breezy first – there was a spike on the forecast at a local spot called URI so we raced over there. We pulled up to the beach just in time to see David and Ted schlogging into shore. They got one foiling run in before the wind died. The wind was light, but everyone was stoked to learn and we had no shortage of subjects to cover. We had 5 people for the first day, all with varying levels of experience, so we got to work getting everyone caught up on the fundamental skills like the importance of having a stacked body position, proper board pop-ups, hand transitions, wing handling and more. The day started with everyone bummed about the lack of wind, and ended with everyone stoked with how much they learned anyway!

Day 2: GAME ON!

Pulling up to the Wheeler Beach parking lot, we were greeted by an unseasonably warm morning and great WIND! It was a beautiful sandy beach protected by breakwaters, with a big open fetch that was perfect for learning. We couldn’t have asked for a better day as we went over more intermediate skills. The day started with a brief recap of the basics and moved on to how to build those basic skills into more complicated moves like jibes, tacks and riding switch. Everyone was stoked to finally get on the water and have some fun. Jonathan was chasing the students on the water for some real-time coaching, helping people through pop-ups, pumping and jibing. We couldn’t have been happier with how the weekend went. It was such a great group of people and we loved being able to help them have more fun on the water. We can’t wait to go back and foil with our new friends.

Back in Florida, we spent the next couple days going over footage and sending out video analyses of the on-the-water footage for everyone. Almost a month later we’re still getting emails from these wingers as they update us on their progress. We are just as excited to hear about their successes as they are to share them with us. Some of the Rhode Island crew tested out their new winging skills by going in some big waves and they had a blast. One of the guys, who prior to the clinic wasn’t able to get to his feet on his foil board, just let us know that he was able to get up onto foil! We know how good it feels when it clicks, and we know how frustrating it can be when it doesn’t. We’d love to help navigate you through the frustration and help get you to the fun part faster, after all, that’s why we’re doing this, to have fun! Teaching is our passion, and if you’ve been wanting to get some more comprehensive training than YouTube videos and trial and error, seeing us in person is the way to go!

Check out our video on our Youtube channel linked nelow to get an inside look into the wing clinic in Rhode Island.

Call us to book lessons or to see if we could do a clinic in your area.

☏ 727.656.6569 | ✉ info@nbwindsurfing.com

5 Questions on Buying a Windsurf Board

Buying a windsurfing board is an investment. It can be tricky—you want to find a board that you enjoy using, but you want to make sure you can afford it, too!

There’s a lot to think about. To help, we’ve put together this list of tips and guidance for purchasing a windsurf board.

1. What’s your experience level?

If you are new to windsurfing, you may want to consider buying a beginner board. In our experience, we find most beginners tend to progress with a larger board and smaller sail with lots of time on the water. Beginner boards are ‘high-volume’ boards, meaning they are bigger to help with stability while gaining experience and time on the water. Smaller boards are only suitable for higher winds and once you have mastered the required skills. It is generally not recommended to buy a small board to “grow into”. It could potentially make the learning process unnecessarily frustrating.

2. How will you choose to have fun with Windsurfing?

When deciding which board is right for you, first think about how you want to have your fun! If you are on a mission to go at high speeds with an adrenaline rush chilling down your spine, then a short board is ideal. Short boards vary in volume depending on your skill level and size. So, depending on your experience and future goals in windsurfing consider; your weight, the size of the board, and the conditions in which you will be sailing.

If you are looking to get into windsurfing on a more recreational level with less speed and more leisure, then looking at a bigger board such as a long board or Stand Up Paddle board (SUP) is the way to go! SUP’s are intended for paddle boarding use, but some models of SUP’s are also offered to fit a windsurfing rig as well.

Windsurfing is a versatile activity that can be adjusted to your lifestyle so whether you are an adrenaline junkie or a laid back “i just want to relax on the water” individual this can be for you! When you are choosing your board consider your future endeavors as it will be crucial to which board you pick.

All of the boards below are SUP boards that can be used as a Wind Surf board!

Fanatic AllWave

Tahe Breeze Wind SUP 11’6″

Windsurfer LT

3. What’s your size?

The size of the board must be relative to you. Conversely, if you are a small person you can use a smaller board that is easily maneuverable for you. If you are going to be sharing the board with different sized family members you will want to pick the board based on the size of the biggest person who will be using it. It is much easier for a small person to use a board that is bigger than than for a larger person to use a board that is too small!

The boards below are an optimal option because they come in various sizes. Contact us if you need help with figuring out which size is right for you.

4. How’s the water?

The conditions you will be windsurfing in play a big part in the size and type of board that you will want. If the water is rough, a larger board will help with stability when you are learning. However, once you have intermediate or better skills, you will want to coordinate the board size with the wind strength. A smaller board is ideal for rougher water and higher winds and a bigger board that will carry bigger sails when the winds are light. Your board will feel a bit bigger in saltwater than in fresh water, so you will want to take that into consideration as well.

5. What about the sail?

The sail needs to be compatible to your board, your size, and to the weather conditions. The most important thing to remember here is that there isn’t one size of sail that will work for you all the time. You will want a bigger sail in lighter wind and a smaller sail when the wind picks up. The size of the sail is also relative to the size of the windsurfer. In other words, bigger people will want bigger sails than smaller people. And as you improve, you will be able to use a larger sail in a given amount of wind.

Once you narrow in on a few types of boards, it’s a good idea to check them out in person. Better if you can find an expert to help! If you’re in the St. Pete or Tampa Bay area, come by our shop on St. Pete Beach and we’ll help you check out our collection and answer any questions you still have. You can also come out on a breezy day and try out a few different sizes of boards and sails to really figure out what will work best for you. We want to make sure you’re getting the right boards for your needs.

Check out our windsurfing packages here.

If you need any assistance feel free to contact us via email, call, or text

☏ 727.656.6569 | ✉ info@nbwindsurfing.com

Windsurfer SC – School Edition

The Windsurfer School Edition is a fantastic first windsurfing board. The length and width are designed to give the board great stability and ease of turning around. The construction is lightweight and durable and it is at an affordable price.

There’s a good chance you learned how to windsurf with a Windsurfer LT, and you can credit the LT’s to being the board that got so many people addicted to windsurfing. 53 years later and we get those same great retro vibes paired with modern technology to make a whole new generation fall in love with windsurfing.

The School Edition looks slightly different from its ancestor. The board is shorter, wider and thick with volume, which are all great things for your first sailing experiences. The stability you get from the 34” of width and 250 liters of volume make this board more forgiving as you learn proper foot placement and the importance of balance on the center line. The board is just under 10 feet long which gives you an excellent glide across the water to get you planing earlier. The shorter length gives you a tighter turning radius, helping make those first jibes and tacks a breeze. The board features a handle on both the nose and the tail so you and a friend can easily carry it down to the launch. The EVA deckpad covers most of the board so there are no worries about shredding your knees or slipping off your board while you’re uphauling your sail. It’s also nice if you’re throwing a little grom on the board with you so they have a nice place to sit while sailing around. This board also comes with a daggerboard that you can easily kick up and down when needed for extra upwind and steering capabilities. We use this board all the time for our beginner windsurf lessons, but that doesn’t mean that this is only great for your very first days on the water. You’ll love this board as you progress into more intermediate skills. We still love taking this board out for a spin whenever we can, and we know you’ll love it too.

The little details:

· 300cm long x 87 cm wide x 15.3 cm thick at 35 lbs

· 250 liters of volume

· Comes with an 85 cm daggerboard, 30cm powerbox fin, vent screw and a tool free fin screw.

· Durable

· Light

· Stable

Watch this video to learn more about the Windsurfer LT SC (School Edition)

If you need any assistance feel free to contact us via email, call, or text

☏ 727.656.6569 | ✉ info@nbwindsurfing.com

Original Windsurfer Becomes Windsurfer LT

Old-school windsurfing is new again with the new Windsurfer LT boards and rigs. If you remember the glory days of windsurfing and you had a windsurfer One-Design, a Wayler, a Windglider, or a Mistral Superlight you will be delighted to know that the Windsurfer LT harkens back to those days. Awesome glide in light wind, a killer platform for lightwind freestyle, and a growing one-design race class. With a bit more width and less weight than the old boards, you will fall in love with windsurfing all over again.

The board comes in two different versions – the Race and the Flat Deck (which is also called the Freestyle or Beginner). The hull is exactly the same between the two versions. The only difference is the size of the daggerboard. Both versions have a modern a-box style mast track – so they are compatible with any modern windsurfing mast base.

-The Race has a larger daggerboard to allow you to sail higher angles up-wind. When retracted, the race daggerboard sticks up above the level of the deck of the board and has a fabric cover over it.

-The Flatdeck has a smaller daggerboard so that even when it is retracted, the deck of the board is completely flat. The smaller daggerboard and the flat deck also make it easier to learn all the “old-school” freestyle tricks.

The Windsurfer LT is manufactured as “white board” which means that any brand can have it made under their name. So you will see the Windsurfer LT with different graphics and different brand names. We have the Mistral, Starboard, and Windsurfer brands available in the LT – the boards are identical except for graphics.

The Windsurfer rig is almost identical to the original windsurfer rig – but with upgraded components that make it much easier to handle and rig. The sail is a 5.7m size, is just like the original from the early 80’s and comes in lots of fun colors. The mast now comes as a 2 piece, so it is easier to transport and store when you aren’t using it. The boom is aluminum with a modern clamp-on front end that attaches more securely to the mast than the original tie-on version. The mast base is a standard 1-bolt tendon style base.

The Windsurfer also comes in the SC (or school edition) version. It is a shorter and wider board that makes learning to windsurf super easy.

If you need any assistance feel free to contact us via email, call, or text

☏ 727.656.6569 | ✉ info@nbwindsurfing.com

How to Make an Adjustable Out-haul

Material:

(1) Cleat Style Out-haul Part
(2) 5ft Orange Line – 4mm
(1) 6ft Thin Grey Line – 3mm
(1) 3ft Black Bungee – 4mm
(2) Small Blocks – Ronstan RF15101
Hot Knife

Directions:

Using a measuring tape, measure the appropriate lengths for your 3 lines
Mark your line for accuracy.

3. Cut to the appropriate length using the hot knife (line cutter) for the orange line and the thin grey line. Heat the end of the line to prevent fraying. For the Black bungee use scissors

4. Set the lines in the correct orientation shown below.

5. Assemble the Out-haul Cleat System. Clip the silver cleat to the blue sleeve and insert the black rubber piece. Insert the screws into the blue sleeve to secure the cleat until you are ready to assemble the system onto the boom. Repeat on the second out-haul cleat.

6. Using the two small blocks, the orange line, and the out-haul cleat system, connect them together. Put the orange line through the pulley from the outside to the inside then follow the line through the cleat system and tie a bowline on the mast end. Repeat process for both sides.

7. Attach the bungee to the Mast end of the system. On one side tie a few half hitches and on the other tie a bowline to attach the bungee to the orange line. The side that has the half hitches will be the side you untie to rig your sail.

8. Connect the thin grey line to small blocks on each end. On one side tie a few half hitches and on the other tie a bowline to attach the thin grey line to the small blocks. The side that has the half hitches will be the side you untie to rig your sail.

***Please note that the up-haul lines can sometimes come in different colors. This document should be used as a general guide. Please ask for any further questions. ***

If you need any assistance feel free to contact us via email, call, or text

☏ 727.656.6569 | ✉ info@nbwindsurfing.com

Windsurfing Mast Base Buyers Guide

The mast base, or mast foot is the piece that attaches to the board (and attaches the sail to the board). Most boards today have the same style of mast track Which may be shorter or longer depending on the
size and type of board:

This requires a standard type of base that
attaches with a brass nut that fits into
the track in the board.

The bendy joint of the mast foot is what makes a windsurfer different than a sail boat, and there are a couple of different kinds.

A mechanical joint is the easiest to
bend over, so works great for beginners who often have big wide boards
that are difficult to stand up on edge
in the water to attach the sail.

A u-joint (or rubber universal joint) is
like this, these are fairly easy to bend
over.

A tendon, like this is stiffer, so more
difficult to bend over to attach the
sail to the board, but stronger and
lasts longer.

The Chinook Pro-Flex base combines a tendon style with a mechanical. If you are getting or have a foil board, this is the perfect mast base for you. The Chinook Pro Flex tendon is the same as the replacement for any Chinook tendon base which means easy replacement and compatibility.

Next we have the piece of the mast foot that attaches to the extension (that is in the bottom of the sail). There are two main variations, us cup (sometimes called base cup) and euro pin. It is really personal preference. We like the
euro pin as it is often easier to push one large button to disconnect the rig than two smaller ones. Whichever you have, be consistent! There is nothing worse than not having all of your gear be interchangeable!