WINDSURFING

Find That Mystical Totally Connected Feeling!

by Neil Hannon

An explanation of the whole windsurfing phenomenon may be in order before you decide whether or not to answer the ad. Wind and water have lured the adventurous even before history began and the courage of those mariners of old defies logic. There is no rational mindset that explains the risk. Sure, wealth, curiosity, and the desire to put in distance from a bad situation go a little way, but they don't really mean much on the water in the teeth of a full gale.

The answer must then as now come from within, when skills and knowledge allow the sailor to not just survive but thrive in a kind of amazing flow with the raging elements. Then the inner feeling of calm coupled with the moves and the speed of the action on the waves give a sense of joy that leads back to the water again and again. Where better to find the modern day version of sailor's euphoria than in the sport of windsurfing.

Invented in the early 70s, the first generation of windsurfers got hooked on the simplicity of toting your gear in your arms to any body of water and in light winds [less than 15 miles per hour] having a good time sailing away. The sport required more balance and athleticism than sailing smaller boats, so the young were attracted and it still required all the cerebral qualities that the experienced sailors liked as well.

Windsurfing in those early years had only the light wind aspect to the sport, with a one surfboard; one sail does it all approach. Somewhere in the 80s things changed. Some say Hawaii, some California, but wherever, daring individuals took smaller boards and sails out in higher wind and waves to create a different side to the sport. Today both aspects of windsurfing exist side by side with some participants interested in just the sub 15 miles per hour, some in just 15+ and still others in both.

My own experience is typical: Start with a long board in light wind and progress to shorter boards and higher winds. I have thoroughly enjoyed it all; however there is only so much time in our lives so for the past few years' high winds and short boards have been my choice.

When the wind is there you go for it, because tomorrow it's likely to be gone. Chasing the wind around the Capital District and Adirondacks and often to the capes – Cod and Hatteras has become a way of life in the non-frozen water seasons.

The local club that is a haven for wind-addicted types, the Adirondack Boardsailing Club (ABC), promotes races, windsurfing safaris and water access rights at www.abcsail.org and is a great starting point for someone who is checking out the sport or already experienced. The ABC has had the benefit of some web wizards who have created and maintain a web site that is extraordinary for a local club. The site has the usual stuff about who we are, want ads, calendar of events, etc, but the real gems are the instructional help, the definitive guide to sailing sites around the Adirondacks, and the great links to weather sites so necessary to the sport. Meetings are held at the Saratoga Lake Sailing Club thanks to some overlapping membership and the wonderful spirit of SLSC in promoting all forms of the sport of sailing.

If you have read this far and think that you may be interested, there are some caveats for novices that need to be mentioned right up front. One: this sport is hard. It takes a toll on your body and ego in the beginning stages that makes some other sports, downhill skiing for example, seem very easy. Those who are not fit and persistent need not apply. The fitness required is proportionate to size, so using the right equipment puts a fit 110-pound woman on an equal footing with a fit 200-pound man.

That said; the most important quality a novice can bring to the sport is a desire to be out there on the water, making that connection. Sailors should also know that the mental geometry of the sport takes time to study and master. Wind speed, direction, sail position, body movement, and water surface conditions present an ever shifting set of variables that require a great deal of knowledge and the muscle memory to act on that knowledge.

Can you do this sport? The answer is a high probability "yes" given the desire to try and be persistent. Many people find that watching windsurfers do their thing on a windy day really stokes the imagination. Top windsurfing sites and vantage points in our region include: Cumberland Head and Ausable Point on Lake Champlain, and Broadalbin Beach on Sacandaga Lake. Other destinations include Lake Clear, Lake George, Saratoga Lake, and Crystal Lake. For more information on each of these sites, visit the ABC web site.

Here on windy days [lots of whitecaps] you can find sailors skimming across the water at speeds up to 50 miles per hour, 30s are typical, doing carving turns, tricks, jumps and moves that express their pleasure in being alive and sailing. Remember though, that while high winds are a great time to watch experienced sailors and see what it's all about. It is not the time for a novice to venture out. Think of the lake as you would a ski slope, light winds equals green circles. Moderate winds with a few white caps are blue squares and high winds and bigger waves are the black diamonds.

The past few years have seen a technology revolution in the sport that does make it more fun to learn. Wide body surfboards with carbon fiber and Mylar sails are changing things for the better. To explore learning technique, new equipment, and near and far destinations for windsurfing, go to the ABC Web site.

Neil Hannon (nch7@hotmail.com) is an outdoor sports enthusiast who enjoys running, skiing, windsurfing, kayaking, and hiking, when he's not doing his day job as a teacher in Saratoga Springs for the BOCES.

©2000-2003 Adirondack Sports & Fitness. All rights reserved.