Since my son wanted to learn windsurfing, I signed him up for 2-day windsurfing lessons at Boardsports in Alameda.
Due to lighter morning winds, sandy beaches, and relatively shallow waters, I was told it was the most desirable location for beginners.
On Saturday, May 5, the windsurfing lesson started at 10:00 am and ended at 1:00 pm.
The first hour of the lesson was spent on land instruction, while the last two hours were spent on the water.
The wind was relatively light (initially from SW and then NW), so all beginners spent their time uphauling and trying to sail back and forth.
I recorded a short video with the Nikon P700 camera, showing Alex board sailing.
Alex has another lesson tomorrow, and I hope he continues to learn, with his eventual goal of being able to beach-start, water-start, and use the harness and foot straps.
Sunday, May 6, 2018
Alex and four other sailors went out on the water after a one-hour land session, where the instructor explained how to steer the board in lighter winds.
The wind was more substantial, from 8-12 knots, and Alex got to practice his sailing technique again. He must still work on the sailing stance before moving on to water starts.
Overall, this was a good beginner lesson - perhaps a bit humbling to Alex - who thought watching a few YouTube videos would make him an expert sailor.
Developing an intuitive feeling for the board and sail takes significant on-the-water time. He should continue to build his windsurfing skills until he can comfortably sail back and forth in lighter winds.
Due to lighter morning winds, sandy beaches, and relatively shallow waters, I was told it was the most desirable location for beginners.
On Saturday, May 5, the windsurfing lesson started at 10:00 am and ended at 1:00 pm.
The first hour of the lesson was spent on land instruction, while the last two hours were spent on the water.
The wind was relatively light (initially from SW and then NW), so all beginners spent their time uphauling and trying to sail back and forth.
I recorded a short video with the Nikon P700 camera, showing Alex board sailing.
Alex has another lesson tomorrow, and I hope he continues to learn, with his eventual goal of being able to beach-start, water-start, and use the harness and foot straps.
Sunday, May 6, 2018
Alex and four other sailors went out on the water after a one-hour land session, where the instructor explained how to steer the board in lighter winds.
The wind was more substantial, from 8-12 knots, and Alex got to practice his sailing technique again. He must still work on the sailing stance before moving on to water starts.
Overall, this was a good beginner lesson - perhaps a bit humbling to Alex - who thought watching a few YouTube videos would make him an expert sailor.
Developing an intuitive feeling for the board and sail takes significant on-the-water time. He should continue to build his windsurfing skills until he can comfortably sail back and forth in lighter winds.
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