Windsurfing lessons for beginners

If you’re looking for windsurfing lessons for beginners to advanced sailors then you’ve come to the right place.

Our beginner windsurfing lessons take place in the safe waters of Chichester Harbour in West Sussex.  We have clean wind, flat water and all the kit to make your first time with us a great experience.

All of our windsurfing instructors are qualified with the RYA and our sessions are very fluid meaning we adjust to suit the skills of the attendees.

 

the start of your windsurfing lesson

The first thing we do in the windsurfing lessons for beginners session is “the meet and greet”, with a quick round of who’s who and what everyone’s experience is.  This is the Ice Breaker for everyone, and it gives us an insight into who knows what, previous windsurfing experience or any other associated skills.

After this we move into Understanding the Kit, and we look at a fully rigged sail and board setup, quickly covering the names of the most important parts and the role they play.  We’re not asking you to fully rig up as these short course don’t give us that time to play with. 

We’ll discuss the clothing requirements and booties, depending on the time of year, which leads us onto some safety topics and this then leads onto the environment/water itself.  It’s important to focus for a moment and to consider the risks and how to act as a group, so it’s important we cover signals and all round awareness.


understanding the environment

Now we have a land based demo, starting with a basic understanding of the wind and our environment and how it will affect us.  Even the most basic information can help you to recognise how a sail and board works and where you can and cannot sail.

Let’s look at the board and rig connected on the beach and see how they work.  It’s not too complicated, and we simplify it down into a “need to know” basis.


HANDLING THE WINDSURFING KIT ON LAND

So now we can run through the basics of getting on the board, falling from the board, uphauling, secure position, sailing position and steering. As with everything we teach, the moves are broken into chunks that simplify movements, and we use markers to help you remember key points.

Each person has their own board and rig, which is matched to their size, which helps you to maximise your learning during the session.


Now we take the windsurfing lesson into the water

The first thing to do is get people in the water, a quick dip to climatise.  This is important, so you know what is coming, if you fall in.

We will run through a demo for uphauling, secure position and sailing position. I will sail along, then drop down, turn the board and sail back.    Each person does this one at a time to watch each other.

Once we’ve all completed basic routine a few times and everyone is comfortable we’re up for trying it together and there we go. You’re sailing.

I will sail around with you in the shallows and keep helping when you have a brain freeze, but I like to leave you to try and fathom things out without being overloaded.

Next, we move onto tacking or turning around, which then gives us the option of sailing further out. It’s an easy move, but it’s important to try and speed up the most basic function as it gets easier, the quicker we get.

The windsurfing lessons for beginners are a great entry in, but I do try and push people on quickly, to make the most of your session and let you see what is possible, with the right coaching and kit.

A quick beach catch up and check in with everyone, then we’re back out drilling those moves.  I like to get everyone tacking, tacking, tacking and tacking some more as this is your key move to get you home if you find yourself, sailing off downwind.

By the time you’ve really got a feel for things, the lesson is coming to an end, and we’ll give you a quick debrief after carrying the kit back to the van.

I will give some key points to each person, so you have homework, and hopefully we can get you booked in for some more windsurfing lessons for beginners, or progressive lessons then get in touch right now.


Keeping it safe

I forgot to mention that we use the very latest 2 way intercom headsets, so you’re never alone on the water. We can easily help you correct a move, event when your further away and vice versa, you can say if you’re needing some help.


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