New Zealand Windsurfing - Blown Away By The Adventure
Windsurfing is a surface water sport, a combination of surfing and sailing. It uses a windsurf board (or sailboard) which is anywhere between 2 and 5 metres in length. It has a single sail basically made of polyester film.
The rig is connected to the sailboard by a totally flexible rotating mechanism called the U joint. The entire force of the wind is transferred through the rig to move the windsurfer forward.
The windsurfer can be moved by tilting and rotating both the mast and the board. This helps hobbyists perform complex jumps, hoops and freestyle moves which a sail boat cannot match.
New Zealand's stunningly scenic lakes and long magnificent coastline offer such an abundance of windsurfing adventures that can enliven you with the combnination of adventure and the sheer natural beauty. Auckland, a major city in the North Island is christened the City of Sails for its majestic harbour.
Almost all the major windsurfing locations have sailboards for hire. There are instructors at hand to help you have lessons in windsurfing if you are a newbie to this sport. The sight of sailboards glistening in the sun and dotting the horizon is a view to behold.
Windsurfing in New Zealand became popular in the 1970s. The development of windsurf boards with foam filled plastic hulls and fibreglass masts made them extremely flexible and easy to manoeuvre by tilting them. Then came the inception of short boards which allowed enthusiasts to windsurf in big waves.
The New Zealand Board Sailing Association in the 1980s was set up to regulate and promote windsurfing. This has now become Windsurfing New Zealand and is in charge of organising all sporting activities. Its web site is located at http://www.windsurfingnz.org
Some of the disciplines associated with windsufing are Speed sailing (sailors race over a 500m or 1 nautical mile stretch), Slalom (high speed race over a course shaped like the number 8), Wave sailing (complex moves performed over waves), Super X (born due to fusion of freestyle and slalom) and Freestyle (sailor performing maximum number of complex creative moves in a pre defined time is judged winner).
There are about 50 windsurfing clubs in New Zealand to date and the sport is increasing in popularity. New Zealand has had its share of world champions in this sport with the Kendalls (brother Bruce and sister Barbara) in particular making noteworthy contributions.
In the North Island, Auckland Harbour, the Bay of Islands, the Hauraki Gulf, Wellington (the windy capital) and Oakura near New Plymouth are all outstanding spots for windsurfing.
In the South Island of New Zealand, the Dunedin and Christchurch beaches are popular windsurfing locations. The sylvan lakes of Nelson, Wanaka and Wakatipu are excellent windsurfing destinations.
Points to note:
- Wear wetsuit or drysuit for warmth and floatation. This can help prevent hypothermia due to wind chill.
- Carry or better wear a lifejacket.
- If water conditions become too rough to sail or equipment fails, roll your sail tightly around the mast, place the mast and boom in the centre, lie on the board and paddle to the shore.
- In the event of an emergency, hang on to the board which is floatable and dispose the rig if warranted.
- If you are in difficulty, wave with both your hands over your head.
- Always remember that wind conditions on the shore are lighter than in the sea.
- If fatigued, stop sailing.
- Do not sail alone. If you do, make sure you inform a friend on the shore who will be on the lookout for you and sound a warning in the event of non-return.
- Never consume alcohol/drugs before you set off to sail.
- If you are sailing behind someone, it is your duty to steer clear of that person and sail around.
- Watch out for other sailors
