As winter tightens its grip we all want to spend what time we can blasting over the cooler water rather than submersed in it. Simon Bornhoft offers some crucial skills and drills to ensure speedier waterstarts. Photos: Karen Bornhoft / WindWise
SCENARIO 1: Falling In Mid-Gybe
A common dismount is when body and rig fall into the turn mid-gybe (usually due to not leaning the rig out of the turn enough to counterbalance). A good sailor will do all they can to hold on to the boom and then pop back up onto the board and sail away clew-first. If you want to achieve this, get brilliant at clew-first beachstarts!
SCENARIO 2: Facing the Wrong Way?
How many times is the kit set up just right, but you want to go back in the opposite direction? Being able to spin board and rig round without dropping the sail saves time, exhausting swimming and the possible impact of oncoming waves. Being able to do a waterstart gybe is one of the most time-saving (and energy-economic) skills you can learn.
