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Tips & TricksGentle rigging – 3 common mistakes with materials

Julian Wiemar

 · 05.07.2026

Tips & Tricks: Gentle rigging – 3 common mistakes with materialsPhoto: Fish Bowl Diaries
How long the mast bag, sails and boom actually last is determined right from the moment you rig the boat. With three simple steps, you can avoid common mistakes when working with materials – and save yourself the hassle of unnecessary repairs.

​Windsurfing kit has to withstand a fair bit out on the water, but a lot of damage actually occurs on land – whilst rigging up. A mast hastily shoved into its sleeve, a sail left flapping in the wind, or a boom scraping across tarmac will all leave their mark over time. Yet these mistakes can be avoided with very little effort. Here are three simple tips to help you take noticeably better care of your kit whilst rigging.

  1. Do not force the mast through the mast sleeve from below.
    Instead: ‘do the accordion’ and pull the sail onto the mast bit by bit from the side.
  2. Take down the half-hoisted sail and let it flutter in the wind.
    Prevention: Have the mast extension, already adjusted, to hand.
  3. Don’t leave the fitted boom scraping against stones or tarmac for too long.
    Better still: place a flip-flop, board bag or similar underneath it until you’ve finished.
1. Shoving the mast up from below through the mast pocket of a sail that hasn’t been fully unfurled is a disgrace.
Photo: Julian Wiemar

surf tester Marius shows you how to avoid unnecessary wear and tear when unhooking in this little life hack.

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Julian Wiemar

Julian Wiemar

Editor surf

Born in Cologne in 1996, Julian grew up on the western banks of the Father Rhine, where he still pushes himself to new tricks almost every day as one of Germany's best freestyle windsurfers. He discovered his passion for water sports at the young age of five. 15 years and countless hours on the surfboard later, Julian traveled the world from Cologne after graduating from high school. With a German championship title in his pocket, he spent several years traveling to the best windsurfing spots on the planet in order to gain a foothold in the World Cup. With the aim of making windsurfing the focus of his life in the long term, the then 24-year-old globetrotter found his way to the surf magazine through his love of writing travel and spot reports.

There, as a trainee, he immersed himself in all the other areas of responsibility of a surf editor and was able to expand his expertise on a daily basis. With dedication and extraordinary enthusiasm for the sport, he is motivated to share his experiences, adventures and knowledge with readers in the world of windsurfing.

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