- Ideal conditions: 1-3 Beaufort, smooth water
- Ideal material: Longboards or WindSUPs with daggerboard, light sails
- Learning requirements: None
Learning to windsurf usually begins with the sheet start. This term refers to the rope that is attached to the boom, the so-called starting sheet. It is used to lift the rig out of the water. The lower end of the starting sheet is attached to the base plate with an elastic loop so that the sheet lies close to the mast when sailing and does not interfere with manoeuvres.
At the sheet start, the windsurfer stands on the board, which is why a few balance exercises beforehand are an advantage. Depending on the conditions in the area, the board can become unsteady due to choppy waves. It is therefore ideal to start in the shallowest possible water and with a large, stable board. A successful sheet start will help you to always return safely to the shore, regardless of the water depth. In the picture gallery above, we show you the start for windsurfing in detail.
Preparation before the sheet launch
The process begins with the launch preparation: before you can start, the board must first be turned into the correct position. To do this, stand on the board with your feet immediately to the left and right of the base plate and grab the uphaul rope far down.
Bend your knees slightly, keep your back straight and pull the sail just a little way out of the water. The wind will now turn the sail like a flag with the wind to the leeward side and your equipment will automatically swing into the correct position for the later start. Try to set a right angle between the board and the sail.
Once you have set the right angle between the sail and the board, your board will automatically align itself at right angles to the wind. Only now should you pull the sail completely out of the water.
Orientate yourself on the board and grab the mast under the boom with your front hand (the hand that is closer to the bow). The front hand is always referred to as the front hand, the back hand as the back hand. Always keep the right angle between the board and the sail and the mast arm extended. You are now in the "basic position" and ready for the start. Because the board and sail form the letter "T" in this position, the term "T-position" is often used in this context.
How the sheet start works in windsurfing
You can start from the basic position. Keep the mast arm extended and the sail at 90° to the board and take a step backwards with your back foot towards the daggerboard.
This is followed by the key moment: before you grab the boom with your back hand, the sail must come out of its tilted position and into a vertical position. To do this, pull the mast in front of your body with your front hand until it is vertical. You will feel that the sail now feels much lighter. To stand more comfortably and more in the direction of travel, you can turn the front foot slightly so that it is next to or directly behind the base plate.
The back hand only grips the boom when the mast is vertical. To start, you need to catch the wind - you do this by slowly sheeting in the sail with your back hand. Shift your weight slightly onto your back leg and keep the mast vertical. If the start is correct, the board will pick up speed at right angles to the wind.
You can see all the steps explained picture by picture in the gallery above!
The most common mistakes when launching a sheet and how to do it better
"Why does the board unintentionally turn into the wind when starting?"
If your board unintentionally turns into the wind to windward at the start and does not get going, there is a simple reason for this: you are not setting the mast completely vertical before sheeting in!
The series of pictures illustrates the problem: in the basic position, everything is still perfect, the sail is at 90° to the board and the board has therefore aligned itself exactly at right angles to the wind on a half-wind course. The subsequent lowering of the mast, however, is too half-hearted, the back hand reaches for the boom too early. If you tighten the sail now, the board does not get going but immediately turns with the bow into the wind.
Solution: If you notice this problem, return to the basic position and centre the board back on a half-wind course. Orientate yourself: Where is your board pointing in the basic position? This is the course you need to keep! Find a fixed point on the shore in the corresponding direction. Now set the mast completely vertical at the start - this is the case when it is between your head and the tip of the board, the boom is now roughly horizontal. Hoist tight and check that your board stays on course.
"I'm always drawn forwards when I sheet in!"
The classic launch error! When preparing for the start, everything is still right - the mast has been set vertically. During the subsequent sheet in, depending on the wind, there is often a lot of pull in the sail that needs to be tamed. In this case, this does not work, the mast tilts away to leeward, the body comes into a draft and a fall to leeward onto the sail will be the result.
Solution: When starting and travelling straight ahead, the mast must always remain vertical and must not tilt to leeward. Therefore, make sure that you counter the rising sail draft with your body weight when sheeting in. If this is not successful, you can control the pressure with your back hand - it is your accelerator pedal. If you open the sail by stretching the sail arm, the pressure in the sail decreases and you can restore the vertical position of the mast if necessary. Opening the sail with your back hand is also known as "sheeting out". If you close the sail again by tightening the back hand, the sail tension increases and your board accelerates - then shift your body weight back over the back leg.
The golden rule for controlling the sail pull is therefore: always keep the mast vertical, control the sail pull by opening and closing the sail with your back hand!
