Wingsurfing is often a wobbly affair, especially on gusty inland lakes. The fluctuations in wind strength are often huge and range from "flying fully powered up" to "absolute calm". With the following two tips, you can starve yourself until the next gust:
Relaxing your arms with the help of the leash
If the wind is only blowing very lightly and you're bobbing along without the chance to take off, it's about as relaxing as drilling holes in the ceiling with a drill - especially the front arm, which has to constantly hold the front tube up so that the wing doesn't drag in the water, gets tired quickly. A short change of position to relax the arm is then worth its weight in gold. You can do this with a grip on the leash, the front arm can then be placed against the body and relaxed. We show you exactly how to do this in the following video.
Use the wing as a boom and buoyancy aid
Another challenge in absolute light winds is keeping your balance on small boards. If you sink between gusts and go for a swim, you won't be able to manage the entire procedure of getting up, launching and taking off in the next gust. On the other hand, if you survive the lull with a trick standing on the board, you can immediately use the incoming gust for the take-off. To do this, the wingtip is actively pushed into the water. This provides additional buoyancy and also improves your balance on the board. You can also watch this little trick in the following clip. Click here and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
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Manuel Vogel
Editor surf
Manuel Vogel, born in 1981, lives in Kiel and learned to windsurf at the age of six at his father's surf school. In 1997, he completed his training as a windsurfing instructor and worked for over 15 years as a windsurfing instructor in various centers, at Kiel University sports and in the coaching team of the “Young Guns” freestyle camps. He has been part of the surf test team since 2003. After completing his teaching degree in 2013, he followed his heart and started as editor of surf magazine for the test and riding technique sections. Since 2021, he has also been active in wingfoiling - mainly at his home spots on the Baltic Sea or in the waves of Denmark.
