by Duke Duyck
TWC Instructor Emeritus

Beginners often have trouble staying on the board. They fall into the water forward of backward and always wonder why. Invariably it is a matter of balance. When you fall, you have lost one of the 4 balances. You will find it much easier to stay on the board, once you know what these balances are and how to keep them. So, here they are.

You need to keep the board flat at all times. If the board heels, you slide off. If you keep your feet on or near centre-line of the board, your board will stay flat and perfectly balanced.

If your rig is balanced, it can't pull you into the water. The rig should support itself. The mast must be slightly over centre line. Because the mast is curved, the tip of the mast will be over the base. Keep it raked toward the wind. You can test the rig balance by letting your hands loose for a second, during which time the rig should not fall to either the mast nor the clew

If your body is balanced, you will keep the pulling to a minimum. Keep your butt in, shoulders back. Keep the knees bent at all times. Let your knees do the flexing in and out with the wind, not your bottom. Keep your weight on the back foot and the driving force on the front foot. This way, when the wind slacks, you are kept balancing on your back foot.

This is the hardest balance to learn for beginners. It means that we have to balance ourselves against the wind. While powering up slowly, allow the power to dissipate through the mast foot to the board, pushing the board, thus reducing the power, allowing for more powering up. All the while, raking the balanced rig over the wind. A well balanced rig can be left alone for a second or so, while it floats on the wind. When the wind gets strong, it will be providing enough power to let the sailor hang on the rig, helping to balance the rig against the wind

Duke Duyck
Retired TWC Instructor

And now on a lighter note here's

Chalice Lighting.

Before I joined this church,
I worshipped every Sunday
and often on Wednesday
and sometimes Friday and Saturday
worshipped in the wilderness that lies just offshore,
worshipped on the water,
worshipped in God's cathedral,
practicing the ritual
of Windsurfing.