by LeopardSkin » Sun Jan 06, 2019 2:19 pm
Yes, I agree with AdrienGrelon and grantmac.
Sailing at the Squamish Spit really is the most effective and fastest way to improve your windsurfing and kiting.
In addition, it is also the cheapest way to improve your riding.
At the Spit, all you need is one board. Probably around a 90 litre FSW for your body weight. Most 180 pound guys are on 100 litre FSW. You only need to own two sails. For you, maybe a 5.0, and a 4.2. For a 180 lb guy, 5.5 or 6.0 for the biggest sail. Something like that. There is no need to own expensive race gear and a ridiculous number of sails. One board, one mast extension, one mast, two sails, one boom.
Sail two times a week from June through September. If you have a week off from work, sail every day at the Spit. At the end of the summer, you will be one of those guys who can gybe consistently. You'd be doing laydowns, ducks, whatever. Maybe some freestyle if you're really motivated. Get at least 30 days in the summer. Carpool with another windsurfer or kiter. At the Spit, you are right where the action is. Hang out with other competent windsurfers. Ask them lots of questions re: technique. There are lots of windsurfers who are competent sailors at the spit. At the spit, typically you rig the same sail every day. You don't waste time and effort deciding what size you're going to rig. Show up, rig up, sail. Leave Vancouver at 11:00 AM. Sail for two hours. You're back in Vancouver by 5:00 PM.
The Gorge is gusty, and requires more than one board, and two sails. Hence the Gorge is expensive and ineffectual in learning how to gybe. Don't sail at Harrison Lake or Porteau Cove, where you're forced to buy expensive race gear which doesn't gybe easily. Don't sail at Nexen, because you typically need to spend more money for a bigger rig, and you waste time schlogging upwind to where the wind is. When you're learning to gybe, you don't want to waste time schlogging upwind. 5.0 and smaller sails are easy to gybe, and the skills are easily transferable to large gear.
In 2020, when you're a consistent lawn mower, then you can think about buying expensive race gear, travelling to exotic locales, sailing at Harrison, Nexen, etc. Buy an expensive camera to film yourself doing cool stuff for fun videos. In 2020.
Most people around the world don't have access to daily consistent 20 to 25 knots. You should take advantage of it. Lots of wind tourists from across Canada and Washington State visit the spit because they don't have the same conditions at home. Many live in Squamish for the summer. That's how good we have it here.
Last edited by
LeopardSkin on Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.