Windsurfing for Beginners

Our beginners introduction to windsurfing

At Quayside Severne Shop we are passionate about windsurfing, and would recommend the sport to anyone who is thinking about giving windsurfing a go. Not only is it great to get out there amongst the waves, it’s a great social sport too – meeting lots of like-minded sporting people.

Hopefully by reading our beginners introduction to windsurfing, you’ll have a better idea on what it’s all about and what you need to get started!

The equipment you need to get going

Board – You won’t be surfing anywhere without a board! The most important thing is that the board doesn’t sink when you stand up on it. If it does then it’s certainly inappropriate for learning on. If you don’t know anyone who hasn’t got a board to try this out on, then our team can help you choose the perfect board for you to get going.

Fin – You will find a fin on the underside of the board towards the back, they essentially enable the board to steer. These aren’t permanently attached so there are a wide range of fins you can choose to add to your board to suit your needs.

Sail – This is the large piece of cloth and mono film that catches the wind and gets you moving across the water. There are many different types and sizes of sail, though we would recommend using a sail no bigger than 6.0m² if you’re new to windsurfing.

Mast – The mast is the backbone of your rig, as it holds the sail upright in the air by sliding through the spine of the sail. It really important you suit the right mast to your sail or sailing becomes really hard.

Mast Base – As you would expect, you will find this being attached at the base of your mast, as it attaches the mast and therefore the sail to the board.

Boom – From your first step on to the board, you’ll need something to hold on to – and this is where the boom comes in. It’s attached to the mast and holds the sail tight.

Uphaul – As a beginner, the uphaul will be your best friend! It’s tied to the boom and mast base and it allows you to pull the sail back out of the water to get going again.

Our range of videos on everything windsurfing

Our Severne Team Riders have put together a wide range of video that will really take your windsurfing knowledge to the next level, giving you much greater confidence in your know-how of the sport.

Take a look at our YouTube channel >

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