Never uphaul the sail again: how to nail the waterstart in any wind, from freeing the clew all the way to the lift with fully extended arms.
Sick of tediously uphauling the sail on the line after every fall? Here's the honest answer: you don't have to anymore. The waterstart is one of the most elegant and energy-saving maneuvers in windsurfing — it uses the wind's pure aerodynamic pull to lift you straight onto the board instead of hauling you up pound by pound. One simple rule applies: the lighter the wind, the more precise your technique needs to be, since you have to compensate for the missing wind pressure with more active rising. Master this technique once, and you banish uphauling from your windsurfing life for good.
No matter how wild the fall, your first job is to stay calm and swim to the mast. Turn it in the water so it points crosswise to the wind, toward windward.
Swim a short distance toward the head of the sail and lift it slightly. The wind now gets underneath the cloth and the rig floats almost weightlessly above the surface. From there, work your way comfortably along the mast back to the boom.
When the sail lies flat, the clew — the back end of the boom — suctions itself onto the water. Grip the mast with your front hand, well above the boom, and pull it extremely dynamically toward windward, slightly forward over your head. This dynamic lever instantly breaks the clew free of the water, and the sail stands ready to fly.
As soon as the rig is flying, your front hand grabs the boom while your back foot searches for the board. Place your foot between the straps and deliberately load the inside edge, not flat on your heel — combined with leaning your body forward, that keeps the board on course. If the sail pulls too hard, compensate by leaning your body further into the water or opening the clew slightly.
Now for the actual start: keep your arms absolutely long and extended. Pull your back foot in — that essentially pulls the board underneath your body. The wind fills the sail and slowly pulls you out of the water. Stay compact and patient; your front foot only touches the deck right at the end, once your upper body is nearly vertical.
A waterstart happens in deep water, where currents and waves can catch you. Exhaustion is your biggest enemy here. If the start keeps failing, switch back to uphauling, if your board's volume allows it, to save energy. When freeing the rig, watch that a sudden gust doesn't slam the mast into your head. Always swim on the windward side of your gear so a wave doesn't push the board into your face.
Steer before the lift. Many riders fall back under the sail while practicing because the board unintentionally rounds up into the wind. The trick: place your back foot sideways, almost on the rail, look forward around the mast deep to windward, and push the board away from the wind with your foot. This deliberate bearing-away move gets you back onto the perfect beam reach before you let yourself be lifted.
Because you're missing the aerodynamic pull that normally lifts you. You have to compensate for the missing wind pressure with more active, more precise rising — any small technique flaw costs you the start when wind is light.
Grip the mast with your front hand well above the boom and pull it dynamically toward windward, slightly forward over your head. This lever instantly breaks the clew free of the water — just pushing up doesn't work.
Usually because you're bending your arms instead of keeping them extended. Don't pull yourself up with your arms — that drags the sail toward you and lets the wind escape. Keep your arms long until the end and let the wind lift you.
At least hip-deep, better chest-deep, so your fin doesn't touch bottom during the maneuver. In water that's too shallow, you risk damaging the fin or having the board tip uncontrollably.
Maximum Control in Chop and Gusts