I built an Apple Watch app which allows to track windsurfing sessions in detail. It works together with the https://upwind.community website where the session can be uploaded and analyzed in detail.

It is completely free to use. You will have to pair it with the website by entering a code.

The analyzer detects wind direction, reaches, gybes, tacks and stops.

The website which i promoted in an earlier post also includes an inventory of windsurfing spots all over the world. AI has been used to build this inventory, but the idea is for users to create entries for spots that might still be unknown. The website now also features an "Awards & rankings" section. If you upload and publish your sessions, you will automatically enter those statistics.

The app can be found by clicking the "Connect watch" menu item on the left hand side. If you don't have an apple watch, you might be able to use the "Upload GPS recording" action on the recordings page. This feature is experimental and not very well tested.

Hello, to the surfers in the group, how does surfing ability translate to a beginning windsurfer and where does one start? Thanks so much

Hello yall.

I am an avid outdoorsman who recently moved to the Carolinas. Windsurfing started popping up on my feeds over the summer and I decided to start to look at getting used gear, hopefully with offseason prices.

What exactly will I need to get started, and what is nice to have as I get more into it?

I noticed a sail on marketplace, but it looks like it might need a rod to stand up. Are these connections universal, or would I need a certain type of sail with certain types of board?

Hi all I just took a lesson conditions were light and calm and I was on a big board so it went well. I went one other time after on a windy day and it was challenging. I’m looking on advice as to what to do.

I found a 120 race board vivace 295 I think it was that comes with everything needed to windsurf all for 200$. I’m about 5’10 x 185 lbs. Should I shell out 500$ for a beginner board to learn, or should I just take the cheaper option?

Note: I have water experience have surfed all my life.

Bit of a workout as we relocate some gear.

Current stack includes 17 boards from wingfoiling, windsurfing, sup and surf... There's even an ironing board tucked in there 😂

Not much room for us!

Heading to Bonaire again and wondering if anyone has experience with sail sizes in the season from February till may. I know I've used mostly 6.0 and 7.0 in may till July this year but not sure how the wind is before that. I'm 80kg ish

Follow the journey on Instagram - DM me your email for beta invite code!
Openwaves.world

Most recent upgrade to my 80's hulls - a way to securely hold my early 90's (at best) sails. The "Windglider" (diy) doesn't have a mast track, just the hole and outside thread, but the HiFly 750CS has a brass thread mast track, which itself works fine, however the U joint retainer has proven very annoying, so I replaced that part of the slider with an M8 nut. Should spend more time planing and less time trying to get the rig into the board now :)

The ugly windglider adapter has been tested through various catapults already, and it takes a pretty nasty one at 30km/h to break the 3d printed nut, which is easy to replace.

The older update of a 3d printed fin and reshaped(hardened) aft rails of the windglider work great so far, both with the soft sail and a more modern sail. It's an upwind monster.

Hey everyone! I'm Brazilian, from Rio originally, and I used to surf a lot back home. I recently moved to the Richmond area and since there's obviously no surf here, I'm looking for a watersport that gives me a similar feeling. I'm thinking windsurfing, kitesurfing, wingsurfing, or stand-up paddleboarding, but I'm open to anything in that same spirit. Curious what you all would recommend as closest to the surfing feeling, good beginner spots around Vancouver or Richmond, whether there's an active community for any of these, and if it's realistic to practice through the winter too. Any advice or pointers to a local group would mean a lot. Thanks!

Hey guys! Found a deal: one week at Caribbean World, Soma Bay beginning of Nov, gear rental at Element Watersports. Intermediate, working on planing.

How's the wind that time of year, and any feedback on Element or the hotel? Thanks!

Hi guys, i am looking for a new ws board rn. I search for a fast Board with good handlig around 130L. I am just a good surfer with not enough budjet for a brandnew board:(

Which boards from the last years can you recommend?

Today i’m proud to introduce upwind: an online platform for windsurfers. I firmly believe that windsurfing is an exceptional sport and that the windsurf community needs and deserves something like this. Here’s why: 

• We don’t take a good session for granted. We heavily depend on the whims of mother nature and have to take into account our duties in private/family/work life. Finally getting on the water always feels like a win that should be celebrated.
• We are technical. We want to perfect our technique and deeply understand our gear. It’s something we can’t do alone, so we always look for advice from others.
• We like to explore new spots. To do so, we need to understand the local conditions. What’s the right season? Which weather forecast should be considered and how reliable is it? How many planing days does one get per year? Is there sufficient parking? Is there a place to rig?
• Windsurfing is considered the hardest-to-achieve discipline in watersports and we are competitive. We want to go fast, we want to measure, we want to break our own records, we want to beat others.
• Last but not least, we want to connect. While on the water, we embrace the tranquility of solitude, but once we’re back on land, we want to share our experience.

The platform features the following:

• It is free to use.
• It has a community-driven inventory of windsurfing spots worldwide.
• It allows to track windsurf sessions.
• It shows yearly windsurf session stats per spot.
• An app for apple watch is in the works which will allow to record a session and upload the results (distance, speed, gps path) to a session report.

The central goal is to gain deeper knowledge about windsurfing spots worldwide, and to share experience with gear. Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could go to this page, look up somebody who owns board “xyz” and ask them about it? Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could look up a spot and see exactly what the chances are to get a good session? And of course, it is all about connecting: i’m already working on a feature that allows to share plans for a session - then, fellow windsurfers can join in.

The page is currently pretty empty. For now, i did not add an initial dataset of windsurfing spots, because i believe these entries should be contributed by individuals who fully understand the local conditions. 

Obviouly, a platform like this will only come to life with your contribution. So feel free to create an account, share your secret home spot, and start logging your sessions today!

Here’s the website: https://upwind.community

Looks like DaKine doesn't make anymore. Anybody know of another make? I'm looking for half-finger gloves for use in warm water.

Chris La Francie sends it Labour weekend 2024

Pungarehu New Zealand

just got this board from my neighbor for free he had it sitting for a while and lost the mast but had the sail and everything else so I was wondering is it still possible to find a mast with this joint or is it possible to change out to the newer universal joints

Hi all, Felix here, windsurfer from Amsterdam. For me finding windsurf event dates meant checking 10 club sites and Facebook pages, so I put everything in one calendar on geartogo.eu (my side project, free, no account needed): https://geartogo.eu/windsurf-race-calendar It covers professional events and recreational, mostly NL/DE/BE. What am I missing? Club races, foil events, anything in your area. I'll add them.

Hi all, i am Eddie a aspiring photographer from the Netherlands, and 2 weeks ago I shot windsurfing for the first time. It's a sport i dont do but i do like.

Does anyone know how or where i can hook up with riders. I went to Scheveningen last time, which was great but from my skateboarding background i always feel that looking up with a specific rider and talking through the shots will deliver better results.

My insta is o_gringo_careca

I've added some photos for context

I recently bought a RRD firemove 120 and it came with a 40cm stock fin, I asked chat gpt and it says that if I want to learn gybes with a bit of a smaller sail (5.5) I need to buy a 32 or a 34 cm fin. But will I really feel the difference if I buy a smaller fin or can I stay on the 40cm right now?

I have noticed this, like in spring when the air is at 17°c and the water at 15°c, sure it makes sense. But in summer when the air is at 25 and the water at 20, why do people still wear wetsuit ? They're hot, sticky and need to be washed.

Not to mention super long to put on and get out off.
As soon ar air temps is above 22 I'm just going in swimsuit and life jacket. Am I missing something ?

Got this older Gaastra sail. But unlike any sail I’ve used before it doesn’t have strap or closed top.

Hi,

I'm intermediate (waterstart ✔️) and I'd like to make a habit out of it in Garda. The southern shore would me most convenient for me (around Sirmione).

I need advice:

- What are the spots, is there a community, are there any storage units for equipment?

- Are the conditions different from the North? I know of the morning and afternoon winds, but do they hit different?

- I've been using a 145 lt Fanatic Shark in the sea. I'm aware of the buoyancy difference, but I think I could level up to something smaller. I'm 90 kg 180 cm.

Thanks anyone!

Hi all,

I've started windsurfing this year and recently started planing. On a particularly windy day I got catapulted into the water - my head must've been the first thing to hit the surface, I've ended up with a strain that took me out for 3 weeks. I couldn't even turn my head for a few days after without severe pain.

Is this kind of injury common? Any ways to prevent it in the future?

I know the answer to "what's this worth" is "whatever someone will pay for it" - I guess I'm looking for advice on what to list it at, so as not to seem wildly out of what's reasonable.

It's 2012 Fanatic Shark 135, with 3 Maui Sails Aloha (and matching booms) sails (one brand new never used) 5, 6, & 7m. 3 masts. Two booms. Two harnesses. All in excellent to brand-new condition.

I've only used it once; conditions locally are too squirrelly, so most of my sailing happens on vacations in Aruba (you should go. It's outrageously good).

I bought it used in 2019 from someone in the same situation as me: spent the money with high hopes, only to have the gear stored 99.999% of the time.

If you saw this listed on Marketplace, what dollar figure would make you say "Decent deal!"?

I have this old Hifly 275PX from about 1995 in my garage and want to try it even once before I dump it and return to my regular Board.

Does anyone know what these two holes next to the powerbox fin (the middle one) are for? One of them has a short screw in it, while the other hole could fit another one. They just don't seem to serve any purpose.