Basic Windsurfing Gear

Basic Windsurfing Gear

Basic windsurfing gear consists of all of the parts of the actual windsurfer board and the accessories that are worn by windsurfers or used to store or maintain their boards.
The basic windsurfer consists of the board, sail, and rig. The board is usually made of a composite of materials and has a rear fin for steering. The board might also have a center rib or fin underneath for additional stability or steering ease. The sail provides the propulsion for the windsurfer and sails come in various sizes depending upon the type of windsurfing being done and the expertise of the rider. The part of windsurfing gear known as the rig consists of three additional parts.
The rig consists of a boon, mast, and mast base. The boon is the harness loop that the windsurfer grips to turn the mast and sail to steer the board. The mast is the pole that is turned by the boom and to which the said is attached. The mast base is the swivel joint where the mast fits into the board. It is a swivel joint to allow the mast to be easily turned.
Although the original windsurfer was made of polyethylene, most modern boards are made of an expanded polystyrene foam core between a sandwich of carbon fiber, Kevlar, or fiberglass in a matrix of epoxy. The racing boards are light in weight averaging between 5 and 7 kilograms. The boards designed for beginners are generally heavier weighting between 8 and 15 kilograms. The sails are usually made from mono film Dacron and Mylar reinforced by a Kevlar mesh.