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Bio - Eric L. Mihelbergel is an intermediate/advanced windsurfer, kiteboarder, and foiler living in the Great Lakes Region of New York State who enjoys sharing about windsports and fitness.
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How To Get Through Shore Break On The Great Lakes
(windsurfing)
By Eric Mihelbergel (Written March 2018)
I have often heard people in the Buffalo area say that they are opposed to windsurfing in the open Lake because of the difficult shore break. There is a specific technique that makes it fairly easy to get through shore break when the winds are less than 30mph. And over 30mph is still very doable with a few adjustments.
The first time I windsurfed in the open lake with a Strong Breeze (25-31mph) I got continually crushed by the shore break. It was frustrating. So I sat down on a log and watched how the more experienced riders did it. Here is the process to successfully get through the shore break in our generally side-on wind conditions:
1. Enter the water forwards (not backwards) - If you are used to sailing behind a breakwall or other location that does not have shore break then you can get used to casually entering the water backwards. However, you cannot enter the water backwards when there is shore break. You MUST enter forwards.
2. Keep the sail on the downwind side of your board when entering - Lay your fully assembled kit on the beach with your board pointing out into the lake directly perpendicular to the waves. Lay your sail down on the beach on the downwind side of the board and with the clew pointing out into the lake directly perpendicular to the waves. Now step in between the board and sail. With your upwind hand, reach down and grab the front footstrap on the side of the board that is farthest from you (the upwind footstrap). By grabbing the upwind footstrap the board will not flop around as much. With the downwind hand, reach down and grab the boom at the balance point between the harness line and the mast. Lift the kit and get ready to walk into the water forward.
3. Get to the boom as soon as possible - Start walking into the water. When the water is about knee deep then it is generally safe to drop the board into the water without hitting the fin on the bottom, however, you may want to go a little deeper to get past that first area of shore break. WAIT for a break in wave action and then drop your board in the water. Now here is the most critical part. As soon as you let go of the footstrap with your upwind hand you MUST IMMEDIATELY get to the boom so you can control the board. Here's how to do it. With the upwind hand that was on the footstrap immediately grab the mast, pull the sail over your head, and with the downwind hand grab the boom near the harness line. Now you have control over the board with one hand on the boom and the other hand on the mast.
4. Keep the board pointing into the waves - Whatever you do, do NOT let the board turn sideways. There is likely to be some current that may want to sweep your fin downwind, so use the boom to control the nose of your board. Keep the fin in line with the nose of the board in a way that the board stays perpendicular to the waves. You may have to take a few steps downwind to keep everything in line. That's ok. Make sure you begin this whole process far enough upwind because you may drift 50 feet downwind before you actually get on the board. Now, with your legs, DRIVE the board forward very very hard like a football player driving the sled down the practice field. You need to hit those waves harder than they hit you. Keep your legs driving forward.
The first time I windsurfed in the open lake with a Strong Breeze (25-31mph) I got continually crushed by the shore break. It was frustrating. So I sat down on a log and watched how the more experienced riders did it. Here is the process to successfully get through the shore break in our generally side-on wind conditions:
1. Enter the water forwards (not backwards) - If you are used to sailing behind a breakwall or other location that does not have shore break then you can get used to casually entering the water backwards. However, you cannot enter the water backwards when there is shore break. You MUST enter forwards.
2. Keep the sail on the downwind side of your board when entering - Lay your fully assembled kit on the beach with your board pointing out into the lake directly perpendicular to the waves. Lay your sail down on the beach on the downwind side of the board and with the clew pointing out into the lake directly perpendicular to the waves. Now step in between the board and sail. With your upwind hand, reach down and grab the front footstrap on the side of the board that is farthest from you (the upwind footstrap). By grabbing the upwind footstrap the board will not flop around as much. With the downwind hand, reach down and grab the boom at the balance point between the harness line and the mast. Lift the kit and get ready to walk into the water forward.
3. Get to the boom as soon as possible - Start walking into the water. When the water is about knee deep then it is generally safe to drop the board into the water without hitting the fin on the bottom, however, you may want to go a little deeper to get past that first area of shore break. WAIT for a break in wave action and then drop your board in the water. Now here is the most critical part. As soon as you let go of the footstrap with your upwind hand you MUST IMMEDIATELY get to the boom so you can control the board. Here's how to do it. With the upwind hand that was on the footstrap immediately grab the mast, pull the sail over your head, and with the downwind hand grab the boom near the harness line. Now you have control over the board with one hand on the boom and the other hand on the mast.
4. Keep the board pointing into the waves - Whatever you do, do NOT let the board turn sideways. There is likely to be some current that may want to sweep your fin downwind, so use the boom to control the nose of your board. Keep the fin in line with the nose of the board in a way that the board stays perpendicular to the waves. You may have to take a few steps downwind to keep everything in line. That's ok. Make sure you begin this whole process far enough upwind because you may drift 50 feet downwind before you actually get on the board. Now, with your legs, DRIVE the board forward very very hard like a football player driving the sled down the practice field. You need to hit those waves harder than they hit you. Keep your legs driving forward.
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5. Turn your upwind shoulder into the waves as they crash on you - As you are driving your board through the breaking waves with your legs like a football lineman, there may be some crashing waves hitting you chest high. If you keep your shoulders parallel to these crashing waves you are going to get hit hard. Time it so that you hit those waves while at the same time turning your upwind shoulder into the wave so that your chest does not take that wave straight on. Hit the wave with that upwind shoulder harder than it hits you, then immediately continue driving forward with your legs.
6. Waterstart - Now that you are chest deep wait for a break between waves and then waterstart. There may still be some whitewater to deal with, so watch for the whitewater and body drag away from it if necessary.
7. Get out the back - You have now waterstarted, but there are still more breaking waves. Get on plane as quickly as possible and avoid the white water. Watch the waves coming toward you, and either head upwind or downwind to avoid the white water. You have a better chance making it out the back if you avoid the white water. White water has a lot of air in it and your fin can slide out from under you because there is not much grip in all that air. If you cannot get on plane right away then still try to avoid whitewater and breaking waves. However, there will be some cases when you cannot avoid the breaking waves. When this happens make sure your front foot is pretty far forward. When the breaking waves comes rock your weight back onto the back foot to get the board over the whitewater, then immediately shift your weight onto the front foot while tipping the sail forward at the same time. Practice this transfer of weight and you will make it over all the breaking waves without falling in.
What if the wind is over 30mph? Follow the same procedure above with the following adjustments:
1. Pick your launch spot more carefully - At most beaches there is usually one spot where it is easier to get out through the shore break than on the rest of the beach. Search for that spot or ask one of the locals where it is easiest to make it through the shore break.
2. Rig big enough - When the wind gets stronger the lulls/holes can sometimes become more of a problem. You don't want to stall in the middle of the impact zone, so make sure you rig big enough to make it through the lulls and out the back.
3. Be patient - Sometimes you have to wait a bit before you can set the board in the water or before you waterstart. Waves generally come in sets and there is usually a brief break when you can sneak out more easily. Be patient.
4. Pay the price - As with all aspects of windsurfing, practice makes perfect. You are going to get crushed a few times. It is just the price you have to pay in order to ride 30mph+ winds and AWESOME waves. Sometimes there is a huge lull that you can do nothing about except pay the price. Accept it. I still mess up from time to time and get smacked down. It makes me appreciate mother nature more.
6. Waterstart - Now that you are chest deep wait for a break between waves and then waterstart. There may still be some whitewater to deal with, so watch for the whitewater and body drag away from it if necessary.
7. Get out the back - You have now waterstarted, but there are still more breaking waves. Get on plane as quickly as possible and avoid the white water. Watch the waves coming toward you, and either head upwind or downwind to avoid the white water. You have a better chance making it out the back if you avoid the white water. White water has a lot of air in it and your fin can slide out from under you because there is not much grip in all that air. If you cannot get on plane right away then still try to avoid whitewater and breaking waves. However, there will be some cases when you cannot avoid the breaking waves. When this happens make sure your front foot is pretty far forward. When the breaking waves comes rock your weight back onto the back foot to get the board over the whitewater, then immediately shift your weight onto the front foot while tipping the sail forward at the same time. Practice this transfer of weight and you will make it over all the breaking waves without falling in.
What if the wind is over 30mph? Follow the same procedure above with the following adjustments:
1. Pick your launch spot more carefully - At most beaches there is usually one spot where it is easier to get out through the shore break than on the rest of the beach. Search for that spot or ask one of the locals where it is easiest to make it through the shore break.
2. Rig big enough - When the wind gets stronger the lulls/holes can sometimes become more of a problem. You don't want to stall in the middle of the impact zone, so make sure you rig big enough to make it through the lulls and out the back.
3. Be patient - Sometimes you have to wait a bit before you can set the board in the water or before you waterstart. Waves generally come in sets and there is usually a brief break when you can sneak out more easily. Be patient.
4. Pay the price - As with all aspects of windsurfing, practice makes perfect. You are going to get crushed a few times. It is just the price you have to pay in order to ride 30mph+ winds and AWESOME waves. Sometimes there is a huge lull that you can do nothing about except pay the price. Accept it. I still mess up from time to time and get smacked down. It makes me appreciate mother nature more.
Getting Out Of The Water: There is also a technique for getting out of the water without getting crunched by breaking waves.
1. Stay on the back of the wave you intend to land on - As you get close to shore get out of the harness and watch the wave very carefully that is breaking closest to the sand beach. You want to land on the back of one of those waves. You don't want to be in front of it. Time it so that you stay on the back of the last wave until it breaks on the sand, and then step off the board. 2. Drive the board up onto the sand - Now you basically want to do the reverse of what you did when driving the board through the waves to get out. Put your upwind hand on the mast and your downwind hand on the boom between the harness line and the mast. Now push your board onto the sand while controlling the nose of the board. Drive forward with the legs. 3. Walk out of the water forwards, not backwards - Just like getting into the water, get out of the water walking forward, not backwards. Let the sail down on your downwind side, grab the boom between the harness line and mast with the downwind hand, and grab the footstrap farthest from you with the upwind hand. Walk forward and set your gear on the beach. Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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