WindSUP

 

Windsup is the ideal solution for those undemanding users and families who want to experience a little bit of windsurfing and a little bit of SUP, but at the same time you do not have the wish/ desire/opportunity to invest too much time and money in buying specific boards that are appropriate for one discipline only.

 

Windsup is basically for those of you who want a to do some SUP in the morning and in the afternoon when a light breeze pops up set the sail up and sail without paddle. Windsup is ideal for families where mommy wants to do yoga on the water at sunrise, while daddy like to do some windsurfing in the afternoon. Or for kids who want to go supping the sea for a while and later do some windsurfing. Windsup is also suitable for learning and doing the first steps in the world of windsurfing because of its length, width, volume and stability.

                                                            

 

Windsup is also ideal for those more advanced users for a variety of one-day water trips where you want to experience as much as possible while avoiding loading a lot of equipment. If you are going on a one-day trip to nearest lake with your family, windsup is an ideal option. If there is no wind, you will be able to SUP, if there is a little breeze you will be able to add a sail and take a recreational ride. At the same time, the board is big enough and stable enough to carry a child, your better half or a dog friend in addition to you.

 

Inflatable windsup boards are also most useful in this case as they can be put in a convenient backpack and do not take up much space in your basement or a car. For those who travel a lot and are limited in luggage or have trouble storing large boards at home, an inflatable windsup is the perfect solution. In fact, this is also an ideal solution for those of you who have the space to store large boards, since inflatable boards are much simpler and less difficult to transport. In terms of driving characteristics, they also do not deviate so much from hard boards. More advanced and experienced users would probably notice the difference, but depending on the way they are used, these differences are negligible.

 

Windsup is basically an all around SUP, which is suitable for all recreational and average users who do not need top-of-the-line driving characteristics for races, waves, downwind cruises and similar situations. Windsup differs from the ordinary (all around) SUP only in that it has a metal insert in the centre of the board where you can screw the joint.

 

                                                                                                              

 

In addition to the hole with the insert, windsup itself is no different from a regular SUP board. As a result, it is perfectly comparable to ordinary SUP boards of the same quality in driving characteristics.

 

It is recommended that you always remove the baseplate from the windsup board when you use it as a SUP. In case of loss of balance and fall on the baseplate you may suffer unnecessary injury.

 

Those who want to use windsup for windsurfing we will divide in three different groups of users. For two groups, windsup is a great solution, but for the third one it is not the best one.

 

Older kids, teens, adults who already know the basics of windsurfing: Windsup in combination with the sail (rig), will give you everything you need to have a relaxed ride over the bay and enjoy the time on sun, water and wind. Windsup boards are made for undemanding users and this means that more advanced windsurfing manoeuvres are difficult (or even for some impossible) to be learned on. You will be able to advance in windsurfing knowledge only until certain point. For more advanced windsurfing use you will need to get yourself a suitable windsurf board. Windsup board is big enough to allow you to make the first steps into the world of planning.

                                                             

Older kids, teens, and adult beginners: Windsup is big and stable enough to quickly learn the basics of windsurfing. We recommend the use of a sail larger than 2.5 m2. Otherwise the size of the sail in comparison to the board size is too much in favour of the board, which will make it very difficult for sail to force windsup to make the turn.

Younger children beginners: If you put your 7 year old kid with a 1.5 m2 sail on the windsup board, you will be disappointed as he will only be able to sail forward and not be able to turn. You will try it yourself and find that it is not working either. The reason is the ratio of the size of the sail to the size of windsup. This means that the force of the sail is too small to force the board to change direction. Windsup in combination with a sail is only suitable if you have a sail bigger than 2.5 - 3 m2.

In addition to windsup and sail (the whole rig), you need additionally a baseplate for windsurfing. You can use a power/boge, or a tendon joint, from which it is only necessary to unscrew the nut and screw the joint into the metal insert on the windsup board. The area around the metal insert for baseplate on windsup board is reinforced. In moderate use it is almost impossible to rip the baseplate out of the windsup board.

 

Which baseplate to use: In combination with windsup boards, we recommend the use of cardan joints, which have a folding part made of two separate parts. Due to this reason, the area on the board where the joint is screwed in, is relieved of all forces when the sail is in the water.

                                                             

Windsup, as a SUP, will suit your needs virtually forever if you are:

- the average user who is not looking for superior performance,

- you use SUP mostly during holidays or for a daytrip to the water,

- used by the whole family,

- your main objective is to move from point A to point B only for recreation,

- you do not intend to enter SUP races or more demanding cruises.

 

For 9 out of 10 users, all-around SUP (windsup) is a perfect option and meets all the requirements of the user.

 

- If you are a beginner and only windsurf during the summer holidays, without windsurfing on particularly windy spots, your knowledge of windsurfing will not exceed the capabilities offered by windsup for at least 3 years (of course, it all depends on the individual's progress, talent for windsurf and desire for progress). If you will make a fast progress in windsurfing and want to improve even more, you will need a specific windsurf board. For undemanding users, windsup will be suitable "forever." 

- Your main goal when you put the sail on windsup is to “just move on the water.” Windsup is in this case the ideal solution for you!

- If you are windsurfing on locations where the wind blows up to an average of 10 knots.

- If you travel a lot and/or have the problems of storing large hardboards.

If you decide for windsup you are not limited to just one shape. There are both allround windsup boards as well as tourer windsup boards. Some have the option of mounting an additional central fin, which further increases the stability of the board itself and improves up-wind sailing. There are also different volumes.

                                     
                     All around windsup                                               Tourer windsup                                                       Backside on the windsup with central fin option  

 

- Can I plane with a windsup? This is also possible with strong enough wind, but windsup itself is basically not intended for such windsurfing.

 

- What is the level of knowledge of windsurfing when it is no longer possible to advance more while using windsup? If you master trapeze sailing and know how to make a down-wind and up-wind turn (all this can be perfected on a windsup), the next stage is beach start and planning in straps. Beach start as a lighter form of water start is easy to learn on windsup - even easier because of the stability of the windsup. Planning in straps with windsup is not possible because windsup does not yet have the option to install them. If you are already starting to planning a little on windsup, then the progress is much easier with just the right windsurf board. So, when you are on that stage that you want to plan, make a water start and some more challenging turns, it's time to swap windsup for the right windsurf board. When you are progressing on this level of knowledge, the wind range is also bigger and you start windsurfing in a bit stronger winds (lets say 15 knots or more) and even smaller waves. Driving in such conditions is easier, more manageable and safer on a windsurf board rather than on a windsup.