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| Do what you can to avoid this transportation from the shore |
I am alive. I can walk and talk. And I am very happy about that. But I have had some terrible close calls. My worst sporting accident was when I landed on my head after 50 meter free fall snowboarding in 70 km/h seven years ago. It took me over 8 months to get back to fulltime work. I am still not fully recovered from that brain concussion. During the last three years doing speed surfing, I have broken the nose, three eardrums and a rib-bone, a few fingers and some minor things...
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| A lycra over the vest, keep the things in places |
But I could have been dead. Blinded by low sun, racing downwind with 32 knots straight into a 5 cm shallow reef at Soma Bay. The impact was very hard on the back, the neck and the head. But thanks to the helmet and the neoprene-vest, I was fully recovered after only a few days. My advice for every serious speedsurfer. ALWAYS use the helmet, and always wear a vest. Even in low wind. If you use weights, do not carry them too high on the back, because that could give you a serious whiplash, like Anders Bringdal had at Fuerteventura. I have also seen a bad feet and ankles accident. Therefore I don’t use bigger straps than necessary. We are not into wave jumping! I want the feet to get out of the straps when falling. Not breaking them. And when I´m sailing alone, which happens quite often, I wear a cheap mobile phone in the aquapac.
Remember, wearing a helmet is cool.
That signals that you have something to protect!
Yep, indeed.
ReplyDeleteWhen I'm switching to 6.2 or 5.4m², my nutcase helmet is also comming out of the car.
In the Netherlands a helmet is more and more accepted between the speedsurfers and that is really a good point, because if you look at the risks when speeding at Herkingen or with +100 people at Strand Horst...
Anders another good article. Yes windsurfing allows the rider to take risks BIG RISKS, and don't forget the possible drama that could happen. Not only for yourself but also family, friends, other speeders present.
ReplyDeleteProtection and safety is very very important. I don't leave shore without a good PLAN B, when things go wrong.
5cm water is hard, yeah I know (experienced it the first time speedsurfing on open water with tide)
Cheers for the article, I am learning at the moment and had a couple of wipeouts at 30knots.
ReplyDeleteHow big do you have your straps? I am experimenting with mine at the moment. I used to like to be able to twist my feet a bit so had them wider for just cruising but have found this makes it less comfy especially slogging back upwind.
Should I have my back strap tighter then the front?