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newsgroups:
rec.windsurfing
subject: how
to use landsailer on ice
date: Thu, 09 Dec 1999 14:36:10 GMT
from: rds Firma: rds Foren: rec.windsurfing
freewind@connection.com
Charles has it right.
It is much easier to teach someone to windsurf on smooth ice than on water
(or on land). I have seen people (with no prior sailing experience of
any kind) sail across a large lake and return back to the starting point
- after less than 15 minutes of instruction. Try that on the water.
There are several reasons for this:
- Only a small
sail is needed to go fast because there is little drag on the runners.
- The associated
sail forces on the sailor are also small (so you seldom get overpowered).
- With (nearly)
frictionless runners there is little tendency to get slammed because
the board accelerates easily in response to a gust.
- If you do fall,
you simply slide. At speeds less than 100 mph, sliding on ice seldom
damages you or your equipment. This is not the case for land sailing
where sliding on concrete chews up your body and your equipment big
time. You still need good pads (knee, elbow, butt, head) to protect
yourself from the fall but it is no worse than falling off a stationary
skateboard onto concrete. Sliding on the ice does no additional damage
- unless of course you hit someone else or a stationary object like
a house at high speed. As long as you sail by yourself in large open
areas, hitting other people or stationary objects should not be a problem.
Don't park your car in the middle of the lake because sooner or later
you will run into it.
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