Tips & Tricks

The great thing about the Windsurfer is its simplicity.

Even so there are a few things to do that will enhance your enjoyment of the board.

Spending a little time in the set-up, preparation and maintenance will make sure you get the best performance and long life out of your gear.

Setup

Initial Setup
Get your new baby sorted out of the box.

A comprehensive guide on how to assemble your LT for the first time.

Centreboard Optimisation

Making sure your centreboard rotates well is a must for the social sailor and racer alike.
Taking some time with the setup, gasket condition and lubrication makes all the difference.
Centreboard Pivot Point / Cassette Flip
Did you know there are two ways to setup your LT centreboard?

Have a look at the difference between the 'slot' and the 'pivot' - why you might consider each, and how to do the 'flip' if you want to.
Trim Gasket
Your gaskets are important. 
If they overlap they can stick and jam the up & down of the centreboard.

Here you see how to trim your gasket to make sure there is not excess overlap.
Remove Gasket
If you have torn or lost your gasket you need to remove it without damaging your board.

The process is easy if you know how to do it.
Replace Gasket
So your ready to fit your new gasket - looks simple (and it is) but follow the masters advice.
Important to replace the black patch once complete as well.

PS: make sure the track is clean - we mean clean - not one spec of sand or...
Lubricate Gasket
Just a little bit of prep work before each sail will keep your centreboard moving easily.

Use a food grade silicone spray, or try Amorall or McLube as a lubricant for your gasket and centreboard.

30 sec - 1 minute each time will make a huge difference.

Racing Tips & Tuning

Ready to race? Looks simple enough eh?
The big challenge is to get the most out of one sail size in all conditions - mast base position ?, rig setup?, technique?

Get some more advanced advice from some of the World's best...
(By the way they are based right here in Oz - the Australian fleet is red hot!)
LT Setup & Tuning
Watch a recorded clinic conducted by 2019 overall men's World Champion Nick Bez takes a comprehensive look at how he sets up his gear and then onto technique and ideas for getting the most out of your equipment.

For those new to the Class also some good coverage of how events are scored and the types of races conducted.

It's long (over two hours) but well worth a watch:
Intro, Class & Racing                   0.00 – 24.46
Preparation                                  24.50 – 1:02.50
Board & Rig setup                       1.03 – 1.46.25
On Water – Technique                 1.46.30 – 2.13.30
Summary – Key Learning’s          2.13.38 – 2.17.00

You can also download the clinic as a .pdf (which has embedded links to the various videos as well)
2022 National Champions - Q&A
This Super Clinic was conducted at the 2022 Australian Championships.

Listen to sailor questions and the responses of each of the course racing champions:

Sarah Kenny - Female
Paul Ivshenko - Light
Michael Lancey - Medium
Nick Bez - Heavy
Matty Whitnall - Super Heavy
LT - One Page Guides
Want the short version?
Here are some summary thoughts from various top LT sailors:

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