Windsurfing lessons

Beginner (L1) Lessons

Prerequisites: None

The aim of this class is to get you out on the water ASAP.  Learn basic handling of equipment, self-rescue and the mechanics of moving across the water on a board. Get ready to get wet, swim, carry, launch and maneuver equipment in the water while you learn:

• How to read conditions
• Safety precautions and obstacles
• Launch and land safely
• Safe storage, selection, management and care of equipment
• Uphauling and getting going
• Steering, points of sail, right of way
• Turning (tacking)
• Self-rescue

For you to pass the course, and become L1 certified for our beginner equipment, your instructor must feel confident in your ability to:

• Take proper care of the equipment in a safe manner
• Know club procedures and policies including beginner windsurfing zone, maximum wind speeds for beginner windsurfing, and signing out and returning gear at Jericho.
• Read the wind and currents and be able to self-rescue back to shore at any point.
• Safely launch and show awareness of your surroundings on the water, avoid obstacles and stay within the 5kt zone at all times.

Intermediate (L2) Lessons

Prerequisites: 10 times on the water after Beginner Windsurfing (L1)

Intermediate windsurfing lessons aim to help you sail faster, more efficiently, and to maneuver and turn confidently on the water.  This course covers:

• Gybe and (review of) tack.
• Selecting appropriate windsurfing boards and sails for the conditions.
• Club procedures and policies including intermediate windsurfing zone, maximum wind speeds for intermediate windsurfing, signing out, managing, and returning gear at Jericho.
• Using the harness (saves your arms).
• Beach start (helps prepare you to learn water starts).

To pass the course, and become L2 certified for our intermediate equipment, your instructor must feel confident in your ability to do the following:

• Take proper care of the lighter and more delicate intermediate equipment in a safe manner.
• Know right-of-way, show awareness of your surroundings on the water, avoid obstacles and stay within the intermediate area (orange buoys).
• Select appropriate gear for the conditions.
• Be able to self-rescue back to shore at any point.

For you to pass this course, your instructor must see that you can demonstrate all of the above and they must feel confident that you can safely launch and return to shore at Jericho.

High Wind (L3) Lessons

Prerequisites: Intermediate Windsurfing (L2)

These classes provide the unique opportunity to learn windsurfing techniques in "high wind" conditions above 12-15 knots. Planing is an incredible feeling, like you’re riding a motorcycle without a noisy engine across the water!

This course will cover these advanced skills:

• Planing
• Water starts
• Detailed rigging and fine-tuning of the windsurfing kit
• Getting into the footstraps

Due to the lower wind conditions at Jericho, high wind lessons usually involve a day trip to a location where winds are stronger.

The high wind class is organized depending on demand and is not scheduled in our lessons calendar. If interested, contact us at windsurfinginstructor@ubcsailing.org. A high wind class once there are enough L2 certified members interested, and we get a good combination of weather, schedules and suitable location.

After passing this course, and becoming L3 certified, members may borrow the high wind gear to windsurf at other destinations such as Porteau Cove, Squamish, Nitinaht Lake, Harrison Lake, or Hood River.

Couchsurfing Playlists

Try the other kind of couchsurfing and learn windsurfing at home while you enjoy videos curated by our instructors.