The Instagram dream of windsurfing, kiting, or foiling from a cruising yacht into a perfect 20 knots of wind sounds like Nirvana. But if you’ve ever actually tried it, you know it’s not quite as straightforward as it seems.

Boats, heavy foil components, and massive windsurf rigs do not naturally mix. Launching a 120-litre slalom board or a kite off the stern of a swinging 45-foot yacht is a logistical challenge. If you want to seamlessly blend cruising with high-wind watersports, you just need a good system. Without one, you risk kinking your sails, denting your deck, or finding yourself drifting downwind of your only way home.

Here is how we make the dream actually work at All Winds.

1. Location and The Anchor Trust Factor

You can’t just drop the hook anywhere the wind is blowing. You really need one of two setups:

• The Beachside Marina: The easiest option. Find a marina physically right next to a launch beach. The yacht is safely tied up, there are no dinghy logistics, and you just walk the gear over. Good examples of this setup are Maccinaggio in Corsica, San Vincenzo and Cecina in Tuscany or Vieste in Appulia.
• The Protected but Windy Anchorage: It sounds like a contradiction, but that is exactly what us wind junkies are looking for! If you want to launch directly from the boat, look for a headland, land spit, or lagoon where the anchorage is protected from the sea swell (so the boat isn’t rolling violently, the chop is flattened and you won’t have shock loads on your anchor), but clean wind still blows across the water. Pantera on Dugi Otok in Croatia during the off-season is perfect for this, as is Vasiliki in Greece.

Apps like Windy can be great for this. By zooming in, you can actually see the topography of the area you are looking at and with the different model comparisons it’s possible to get a good idea of what you can expect along with swell and how it might affect your chosen anchorage.

The Anchor Reality Check: Do not underestimate the risk of leaving your yacht unattended in high winds. If you are on a charter boat with questionable ground tackle, do not leave the boat to its own devices in 25+ knots of wind. Launching directly from the boat requires absolute trust in your anchor. If you don’t have that trust, head to a marina. (18 to 20 knots is enough for most wind sports, and for a decent anchor with a good amount of chain out and a snubber, it is manageable. Don’t go in stronger winds until you have your system dialled in at 15 to 20 knots! Remember, when the wind speed doubles, the wind resistance quadruples and the sea state will start shock loading your anchor!)

2. The Tetris Game: Storing Gear

You have to be creative—and careful—about storage.

• Kitesurfing: Easily the most boat-friendly. Most kite gear is highly compressible and fits easily into a standard cockpit locker or a spare cabin.
• Wing Foiling: Small wing boards might fit in a deep locker or be tied securely in the dinghy on deck. However, foil components are heavy hazards. While carbon is sharp, aluminium foil masts and fuselages are incredibly dense. Dropping an aluminium fuselage will instantly crack your gelcoat. They need dedicated, padded protection.
• Windsurfing: This is the biggest logistical challenge. Small wave boards (<100L) can usually be manoeuvred below deck. Larger gear, like a 120-litre slalom board, simply won’t fit down a companionway. Unless you have a catamaran with a trampoline, large boards must go on deck—usually in heavy-duty quiver bags strapped securely to the guardrails, rigged so they cannot be washed overboard or damage the stanchions.

3. The Swim Platform Setup

Rigging on grass is easy. Rigging on the back of a boat requires the right boat geometry, good technique and a solid system. The ideal setup is an open rear cockpit with a large, flat, fold-down swim platform. (Note: On a very large yacht of 50+ feet, you can sometimes rig on the foredeck. But on a typical 40-foot cruiser, you will be fighting the mast, shrouds, and anchor windlass.)

• Winging: Modern swim platforms are great for inflating wings and assembling foils. Just keep an eye on your hardware—dropping a foil screw through the teak deck grating into the ocean ruins your session before it begins.
• Windsurfing (The In-Water Trick): Rigging larger sails on the back of a boat requires care to avoid kinking the monofilm. Keep the sail rolled up as you carefully slide the mast up. Crucially, ensure the two-piece mast is pushed completely together at the ferrule. If there is a gap, the mast will snap the second you apply downhaul tension. Once the mast is secure, drop the rig into the water. Sit on the swim platform, tension the downhaul while the sail is floating alongside, attach the boom, connect the board, and start directly from the stern.
• Kitesurfing: Ideally, take the dinghy to the beach to rig. If you have to prep on the boat, you can carefully walk the lines up the side deck, around the forestay, and back down to untangle them, or you can float the bar downwind in the water to separate the lines.

4. Launching and Landing

Because the boat is anchored facing directly into the wind, the hull, sprayhood, and bimini create a massive dead zone of turbulent air directly behind the swim platform.

• The Launch: You cannot launch a kite directly behind the boat. You have to drift the lines and the kite well out to the side, completely clear of the wind shadow. If you are windsurfing on a low-volume sinker board, attempting a beach start directly off the swim platform is tricky—you’ll have zero wind power in your sail until you drift backwards and clear the stern.
• Getting Back Aboard: Approaching a fibreglass yacht in 25 knots of wind can be intimidating. Slow right down as you approach the transom and drop the sail, kite, or wing just as you make contact. Alternatively, if you want a softer target, tie a floating line to a fender and trail it 10 to 15 meters off the stern. Aim for the fender, grab the line, drop your gear, and pull yourself in.

5. The Golden Rule: Stay Upwind

When you launch from a beach, you can afford to do the “walk of shame” downwind. When you launch from a boat, downwind might be the far side of a shallow lagoon, a rocky lee shore, or the open ocean. Always stay upwind of the boat. If the wind suddenly drops or you break gear, you must be able to drift or slowly paddle downwind back to your own swim platform.

6. The Dinghy Rescue

Having the dinghy ready is a good idea, but try to rescue someone against 20+ knots of wind in a tiny inflatable dinghy with a 2.2HP outboard, and you’ll quickly realise its limits. Here is the reality of most charter tenders: those little outboards usually don’t have a neutral gear (the prop just stops at idle), and they definitely don’t have reverse. Combine that with a flat-bottomed dinghy that blows across the water like a leaf, and they are actually way more difficult to manoeuvre in a blow than a proper RIB with a 10HP engine.

If a rescue is necessary:

• Always approach a person in the water from downwind.
• Keep the propeller away from the person and the gear. Since you likely don’t have a true neutral, hit the kill switch before trying to make physical contact.
• If you are picking up a kiter, pull the lines aboard before restarting the outboard so you don’t stall the engine when you need it most.

7. “Skipper” Off the Boat

While you might often do this in calm conditions to go for a walk, a coffee or dinner ashore, doing this to go and do some windsports is by its nature a different kettle of fish. Conditions that allow for good windsports automatically put extra stress on your ground tackle by their nature. If you are the legally designated skipper, remember: you are still the skipper, even if you are a mile away strapped to your kite. While the rest of the crew might enjoy watching the session, if there is any doubt in your mind about the boat dragging its anchor, you need to stay close enough to act immediately, or simply skip the session.

8. The Pack-Down

The fastest way to ruin a cruising yacht’s interior is to drag wet, sandy gear down the companionway. But here is the biggest misconception: Do not waste your precious freshwater budget rinsing your sails and kites. Fresh water packed away in a dark locker breeds mildew; salt water does not. If your gear is used regularly in salt water, it doesn’t need a fresh rinse.

• The Real Enemy is Sand: Sand scratches carbon, monofilm, and gelcoat. Give your gear a quick wash in the ocean to get the sand off before bringing it aboard.
• Zip Maintenance: Make sure there is no heavy salt residue jamming your board bag zippers. Keep them clean and well-lubricated.
• Let everything air-dry in the cockpit before it gets packed away.

We don’t like to leave gear tied to the stern of the boat overnight; it’s a prop wrap waiting to happen if the anchor drags overnight or you have to move for some unforeseen reason. Derig and store the gear when you’re finished to reduce the risk of something going pear-shaped overnight.

The Payoff

Blending windsports with cruising isn’t always easy, and the logistics are rarely as glamorous as the social media reels make them look. It requires discipline, good storage planning, and absolute trust in your ground tackle.

But when you get the system right—when you drop the hook in a perfectly protected bay, rig your gear without a hitch, and step off your own swim platform into 25 knots of clean wind miles away from the crowded beaches—there is absolutely nothing else like it in the world. It is the ultimate freedom.

At All Winds Adventures, we don’t just teach you how to pass a sailing exam; we teach you how to actually use your boat as a base camp for the sports you love. If you want to dial in your boat-handling and safety protocols to manage these kinds of sessions, join us for a Take the Helm Skipper Coaching Week in Croatia. Or, if you just want to show up, step on a board, and let a professional worry about the anchor, book a Private Charter with us this season.

Leave the “always” and “never” at the dock, pack your gear, and let’s go find some wind. If you require some equipment for Windsurfing. Kiting or Winging then get in touch, we are suppliers for North, Naish, Slingshot, and much more.

The post Windsurfing, Kiting, and Foiling from a Cruising Yacht: Reality vs. Instagram appeared first on All Winds Adventures.

The tides are the breath of the ocean; understanding them is about more than just knowing when high water is; it’s about efficiency, safety, and making sure you always have water under your keel. For sailors used to the steady levels of Lake Zurich, Lake Zug or Lake Geneva, the massive tidal ranges of the Atlantic can be a shock. Understanding tides is one of the single biggest steps in converting your lake skills into offshore competence.

For those who want a refresher—or if you missed our recent talk on tides—here is a summary of the key concepts we covered.

Why Tides Matter

Tides affect us in two ways: vertically (height) and horizontally (stream/current).

• The Positive: They provide “free horsepower” when the stream is with you and allow access to shallow harbours at high water.
• The Negative: They can leave you high and dry if you miscalculate, slow you down if you fight the current, or create dangerous sea states like “wind-over-tide”.

What Causes Tides? (The Earth, Moon & Sun)

Tides are essentially a tug of war between the Earth, Moon, and Sun.

• The Primary Driver: The Moon has the biggest influence because it is closer to Earth. Gravity pulls the water into a “bulge” on the side facing the Moon, and then pulls the Earth into this bulge, leaving a corresponding high-tide bulge on the far side of the planet.
• The Sun’s Role: While less powerful than the Moon regarding tides, the Sun reinforces or counteracts the Moon’s pull depending on their alignment.

What is the difference between Spring and Neap Tides?

Understanding the phase of the moon is your first step in predicting the tidal range.

• Spring Tides (Big Range): Occur at New Moon & Full Moon. The Sun, Moon, and Earth line up, combining their gravity to create higher highs and lower lows.
• Neap Tides (Small Range): Occur at the Quarter Moons. The Sun and Moon are at 90° to each other, partially cancelling out their forces. This results in lower high tides and higher low tides.

Tide Tables

Tide Tables are published by most ports (or can be looked up online) and contain the information of High and Low Water and the tidal heights of both High and Low Water. Be careful with the times as they are usually in the local times and do not adjust for “summer time”. In the summertime, you may have to add an hour to get the correct time.

Navigation Essentials: Height & Depth

When planning a passage, remember that charts use Chart Datum (CD), which is usually the Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT)—the lowest the tide is predicted to fall under average conditions.

• The Formula: Actual Depth = Charted Depth + Height of Tide.
• Drying Heights: Watch out for underlined numbers on the chart; these are rocks or banks that dry out at LAT.

Glossary of Essential Tidal Terms

• LAT: Lowest Astronomical Tide (lowest possible tide under normal meteorological conditions)
• Chart Datum: Depth of Water (or Drying Heights) at LAT.
• MHWS/MLWS: Mean High/Low Water Springs
• MHWN/MLWN: Mean High/Low Water Neaps
• Spring Range (average): Is the range between MHWS and MLWS
• Neap Range (average): Is the range between MHWN and MLWN
• Depth of Water: Tidal height + Depth Below Chart Datum or Tidal Height – Drying Height
• HAT: Highest Astronomical Tide (Highest tide possible under normal meteorological conditions. Clearing height under bridges are from HAT)
• Height of Light: Height of the light signal above MHWS

The Rule of Twelfths (How to calculate tidal heights?)

For semi-diurnal tides (like we have in Europe/Atlantic), the tide doesn’t rise at a constant speed. It follows a bell curve. To estimate the height at a specific hour, use the Rule of Twelfths:

1st Hour: Rises 1/12th of the range
2nd Hour: Rises 2/12ths of the range
3rd & 4th Hours: Rises 3/12ths (max flow)
5th Hour: Slows to 2/12ths
6th Hour: Finishes with 1/12th

Note: The Rule of Twelfths is an estimation for semi-diurnal tides and should not replace official tide tables for critical clearance

Rule of 12ths Calculator

Estimate tidal height between High and Low water.

Low Water (m)

High Water (m)

Total Tidal Range: 3.0m

Tide flows fastest during Hour 3 & 4

Tide vs. Current: Understanding Tidal Streams

Never ignore the current. Tidal streams can significantly alter your ETA and safety.

• Tidal Diamonds: Look for the magenta diamonds on your chart. These refer to a table giving you the “Set” (direction) and “Rate” (speed) of the current for each hour relative to High Water.
• Tidal Atlases: Visual guides with arrows. Thicker arrows mean stronger currents. Remember that numbers like “12, 23” on these charts often mean 1.2 knots at Neaps and 2.3 knots at Springs.

Meteorological Effects

Meteorology: Tide tables are based only on the movements of celestial bodies (astronomy). They cannot predict the weather. Real-time conditions can change the water level significantly:

• Air Pressure: High pressure pushes down on the sea surface, lowering the water level. Low pressure (depressions) allows the water to rise. A difference of 30 hectopascals can change the sea level by ~30cm (one foot).
• Wind: (Storm Surges): Strong, sustained winds blowing onshore can “pile up” water, creating higher-than-predicted tides. Conversely, offshore winds can push water away, resulting in unexpectedly low tides—a danger for shallow moorings.

Dangers to Watch For

1. Wind over Tide: When the wind blows against the tidal stream, it creates steep, choppy, and dangerous waves.
2. Tidal Races & Overfalls: Fast water squeezed around headlands or flowing over uneven seabeds can cause turbulence. Avoid these when the tide is running hard.

Summary

Safe navigation relies on understanding these cycles. Know your Moon phase (Springs vs. Neaps), check your stream (diamonds and atlases), and always ensure you have enough water under the keel (Rule of Twelfths).

Want to put this into practice or learn more? Join us on one of our activities this coming summer.

The post Sailing Tides Explained: A Guide to Springs, Neaps & Not Getting Stranded appeared first on All Winds Adventures.

Learning to Windsurf Foil has been something I’ve wanted to do for quite some time. I first discovered Windfoiling back in 2000 when I saw Rush Randle and Kevin Ozee foiling at Lower Kanaha in Maui. The rudimentary foils they were using then were often to be seen sitting in the then Neil Pryde Maui (now Adventure Sports Maui) store. But, at that time the foils were heavy and unrefined constructions far from the equipment that is available to any of us these days and not available for the general public to try at all.

Fast forward 20 years, and foiling has become available to the masses. There are a number of brands offering windsurf-specific or crossover foils, and there is more equipment coming on the market on almost a daily basis.

I first tried foiling myself in 2017 on one of the original Bic Foils. My first session was what I considered to be reasonably successful, as I managed to fly for about 200m with relative ease. A couple of months later, I tried again on an RRD Foil, which was a complete disaster with a lot of crashes and no sustained flight. Third time is the charm they say and on holidays in Cabarete, I rented a foil and got some tips from ex-PWA pro Andy Pusch which saw me getting some sustained flights by the end of the session.

Lately, with the delivery of my Smik Mongrel and Slingshot Hoverglide windsurf foil, I’ve been getting out on the water as much as possible and spending a lot of time learning to windsurf foil.

Setup

In general, you want the centre of lift of the front wing between your feet. If you are overpowered, then you can set the foil backwards (or your foot straps or mast foot forward). This reduces the lift on the foil and helps you set down if you need to. In lighter winds, setting the foil forwards (or the foot straps/mast base backwards) will help give you more lift. As a basic rule, I have found it easier to sustain height with the centre of lift of the front wing situated between my feet.

Most of the equipment on the market today has a deep Tuttle finbox, which does not allow much movement of the foil position unless your foil offers different fuselage positions (like the Slingshot). With these boards, any tuning will be down to moving the mast foot or footstraps. Some crossover boards, like the Smik Mongrel (which I am using) have tracks for a plate-mounted foil pedestal, which allows more fine-tuning possibilities.

For learning, using a shorter mast may make it less scary as you will not rise too high, and if you overfoil (go so high that the foil comes out of the water), the resulting drop when the foil loses lift is less harsh and easier to recover. Once you are comfortable, then you can move to a longer mast, which allows more room to correct if the foil starts rising too much.

A higher boom than when normal windsurfing will help you stand up a little straighter over the foil and offer more control.

Getting Going

At this point, very small movements in your body position affect the foil. Moving very slightly back will cause you to rise (and potentially overfoil), and moving forward will cause you to touch down.

Staying Up

Once on the foil initially, I found it easier to sail closer to the wind. This makes it easier to depower the sail and control speed. As the foil accelerates, it increases lift and thus turning downwind makes it feel like you will more easily overfoil and potentially get pulled over the front. Initially, practising closer to the wind than a beam reach seems to allow more control.

Once up, it’s possible to practice controlling the ride height by pushing forward gently and allowing a light touchdown, then shifting the weight back slightly to rise again. Repeat this again and again until you start to find the balance point where the foil will stay flying steadily at a reasonably constant height with only small corrections in body position.

Initially, I sailed with no back straps, which allowed me to move my back foot if necessary to help get the balance right. After successfully getting a few sustained flights under my belt, I put the back straps on and looked at tuning the foil to sit between the straps.

Downwind

I found that once I could get steady flights upwind, it was easier to unhook and keep the sail forward on extended hands as I turned downwind. Then I could push my knees and head forward if I needed to reduce lift.

With time and a bit more comfort, you can stay sheeted in, bear away and shift your hips a little further forward to help maintain ride height without over foiling.

Mistakes

One of my own most common faults I encountered was reverting to an overpowered windsurfing technique in the gusts. When I windsurf (on a wave board) as a gust hits, I tend to drop my hips, bend my knees and make myself compact to allow the board to float over the chop, accelerate and make it more difficult for the gust to pull me off my feet. With the foil doing this takes the weight off the wing, allowing it to lift and get out of control. When foiling, as the gust hits, you need to stay upright over the board and shift the weight forward to counteract the increased lift as the board accelerates in the gust. Almost like a slalom technique, but with even more pressure into the board through quite straight legs.

Foiling has given me a newfound love of windsurfing here in Switzerland. Instead of buying an 8m sail and 130l freeride board to make use of the light wind conditions we tend to get here, I replaced my wave SUP with a windSUP/Foilboard, and now I can sail in the same light winds with my existing wave sail quiver. The learning curve of foiling is becoming addictive, and I can’t wait to get back on the water again at the end of every session.

What’s next?

Now with stable flight ticked off, I’ve been working on foiling gybes and from there who knows… That’s the beauty of foiling. For someone who’s been windsurfing for more than 30 years, learning to windsurf foil is allowing me to experience my windsurfing firsts all over again. First time planning, first gybe, first jump… It’s like I’ve turned the clock back 30 years and am experiencing my youth all over again, and I can’t wait for what the future brings.

The post Learning to Windsurf Foil – First Steps appeared first on All Winds Adventures.

Everyone likes to get great holiday snaps, but sometimes it’s nice to get something a bit different. Technology advancements now mean that the kind of photographs previously only possible by professional photographers are now achievable by the average person.

The GoPole Dome is a simple product that can provide stunning photos if you are willing to take a little time and effort to figure it out. I recently purchased one before going on holiday in the hope of taking some memorable holiday snaps. The dome is a Plexiglas half sphere which mounts a GoPro camera at a distance from the Plexiglas screen. This allows you to capture over/under photographs while taking part in watersports.

Before using the dome, I did online research to try and figure out how best to utilise it. In the end, I discovered a lot of the techniques I tried based on online advice did not provide the desired results. However, with a bit of trial and error, I did get some shots I was happy with, but ultimately, there is still a lot of luck involved.

Mounting the camera, the camera clamps securely into a Frame at the back of the dome. The clamping force pushes the camera into the dome, providing a seal to ensure that no water gets into the device. I also used a GoPole Bobber floating mount to attach to the dome and make it easy to point and shoot when out in the water.

When everything is assembled, the system feels quite firm. First impressions in the water were positive, except that with lots of sunlight, it is not easy to see the screen. This is not a huge problem, as the screen is obscured by water when taking over/under pictures anyway.

A few of the tips I read online suggested trying to shoot at an angle, either up or down, to do 70/30 style images, but when we tried doing this it was almost impossible to frame the pictures in the desired way. We found it easier to do 50/50 images for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s easier to frame something either over or underwater (while still having scenery above the surface in the frame. Secondly, due to water usually not being glassy flat it was easier to salvage something out of pictures when a piece of chop washed across the dome.

Drops on the globe can be quite unwanted when shooting in rougher water or once the dome has been fully submerged at any point. We found that briefly spitting on the globe and rubbing it in and then dunking the dome in the water immediately before taking a photo created the best pictures.

Once you take pictures, you need to be quite careful not to let water into the dome, as usually there will be some dripping once the seal between the camera and the dome is broken.

We also noticed that the dome itself is quite easy to scratch. I inadvertently touched the dome with a SUP paddle so gently that I didn’t even notice doing it, and there was a quite noticeable scratch on the lens right in the frame. It’s quite important to protect the Dome. It might not be a bad idea to maybe make a water case for the dome out of an old wetsuit.

One other issue we noticed when experimenting with the dome is that when shooting side on to the sun the image can be backlit, causing a reflection of the back of the dome in the picture you take. It’s best to position yourself to shoot down the sun if at all possible when using the dome.

Summary

A great piece of equipment which compliments a GoPro, allowing you to take pictures that only a few years ago would have required some very expensive equipment to shoot. Somewhat delicate but well worth the money.

Feel free to contact us or leave a comment for further information.

The post GoPole Dome – Review appeared first on All Winds Adventures.

With a window for a holiday coming up, I tend to spend a lot of time looking at Windguru or Windy to try and figure out where the best place to go will be. In this situation, the North West of Spain (Galicia) was looking quite promising.

With that decided, it was time to get some flights and looking online, we managed to book a couple of tickets from Zurich to Santiago de Compostela at a reasonable price, flying with Vueling. It took some further phone calls to arrange our excess baggage through Vueling customer service.

Booking last-minute to follow the wind does not usually leave much time to pack. This means getting Windsurfing, Kitesurfing and SUP gear all ready to fly last minute is a bit of a challenge. How much goes in what bag, are the bags underweight? What problems will we have at check-in? All these issues lead to some stress until that moment you drop everything off at the oversized baggage counter, and the holiday can finally begin. Luckily on this trip, everything went smoothly, and before we knew it, we were picking up our rental car in Santiago de Compostela and finding our way to our first overnight stay in A Coruna.

It felt really great to walk on the beach in A Coruna and breathe in the salty air. The first evening in A Coruna was spent checking weather forecasts and deciding where to go the next day.

Galicia

To cut a long story short, we were not lucky with the conditions in Galicia. We discovered an amazing coastline with beautiful villages and a huge potential for windsurfing, but unfortunately for us, the forecasted wind never materialised. We will definitely go back again, but on this trip, we made a tactical decision after a couple of days to head south to Portugal. The Portuguese coastline benefits from the Nortada effect, which thermally accelerates any northerly airflow in the region.

Having been there once before, I knew that Viana do Castelo was not far away and benefited from the Nortada. Recently, a PWA Slalom and Freestyle event had absolutely ballistic conditions here, so it felt like a safe bet to cut our losses and head there.

Viana do Castelo

Arriving in Viana to find many kites in the sky, we immediately felt we had made the right choice. We rented a kitesurf and windsurf locker on the beach from the Viana Beach Centre and then went to get something to eat and get a good nights sleep for a promising forecast the next day.

The Town

Viana is a bustling harbour town on the north of Portugal. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants in the town, and finding something to eat for pretty much every taste is easily possible. The town is on the north side of the Limia estuary, and the beach Windsurfing/Kitesurfing area is on the southern side of the Estuary. There is one bridge to get across, but you will need a car to get around unless you leave your gear (or rent) at one of the beach centres. There is also a water taxi from the town across the estuary to the beach areas.

Conditions

As already mentioned, Viana benefits from the Nortada. If the weather is sunny, any northerly airflow will be strengthened, providing perfect cross to cross off-shore wind at the northern end of the Praia de Cabedelo. The further south on the beach you go, the more side-shore the wind gets. The wind can be a little gusty on the first day of a Nortada, but as the days go on it tends to get stronger and more consistent. In the time we were there, I was sailing 4.7 and 5.3 on my 85-litre wave board, and my Partner used everything from a 6m to a 10m kite.

As the wind gets stronger (or there is a swell running), the waves get larger the further down the beach you go. Right up by the Harbour wall, the waves are usually (depending on swell direction) somewhat smaller, and they increase in size as you travel south along the beach. This provides a great possibility for people to start out sailing wave,s and as they feel more confident, they can move further down the beach.

The shelter of the harbour wall provides really flat water (but somewhat gusty winds if you are a windsurfer) if you stay right at the north end of the beach. As you venture out past the shelter of the wall you start to get more of a rolling swell which is good for practising small jumps.

The Viana Beach Centre provides tuition in Windsurfing, Kitesurfing and Surfing, and we were pretty impressed with the set-up that they had there. There is also another water sports centre attached to the Feel Viana Hotel, a little further south on the beach. At the time of writing, we have not yet gotten to stay there (although we do plan to go back)

The Viana Beach Centre has equipment from Duotone (Kites and Windsurf Sails) and Fanatic (Windsurf Boards and SUPS). The Feel Viana centre has mainly JP and Neil Pryde equipment with Cabrinha Kites. Both locations also have surf shops where you can pick up anything you may have forgotten or broken.

Summary

Viana is great, it offers windsurfers and kitesurfers who travel together the opportunity to share time on the water. (not always easy) We really enjoyed the atmosphere (and the food) around the Beach Centre in Viana. The storage facilities were great and saved the long walk over the boardwalks with our equipment each day. It is definitely a place we plan on going back to.

Nearest Airport: Porto, Portugal, although Santiago de Compostela is also possible.

Accommodation: If you can get a room there, it’s hard to beat the location of the Feel Viana hotel. (but will be staying there in 2020) We were too last-minute to stay there and stayed instead in the Absolute Design Hotel and Hotel do Parque. (booking over booking.com last minute) Both hotels were of acceptable quality, but the Hotel do Parque was starting to look a little tired. Absolute Design Hotel is in the middle of the Town and Parking may sometimes be a problem.

Kitesurf or Windsurf: Both.

Wind/Kite Surf Schools: Viana Beach Centre or Feel Viana

Car Rental: We rented from the airport in Santiago de Compostela, and although it was further away than Porto, car rental at the time of visiting and writing did seem to be cheaper from the Spanish Airport.

Wind: Prevailing wind in Summer is the Nortada can blow 20 to 40 knots side shore from the right. With more days of strong wind or with any swell from a westerly direction, it can get quite decent waves.

The post Galicia and Portugal appeared first on All Winds Adventures.

The STX Inflatable Windsurf 280 is the board that initially introduced me to the STX brand. I first discovered the board on display in a shop and it’s simplicity, versatility and price point immediately appealed to me. I had sailed a few WindSUPs, but this board seemed like it had more to offer. On paper it seemed to be a “Jack of all trades” which could be used by beginner and intermediate windsurfers, but with straps and a release edge so that planning was also possible. I was immediately interested in the concept and contacted STX to try and get my hands on a test board.

The Board

The Board is 280cm long and has 280 litres of volume. The shape is very simple with a rounded nose and square tail and a glued on “rail” starting from approximately where you would expect the planning area to start. This rail is to help with water release assisting the board in getting onto the plane. Most inflatable boards have rounded edges which sucks into the water and prevents the board from releasing.

The STX features two fin boxes in the rear of the board and one centre fin in the middle. The centre fin is removable for planning conditions in the hands of more advanced riders. All three fin boxes protrude from the base of the board which does increase drag and there is a little flex in the rear fins when loaded laterally at higher speeds. The rear fin boxes are US slot boxes with a screw fin system and the centre box uses a slide in fin with a clip similar to what is found on the other STX Stand Up Paddle Boards.

The mast base is a single threaded hole in the board and STX recommend that you use a “cardan” (hinged) mastfoot with this board to reduce loads which could potentially pull the mast base out of the board. The mast foot thread is covered with a sticker saying “recreational use only” when you first unpack the board.

Unpacking

The STX 280 Windsurf comes in the same bag as all STX inflatable SUPs. In the bag there is the same high quality pump supplied with all STX boards (The deflate function comes in handy with this model), three fins and the repair kit. The 280 Windsurf does not come with a paddle.

When first unrolling the board it is worthwhile remembering how it was folded up and packed in the bag as with the extra fin box it is not necessarily obvious how to best fold the board to pack it away at the end of the session.

With the supplied pump the STX Windsurf board pumps in under 10 minutes. The board feels quite hard and stiff for an inflatable board when on the water with 15 psi of pressure. The valve on the board states that it can take up to 20 psi, but I am not aware of how this might affect your warranty.

On the Water

Advanced Sailor

For a more advanced sailor the board definitely feels different to a hard board. But it would be unfair to compare a 899CHF inflatable windsurf board to a 2000CHF+ Carbon board. At 80kg I could feel a very slight give in the deck which felt similar to how a slightly delaminated hard board might feel.

The volume is immediately evident and if you are used to sailing smaller boards it does take a moment to get used to this. But, bearing away in about 18 knots of wind the board started to rise onto the plane as you would expect with just a little extra drag compared to a hard board. Once planing you do feel a little drag from the external fin boxes but the board does release to give a proper sensation of windsurfing. I managed to get almost 20 knots out of the board which was not much slower than the speed I was going on my wave board in the same conditions.

The volume makes the board very stable off the plane and normal low speed maneuvers like tacking and gybing are very easy on this board. Due to the good quality deckpad which provides considerable grip the board is ideal for practicing any manouvers you might want to learn in lighter winds. Once planing foot steering works, but the board is quite challenging to plane through a gybe preferring a flarve technique of foot steering in and flaring the board out.

Beginners

The high volume of the STX along with the soft edges and good deck pad lend it to being an ideal beginner/intermediate board. I’ve thought beginners up to 100kg on the STX over the summer of 2019 and it has proven to be a very dependable board for those taking their first steps.

The relatively short length and centre fin make the board very maneuverable and with flat water conditions most beginners can learn and progress quickly. The stable platform allows total beginners to concentrate on learning how to handle the sail and progressing sailors can use this stability to think about their technique rather than just trying to stay on the board.

I would go as far as to say that this is possibly one of the boards that I have had most success with in teaching beginner and intermediate windsurfers.

SUP

While developed primarily as a Windsurf board, the 280 Windsurf also works quite well as a Stand Up Paddle board. At 9’2″ the board is shorter than most other inflatables, but offers great stability and maneuverability at the cost of a very slight reduction in gliding ability. When paddling with someone else on a 10’6″ inflatable I did not really feel disadvantaged, but the board did feel like it needed just a tiny bit more energy over a standard SUP. The only thing missing (in my opinion) for using the 280 Windsurf as a SUP board would be some bungee cord on the nose to allow carrying a drybag along when going for a paddle.

Some taller or heavier people I’ve had out to try out a range of SUPs actually choose the STX Windsurf board as their SUP of choice, due to it’s stability. So, the STX 280 Windsurf can definitely also be used as a SUP board if you are so inclined (paddle sold separately)

Packing Up

Packing was probably the most challenging element of using the STX 280 Windsurf, but with a little practice this can also be mastered. Due to the box for the centre fin the board can not be simply rolled up like other iSUPs. The board first needs to be folded from the nose to about half way along it’s length, then the tail needs to be folded over the back of the fin boxes and the board folded from the tail to meet the section which has been folded from the nose. Using this method ensures that the board can fit easily in the bag despite the extra fin box. Using the deflate function on the supplied pump to remove all the air from the board definitely makes folding the board easier.

Summary

The STX 280 Windsurf is a great value for money board for a family who would like one board to do it all for Stand Up Paddle or Windsurfing. The ability to store the board in it’s backpack greatly helps with storage and transport. For those who already windsurf at a higher level the board is a great toy for lighter winds in the summer or to teach your family and friends to the sport. If like me you are generally sailing in higher winds on small wave boards the STX can be a great compliment and allow you to get out and play in the summer on days when you would otherwise sit on the beach.

Availability

The board is available in Switzerland through Swiss Alpine Adventure/Wannabe Watersports. Use the contact link to contact us.

The post STX Inflatable Windsurf 280 – Review appeared first on All Winds Adventures.

Living in Switzerland, I have long been looking for a “go-to” spot for windsurfing. I’d been to Corsica and had a few sessions there, but for some reason, it just didn’t quite gel with me (yet). Then, a few years ago I saw a photograph on social media of ex wave world champion – Kauli Seadi boosting an aerial over a huge section of a perfect starboard tack down the line reef break. Thinking this must be somewhere like the Mentawais I was surprised to find out that it was in fact Sardinia!

After a little research, I discovered the spot smack bang in the middle of Sardinia’s west coast. With a bit more time online I discovered that getting to Sardinia from Switzerland was surprisingly easy… I decided it was time to pack my car and take a road trip to find out what Sardinia is all about. I’ve now been back many times. Sardinia offers a wide variety of conditions in beautiful surroundings, with a reasonable infrastructure in a location that is surprisingly easy to get to from Central Europe

Getting There

I generally opt to drive to Sardinia for a number of reasons. It’s only a 5-hour drive (from Zurich) to Genoa, where there is an overnight ferry directly to Sardinia. If you take the ferry at 8 pm you arrive well rested in Sardinia at 8 am the next morning. After boarding the ferry, there is time to eat something, get a good night’s sleep and wake up the next morning ready to go. For me, that counts as only 5 hours of effective travel time to get there. There is no time lost picking up a rental car, no airport security and no long check-in lines. In general a much more relaxed travel experience. I can get off the ferry, having had a good night’s sleep and go straight to my spot of choice.

The ferries have also (so far) proved to be very uncomplicated to book. I usually book my ferry last minute to the port which is closest to where I want to sail on the first day. Porto Torres for anywhere North, West or South or Olbia for the North East.

The Island

Sardinia is an island of about 210km long and 110km wide with a coastline of 1849km and many beautiful beaches. The climate is Mediterranean, so even in winter it is reasonably mild and sitting in the middle of the Med it tends to experience most of the usual winds of the region from Mistral to Scirocco to Tramontana.

Many people think immediately of Porto Pollo when they think about wind or kitesurfing in Sardinia. While this location does benefit from strong winds funnelling through the Straits of Bonifacio, I find Porto Pollo to be overcrowded and quite clichéd. Add that to parking difficulties, attitude, crowds and the last time I was there, theft from parked cars, it is definitely a spot I tend to avoid when visiting Sardinia.

Windsurf/Kitesurf Spots

Below, I will attempt to list just a few of the potential wind and kitesurfing spots on the island. This list barely touches the surface of the spots which can be sailed on Sardinia. There are many more spots in between these locations, which, in certain conditions, would deserve a mention. The Kite and Windsurfing Guide of Europe can be a great starting point for discovering the island. But, we’ve also sailed a number of places not listed in the book and had some fun sessions.

Porto Liscia: This spot is windsurfing only but offers similar conditions to Porto Pollo, although sometimes can be less crowded. Works in Easterly and Westerly winds and in my experience, had pretty flat water.

La Maddalena: This is an island (along with Caprera) which can be reached by ferry from Palau. There are a few places on the island that can provide the possibility to launch, depending on wind direction. During high season be aware that many beaches have buoyed off swimming areas which should be respected. Having said that if you look around you may get a chance to get on the water without any crowds.

Rena Majore: Rena Majore works best in a Northerly wind after a few days of Mistral have sent waves into the bay. I’ve tried to sail here in Northwesterly winds, hoping to get enough angle to get out, but found it too onshore. It’s a beautiful beach with stunning surroundings, but difficult to get good wave conditions. In my experience, a more bump and jump location than a wave spot.

La Ciacca: This spot works best in a Westerly wind, which brings port tack side shore conditions. There are reefs on both sides of the beach which can pick up quite small waves even with just windswell. If there are any waves running, there is quite a strong current here so you should be quite sure in your launching and coming back to the same spot. Launching a kite here is difficult but not impossible. On a good day, expect to see a large number of windsurfers on the water.

Platamona: Platamona is a long beach to the east of Porto Torres. It should work quite well in easterly or westerly winds, but as soon as there is any swell running, the currents are quite strong and the wave period is very small. Getting out requires a reasonable amount of power and some good timing.

Stintino: La Pelosa beach sticks far out to the north and gets strong easterlies that do may not make it the whole way into Platamona. The wind is almost directly onshore at the launch. But, once you get into the lee of Isola Piana the water is a little flatter. If you get upwind from the beach at La Pelosa (or from the windsurf centre) you will find nice bump and jump conditions. Further out, just to the south-west of the Island, there is a small breaking wave, but the wind is directly onshore with respect to the wave.

Alghero: In a southerly wind, Alghero can become a great wave spot. The lighthouse directly out from the main beach has a reef extending off the north end. With a decent swell and a strong southerly wind, this can offer some really nice down-the-line wave riding. It works best if there is some time for the swell to become organised; otherwise, the sections are scrappy and do not link together well. But, with the right conditions, it can be a perfect down the line port tack reef break. With northwesterly winds, Alghero can also be quite a good freeride spot.

Funtana Meiga: With northerly winds, Funtana Meiga can provide really nice starboard tack side-shore conditions with some great wave riding. There is a current running which can make it difficult to get going on the way out unless you rig big. The launch is relatively small, and the coast to either side is rocky with many sea urchins so getting back to the same spot is a skill that is quite important. The wave is not super hardcore, though, so definitely a fun place to go for a wave session.

Porto Botte: Porto Botte is a nice freeride spot in Northerly or North Westerly winds. The water here is relatively sheltered from the island at St. Atioco, which keeps the waves from breaking here. When it is lighter, it is possible to go out to the northern end of the bay, where it is a little less sheltered. But, be careful if the wind is fickle! We’ve had a long swim from here when the wind suddenly dropped and veered more offshore.

Chia: Chia can be an amazing wave spot in Northerly or Southerly/Southwesterly winds. Its exposed location can make it quite dodgy though (especially in northerly winds). When it’s side offshore with a swell running it can provide super clean waves for down the line wave riding.

This is by no means meant to be an exhaustive list, but it is hopefully enough to whet your appetite and make you think about exploring the island if you do decide to head to Sardinia. In all the trips we’ve had there, we’ve truly started to fall in love with the Island. The scenery is stunning, the climate is mild, there are reasonably consistent winds and loads of beaches to work in any wind direction. Furthermore, it is possible to travel there easily on the weather forecast from Central Europe. My advice is to get your kit together and go explore.

Other Sports

The scenic bays in Sardinia are perfect to explore with a SUP board, and sometimes you will even find good waves for surfing. We’ve also experienced some nice mountain biking on the island so definitely a place to bring more than just your wind/kitesurfing gear if you plan on making the trip.

When to Go

The best time to go to Sardinia, in my opinion, is out of the main season. During the summer months, the beaches tend to be incredibly crowded, and traffic on the island can be quite heavy. The volume of people and traffic will make getting to spots with your gear quite difficult. In Spring and Autumn, there are a lot fewer people, and it’s possible to find really nice spots all for yourself.

Summary

Sardinia is a beautiful island exposed to most of the winds that are prevalent in the Mediterranean. Off-season hotels can be quite cheap, and the island is largely uncrowded, which makes it a really nice place for an off-season wind or kitesurf trip. All Winds Adventures visits Sardinia regularly, feel free to contact us for more information

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Where to Go, Winds to Watch & Tips for Getting on the Water

In the 1980s, windsurfing was massive. Across much of Europe, it was said that every second family owned a board. But as equipment evolved — boards got smaller, sails more powerful — the sport became a victim of its own success. Light-wind, inland locations like Switzerland suddenly became less suitable for the high-wind gear of the time.

Today, the tide is turning again. Modern windsurf foils, lighter sails, and even SUP boards with sails have reignited the sport and made windsurfing more accessible than ever — especially on Swiss lakes.

At All Winds Adventures, we believe Switzerland is an incredible place to (re)discover the freedom of windsurfing — whether you’re a beginner, a returning sailor, or a weekend warrior chasing light-wind foiling sessions.

Why Windsurf in Switzerland?

Switzerland’s lakes are surrounded by mountains, meaning the winds can be variable — but when they blow, they can be spectacular.

Warm summer temperatures and calm water make Switzerland ideal for:

• Learning the basics of windsurfing or windSUP
• Light-wind freeride or freestyle sailing
• Trying foil windsurfing
• Building confidence before travelling to windier destinations

You won’t find down-the-line wave sailing, but you will find plenty of fun freeride days, consistent thermals, and stunning alpine scenery.

Best Winds for Windsurfing in Switzerland

Not all Swiss lakes are created equal when it comes to wind. Lake Zurich, for example, rarely delivers sailable wind, but others can offer excellent sessions when conditions line up.

Here are the main Swiss lakes where you can regularly windsurf — and the winds that drive them:

Föhn Winds

The Föhn is one of Switzerland’s most famous winds, created by pressure differences across the Alps.

• South Föhn: Warm southerly wind felt north of the Alps — especially on Urnersee, Walensee, and Aegerisee.
• North Föhn: A strong northerly wind affecting Ticino and the northern Italian lakes (Como, Garda).

Föhn can be very strong — sometimes gusting over 40 knots — so always check the forecast carefully.
Tip: If the pressure gradient is over 8 hPa, expect wind on Urnersee or Walensee.

Bise Winds

The Bise is a cold, dry north-easterly wind, most common in autumn.

• Best lakes: Bielersee, Neuenburgersee (Lac de Neuchâtel), Murtensee, and Lake Geneva.
• Smaller lakes such as Zugersee may also catch some Bise.

Look for a pressure gradient of more than 4 hPa for good wind.

South-West Winds

These winds come with low-pressure systems and passing fronts.
By the time they reach Switzerland, they’re often weaker but can still deliver good conditions for:

• Lake Geneva
• Murtensee
• Neuenburgersee
• Bielersee
• Bodensee (Lake Constance)

Thermal Winds

In summer, thermal winds develop on some alpine lakes when cool nights and sunny days create convection.

Expect 15–20 knots on Lake Urnersee and Lake Silvaplana on good days — both excellent spots for freeride, foil, and freestyle sessions.

Storm Warnings & Weather Apps

Swiss lakes are fitted with a light warning system for strong winds:

• 40 flashes/min → Wind warning (over 25 knots expected)
• 90 flashes/min → Storm warning (over 33 knots expected)

Going out during a storm warning is at your own risk — and if you need rescuing, expect a hefty bill!

Pro Tip: Download the MeteoSwiss App (Android / iPhone) and subscribe to “Lakes & Airports” under Hazards to get live wind alerts for your favourite lakes.

Local Regulations

Windsurfing is permitted on most Swiss lakes, but local rules vary. Always check where you can launch and stay clear of:

• Buoyed swimming areas
• Harbour entrances and ferry lanes

Kitesurfing has also become more accessible in recent years, but specific zones still apply.

Equipment Tips for Swiss Conditions

The biggest challenge in Switzerland? Light wind.
That means equipment choice is crucial.

• Boards: 120L+ for better flotation
• Sails: 7–9 m² will get you going most often
• Foils: Great option to maximise water time
• Inflatable boards: Perfect for beginners and recreational use — easy to transport and store

At All Winds Adventures, we’ve been using STX inflatable windsurf boards for teaching and rentals. They’re stable, fun, and surprisingly efficient — ideal for Swiss lakes.

Equipment Rental in Switzerland

If you don’t own gear, several Swiss windsurf centres rent equipment:

• Lake Silvaplana
• Urnersee
• Murtensee

At All Winds Adventures, we also offer STX inflatable and Naish windsurf boards for rental, testing, and coaching.

Perfect for spontaneous sessions or lightweight travel setups.

Contact us to reserve equipment or join a windsurf coaching session near Zurich or central Switzerland.

Travel for More Wind

If you’re craving consistent, strong wind and waves, Switzerland’s central location makes it easy to reach world-class destinations:

• Direct flights from Zurich, Basel, or Geneva to the Canaries, Cape Verde, Morocco, Greece, Egypt, South Africa, and the Caribbean.
• Road trips to Genoa, Corsica, or Sardinia within 5–6 hours.

Summary — Windsurfing the Swiss Way

Switzerland might not be a global windsurfing hotspot, but it’s a fantastic place to learn, practice, and keep your skills alive. With diverse lakes, modern gear, and easy travel access, you can enjoy sailing all summer — and chase stronger winds abroad when the mood strikes.

At All Winds Adventures, we offer:

• Windsurf Coaching & Taster Sessions in Switzerland
• Windsurf Equipment Rentals & Sales (Naish, STX, North, Slingshot, Mystic)
• Charter & Coaching Weeks in windy destinations like Croatia and Mallorca

Get in touch to join our next session or try a windSUP or foil lesson.

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