Is it Safe?

Greetings!

None of us wants to get hurt.

We all know windsurfing is a dangerous, high - adrenaline sport, especially in strong gusty wind, rough water, waves, etc..

Upon first sight of a MoaB (TM) repositioner prototype ,

 a common question I am asked is "Is it safe?",

 often followed by "That looks scary!"

To which I usually respond with a speech about how the foot-decks will rotate to let your feet out to avoid the dreaded forward "trapped foot" fall (see picture above) , but even if odds are against you and the foot-deck does not rotate, it will pull out of the track with a force similar to a ski binding release. I know this through my own experience. And a pulled out foot-deck is a whole lot easier and cheaper to rectify than a pulled out foot strap screw or insert.

 (yes, I should do a video on this topic).

Trying something new is scary and the potential for getting hurt is always there during any learning curve. Having habits in place does offer safety. Knowing what not to do helps as well.

However, the unforeseen is what can get you,

  no matter how good you are. 

This leads into my final point here. I have have been in a lot of discussions lately about jibing, gybing, learning to foil, gybing while foiling, etc. I am talking to world authorities and industry insiders who live and breathe this stuff. And one of them just said to me

 " One of the most dangerous things you can do while windsurfing is to take one foot out of a fixed strap while the other one is still in. If the unforeseen hits you at that instant..." 

What hit me at the instant he said that is "We used to do that every time we gybe!"

He made my day!

I'm going on walkabout to renew, refresh, and get ready to move forward, so I'll be gone for the rest of this week. Take care, and be safe out there!  - Peter