Starting Racing with the LWA:

Beginners very welcome!
   We're very happy to welcome beginners to take part in our LWA events. All you need to race is a board and sail, preferably with your official number on it, but if you haven't got one we can sell you a couple of numbers. NUMBERS ARE ESSENTIAL AS IS 3rd PARTY INSURANCE -  which is automatic if you are a member of the RYA or the UKWA - the UK Windsurfing Association - which we recommend you to join because you can then take part in the programme of UKWA National events when you feel up to it. (See the “Windsurfing Links” page on this site). You must ALWAYS bring a buoyancy aid as sometimes venues will insist on this. ALL sailors under 18 MUST wear buoyancy at ALL times.

Classes raced at the LWA are:
Raceboard 9.5: - Longboards with daggerboard inc RS:X and max 9.5 sail size for men
Raceboard 8.5: - Longboards with daggerboard inc RS:X and max 8.5 sail size for ladies
Raceboard 7.5: - as above but with max sail size 7.5
Unlimited: Any board, long or short (except Div 2), with any sail size. You can change board and/or rig between races. Some Unlimited sailors use a Raceboard in light winds with up to 10.5 m sail and a Formula board when it blows.

As the International Raceboard Rules now specify 8.5 for ladies and 9.5 for men and there is no official Unlimited class any more, virtually all the sailors in LWA events now conform to these sail sizes, we have just a couple of sailors still using Unlimited and a couple of 7.5 sailors.

Formula Windsurfing:- FW boards and any sail size.
Whilst we are very happy to welcome Formula sailors to our events, they should be aware that as all LWA events take place inland the wind is rarely suitable for Formula boards as it is not as consistent as on the sea, although when there is sufficient wind Formula boards score highly. One or two of our venues, Fisher’s Green for example, are NOT recommended for Formula boards but usually provide very tactical longboard racing because of the trees and low hills surrounding the lake.

Techno 293:
Techno 6.8: Under 15
Techno 7.8: Under 17
Techno 7.8: Open

Juniors:
3.5 Open - Any board with max sail size 3.5
4.5 Open - Any board with max sail size 4.5
5.5. Open - Any board with max sail size 5.5
5.5 Techno 293 - with max sail size 5.5

IMCO 6.6 - standard IMCO 6.6 class

Other boards may be used at the discretion of the LWA Committee but NOT for competitive advantage - please check with us first!

What happens on a Race Day:
     Most people turn up by 9.30 am to give themselves time to rig up and sign on as briefing is at 10.30 and first race at 11.00. Entry fee varies from £10 to £12.00 depending on the venue. Youths and Juniors fee is £5 for an LWA One-day Summer Series event (Two-day and winter series Icebreaker Events are charged differently),  Under 18’s will need a parental signature. You need to sign on and pay your entry fee at the Registration Desk. Weather permitting, we have 4 races, two before lunch and two after. Your best three races count towards the day’s results and also count towards the series results. The day ends around 5pm.
Briefing:
     At the Briefing you need to find out how the start flags work. The LWA uses the same flag sequence as the UKWA as detailed below.There will be an extra “Beginners’ Briefing” if requested to answer any further questions you might have. The rest of the fleet will be warned you are a beginner and will be asked to be especially kind and helpful to you, like pointing out where the next mark is or telling what the flags mean..
At the Briefing you will find out about the course. Races usually last about 30 minutes. We run a “Grand Prix Finish” system, so that even if you complete only one lap you still get a finishing position. This means that if you are near the back of the fleet you don’t have to keep slogging round the course when everyone else has finished. As soon as the Finish flag is raised, everyone finishes when they cross the finish line.

LWA Start Flag Sequence:
We have now adopted the ISAF start sequence, as have the UKWA.

A couple of Rules you need to be aware of:
     You to need obey the port/starboard rule, ie if you are on starboard tack you have right of way (if your RIGHT hand is nearest the mast) and you should shout “Starboard” loudly at a board on Port tack who looks as though he is going to collide with you. The board on Port tack you must give way to those on starboard tack and take evasive action. This is especially important when approaching the windward mark. If you hit anybody they will probably shout "360" at you whereupon you must turn your board round through 360 degrees (one complete rotation) at the earliest convenient place, before continuing the race. But keep well clear of other boards when you do your 360!
     You must be aware of the upwind/downwind rule, any board upwind of another MUST give way to a downwind board. This is particularly important when one person is sailing upwind and the other is sailing downwind, as the one sailing downwind can see better and must give way. This does not apply when rounding marks.
     The only other rule to worry about is "Water at the Mark". If at the point when you are two board lengths from the mark (not before or after),, another board has an overlap on your inside, between yourself and the mark, he will usually shout "Water" and you must give him room to get round the mark inside you.
     On the start line you must not be over the line within the last minute or you must "sail round the end" of either end of the line and recross the line. If you don’t do this you will be disqualified.
     This is just about all you need to know, after that it's just practice!

• IF YOU NEED SOME GEAR,
  CLICK HERE FOR OUR “SALES AND WANTS” PAGES,
• AND ALSO CHECK OUT THE UKWA WEBSITE via our Links page.
   
• If you’d like any further information, just CLICK HERE to email the LWA on info@LWAwindsurfing.co.uk or phone 01895 846707