I lucked into a good deal on a WestJet flight and hotel package to Bonaire. I got to windsurf for the first time this year on the first few super windy days. Then the wind started dropping and I had several great wingfoil and windfoil sessions. I was able to get some amazing photos of me wingfoiling on Lac Bay!
Later in the week I was able to rent gear from PWA professional windsurfers Taty and Tonky Frans in the deeper part of Lac Bay.
The best part of the trip was re-connecting with Charles Dasher. He was my first windsurfing coach 30+ years ago in Aruba and he now teaches wing foiling in Bonaire. Just like when he noticed a quick and easy adjustment to my jibe back then, he immediately had advice to help my jibes, tacks and foot switches.
Here is the link to my personal blog post where I describe the day in detail. I’ll be passing all of Dasher’s tips that improved my foiling on to my students.
Some coaching session photo highlights here…
Dasher and I also spent time discussing the best ways to teach beginners. Soft boards, not so much. Behind a boat? Ok. E-foiling, helpful but doesn’t do much for learning the wing. Big sup or big windsurf board with a centreboard - ok but why not just use an intro foil board like my Fanatic/Duotone Stingray 140? A big board with decent rails and a foil underneath is stable and goes upwind and the student can balance better and work on wing skills instead of falling in all the time.
The BBtalking headsets he uses were great and I’ll be getting some for the Launch Pad I’m guessing?
We also discussed the teaching certifications available. It is looking like the International Kite Organization (IKO) has an Wingfoil IWO program that I could do to hone my teaching skills even more? I am also looking into an ABK session in Hatteras next month…
While the equipment available for me to rent that day didn’t let me ride Duotone, that is what Dasher chooses to ride. I’m proud that the LPW&FA is also Duotone sponsored.
