Learn to windsurf
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Windsurfing puts you on a board with nothing but a sail in your hands, steering by tilting the rig and shifting your feet. A beginners' course starts on a wide, floaty board in light winds, and the RYA's beginners' course aims to get you sailing to a chosen point under supervision.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650A few weeksOutdoorsWith othersUK and USSpring to autumn in the UK
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What a first course is like
The Royal Yachting Association's Start Windsurfing course is for complete beginners and needs no experience. It takes 8 to 10 hours, split into sessions or full days, and aims to get you sailing to a chosen point under supervision. At Calshot in Hampshire it starts with a short session on land to introduce the kit, then moves on to the water to learn to sail to a set point and turn round, tacking and gybing, in light winds.
Beginners learn on big, stable boards. Cal Sailing Club's guide says an adult's first board should be at least 80cm (about 31in) wide, with enough flotation to stand and balance easily. The RYA's chief instructor for dinghy and windsurfing told Boards magazine in 2013 that "pretty much everyone can go in a straight line by the end of session one", and that over a two-day course most people learn to tack and gybe.
Ways in compared
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Calshot Activities Centre, Hampshire | RYA Start Windsurfing; 14 and 15-year-olds with a participating adult | Not listed on the course page; check when booking |
| Brighton Watersports, Piddinghoe Lake, East Sussex | RYA Start Windsurf; 16 hours, normally over two days; basic swimming ability listed in the course content | £199.00 |
| Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre, London | RYA Start Windsurfing; Saturday and Sunday, 9.30am to 5pm; May to September | £295 |
| Brian's Windsurfing, Columbia River Gorge (booked through Windance) | Group lesson; 2.5 hours; up to eight people | $205 |
| Cal Sailing Club, Berkeley, California | Volunteer-run co-op; lessons and equipment included; members give at least two hours' work every three months | $150 for three months, or $119 for students and seniors |
After Start Windsurfing, the RYA's next steps are its Intermediate Windsurfing (Planing) and Advanced Windsurfing courses. The UK Windsurfing Association suggests practising on a centre's hire kit for a while after a first course.
How to start
- Book an RYA Start Windsurfing course at a recognised centre in the UK, or a beginners' group lesson at a windsurfing school in the US.
- Ask what the centre supplies; training centres usually provide the board, sail and a wetsuit, so you do not need to buy anything first.
- After the course, hire the centre's kit a few times to practise in light winds before you think about buying a board.
Where to go
- RYA: Start Windsurfing course and venue finder UK
- Calshot Activities Centre, Hampshire: windsurfing courses UK
- Cal Sailing Club, Berkeley, California: membership with lessons included US
We opened these links on 10 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to learn to windsurf?
The RYA's beginners' course takes 8 to 10 hours, over several sessions or full days, and aims to get you sailing to a chosen point under supervision.
Do I need to be able to swim to windsurf?
Brighton Watersports lists basic swimming ability for its Start Windsurf course; check with the centre before you book.
Do I need my own windsurf board to learn?
No. Training centres supply the kit, and Boards magazine warns against buying gear that is too big or too advanced too early.
What wind is best for learning to windsurf?
Light wind. Boards magazine suggests practising new skills in Force 1 to 3, and Cal Sailing Club restricts beginners above 20 knots.
Where this comes from: RYA, Start Windsurfing; Hampshire County Council, Calshot windsurfing courses; Brighton Watersports, Learn to Windsurf (RYA Start Windsurf); Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre, RYA Start Windsurfing; UK Windsurfing Association, Learning to Windsurf; Boards magazine, Getting started; Windance, Wind sports lessons; Cal Sailing Club, The 10-step guide to windsurfing; Cal Sailing Club, FAQ. Opened 10 November 2026.
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