A Beginner's Guide to Zen and the Art of Windsurfing: A Complete Manual of Boardsailing

I was sad to see this book was out of print. It was given to me when I was just learning to windsurf as a teen, and I read it cover to cover back then. The humorous yet informative illustrations provide a good review of the basic windsurfing principles.

this book is easy to understand, and has lots of good pictures

This is the classic instructional book for windsurfing. Its excellent (and humorous) cartoons and text desribe both the correct and incorrect versions (just as useful) of the basic maneuvers. The discussions are well suited and motivating for someone new to the sport. As an experienced windsurfer I still refer to the book when teaching. It also contains more advanced skills (harness use, fancier jibes ... etc). Due to its age the equipment discussion is a little dated but still useful.

Windsurfing is full of specialized vocabulary and confusing equipment that can be staggering to the beginner. This book through cartoon sketches and fabulous humor takes a bewildered beginner through the passages of becoming a competent windsurfer. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the sport of board sailing of windsurfing. It covers all the basic techniques, as well as equipment descriptions, and the basic physics involved in sailing. Great book.

The book assumes no knowledge but is kind in this assumption. It gently guides you to competency as you alternate between reading the book with watery hands and grappling with your increasingly less burdomsome rig. The book's attention to details helps develop your competence/confidence. As you become more advanced, necessary details, unfortunately, become smeared together driving you for outside help. The humor is fantastic and helps bolt the ideas into your mind so that under the pressure of angry winds and slap happy seas, you can automatically think of those necessary passages.