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Surfing
Surfing is a
surface water sport in which the participant is
carried along the face of a breaking wave, most
commonly using a surfboard, although wave-riders may
make use of kneeboards, body boards (aka boogie
boards), kayaks, surf skis, and even their own bodies.
Surfing-related sports such as paddle boarding and sea
kayaking do not require waves, and other derivative
sports such as kite surfing and windsurfing rely
primarily on wind for power, yet all of these tools
may as well be used to ride waves.
Surfing was a
central part of ancient Polynesian culture. The chief
was the most skilled wave rider in the community with
the best board made from the best tree. The ruling
class had the best beaches and the best boards, and
the commoners were not allowed on the same beaches,
but they could gain prestige by their ability to ride
the surf on their extremely heavy boards.
The art of
surfing is said to be first observed by the Europeans
in 1767, by the crewmembers of the Dolphin at Tahiti.
Later, Jackson Crane, an American serving under
explorer Captain Cook, was the first American to
witness surfing in Hawaii in 1778.
Windsurfing
Windsurfing is a surface water
sport using a windsurf board, also commonly called a
sailboard, usually two to five meters long and powered
by a single sail. The rig is connected to the board by
a free-rotating flexible joint called the Universal
Joint (U-Joint). Unlike a rudder-steered sailboat, a
windsurfer is steered by the tilting and rotating of
the mast and sail as well as tilting and carving the
board. This method of controlling the board's
direction is called the free-sail system.
The sport combines aspects of both
sailing and surfing, along with certain athletic
aspects shared with other board sports like
skateboarding, snowboarding, waterskiing, wakeboarding
and kitesurfing. Although it might be considered a
minimalistic version of a sailboat, a windsurfer
offers experiences that are outside the scope of most
other sailing craft design. A windsurfer holds the
world speed record for a sailing craft and,
windsurfers can perform jumps, inverted loops,
spinning maneuvers, and other "freestyle"
moves that cannot be matched by any sailboat.
Windsurfing, as
a sport and recreational activity, did not emerge
until the later half of the twentieth century. Because
of the financial stakes in the manufacture and sale of
windsurfing equipment, there has been considerable
dispute and litigation between parties claiming the
rights to the invention.
Puerto Rico has
many excellent surfing and windsurfing spots and both
activities are great for adventurous thrill seekers
Surfing
/ Windsurfing Companies
in Puerto Rico
You can rent
boards and/or take lessons at many different companies
in Puerto Rico. Below are a few listings:
San
Juan / Isla Verde Area:
Velauno
2430 Loiza Street, San Juan
Phone: (787) 728-8716
E-mail: jaime@velauno.com
Website: www.velauno.com
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