Very minor compared to all this carnage, learning to waterstart with a bagged out 8M Superfreak I had the sail pull so hard with my 100 KG dragging in the water and with my refusing to let go it strained my AC joint on my front arm side which still hurts from time to time 2+ years ago.
Very minor something to take note of for people learning to waterstart.
After a late sail left my board in the garage on its side with the fin in. The Mrs walked into the garage in the dark and gashed open her leg on the fin. Was threatened with everything - no more sailing, get rid of the board, no naughty's, etc etc.
Nothing worse that a cranky Mrs !!!!
Select to expand quotegregwed said..
After a late sail left my board in the garage on its side with the fin in. The Mrs walked into the garage in the dark and gashed open her leg on the fin. Was threatened with everything - no more sailing, get rid of the board, no naughty's, etc etc.
Nothing worse that a cranky Mrs !!!!
You're lucky you kept your jack's crackers after that. My missus would have chopped mine off.
Only 2 pages so far.
Imagine how would be the "worst kitesurfing injuries" list !
Got my first 2 stitches on toes while sailing in Hobart. I stopped, dropped the sail, standing on the board, and "walked" down trying to avoid an oyster bed, walked straight on some muscles !
Select to expand quoteAncientglen said..
Christmas Day 1978, I wasn't windsurfing, but I was out at Terrigal NSW in a tiny 2 foot surf at low tide with a lightweight, less than 6 foot long single fin surfboard. The surf was small and really hollow, so I started fooling around in it, jumping on and off the board. I should have known better! The fin hit a sandbar and the board stopped dead. I stepped off, raising my arms to balance myself, and the suddenly lightened board flipped up and caught me under my right armpit.
It winded me a bit, but I kept fooling around, then I started getting a 'stitch' in my right side. It got worse and worse, and wouldn't go away, so I got out of the water and walked home to get ready to go out for Christmas lunch with a workmate's family. (I was very single-divorced at this time) By the time Jenny came to pick me up I was almost unconscious with the pain in my side, so she took me straight to Gosford hospital ER.
The doctor took my shirt off and ran his fingers down my right side ribs...
"This one's broken, the one under it's broken in 2 places, the one under that in 3, the one under that is also broken in 2 places and the next one's broken too." Christmas lunch that day was a stale meat pie in the ER department while they strapped up my 5 smashed ribs and dosed me with horse-pill sized painkillers.
There is a good side to this story however... I had to go 'cold turkey' for 10 weeks, no surfing, no drinking, no partying, no misbehaving whatsoever, a dramatic change for me at the time, and a forced opportunity foe me to dry out. The first night I was allowed back out on the town, a mate took me to the Leagues Club Sunday night disco, and introduced a (very sober) me to a delightful young lady who's actually now been my wife for the last 33 years.
Best accident, and best Christmas present I ever had!
Cheers, Glen.
What's a "Disco"?
Select to expand quoteDeano said..
This jsnfok is why I don't wear a mini skirt 
external fixtures ;-( Thats one munted leg? Whats the story behind it?
Sailing a speed strip with an exposed sandbar. 4.7 maxed. Came to the end of my run as you run out of water. Smooth as butter and yah go the lay down in front of the car park to the audience. Look jib BANG. I stay under water thinking I'll wait for the gear to clear. Pop up, ouch leg hurts, put it on the board for a look and the bones sticking out. From what I could find out I jibed into someone coming up, across the strip. Always thought I was to blame he thought he was. Just an accident. Took an inch of the front of his board and peeled the deck open. He never sailed again. Think the flesh and hair on his board put him of.
Dislocated shoulder in the surf. Unlike Mark though and luckily for me when I went to swim for my gear it popped back in. Pain didn't set in 'till I'd made it back to the beach. Burst ear drums from hitting the water, first day trying back loops and the other time charging out thinking I'd make it before the wave broke in front of me. Too late though and let go as the lip came down and slammed sideways into the face. Caught my little toe on the edge of the sail hopping over it on the beach, dislocating it. Had to tape it up for the next couple of months as it hurt so much if I stubbed it getting in the straps.
Dislocated shoulders (both sides, luckily not at the same time). Three trips to ER to have them put back in. Actually was better in the old days (pre surgery) when one side was so loose, it would dislocate, and I'd just pull it back in when I was in the water, then keep sailing for a few more hours.
I'd hate it to happen in the surf, but even on flattish water, water starting and sailing back to shore, you feel every friggin bump.
Worst time was once when I sailed back in, luckily a guy at the beach was able to de-rig for me and load my gear into the Landy while I was doubled up in pain on the sand. I then drove to the closest hospital, getting lost and disoriented at one stage due to the pain, hoping I'd get pulled up by the cops who could take me there. This was before the days of mobile phones. Also lucky it was my right shoulder 'cos changing gears would have been harder. Rocked into ER, dumping the landy in the ambulance entry with the keys still in it. Nice security guy put two and two together and realized that the 4by with the boards in it belonged to the guy in the wetsuit with him arm half falling off, so he parked it for me. Probably not an advisable way to get to hospital, but then again, those green whistle thinggies the ambos give you don't do squat for a shoulder dislocated over an hour ago.
Rail tripped. Only time ever. Unknown to me broke my neck in 3 places. Was close to passing out. With a poorly functioning left arm sailed about a k back to the beach under watchful eyes of mates. Drove to hospital and after many xrays and cat scans, was fitted with a halo for about 4 months. Plenty of time for reflection and R & R. Take care !
Not sure whose winning. The halo is not bad, but the leg with the brace is close as well. Broken toe . . . .not so much.
Thinking I could even get out this weekend with heavily taped toes.
Seriously what type of idiot takes up windsurfing after reading this?
The right kind of idiot. I love that no-one has blamed windsurfing and that we all keep going back for more.
Windsurfing is the king of sports!
Put board with huge course racing fin in rack in garage. Stepped back up fro backyard with melon straight into fin. Claret everywhere.
Launched at Vacant Lot (Collaroy) and straight into beach fishermans line. Snagged Achilles tendon. Came to a big stop. Lots of swearing.
Got swamped by shore break at Long Reef, ended up under sail with hands and feet sticking out either side while waiting for water to drain so I could breathe.
Select to expand quotestanly said..
got bitten by a crab on the big toe at Lennox
Why was your big toe in you groin?
I broke a finger nail replying to a windsurfing funny photo comp. once. Worst pain ever.
Select to expand quoteStuthepirate said..Ancientglen said..
Christmas Day 1978, I wasn't windsurfing, but I was out at Terrigal NSW in a tiny 2 foot surf at low tide with a lightweight, less than 6 foot long single fin surfboard. The surf was small and really hollow, so I started fooling around in it, jumping on and off the board. I should have known better! The fin hit a sandbar and the board stopped dead. I stepped off, raising my arms to balance myself, and the suddenly lightened board flipped up and caught me under my right armpit.
It winded me a bit, but I kept fooling around, then I started getting a 'stitch' in my right side. It got worse and worse, and wouldn't go away, so I got out of the water and walked home to get ready to go out for Christmas lunch with a workmate's family. (I was very single-divorced at this time) By the time Jenny came to pick me up I was almost unconscious with the pain in my side, so she took me straight to Gosford hospital ER.
The doctor took my shirt off and ran his fingers down my right side ribs...
"This one's broken, the one under it's broken in 2 places, the one under that in 3, the one under that is also broken in 2 places and the next one's broken too." Christmas lunch that day was a stale meat pie in the ER department while they strapped up my 5 smashed ribs and dosed me with horse-pill sized painkillers.
There is a good side to this story however... I had to go 'cold turkey' for 10 weeks, no surfing, no drinking, no partying, no misbehaving whatsoever, a dramatic change for me at the time, and a forced opportunity foe me to dry out. The first night I was allowed back out on the town, a mate took me to the Leagues Club Sunday night disco, and introduced a (very sober) me to a delightful young lady who's actually now been my wife for the last 33 years.
Best accident, and best Christmas present I ever had!
Cheers, Glen.
What's a "Disco"?
Not quite sure how to answer that one... But in the 70's it was somewhere to go to meet girls and get drunk, sort of like an online dating service, except without the line...
Select to expand quoteAncientglen said..Stuthepirate said..
What's a "Disco"?
Not quite sure how to answer that one... But in the 70's it was somewhere to go to meet girls and get drunk, sort of like an online dating service, except without the line...
Nah, that's an easy one. It's just like a rave except its alcohol instead of drugs, and you can understand the lyrics/there are lyrics
When I was learning I was on a Tyronsy 360 with big mast track & I slipped on the deck & some how got my small toe caught in the track which near ripped it off.
Since then I have had many injuries like broken foot lots of cuts & bruises.
What hurts the most is broken gear that cost money.
Boombuster
Broken leg. Tib and Fib. 2 plates, 17 screws, 4 operations. Tib cut the tibialis anterior muscle when my leg broke. Have had it operated on to try and repair the tear but has now torn again so muscle bulges out nearly the whole way along my shin. Its the muscle that pulls you foot up so can really hurt after long stints in the foot straps. That was 8 years ago. Still bummed about the amount of time lost on the water. Would add up to over a year.
Fell of gybe in shallow water. Rig did full windmill (downwind, low, upwind up, slam to windward) without me holding onto it. It came down on my head....
worried about going bald now - nurse who did stitches seemed pretty competent though
Select to expand quoteDeano said..
This jsnfok is why I don't wear a mini skirt
oooooo juicy 
Select to expand quoteginger pom said..
....
.... Rig did full windmill (downwind, low, upwind up, slam to windward) without me holding onto it. It came down on my head....
...
That's called a "boomerang" when you mean to do it.
Broke metacarpal water starting off The Spit on Gold Coast, several fin cuts, assorted contusions and joint injuries. Left the odd trail of blood from mast/head contacts, probably the worst were oyster cuts after falling over a storm water pipe at Golden Beach.
Had my fair share of injuries over the years but equal top most painful were stepping off board and receiving stingray barb and second Lisfranc fracture to left foot as board rotated around foot on dismount (actually more painful on reflection). Stepped on nails walking gear to water, fin gashes, cracked ribs, toes mashed. Never ever thought about stopping sailing though:-)
I stepped on a Cobbler in the weed bank down safety bay.the pain was ridiculous luckily the spine didnt go to far in.locals say l was unlucky but it does happen.
