Whether it`s splashing about in a few feet of water or braving the elements on an open 60 racing yacht, water sports have always been extremely popular. The freedom felt at the helm of a yacht; the thrill of the angler`s hunt; the shear wonder of the underwater world of scuba; watersports allow people to experience things that they simply could not on land.
However, as any watersports enthusiast will tell you, having the right equipment is vital. It can keep you warm, keep you dry, keep you safe and, just maybe, keep you alive. But how can you choose what gear is right for you? How can you balance comfort, durability, safety, price and all the other factors that go into choosing your kit?
Surfing, one of the UK`s most popular watersports, was in fact first developed in ancient Polynesia. Even the pioneers appreciated the worth of good equipment - the most skilled wave rider rewarded with the best board made from the best tree. Modern surfing can be roughly subdivided by the differences in surfboard design and riding style into longboarding and shortboarding. Modern longboards, generally 3.0 metres in length, are reminiscent of the earliest surfboards, but now benefit from all the modern innovations of surfboard shaping and fin design.
The modern shortboard began its life in the late 1960s evolving up to today`s common "thruster" style shortboard, a three fin design, usually around 6 to 7 feet (2.1 m) in length. Most modern surfboards are made of polyurethane foam, fibreglass cloth, and polyester resin. An emerging surf technology is an epoxy surfboard, which are stronger and lighter than traditional fibreglass. Even newer surfboard designs incorporate materials such as carbon fibre and springy `firewire`. Be on the lookout for these new technologies in the future.
It was a development of traditional surfing that gave the world an entirely new watersport- Windsurfing. Early sailboards were developed in the 1960`s and 70`s, and consisted of a surfboard-like board with a triangular "Bermuda" sail and wishbone booms, connected to the board via a universal joint. Despite the emergence of new materials, windsurfing development has been more an evolution than a revolution, with the same basic design remaining to this day. In the 1970`s and 80`s sailboards could be roughly categorised into long and shortboards. However, with modern variations of the sport such as wave boarding, slalom boarding and freestyle boarding, there are many more different types of sailboard than ten or twenty years ago.
Just as Windsurfing evolved from surfing, so kitesurfing is now emerging form from windsurfing. Kitesurfing utilises a much smaller, wakeboard-like board and (perhaps unsurprisingly) a large kite. Like sail and surfboards, Kitesurfers are benefiting from new composite technologies, meaning that the boards themselves can be made stronger and lighter as the demands of riders get more and more intense.
For some people the lure of the sea may draw people below the waves. Snorkelling and Diving can introduce you to a whole new world to explore. Whilst the equipment required for snorkelling is simple and relatively inexpensive, Diving equipment can prove quite costly. Even a basic wetsuit can cost in excess of £75, and by the time you factor in tanks and other equipment, the expense can soon mount up. It is therefore important that you pay careful attention to the diving equipment you purchase.
Surfing and windsurfing may be thrilling, and diving may allow you see things you`ve never seen, but for true freedom Sailing really is hard to beat. Like any other watersport, the equipment is vital. For years the market for sailing coats, gloves, hats, shoes and safety equipment has been dominated by a few brands such as Musto, Compass and Helly Hansen. However now, with the emergence of internet shopping, newer, smaller companies are about to challenge in this lucrative watersports market.
Animal Clothing, Animal surf clothing is among these pioneering companies.
|
|
|
