Learn to Windsurf: A Beginner’s Guide to Safe Windsurfing is a beginner windsurfing manual by David & Suzie Dorn.
After teaching thousands of windsurfing lessons in Maui, we’ve put together the essential knowledge we want every beginner to know. This book grew out of decades of real-world experience teaching people how to windsurf, helping new students prepare for their first lessons, and giving beginners a clearer understanding of what to expect as they begin the sport. The original idea began many years ago as a simple student handout designed to help new windsurfers remember the basics after a lesson. Over time, that handout evolved into a more complete beginner guide and has now been expanded into this practical beginner windsurfing manual.
A Practical Guide for Beginner Windsurfers
Learn to Windsurf is written for people who are new to windsurfing, preparing for a first lesson, returning to the sport after time away, or looking for a stronger foundation before continuing their windsurfing journey.
The goal is simple: help beginners feel more prepared, more confident, and safer on the water.
The book covers the essential beginner topics, including choosing equipment, understanding the wind, launching, uphauling, steering, turning, balancing power, sailing upwind, self-rescue, safety procedures, and the practical skills needed to continue learning with confidence.
Safe Windsurfing Matters
Windsurfing is exciting, rewarding, and incredibly enjoyable, but it also takes place in a constantly changing environment. Wind strength, gusts, waves, currents, equipment, fatigue, and changing weather conditions can all influence the experience.
That is why safety has always been central to David and Suzie’s approach to teaching watersports.
This book is not intended to replace a professional windsurfing lesson. Instead, it is designed to support the learning process by helping new windsurfers prepare before a lesson, review what they learned afterward, and better understand the habits, awareness, and decision-making that help make windsurfing safer and more enjoyable.
Book One of the Learn to Windsurf Series
Learn to Windsurf: A Beginner’s Guide to Safe Windsurfing is Book One of the Learn to Windsurf series.
Future books in the series may explore intermediate techniques, harness use, footstraps, waterstarts, planing, stronger wind conditions, wave sailing, equipment selection, and other topics that help windsurfers continue progressing safely and confidently.
For now, the focus is on the first doorway: helping beginners build a strong foundation.
About David & Suzie Dorn
David Dorn is a professional watersports instructor, educator, and trainer with more than three decades of teaching experience. He has built and operated watersports schools, teaching surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, and wingsurfing to students from around the world.
Beyond teaching, David played a leading role in the development of professional instructor training programs for the AYF Australia, and within the international kiteboarding industry. He served as a Training Master for both national and international instructor certification organizations, helping develop training standards and educate thousands of instructors worldwide through instructor courses, trainer programs, and international conferences.
Suzie Dorn has managed the watersports school operation for more than 20 years and has been central to the daily experience of students, families, instructors, and guests. She brings decades of watersports experience, world travel, hands-on operations, and a lifelong connection to ocean-based learning.
Together, David & Suzie Dorn bring the practical knowledge of professional instruction and the experience of a family-run watersports school to this beginner windsurfing manual.
Now Available
Learn to Windsurf: A Beginner’s Guide to Safe Windsurfing is now available on Amazon.
This beginner windsurfing manual brings together more than three decades of teaching experience, safety knowledge, equipment guidance, practical techniques, and step-by-step instruction to help new windsurfers begin the sport safely and confidently.
