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Windsurfing Travel Insurance

Whether you plan to be blasting, gybing or back-looping in the water on your next windsurfing holiday, have you considered booking your windsurfing travel insurance cover with Holiday Extras? We understand that the thrill of an extreme sport can get you swept away, but in the right environment, even a novice windsurfer can reach speeds of up to 25 knots so it is important to protect yourself on holiday!

Our policies

Did you know that even the most proficient of windsurfers have found themselves victim of unfortunate accidents at sea? By selecting a Holiday Extras policy you can have your pick of three different levels of cover:

How to be sure that all stays calm at sea

Since the world began to spin on its axis and around the sun, every windsurfing destination has its 'on' and 'off' season — the on season is the one you're looking for, as this means it's more likely to be windy most of the time!

What's good to know is that the wind in many destinations is powered by thermals, which means the windy season is usually also the hot and sunny season and there is no better place to cool down than out on the water!

Here's a quick guide to a couple of the most popular locations

Windsurfing in the Canary Islands


Canary Islands

A lot of windsurfing takes place in the Canary Islands. They get trade winds which are thermally assisted in the summer months and can be unbelievably reliable. Pozo in Gran Canaria, El Medano in Tenerife and Sotavento in Fuerteventura are all sure-thing destinations from June to September, and a reasonable bet all year round. They tend to be very popular with good, intermediate or experienced windsurfers, and also play host to professional windsurfing competitions every summer.

Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Costa Teguise and Famara in Lanzarote are also great locations to enjoy your sport. Each Canary Island offers slightly different Atlantic sea conditions due to being located off the west coast of North Africa. These volcanic islands have year-round sunshine, peaking in July and September to heights of up to 30 degrees, with Tenerife and Gran Canaria being the warmest islands.

The sea conditions vary from one island to another which means that different conditions are available according to your preference or ability. The islands benefit from a constant supply of wind, making them the ideal windsurfing destination, and the endless stretches of golden sand help enable the perfect backdrop all year-round.

The Canary Islands are also a popular destination for scuba diving and if you would like more information on booking travel insurance with scuba diving cover please click here. Also if you would like any additional information on the Canary Islands you could check out this page.

Windsurfing in the Mediterranean

Mediterranean Beach

Perhaps you are thinking - why travel far for windsurfing when you can stick right here in Europe? The Mediterranean is only a few hours flight from the UK and has beautiful resorts which are ideal for windsurfing, including Kos in Greece, Corsica in France, the Algarve in Portugal and Alacati in Turkey.

Pissouri, a small traditional village in Cyprus, is also a very popular windsurfing spot which boasts strong winds for the more advanced windsurfer and has some protected waters which are ideal for beginners to the sport.

Another popular spot is Porto Pollo located on the windiest point in Sardinia, Italy. This secluded location has beautiful white beaches, clear waters and a huge bay for beginners and experienced windsurfers alike. You can either surf in calm and protected conditions or choose the thrill of sailing in the channel where the waves crest as high as a rig.

Accidents can happen

As with any extreme sport, part of the thrill of windsurfing is found in the carefree attitude and confident conquering of your surroundings but accidents can happen, so taking safety precautions is vital to both your own and others' safety.

With this in mind, here are a few basic safety pointers to consider when windsurfing:

  • Never sail alone. If you're with a friend then you'll always have someone there to help if you get into trouble.
  • Avoid offshore winds. You don't want to get blown out to sea.
  • Check your gear. Going over your equipment before you launch could be the difference between life and minor injury. Check fins, deck plates, your rig and the downhaul and outhaul ropes.
  • Take responsibility for your safety. Don't be careless in the knowledge that lifeguards will save you.
  • Be realistic about your ability. Don't go out in conditions that will prove beyond your capabilities.
  • Let someone know where and when you're going windsurfing and when you expect to return.
  • Carrying some safety equipment is advisable. A helmet, flare and personal floatation device can all be lifesavers.

Holiday Extras Travel Insurance is sold and administered by Holiday Extras Cover Limited, registered office address: Ashford Road, Newingreen, Hythe, Kent CT21 4JF.

Holiday Extras Cover Limited is an insurance intermediary authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, registration number 828848. You can check this by visiting the Financial Services Register

Holiday Extras™ is a Trading Name of Holiday Extras Cover Limited. The insurance is underwritten by Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited. Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited is a company incorporated in England and Wales with company number 13436330 and whose registered office address is 10 Fenchurch Avenue, London, United Kingdom, EC3M 5BN.

Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Firm Reference Number 955859. You can check this by visiting the Financial Services Register