A highly experienced sailor and rider
Yves is passionate about all things sailing. He discovered sailing when he was 10, then spent most of his summer vacations in Port Camargue :
"I started sailing as a child, and we've always sailed in family sailboats. Then I got into funboarding. And finally, I've been sailing Wings very regularly for the past 3 years, when the sport became more popular.
I've learned to master the Wing at various spots in France and the West Indies, and in a wide variety of wind conditions. My quiver is quite extensive, so I can adapt my equipment perfectly to the conditions". (Editor's note: a quiver is all the equipment a board sports enthusiast needs)
Ordinary sailing in dream conditions
Recently settled in Florida, Yves organizes a short session with his friend Franck, who is just starting out on the Wing. They head for the Virginia Keys, a spot well known to the locals. The setting is idyllic: medium wind, white sand, warm water and coconut palms.
" It was a really quiet little boat, in an incredible spot. We'd been in the water for 10 minutes and everything was going well. I had a 6-meter kite, and we were sending gybes and tacks. Then, during a tack, I fell from your weight onto the tip of the foil".
An accident that could have been very serious
The fall is a bit rough, but Yves has seen it all before. But immediately, he feels something abnormal on his foot. He guesses at the seriousness of the injury:
"I didn't want to look, because I didn't want to wink. Fortunately, as I was with my friend who was just starting out, I was only 600m from the beach. I usually go much further.
I row back to shore. I'm bleeding badly. I also keep in mind that sharks are plentiful in the area. I concentrate, and eventually make it to shore. Coast-guards come to my aid and assess the severity of the wound. They clean the wound on the spot, which is really deep. I was taken to the emergency room, where I received a total of 24 stitches, inside and outside the foot".
Lessons to be learned
Yves has been very lucky, and has drawn some lessons for us:
"When I started Wing, I was always hyper-equipped: helmet, vest, wetsuit, booties. With experience, you get a bit carried away and gain confidence. And you remove certain equipment as you go along.
It was the tip of the foil that made the cutter. As I was tacking, the tip of the foil came out of the water. I was ejected on the outside of the curve and fell on it. If I'd been wearing booties, the injury would have been less serious.
What's more, if I'd been 1 or 2 miles offshore, as I usually am, I might not have managed to swim back with such an injury. It's quite a wake-up call.
Now I'll have to convalesce for 6 weeks, hoping the wound doesn't get infected. Because, against all expectations, the water here isn't very clean.
But my vision of safety has really changed. Here, it's really too hot to sail in a wetsuit, but I won't go out without my booties, helmet, lycra and lifejacket.
Moral: you can't avoid getting hurt, but you can take precautions, so be careful and protect yourself. And it's so much better to sail together".
