Search Windsurfer International Mag and the Beach Telegraph Blog Channels View these dedicated Channels to follow your favourite brands Elements of Speed 3 How to Break the 40-Knot Barrier In Parts One and Two we looked at how to reach the milestones of 30 and 35 knots. Maybe by now you'll know they're harder to bust than it seems? But there's one major mid-life-crisis benchmark that frustrates even riders with several seasons of experience -- the Big Four-Oh. Have no fear. Peter Volwater is here to help. ARE YOU READY? 40-knots is the kind of speed at which you want to be pretty sure of what you're doing, because a crash can be pretty painful, plus do some serious damage to your equipment. First of all you need to be able to completely rely on your gear, without having any spinouts on any of your runs. For those who force a lot of spinouts, it's very possible your fin isn't suited to your board or your board is not suited to the conditions, so, first invest in a good fin and board combo that's more suited for you at your regular spots. This will open the door to the extra concentration and smoothness that you'll need to go up a level.