Untangling a sail which was wrapped around a foil was a major task With winds of about 50mph (80km/h) and 16ft (5m) waves, keeping the boat in one piece has sometimes been a challenge in itself.

Sailing is all about balance. I step over the narrow bow of the bug to take the outstretched hand of Alexis Moerai, aka Galax, who has been paddling and sailing around Tahiti’s lagoons since ...