I have worn one a few times when racing. Overlaying graphs of speed and heart rated match, going fast downwind it would increase, going slower upwind it would fall. Overall during a 30 or 40 minute race it was close to max ie 175bpm

Good heart rate monitors are excellent at immediate feedback on your stress levels (exercise stress included) but are fairly inaccurate at determining calorie burn. There are just too many variables.
I've tried couple of times to use a wearable (chest) sensor to see what my HR variability was during a windsurf session as well as peak HR and average HR.
The data were valid and interesting but of little use. For me it is just another thing to distract you from "being in the moment". Like so many uses of metrics today, it's not the gathering of the data that's difficult, it's the understanding and utilisation of it that's difficult.

The sceptic/distrust of big data companies in me also thinks that uploading any personal health information to "helpful apps" could come back to bite you down the track.

Aldi sell waterproof HR monitoring watches and wearables every year, dirt cheap and backed by warranty, I would start there before you spend the ridiculous money people spend on devices that tell them how many steps, flights of stairs, sleep time, sedentary time etc...... they have done.
If/when the GPSTC creators allow "other devices" I recommend Garmin or Suunto products if you really want to go deep and have an all in one unit.

As a kiter and sailboarder I know how much more strenuous sailing is to kiting. While kiting my HR rarely exceeds 100bpm and often not more than walking where sailing puts it up over 100bpm most of the time.
This is a kiting session, the end bit was probably walking up the beach.

airsail said..
As a kiter and sailboarder I know how much more strenuous sailing is to kiting. While kiting my HR rarely exceeds 100bpm and often not more than walking where sailing puts it up over 100bpm most of the time.
This is a kiting session, the end bit was probably walking up the beach.

Showa how extreme kiting is compared to windsurfing
Looks like you were just about asleep

Anxiety get the heart rate up too.... Just sayin'......

AUS 808 said..

airsail said..
As a kiter and sailboarder I know how much more strenuous sailing is to kiting. While kiting my HR rarely exceeds 100bpm and often not more than walking where sailing puts it up over 100bpm most of the time.
This is a kiting session, the end bit was probably walking up the beach.

Showa how extreme kiting is compared to windsurfing
Looks like you were just about asleep

Definitely not going to get fit Kiting, but we do have some older guys who still get their sessions in in their 70's so a good option when sailing just gets too hard.

I don't usually fall in much but changing now I'm doing B & j I am . I am certainly noticing my lack of fitness! I'm gradually improving although we don't really get strong winds often enough to get fit for it..