Yesterday I had some of the best fun Ive ever had on the water.
I had borrowed a Naish SUP from Sam at Windsurfnsnow. I went for a paddle and had fun. My just turned 12 year old daughter rang and said could I pick her up from a friends place. I asked if she wanted to have a go on the paddle board.
After she had a go at stand up paddling, which she took to easily and us mucking around for awhile she asked if I could put a rig on the board.
I quickly rigged a 6.2 wave sail and out we went with her sitting just in front of the mast base.
With the first little gust she was hooting like that guy in Titanic. We did lots of cruising, upwind, downwind and when we gybed she ducked her head as if she knew what to.
Then on one run back to the beach she stood up, worked her way around the mast and under my grip, grabbed the boom and leant back. After awhile I slowly relaxed my grip and she sailed us home. She loved it!!!!!!
Afterwards she was like me and everyone else, just stoked on a natural high.
The best part, "Now I know why you love windsurfing so much Dad"

A hot sunny afternoon, 5 knots of wind, warm water and getting your child to experience the stoke of windsurfing for the first time, priceless!!!!

awesome

Thats special.
Your windsurfling budget just got nailed

You think 2 is too young? He actually asked me to put on "The Windsurfing Movie" the other day. He genuinely likes the chapter with Kai Lenny (although he still gets most excited when a helicopter is in shot).

Also I've been purposely leaving windsurfing mags laying around and playing a couple windsurf films when my buddy comes over. He's sounding very keen to give it a try soon (Haircut, you still give lessons?)

thats awsome, and the best bit about getting someone like these into it, apart from someone to sail with, is you can now justify buying smaller gear, say "it's for the kids or you darling my gear is too big" but we all know it would be for you on stronger days. so everyone is happy...
my mates always ask me how small the rigs go these days, some are thinking as young as 5.. it's going to be awsome watching a new generation of sailors coming through...

Great story KA43, I cant wait to experience the same stoke! I have attached a few pics of our daughters christmas present and her subsequent first sailing lesson! I even had a go!

How young is too young?

My first is due in a few weeks, so I thought rather than not being allowed out to sail due to babysitting requirements, maybe something like this would work out as a compromise... at least until the little critter can stand up and hold on to something.



I'm just not sure that Mum will approve!

Great story ka43, just gotta get mum on the board so you can all go to the same place for holidays.

555 that is top news, hope all goes well for ya mate.

GT

Great KA, the kids are the future, keep them stoked !!!

showpony said...

in our case it was a trip to Exmouth that did the trick

ezzy 2.5. nice!

top story larko, brings tears of joy to my eyes.

my kids have tried windsurfing, surfing, booging and dismissed me as an obsessed nerd!

where's the justice.

You know what Greenie? I think because it was just spur of the moment and she didnt have time to think about it she just did it!!
I was a bit apprehensive as we thought she was just starting to get into that "cool" phase. My wife and I are lucky because she loves doing stuff with us rather than do some of the pre-teen "attitude" things some of her frienare doing.
Probably helps she is a natural in the water too
For me the start of 08' has been a ripper

wow...awesome stories & pictures guys! I feel inspired!

555: I learnt on a similar starboard...they're real sturdy!! hey it's worth a try

Larko - that must be one of the best posts I have read, you really managed to create a picture in my head. Inspired by your post I went and introduced my whee lad to his my new board.

ka43 said...

Yesterday I had some of the best fun Ive ever had on the water.
I had borrowed a Naish SUP from Sam at Windsurfnsnow. I went for a paddle and had fun. My just turned 12 year old daughter rang and said could I pick her up from a friends place. I asked if she wanted to have a go on the paddle board.
After she had a go at stand up paddling, which she took to easily and us mucking around for awhile she asked if I could put a rig on the board.
I quickly rigged a 6.2 wave sail and out we went with her sitting just in front of the mast base.
With the first little gust she was hooting like that guy in Titanic. We did lots of cruising, upwind, downwind and when we gybed she ducked her head as if she knew what to.
Then on one run back to the beach she stood up, worked her way around the mast and under my grip, grabbed the boom and leant back. After awhile I slowly relaxed my grip and she sailed us home. She loved it!!!!!!
Afterwards she was like me and everyone else, just stoked on a natural high.
The best part, "Now I know why you love windsurfing so much Dad"

A hot sunny afternoon, 5 knots of wind, warm water and getting your child to experience the stoke of windsurfing for the first time, priceless!!!!

that was also my first experience of windsurfing on lake tinaroo. dad used to sail around on a long board with me on the front then i'd climb around an lean out and hang on. we even tried to rail ride it unsuccesfully.

sick_em_rex said...

inspired by Larkos efforts, last Saturday I took my 10 year old, 6 yeard old and wife down to Narrabeen Lake for a family day of windsurfing. I dug out the Bombora Capricorn resplendant with its 4.8m dacron sail and a dedicated learner board for my sons with a kids rig and all.

That was you with the Bombora Kanga sail? I was down there watching but did not go out because the wind seemed to drop off. However my wife and I enjoyed watching you give a lift for your daughter. I explained to my wife that Bombora Kangaroo sails are the prettiest sails ever made.