I've sensed an 'awakening in the force' for windsurfing. This last year I've had a half dozen people say they were getting back into the sport or wanted to get into the sport. It's up to us to make life easier on them, coach them, give them our old gear to get them into this and give up an occasional windy day to teach. I'm really enjoying teaching my 12 year old son, teach someone, pass it on, start your own Cobra Kai of windsurfing!!!!

DC

I'd say windsurfing is stronger in SA than kiting if not on par. I think kitesurfing has well and truly peaked a couple years ago. Always more windsurfers out when I'm kiting. Still not seeing a great number of youth though as can be expected.

I feel admins should just go search for all these windsurfing/kitesurfing in decline type threads and delete them from all the forums.

Guys.
Windsurfing has been declining ing since 1994.
It's still around.
So buy more new gear.

The Seabreeze windsurf forums are more active than any other of the forums, just saying.

KookieMonster said..
Reckon the idea that manufacturers ruined windsurfing by focusing on high performance gear is a tired trope from the 90's. Yeh, there was a time when we were all getting around on 80 litre needle nose boards and Bjorn Dunkerbeck was dragging 20 boards around the world to every WC slalom comp. Since then the industry has taken huge strides to make gear that is much much easier to use but still rips.

People are always going on about windsurfing's decline... but it never seems to happen.

This^^^

i can halfway see the point that things have got complicated with so much gear floating around, and maybe that might drive some people away. But its absurd to say the windsurfing industry has caused the decline, when what they've actually done is made windsurfing gear more accessible, and easier to use.

If someone were to ban all the modern gear and remove it from use tomorrow, theres no doubt in my mind that at least 2/3rds of people who windsurf now would cease windsurfing tomorrow. Windsurfing is a niche sport that enjoyed a boom period (like so many others). Remove the "exciting" part now, and it will become even more niche, to the point where it might actually disappear.

Francone is an inspiration. To think it might be possible me to still be Windsurfing for over another two decades is heartening.
The points made on this thread are all interesting analyses.
I think I might have a little perspective to offer. Having been introduced to dinghy sailing in the late 70's at our local yacht club; To think sailing clubs were ever anything but predominantly the domain of the affluent is deluded.
The same is the case now.
It was at that sailing club I first experienced the exhilaration of being propelled by the wind. I have my hard working parents to thank who scrimped and saved to buy me an International Cadet Dinghy. Sadly dinghy sailing wasn't for me. My little "Butterbox" spent more time upside down than upright. The boat was sold and that was the end of dinghy sailing for me. Besides I never really felt like I belonged at the club anyway. I went to a state school and most of the other kids at the club were at the local elite private schools.
At about the same time a bizzare watercraft with muti coloured sails began to appear in increasing numbers. from a 12 YO perspective those Sailboarders were so cool. I had to do it. A learnt when a try out Sailboarding day was held by the local water sports dealer and that was it HOOKED.
I mowed lawns, washed cars , builders' laboured until I could afford a second hand Windsufer Sailboard.
For the next 10 years I sailed every spare minute and followed the trend to shorter, faster and sinkier boards.
It got to the point where we could only sail in minimum 25Knots. The sinker nearly killed sailboarding. In fact I quit due to the fact my new career no longer allowed me to shoot through anytime when the wind was in.
Fast forward to 2010. On a whim I pulled some old gear out on a windy day and the flame was reignighted. I quickly realised the new equipment was a must. Getting kitted up wasn't too expensinve with a careful mix of used and new. It made the whole experience so much easier and the performance was better than anything from the past. Wider wide angle, early planing....blah, blah.
Enter the Windurfer LT. Everything about it has been said.
Last weekend at the very same sailing club where it all began for me; what would have been the unthinkable in the 70's happened. Windsurfers raced on the same course as other classes! A great experience. Nothing too serious and some good company.
The whole sport has come full circle. Draw what conclusions you like. Personally whatever gets me on the water the most often is good. For me that means three wave boards three sails and an LT. Mostly used gear sourced from this site and repaired throw aways at fraction of new prices. There is a solution for every budget.
Without all the development and technology drawn from the cutting edge of yachting none of all the diverse disciplines of Windsurfing, Kiting, Foiling or LT would exist for us to chose from. Let's not deride each other for our choices. We're all on the same side.
.......Prespective......

airsail said..
The Seabreeze windsurf forums are more active than any other of the forums, just saying.

That's cos you're sitting around on forums waiting for a 30kt day and not out on the water like the kiters, sups, windwings, surfers

Obelix said..
At the place I sail at, there has been some minor defection to kiting, but more concerning, a good number have recently moved to foiling and wing surfing. Mostly the most experienced sailors.

I guess they mastered the skill and need new challenges.

But may be that's still called "windsurfing"

At our local spot on Cape Cod, there definitely seemed to be more windsurfers this year than in previous years. I'll blame the "working from home" trend .

Two of the best windsurfers have switched to winging almost exclusively, after windfoiling mostly for a year or so. But for one of them, it's a matter of prevailing conditions. Most of the time, we get chop/swell that's no good for wave sailing, and not much fun on slalom gear. When we are at a spot where the waves are great, she loves wave sailing; at spots with shallow and flat water, she loves windsurfing on slalom and speed gear.

On the other hand, we have a couple of guys who were not afraid to go out on larger sails (around 8 m) who started windfoiling. You'll see them on the water more often now that they started foiling, on smaller sails and with bigger grins. They both still windsurf when the wind is stronger. But if it's a light weekend day, they (and one of the wingers) may be the only ones on the water having fun, perhaps joined by a couple of very light windsurfers, while most windsurfers stand on shore waiting for wind.