Given the rush, why is it so few people do it these days? I don't get it. For me its like a drug.

At least it isn't crowded but on the other hand I wish more people could enjoy the stoke!

*Why isn't windsuffering THE sport?

lol.

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waveslave said..
*Why isn't windsuffering THE sport?

lol.

Cause the 'Slaves no longer doing it

There is a bumper sticker that is pretty popular among windsurfers here in the states.
"If it was easy, they'd call it kite boarding".

The learning curve required is a bit long for most people.
But that also means the reward is much sweeter once achieving the skill.

I've been in love with windsurfing since 1978, but it's hard to get much time on the water if you're working 9-5 five days a week, live where most people live, and sail what most people sail. That makes it hard to progress, and the sport tends to be pretty harsh on beginners. Something as basic as a carve gybe is actually quite hard for most people to learn, especially when they can't practice a lot. Years ago the Boards magazine forum had a poll that showed that a lot of people who have been windsurfing for years still can't carve gybe reliably.

So compared with a modern boom sport like SUPping or road cycling, or even most yacht and dinghy sailing, windsurfing promotes itself as being something that's very hard to learn and uses quite complex gear. Lots of windsurfers insult non-windsurfers by saying that they don't have the persistence to learn to windsurf, but is it really any good to blame put the blame on your potential customers? People are still persistent enough to go sailing on other types of craft, they are still persistent enough to surf, and still persistent enough to beat their legs up on bikes. It may just be that those sports are less dependent on conditions, and normally promote gear that is simpler in many ways.

The growth in our cities means that many people live further away from the water than they used to, and the growth in traffic means that it's harder to get to the beach. People also work longer hours. Those factors must surely be having an impact. Add to that the fact that most boards are only really fun when it's windier than normal (unless you live in WA or similar places) and the small size of the sport doesn't seem to be a surprise. The sport these days just seems to be a bit too hard for the typical person, who has a lot of other commitments and can't wait for good conditions or get lots of time on the water.

It's still fantastic, though!

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Mastbender said..
There is a bumper sticker that is pretty popular among windsurfers here in the states.
"If it was easy, they'd call it kite boarding".

There was also a bumper sticker that was pretty popular among kitesurfers there in the states
"windsurfing has been cancelled"


/I say whatever makes you smile is good.

good to see you keeping the hate alive kite boy

The fact that you can't just go sailing when you want to kills it you need wind its not like other sports like footy etc that you can do it anytime this I think makes it too hard for most.

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Sputnik11 said..
Given the rush, why is it so few people do it these days? I don't get it. For me its like a drug.

Lots of other new drugs around these days i.e Playstation,Facebook Twitter etc. etc

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Glynn Merrit said..
The fact that you can't just go sailing when you want to kills it you need wind its not like other sports like footy etc that you can do it anytime this I think makes it too hard for most.

So true. You need to have other sports/hobbies/obsessions to occupy your time and use up pent up energies.

Particularly for Sydney and lot of east coast. Haven't had a chance to sail since about March....almost forgotten how to rig.

But I play golf twice a week (9 holes on way to work + brekky with the boys) plus occasional Sat game, tennis twice a week, occasional MTB and lots of walking.
Golf is my new obsession as I can have a net practice on way home or if not windy (for sailing) in daylight saving just have a quick 9 holes

It is a lot easier when the family has grown up too. Need to share as much time as possible before you become uncool.
Taught both my girls to windsurf so they understand the need.

Just enjoy whatever you are doing and keep active.

Add to what have been said:

- The large size of the gear and required storage
- Cost of gear
- Need for a car to transport your gear

Those 3 were the reason why I stopped for 10 years

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westozwind said..
good to see you keeping the hate alive kite boy

Not at all.
1. Mastbender started it,
2. I finished with 'whatever makes you smile is good'
3. It's a legit answer to OP's question "why isn't windsufring THE sport" - cos many ex-sufrers are kite sufrers now.

More rush, less gear, less learning curve.

You don't agree with 'more rush' most likely, but then again you've never been so high off the water you're wondering how on earth you're going to get down again, most likely.

If one is a weekend sailor in Sydney then the number of windy weekend days in the last six months is probably around zero or very close to it. There were a couple of times it was almost windy enough to get planning but when it was it wasn't worth it as the wind was marginal and the weather freezing cold. So the weather around here isn't conducive for windsurfing to be THE sport.

However there was a time if windsurfing was not THE sport, it was A sport.

Perhaps we should at areas where windsurfing is popular like northern Europe and work out why its popular there.

when windsurfing became a planing sport - ie more short board oriented - it became wind bound
now with SUP, WindSUP and KONA - some of the FUN and TOW aspects are coming back
about 75 % of my sessions in 2015 were on a longboard - Mistral Equipe or Fanatic Ultra CAT
people are afraid to use "large" sails - 85% of my sessions were with a sail in the 8.x range (8.0 - 8.5)
since it is about planing , there seems to be a wind minimum - usually around 15 knots
i go when winds are announced over 20 kph - that's about 11 knots
people here complain about gusty winds - they are ALWAYS gusty - get a sail with BIG range, adjustable outhaul, etc

in summary: the sport needs to go more about FUN, TOW , etc
long boards HELP in that area
here kiting is taking over ...
there are days when I go and the kites cannot !!
LONG BOARDS are the answer !!

Windsurfing can be hard to get into, and then hard to learn. Gear (rentals few and far between except at WS resorts), roof racks, a place to learn, someone to teach you.... there's a LOT of judgement there for the new punter to get their head around. Marketers would call these problems "barriers to entry".

Contrast that with something like golf or snowboarding: rock up, rent equipment, take a lesson at whatever level you're at to improve a bit, then go out and enjoy. It's a "system", and all you have to do is fit into it.

One of the best things that ever happened to me windsurfing-wise was getting my Pacifico (which of course is getting a bit old now). I can teach anyone who wants to learn, go sailing even when it's light, or paddle it if it's really light. It's surprisingly fun to sail, and not much like that plastic monster that a lot of us learnt on.

If I won a be-squillion dollars tomorrow, I'd build one of those big indoor fan-arenas, like in the 90's. Rock up day or night, rent gear, take a clinic in whatever (gybing, waterstarting) to get better. Sailors would get their fix and be way better next time they went out. Obviously that business model is not sustainable, but it's a dream...

MP

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goldy68 said..


If I won a be-squillion dollars tomorrow, I'd build one of those big indoor fan-arenas, like in the 90's. Rock up day or night, rent gear, take a clinic in whatever (gybing, waterstarting) to get better. Sailors would get their fix and be way better next time they went out. Obviously that business model is not sustainable, but it's a dream...

MP

Personally I'd be buying a plane, so me and my gear are only hours ay from the nearest windy spot. Its always windy and daylight somewhere in the world.

But enough dreaming now and fingers crossed for a windy weekend.

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evlPanda said..

Pigs arse.

Don't have anything to do with anyone you met before you windsurfed. Then everyone expects you to live in that blue bit.

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evlPanda said..

my pet hate is the yellow - seriously, i DON'T need to celebrate your kids' 2nd birthday

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Sputnik11 said...

evlPanda said..

my pet hate is the yellow - seriously, i DON'T need to celebrate your kids' 2nd birthday

I'm hearing you.
i bailed on my own kids 3rd birthday to get a sail in.

I have to agree with MrSpinout.

The cost of gear for me is the limiting factor as to why I have not been able to progress in windsurfing (Not to mention permanent shoulder injury). I am a low income earner with two kids. And have more bills to pay then worry about what the next best board on the market is (honestly wouldn't know either), and what upgrades I should be doing etc.

I only have old gear which should really be upgrades, but just dont have the funds for it. My kids will always come first, and what ever spare change I have left over goes to keeping the house and car running.

I understand why the costs are as high as they are, But for me, its to much money to spend on something that may only last a season if I 'm lucky with the amount of catapults and stacks I have.

So to end this, If anyone has some lighter rigs (with mast and foot) I have extension (5-7mt sails) they want to donate my way so i can get my shoulder strengthened and get back on the water again after nearly 1 year would be greatly appreciated lol

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Stuthepirate said..

Sputnik11 said...

evlPanda said..

my pet hate is the yellow - seriously, i DON'T need to celebrate your kids' 2nd birthday

I'm hearing you.
i bailed on my own kids 3rd birthday to get a sail in.

I had my daughters birthday on the weekend, and was drooling over the wind out Shornecliffe way

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kiteboy dave said..

Mastbender said..
There is a bumper sticker that is pretty popular among windsurfers here in the states.
"If it was easy, they'd call it kite boarding".

There was also a bumper sticker that was pretty popular among kitesurfers there in the states
"windsurfing has been cancelled"


/I say whatever makes you smile is good.

Except that one is true and the other one is not.
The best humor has an element of truth to it.

BTW, I've never seen one of those, unlike these. Funny name you chose for yourself, stickers considering.
Like you said, "whatever makes you smile is good".

told my kite surfing buddy that he and the kites were taking too much space on the beach and needed to "move along"
he told me I must have missed the container where people were depositing their windsurf boards

BIG windsurf deterrents:

1) COST - new equipment is just very $$$. Still cheaper than a sail boat.
2) SPACE - hard to store, move about and travel with the equipment. Compared to kiting.
3) ACCESSIBILITY - where can you try, rent or even GO in your area - water access ??

joewindsurfer.blogspot.com/2013/12/importance-of-technique.html

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Mastbender said..



Except that one is true and the other one is not.
The best humor has an element of truth to it.

<sigh> not lying mate.
very first result, image search. They were popular in Hawaii, IIRC.

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joe windsurf said...
when windsurfing became a planing sport - ie more short board oriented - it became wind bound
now with SUP, WindSUP and KONA - some of the FUN and TOW aspects are coming back
about 75 % of my sessions in 2015 were on a longboard - Mistral Equipe or Fanatic Ultra CAT
people are afraid to use "large" sails - 85% of my sessions were with a sail in the 8.x range (8.0 - 8.5)
since it is about planing , there seems to be a wind minimum - usually around 15 knots
i go when winds are announced over 20 kph - that's about 11 knots
people here complain about gusty winds - they are ALWAYS gusty - get a sail with BIG range, adjustable outhaul, etc

in summary: the sport needs to go more about FUN, TOW , etc
long boards HELP in that area
here kiting is taking over ...
there are days when I go and the kites cannot !!
LONG BOARDS are the answer !!

All the above is true
I have been back in the sport for a couple of years after a long break. The gear now is much higher performance but this comes with a bigger learning curve and less flexibility. Both are significant barriers to newcomers.
Throw in upfront purchase cost and infrequency of good conditions and it makes sense that only the die-hard persist with the sport.

Has any1 had a go at hitting rails windsurfing? That would cool.

This is why I kite!

^^ Yes we should all sail, at speed, close to, solid immovable objects where the end result of a miscalculation looks like this

Windsurfing is THE sport which I do!

What anyone else thinks or does is their own issue