I used to sail regularly with a bunch of old school friends. We're all married with kids now, and I am the only one that still sails. Whenever I suggest they come down to the bay with me, I get dagger eyes from their wives.

My wife likes the de-stressed me that returns from the bay.

Select to expand quote

Harrow said..

My wife likes the de-stressed me that returns from the bay.

She's a keeper!

I was going to say maybe she likes the alone time Hazza

Get her into windsurfing (like my wife). Never any arguments about heading to the beach, and you can both have good excuses to avoid those birthday parties :)

Select to expand quote

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

lol.

Obviously compared to what ............running, swimming laps etc etc

Classic day of windsuffering last week on Sunday..............

Sunset outside bommie was consistently pumping mast hight over 50 to 100m before reforming on the inside at 6 foot and rattling down the line for another 200m i was lit on a 5.5 the entire afternoon session

Slave you should phone a friend although you will struggle , the best kiters spent all of 5 mins out there hhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I THINK THE KITERS WIN PANTS DOWN , THE WIND SUFFERING AWARD ...........and most days that rate



Ps good to see your in form slave

Because it's like being a junky with a veeeeeeeery unreliable dealer

Select to expand quote

westozwind said..
Get her into windsurfing (like my wife). Never any arguments about heading to the beach, and you can both have good excuses to avoid those birthday parties :)

Woe-woe-woe there, I'm not so sure about that, my first wife windsurfed, and my second doesn't, I'm still with the second one.
At first I totally agreed, I had it made, she windsurfed,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, but not as well, and was happy with mellow conditions,,,,,,,,, ooops.
There was other stuff, but this was on the list, fairly high on the list.
Windsurfing couples can have their own set of reasons to get mad at each other, not just wanting different conditions, but also how much time is spent doing it, and you have to be careful with giving advise, that can be tricky.
If you can achieve the exact same desires with conditions, and with the time spent doing it, more power to you, and consider yourself seriously lucky, I hope you are.

I'm a windsurfing fanatic, always have been, my schedule revolves around the wind (self-employed), so only two kinds of woman could work for me.
She would have to be equally fanatic, in the waves, as much time as possible,,,,, or completely uninterested, and happy for me to go out and get as much as I can. Because she knows that the man that has a wonderful outlet like that, makes a better man.
That's what I have now, been together for over 10 years, couldn't be happier, and she hates the wind, and is afraid of sharks. We SUP together tho, but only on flat water (for her) which is fine, no wind anyway.
But that's just me.

My wife has her passion - horse riding - and understands my passion - windsurfing.

Now that is an expensive sport John.

"I hate wind" she said....

I believe that there are many reasons. Many of those are contributed by the many variables in our society.

(1). We are more well-off, or at least we think we are well-off,
(2). The attitudinal factor, and
(3). More choices of activities are available.

(1). We have more spare cash in our pockets. With the cheaper form of adrenaline boosting activities like Quad-bikes, trail bikes, and 4-WD, it is a hell of a lot easier to get your fill of excitements than windsurfing. Besides, if wind doesn't come it, you are sitting on the beach spewing, and cranking up your neck to see where are the white caps on the horizon !

(2). We want instant rewards and success. Jump on a Quad-bike, or a jet-ski, and you are master of the beach, with an admiring girlfriend on the back holding on for her dear life ! To get to a level of passable skill in windsurfing, it takes a lot of falling off and countless uphauling. Then the indignity of having to swim back when you had trouble sailing back to the beach. Unless you are uber capable, I reckon it takes at least 2-3 years for a person to be classed as satisfactory. That is a long time in anyone's book.

(3). As mentioned above, with the extra cash, or credit cards begging to be worked hard, we can buy a lot of "excitement" machines.

So if you see a windsurfer popping along on water, think of the hard yards he/she had traveled before getting to the stage where he could at least stand up on a board.

To me it is The Sport.
I've sailed most of my life, surfed more than half my life, windsurfed a fraction of my life.
I don't do any of the previous sports much anymore.
I get just as much enjoyment weather i'm on my big 150L boat and 4.5m practicing heli tacks and back wind sailing as i do blasting over jumps in 30kts.
Now I've even got my 6yo and missus learning, so it's off to the beach in the morning, and when the wind kicks, off they go and i sail on to beer o'clock.
Yeew!

Gotta agree with Stu here.
Ive surfed my whole life now into SUP, flat and the waves. Windsurfed for over 20 years. My wife and daughter know an arvo windsurfing or even a quick SUP for an hour is my release. They know I come home happy. Also where we live its an ocean kind of life style. Ive got them both paddling and taught my daughter to windsurf too. we spend time at the beach just chillin'. If the wind kicls in Im off and they are sweet with that.
To me, we are just well off as a family.

Select to expand quote

Harrow said..
I used to sail regularly with a bunch of old school friends. We're all married with kids now, and I am the only one that still sails. Whenever I suggest they come down to the bay with me, I get dagger eyes from their wives.

My wife likes the de-stressed me that returns from the bay.

I don't understand the woman who resents her man doing something healthy that he enjoys. Its so selfish.You know, find yourself something you love and do it (when its not windy) as much as you like. And be happy that windsurfing makes your man happy.

Select to expand quote

dan berry said..
Because it's like being a junky with a veeeeeeeery unreliable dealer

On the upside having an "OD" is now kind of underground, not in the wooden box feeding the worms manner, but more the a kind of retro cool hipster thing like..... sideburns.

Select to expand quote

evlPanda said..

I was late to my own 21st, left an exam early. Never gave up a job interview for it tho. Did windsurf 3 times on my engagement party day. Bailed on a Bathurst on the day I was hosting as people were driving to my house.

I am sure someone can top that. I think Scotty sailed the morning after his wedding!

Ha ha
Cashed up bogans
they will destroy kitesurfing next

Select to expand quote

gmitton said..
I was late to my own 21st, left an exam early. Never gave up a job interview for it tho. Did windsurf 3 times on my engagement party day. Bailed on a Bathurst on the day I was hosting as people were driving to my house.

I am sure someone can top that. I think Scotty sailed the morning after his wedding!

Sailed halfway thru a wedding. Half the bridal party pics I am missing lol. Made it to the reception of course
Bailed on a funeral for a sail
Xmas Day and Boxing Day a couple of years ago

I think part of the issue for many people is fear of embarrassment. It's A hard sport to learn and you're very self conscious at first wondering what people are thinking about you and how uncool you look compared to them....but sit on the beach and watch and you suddenly realise that everyone is too busy worrying about their own technique or next move they've been working of for weeks to even care what you are doing.

i strongly suspect that a lot of people who drop out after lessons and a few goes May just not want to look like a learner.

On the progression learning front being so hard,

Is you get too many forecasts that look like this! Makes it really hard for learners to get to the next level of fast planning (=fun) windsurfing when the opportunity to get the right conditions is so limited.

the ONLY way you can get good at any sport is repetition, so you need to be able to lock yourself away in a situation of being able to practice in good winds at least 3-4 times PW for 3-4 weeks to get sufficient TOW to improve and build up muscle memory and some skills and experience.

The Poms all take windsurf holidays overseas in windy resorts with lot of gear and instructors and as a result their skill base and experience has the best chance, cant imagine a UK winter would be much fun for a learner?! I cant think of anything in Australia that remotely compares to anything that like the sailing resorts that are available overseas, so you are pretty much left to your own devices here in Aust...which does make it hard for newbies.

If you only get 1 'windy' experience every 3 months its going to get hard to get better, and you will forever be stuck in the light wind plodding around zone, if you are happy with that level then that's fine too...but it think we all agree the 'planning' level is where the best fun is at.

I'm lucky I got some NQ trade wind winters under my belt when learning which gave me consistent good wins and enough TOW, but then only during the winters...my coach was clippings from magazines and a couple of VHS tapes! So I learnt slow and hard..lots of swimming and cursing!

Then I had an entire another level of learning to do when hitting WA in summer and having to learn what a wave board and sail was and what REAL Wind, was like starting all over again I got hammered day after day. But i locked in a good 4-6 weeks of it, initially and them a few more summers to lock in some skills.
I'm not sure without those big blocks of good conditions I would have ever achieved and sort of level.

4-6 weeks in summer WA will provide 1 years worth good wind compared to SE QLD, There must be a market for 1-2 week windsurfing camps in WA for wind deprived east coast newbies? Sure would get a lot more people hooked!

^^^ 2nd Wind out of Perth do trips to the Coccos Islands each Australian Winter. East coasters can head to New Caledonia, Hawaii, Philipines etc

Select to expand quote

John340 said..
^^^ 2nd Wind out of Perth do trips to the Coccos Islands each Australian Winter. East coasters can head to New Caledonia, Hawaii, Philipines etc

yep all expensive options though, was thinking Australia, and not sure if any of the above have dedicated windsurf resorts as such, which is what I was eluding too like in Europe. Even Maui doesn't really have one as such,.
There is/used to be (perhaps still is?? not sure) a big trailer at Pelican Point in Perth that pumped out lessons and hire (with suitable gear) in a spot well suited for such...but I have a feeling that's no longer? ... good spot to hang for a few weeks in summer and learn the ropes with some reliable wind , lighter earlier in the day then you can test yourself later as the doctor kicks in...perfect learning situation really. Cervantes would be another corker spot.

think if you can get hooked a bit more economically and locally then you would be more likely to consider forking out the Big$ for one of the above options, I'd guessing that most snowboarders/ski crew got hooked locally in Australia before heading off to Whistler of Japan?

I've got a friend who sails an old 80's Wally and wants to upgrade to more modern kit- no gear for him to try out other than mine and most of mine is unsuitable.
Local shop only orders in boards when you want to buy..certainly not a progressor / beginner friendly sport around here. Once you're in the know especially in GPS circles you can get gear etc but not for people like him.
He's just going to have to take a punt and buy something and hope it will do the job.

Select to expand quote

tazmania said..
I think part of the issue for many people is fear of embarrassment. It's A hard sport to learn and you're very self conscious at first wondering what people are thinking about you and how uncool you look compared to them....but sit on the beach and watch and you suddenly realise that everyone is too busy worrying about their own technique or next move they've been working of for weeks to even care what you are doing.

i strongly suspect that a lot of people who drop out after lessons and a few goes May just not want to look like a learner.

I used to rig up down the beach away from everyone else because I was embarrassed that it was so obvious I didn't know what I was doing.

It didn't stop me though. I'm still windsurfing. My first and only love as far as sports go.

You do need to be a person who can take a lot of setbacks and stick at something which is a constant challenge.

Another problem with windsurfing is that whilst windsurfers love their sport and would love to introduce others, not many are prepared to sacrifice their own TOW to teach beginners or friends in lightwind flat water conditions (even if they had the right gear to share), and hire/instruct setups are not available in many locations.

I guess jumping a kite board is a similar rush to standing in an elevator going up. Although I've never been dropped in on by an elevator.

Uh boy . Here we go ...

Select to expand quote

william said...
I guess jumping a kite board is a similar rush to standing in an elevator going up. Although I've never been dropped in on by an elevator.

Uh boy . Here we go ...

Tell me what elevator is 4.7G's

Ho hum

Further to getting into the sport or back into it these days.
I've been doing some research for my friend and I think a 125tabou rocket would suit him . I suggested buy the board and then 2nd hand rig bits..
Looked around - None to demo , none for sale , bugger all 125 freerides on on shop sites..
No wonder people buy SUPs! They can go and have a look in the shop, have a demo and then buy one off the floor.
With windsurfing you've just got to make a decision from as much info as you can glean , try and find one and then hope you can sail it..too hard and I'm not even buying one!
I realise that's because there aren't enough people sailing over here but it's not going to improve with the current situation. QLd is lucky as it has Morgs and his group of improvers to sail and support each other,and liason with shops and other groups.

^^ ^ Sue,

Morgan, Jeff and their friends were not lucky, they created this group of Improvers last season by putting themselves out there. They used Seabreeze to create a chronicle of their progression and connect with new like minded sailors, sharing the joys and frustrations of progressing in this sport. They meet regularly and many of them are currently camping at Lake Cootharibah this week. This has become a regular event each school holidays. They are an excellent example of what is possible.

On a good day in SE Qld, we have windsurfers sailing at up to 10 locations from Hervey Bay to the Gold Coast, supported by 4 active sailing / windsurfing clubs, 6 active teams in the GPS Team Challenge and 4 windsurfing retail outlets. I got back into windsurfing in 2010 and I believe its popularity in SE Qld has increased over that time.