Yeah definitely declining in WA. I think a lot of guys have jumped ship to Kiting.I think it's probably stabilised now though.
Someone should invest in creating a mainstream game for windsurfing now that there is interactive technology (xbox kinect, wii, ps3 move). More kids would get exposure to windsurfing. I can imagine how cool it would be.
Also there is really standout no hero for the sport. Ask a anyone thats not a windsurfer to name one and they will draw a blank. Ask them about Skateboarders they will say Tony Hawk.
Guys like Brawzonhio and Golito could really get it out there, and because they are so young they can appeal and relate to the young kids.
How about all those teachers who windsurf hook up with their state associations and have it as a free sporting activity type for students????
I think you would need to be able to add weapons to the board in the game so you can take out other windsurfers. Maybe you could add longer sharper fins and you have to jump and take out other windsurfers with your fin like they did in those Neil Pryde videos back in the late eighties.
^^^ Sideskirt - I downloaded that game a couple of years ago, was a bit 'meh' - looks like they've made some improvements!
At 2.33 what a move , gybe in the air and straight into a forward into the wind and landing it with you on leeward side of sail and then onto a gybe into the wind. I bags that guy when I get the game.
Just dont mention da germans.
Windsurfing was all cool and new in the early 80's , 30 years ago,
where did the time go.
You have no chance of making kids think its still "cool" like you think it is or want it to be.
If the youth of today want to get into it, they will, no matter what it costs or how hard you claim it to be.Nothing has changed since you were teenages except their are more options.
In 30 years time kiteing will be retro old school like windsurfing is now,,,,,thats just how life turns,,,and then I will be on the forums saying""how can we get the sport popular and cool again like the old days" sniff sniff
Enjoy what your doing,stop worrying if others dont think its cool anymore.
And be thankfull its NOT popular, like surfng with 100 crew fighting for waves when its going off.
Think about it,,,,most surfers,kiter,SUP's all hate that the sports are popular and crowded,,,,,,why are you guy wanting that?????
where did the time go.
Nah I'm good with crowded waves, cuts down on the likelihood of getting bitten lol
where did the time go.
Windsurfing could still be cool? how can I tell, who would know?
Wikipedia says a lot about cool including some interesting stuff about the Yoruba civilization of Western Africa but in the end they quote The Simpsons
Homer: So, I realized that being with my family is more important
than being cool.
Bart: Dad, what you just said was powerfully uncool.
Homer: You know what the song says: "It's hip to be square".
Lisa: That song is so lame.
Homer: So lame that it's... cool?
Bart+Lisa: No.
Marge: Am I cool, kids?
Bart+Lisa: No.
Marge: Good. I'm glad. And that's what makes me cool, not caring,
right?
Bart+Lisa: No.
Marge: Well, how the hell do you be cool? I feel like we've tried
everything here.
Homer: Wait, Marge. Maybe if you're truly cool, you don't need to
be told you're cool.
Bart: Well, sure you do.
Lisa: How else would you know?
Does cool come into it? I don't think people kite because it's cooler than w/surfing. I think they have chosen kiting as it;'s easier & cheaper to get into. But it will never take over w/surfing for one primary factor - their boards don't float. Which kind of restricts what they do and where they go. i.e I've been 2 - 3 kms off the WA coast and had the wind drop on me and had breakages etc no worries, bit of a paddle, but with a kite.. and all those biteys.. Sharks are our friends 
There were some kiters starting to appear at my local a few years back, but after a few off them spotted Maureen they rarely venture out there.
I don't care if it is cool or popular! I windsurf because I enjoy it and it gives me kicks and adrenaline rushes, I do not want it to become extremely popular. What will I gain for it; more peeps doing it = less parking space, less water space, more gear getting stolen, more agro .....
Love it to stay the way it is.
Young peeps stay out of my sport!
of course the advantage of a "sport not being cool anymore" is that all the d***heads have moved on to the next big thing. I am guessing this will happen to kiteboarding eventually as well.
Mind you I got a bit bored with all the loops.
trends.google.com/trends/?q=windsurfing
Yes I would say so, if you add kiting then you can see it hasn't changed much in comparison whereas windsurf has declined.
trends.google.com/trends/?q=windsurfing%2C+kitesurf&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all&sort=0
the levels are normalised so you can't really compare actual popularity
Al
