Is windsurfing popularity still declining?

It is interesting reading the comments. Here is the deal, we need viable numbers in the sport or manufacturers stop producing. To get and keep viable numbers you need to market the sport to new people. We need new blood coming in to replace the oldies that eventually leave. Yep it's true as a surfer crowds piss me off, but you learn to deal with it and when it gets big the crowds thin out. There are more alternates to sailing now, SUP, kiting, surfing etc etc etc, all vying for the limited $ that is in the market.

What makes a sport cool? Good marketing goes a long way. People only know what is cool when they are told, subtly but told. Surfing will always be the main sport it's uncomplicated, relatively cheap and easy to transport. Oh I know people will come back and say sailing is cheap, the gear makes it easy to learn on etc but the reality is that it is effort intensive and bloody hard to transport easily (even traveling with one rig and sail is a problem at times).

WindSUP will make the sport a little more accessible, one board to do multiple things. So everyone this summer get one beginner into the sport, a couple of hours once a week, forget about the high performance stuff straight away and let them find out that light wind and spinning tricks can be fun. Clubs should be running beginners nights, a BBQ a lesson and some old long gear.

Just my thoughts on the matter

Here is our lastest effort to get more kids involved in windsurfing with a scaled down copy of our Quad 85 to a 183cm x 46 cm x 35 L in Ployester/ Surfboard construction to keep the costs down

Cost isn't the main thing that stops windsurfing being the most popular pastime in the world. When windsurfing was extremely popular it probably cost you about $1000 for a beginner board and sail. Average yearly income was probably around $15K a year or less.

Today a new beginner board and sail might cost about $2000. Average incomes are about $60K or so. You can pick up that 25 year old board and sail for about $50 or less unless its one of those eBay specials from someone who has no idea and compares it to a $1000 SUP.

Is windsurfing still declining? I don't think so. Seems to be that plenty of former ex-windsurfers are getting back into it. That is the best source of growth. People talk about getting kids into it. Sure a few get into it but most kids are busy doing other things and most of them don't have a car or much money. Unless their parents or some other adult is supportive or they live close to the water, windsurfing is a difficult sport to persue.

Our population is aging. The over sixties are probably the biggest growing segment of the population. The group photo of the FNQ mob shows the future. Healthier, active people of all ages enjoying a great sport.

I think it's a matter of people being exposed to the sport by making it visible via maybe advertising and events. Is it expensive well yes and no. I'm also into dirt bikes. I have 2 bikes at present. One is just under 2 years old and cost $12000 new the other is 4 years old and cost $10500 as a demo. That's without actually setting up the bikes with bash plates, hand guards, suspension tuning etc. Along with that you have gear. Neck brace, knee braces, boots, helmet, body armour, pants, gersey, gloves, socks you get the idea. Now if you go to any motocross track on a race day there is big numbers of bikes and people there which are mostly competitors and a few spectators. The vast majority are young people and alot are pre licence teens with their fathers in tow to transport and pay for everything. I know i used to do it with my son when he was racing and i was the living breathing ATM. So you can add another new bike to the stable. Only a handful of these fathers ride in the motocross events. So they rock up at 6am just to get a spot on the grid sit around for 8 to 10 hours while only 2 or 3, 4 lap heats are run and then the race later in the day which is 8 laps. That equates to a total of about 45 minutes riding and ALOT of waiting in 10 hours or so.
Now to windsurfing. I started about 5 months ago now. In that time i have bought my beginner kit which was all new 2011 gear and cost $2700. Since then i have traded the beginner board and bought 2 more new sails at about $700 each plus 3 wetsuits about $500 all up on sale and 2 pro edition boards, one ex demo at $1000 and one new about to be superseded $1600. I also ungraded to an X6 mast from my original X3. So do the sums it has cost me around $7500 to go wind surfing and i've got some really nice gear. The bike thing has cost me around $30000 and that's without my sons bike and gear and trailer to transport the bikes.
This is not to brag about stuff it's just an accurate comparison of costs to compare 2 sports. One which is quite popular and rapidly running out of places to do it due to noise, whingers and urban sprawl. The other which is no where near as popular but quiet is not at risk of running out of places to do it and just as much fun with way less injury. If the young people wanted to do it the parents would take them and spend the money and chances are rather than just being spectators the parents would actually want to do it themselves. Win win situation. 2 bikes vs 2 boards $30000 vs $7500. No windsurfing isn't expensive to buy the gear and there is virtually no maintenance in comparison. The amount i do each about 10 or 15 to 1 windsurfing to riding and it would be similar for most.
A surf board costs between $500 and $1000 so is windsurfing expensive. Yes. So it depends on what eyes you see it through. It costs alot of money to get started but once your in if you have a good shop to deal with like i do then trading and upgrading is relatively cheap and it's brilliant fun all for the cost of some fuel to get to the water
The big question is how do we get it in peoples faces?
But in some ways i think do we want to. There has always and always we be the Richard Craniums of the world so the more people that start doing any activity the more chance of coming across Dick Heads.

I was wondering about the price of windsurfing gear.

When I check prices in Oz or in europe, they are much more expensive than in my small country.

For example the new RRD firemove is retailed in france at 1800 euros while it is sold here for 1100 euros !!!

We have more taxes than nearly every other country, but we also are one of the largest windsurfing communities.

With a lot of demand and nearly all brands represented, dealers have to make an effort on prices in order to sell.
The same applies to sails from what I 've seen over the net.

Low prices (compared to overseas) and excellent conditions might explain why windsurf is growing here.

From what i've heard mythbusters proved you can. I haven't seen the episode myself just heard about it from someone who watches it. But here's another one "you can't put brains in statues"

If people help out kids by passing on their old gear for cheap/free, are friendly in the carpark and helpful on the water the sport will grow.

Its too different (in cost and setup) to ever compare to surfing, but the level in waves and freestyle is so high now it has to grow.

The biggest hurdle is getting a rig and transporting it around when your a teen, if you want to help the sport spread the stoke and help the young crew out. Or grab your niece/nephew by the neck and give them a windsurf lesson! hehe

Interesting thread. Well, my .10c is that I'm looking at coming back to the sport. I sailed as a 17 y.o. in the 80's and loved it. Took it up again in the mid 90's with some old equipment, mostly at Narrabeen Lakes, and even Iron Cove/Drummoyne for a bit. Now I'm once again wading through where the gear is at and trying to get a handle on it all before I rig up again.

I would say where I'm from (North of Scotland) its increasing slightly. There is now a windsurfing club who teach anyone who wants with very low prices which possibly don't even cover the cost of equipment (I believe it was funded by government grant). This makes the sport very accessible to all who wish to try it out with no massive outlay. They also offer one off group taster sessions organised by a local council sponsored 'keep kids fit' quango. This introduces a large percent of secondary school age children to the sport. Locals are also aware of the sport as they can see people windsurfing on a fairly regular basis through the summer.

However despite the large numbers of young people trying the sport, and enjoying the session, very few actually stick with the lessons for any length of time. Over the summer whilst I have been learning (My first lesson was Mid June) 12 people have started learning and last week we only had 6 of us left!

I have always wanted to learn to windsurf since I was in primary school, I used to spend my summer holidays 'helping' to rig and de rig and watch windsurfers out on the water. However my parents would not let me learn as they believed it to be too dangerous. When I was old enough to leave home I didn't live near the coast. The when I was at Uni there was no clubs so I had no idea how or where to start. Its only now after Uni that I have been able to take up this sport.