Learning to windsurf with no windsurfing friends...

I am just beginning to learn to windsurf but so many windy days go to waste because I have nobody to go windsurfing with. I feel like this limits my time on the water more than anything. Every single website I read says to avoid sailing alone (especially as a beginner), but I am just not sure how to overcome this problem of not having anybody to go with. I take all of the safety precautions (life jacket, no offshore winds, etc.) and I am able to bring my phone out onto the water but I'm still hesitant to go out alone. In addition, I sail in an enclosed body of water which would make me feel a bit more comfortable. The photos below show an image from the beach looking across the water to the other side to give an idea of how large this body of water really is. The boats in the image are not currently there and there is no current. The other image shows the beach that I launch from circled in red in relation to the entire bay. There are no other windsurfers in the area that I know of but a lot of dingy sailors and some kayakers.

So I am curious how bad of an idea it really is for me to go out and get some practice in <15 kts with a small sail with nobody supervising me or sailing with me. I am also very familiar with the area as I have been sailing here for a few years now.

Thanks for any input!

As long as it's onshore, you can always drift back in. As Tardy says, wear safety gear, helmet and impact/flotation vest. carry spare rope with you, that can always be handy in an emergency.

As the wind picks up the risk of catapult injuries increases, when it gets really strong, the board can drift away faster than you can swim, even with rig attached.

Everything we do is a calculated risk, you cannot eliminate it completely from your life.
You just have to manage it as well as possible.
So if your getting close to the edge of your comfort zone don't go too far out, limit your self to how far you can comfortably swim.
There's still things to learn without sailing to far out, water starts, gybes, tacks etc.
Just being aware of what could go wrong is a big start. Strong steady wind is much safer than gusty swirly wind.

Off shore winds are dangerous because they are usually gusty and swirly and they get stronger the further out you get. Once you're out of control, you just keep drifting out.

Just go sail.

Just go for it.
You never know, there might be someone just like you, waiting for someone just like you, to go sailing with.

If you sail it....they will come.

AB....

Why do Yanks find an Oz windsports forum the best place to post? There was some learner in Florida a few weeks ago, and now someone in New Jersey.
There is a blog writer near you..Peconic Puffin.. who has turned up here from time to time. You could get a bit more local knowledge from there than here

"yanks" ?? thought that was ONLY a certain area of USA - and NOT Florida
slang term in any case
what "nice" terms are there for you Mr. Milk ??
thought windsurfers were more open minded than that
butt i guess there are asses everywhere

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Mastbender said..

Mr Milk said..
Why do Yanks find an Oz windsports forum the best place to post? There was some learner in Florida a few weeks ago, and now someone in New Jersey.
There is a blog writer near you..Peconic Puffin.. who has turned up here from time to time. You could get a bit more local knowledge from there than here

That almost sounds like a complaint, how about considering it a complement towards this site, it is a very good site, according to this Yank.
This site is more active than the WS sites in the U.S., a lot more talkative, which can be a good thing, or a bad thing, but the activity here is more lively, which does make it more,,,,,,,, shall we say, interesting. I enjoy it.
Local knowledge is one thing, basic WS knowledge is something else which can be applied internationally, even in New Jersey.

I get the impression that the windsurfing scene in mainland USA is in significant decline in comparison to Europe and Australia. Is that the case?

What about "Seppos"?
That's my favourite

We even have slang names for people in each State in Australia !
Qld = Banana Benders/ Cane Toads
NSW = Cockroaches
Vic = Mexicans
SA = Croweater's
WA = Sandgropers
Tas = ?

Tas=Tasmaniacs..

+1 decrepit - thought windsurfing was about wind n water
and borders stop at the coast ....

Well said Ryan .and welcome to our happy windsurfing family

That is the reason that Heavy Weather should remain. All those half a dozen shouty failed politicians keep the traffic levels on the site high and bump it up the Google rankings.
That is what I was hinting yesterday and promptly got shouted down. Remember that abuse is meant to stay in Heavy Weather please
I'm guessing that your local seabreeze direction is SE, by analogy with NSW coast. You have similar latitude and currents (Gulf Stream vs East Australian Current) so your map there implies off shore conditions. If I was you, I'd be looking to find another launch point around that bay where the wind is cross/on to minimise the chance of a long swim or embarrassing rescue

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Imax1 said..
Whatever you do Ryan , don't post a pic with your lawn in the background
Go on I dare ya

You may also find at some point that you'll be advised that you need more downhaul. Don't be offended, it's pretty standard advice.

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Imax1 said..
Whatever you do Ryan , don't post a pic with your lawn in the background
Go on I dare ya

Ryan if you do happen to post something with your lawn in the background. Make sure its mowed,lush green & not a weed insight.'us Aussies luv our lawn.

Check with Ken and Eileen from H2Windsurfing (h2windsurfing.com). They give lessons on the Jersey shore, and are familiar with the local spots. They may be able to tell you about a spot nearby where you may find other windsurfers. I think Sandy Hook Bay, which seems to be quite close to you, is a somewhat popular spot - but there may be several spots named Sandy Hook.

Your best bet will be to start with a couple of lessons. Ken and Eileen will be able to give you safety tips and show you self-rescue techniques.

I have not seen a decline in the last 5-7 years in the US, although it may depend a bit on the exact spot. However, the decline from the 1980s and 1990s to 2010 or so was probably a lot more pronounced that in other countries. I'm not sure if windsurfing ever was as popular in the US as it was in Europe, where every 3rd household had a windsurfer in the 80s/90s. But the guys who sailed here back then tell stories about parking lots filled with hundreds of windsurfers; now, outside of vacation spots like Maui and the Gorge, we may see a dozen or two on the biggest days of the year at the popular spots.

Right now, Germany and France probably each have a lot more active windsurfers than the US, despite a smaller population and a much smaller coast (and colder temperatures!). Even Canada seems to have more active windsurfers than the US, with roughly 1/9th of the population (and colder temperatures!). Of the active windsurfers in the US, many are immigrants, often from Europe.

Perhaps the more relevant thing for the Ryan is that most US windsurfer will only come out when it's really windy; very few will windsurf when the conditions are right for learning. That creates a bit of an additional hurdle for those who don't want to sail alone.

For learning things right from great teachers and with others who are beginners, there's the option to join a 3-day or 5-day ABK camp in Hatteras in October - check www.abkboardsports.com/camps/schedule. Taking an ABK camp early can shave many months of the learning curve.