What will it take to get windsurfing on fire again

I was actually talking about my new passion of hobie cat sailing, but you wouldn like to try something new, faster and more advanced, but would rather try and guess you know what is written between the lines..
Like I said, after I havent been here for a couple of months, but said to the crew on the beach today that Im back online and you would be the first to reply within seconds. lol We had a good chuckle and as predicted you prove me right.


ps.... duh lol

Sailing has come along way since the 80's. Most REAL sailors dont actually call windsurfing "sailing", seems to be something the polers named themselves but actual yatch/hobie sailors frown upon, kinda like boogie boarders saying they are surfers. lol

i am confused by lotofwind/hot air
his photos have mark_auzzie all over the place
troll for mark ??

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evlPanda said..

Why do we need more windsurfers?

Because if I need a quick launch, ^^^

Poleys make good kite bitches.

lol.

Lots of interesting comments here. Even if we consider all the ideas there are anomalies. Consider how technical and difficult it is to master golf. They also need more than a couple of clubs to play with. Fishermen buy very expensive boats but still struggle to catch decent fish. People fall off skateboards all the time and don't mind landing on hard concrete. Cricket is a popular sport where people from the other team try to knock your head in with projectiles...not very friendly.

People are also fickle. They will follow a tennis player ranked 100 in the world but not know of any Aussie world champs in our sport. Publicity is part of this. I think that many people don't know about the existence of windsurfing, perhaps because they are at home when the wind is strong enough for this form of sailing. Perhaps more sail boards out when the weather is very light could transform the idea that our sport does not have many adherents.

I have only been sailing for two seasons now. Very glad I took up the sport. The selection of gear is great, but my wish list far exceeds my budget. This is a good thing. The wide selection caters for our varied tastes too. Another plus.

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waveslave said..

evlPanda said..

Why do we need more windsurfers?

Because if I need a quick launch, ^^^

Poleys make good kite bitches.

lol.

I needed a quick launch the other day.

I checked across the beach, but it looked a bit thin on the ground for kite bitches.

Then I saw a poley out of the corner of my eye.

He was switching boards at the time and re-attaching his rig.

I said, "Any chance of a quick launch, mate?"

He nodded yes and picked up his loose poleboard and dropped it into the water to wash it off.

I placed the kite in his hand and walked to my bar.

He was still holding the poleboard under one arm as he assisted with the launch.

I could see he was struggling with one hand on the kite and the other hand holding his board under his armpit.

I thought, "Should I suggest to him to put his poleboard down on the sand ?"

And then I thought, " No, he probably doesn't want sand sticking to his wet, clean board."

So we continued on with this retarded launch and then finally he tossed the kite downwind like he was chucking Maccas rubbish out of the passenger window of a moving car."

I just lol and sent the thing to the sky.

Yes I agree with myself And will also red thumb myself ^^^^^^^^^see

Just ignore both of them. Just the fact they feel to need to troll this forum exposes their own insecurities. If we ignore them they will go away.

The boom in the 80s and early 90s would have been none, nary if people weren't teaching mates & family then.
Very few people learned from scratch through schools at the time, as in now.
So nobody takes friends out, and it's dying - big deal.
Whatever the reason, as in "my time is too important", "I'd rather be sailing", "I don't have the right board",
"I have no patience with people", and "I'm saving myself in case I have 1 kid".
Whatever.

Having said that, people are lazy nowadays, and would rather take up kiting.
Was at a resort that had OK learning boards, great instructors, good conditions (sideshore, shallow, nice bottom).
A few came out, paid the $25... and all gave up within TEN minutes.
"Too hard", "didn't think it would be that difficult", "too sporty", "I don't feel like it anymore".

Spoke to the instructors (good guys, good freestylists too), and said it's always like that nowadays.

Not that it matters: windsurfing is 100% as much fun and challenging now as ever, bar the stupid lines all over the place.

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John340 said..

Check out the topic on slalom racing in new cal? they are doing something right there. 60 participants, all locals and lots of youngsters and females. Wind surfing is obviously cool in New Cal

Probably something to do with the year round warm weather, seemingly year round consistently moderate to fresh winds and being a French colony, an interest in pastimes besides AFL and cricket.

This started it all and can get the sport back up and running you can sail anytime reasonably cheap one board one sail, stands out on the water.

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lotofwind said...

waveslave said..

waveslave said..

evlPanda said..

Why do we need more windsurfers?

Because if I need a quick launch, ^^^

Poleys make good kite bitches.

lol.

I needed a quick launch the other day.

I checked across the beach, but it looked a bit thin on the ground for kite bitches.

Then I saw a poley out of the corner of my eye.

He was switching boards at the time and re-attaching his rig.

I said, "Any chance of a quick launch, mate?"

He nodded yes and picked up his loose poleboard and dropped it into the water to wash it off.

I placed the kite in his hand and walked to my bar.

He was still holding the poleboard under one arm as he assisted with the launch.

I could see he was struggling with one hand on the kite and the other hand holding his board under his armpit.

I thought, "Should I suggest to him to put his poleboard down on the sand ?"

And then I thought, " No, he probably doesn't want sand sticking to his wet, clean board."

So we continued on with this retarded launch and then finally he tossed the kite downwind like he was chucking Maccas rubbish out of the passenger window of a moving car."

I just lol and sent the thing to the sky.

I hear you, they dont seem to understand or know about the wind window, maybe you should have had a chat to him to try and educate him on how the power zone works. If they dont understand or have the knowledge of the wind, they cant be blamed for their ignorance. Sounds like a noob polers mistake

Funny that you criticise someone trying to help? Typical of the differences in the sport.

I tried to help a young guy launch once after watching him flail about for a few minutes. I walked out and asked "need a hand mate?" He looked relieved. I tried to get hold of his kite bur after twice nearly getting my head cut off by the lines as the kite shot up in the air then slammed down - I decided to move back to a safer distance. It took him another 10 mins to get it going after nearly decapitating a young kid and being dragged face first down the beach about 50m, so I grabbed his board and walked out down to him.

After watching him get 'boosted' and slammed into the water for 30mins whilst enjoying a couple of post-sail beers, he was done. What cracked me up was what he said to his friends that turned up to watch him when he walked up the beach "did you see my jumps? Did you get any photos?"

Sorry - I'll stick to my old dying sport where the focus of enjoyment is mine and I don't put anyone down or in danger. As for slave's first comment - green thumb for the truth in it.

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geared4knots said...

Kazza said..

We need a keen, motivated big shop again like YD Russ, with continual lessons happening, gear hire, second hand gear for sale, the ultimate gear for sale. People like the look and touch factor, not the look on the internet and seek out who sells the stuff locally, that's too hard basket and people give up on the idea. Gear is so expensive now too, I remember I bought a fantastic plastic Bombora brand new for $800 and it was just as fast as the Bics that were around in those days.
So people are willing to pay for their beloved sports, they're just looking for what I've said above, a big shop like YD was.

Yes that would be good Kazz, if half the state was not sponsored sailors!!,
Trying running a shop down here these days, paying rent and wages and you would be down the gurgle within a week. No one pays rrp, everyone wants a deal and there are only 30 windsurfers!!

Umm don't know about half windsurfers in Tassie are sponsored. We're sponsored for a reason aren't we. I'm sure company's dont sponsor people so that shops will suffer. But I know it must be very frustrating for you Damo because we do sell a lot of our 2nd hand gear off down here, most of my gear has been sold to the mainland though. Such a small population of windsurfers down here to sell to, very understandable how you feel.
We're so lucky we have you down here in the south otherwise there would be nothing and I think the sport would really die down here then. Probably would be too costly to open up a big shop like YD was, real bummer because I love windsurfing shops, but what you have done with your mini shop is fantastic, really neat & showy.

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fjdoug said...
are the sponsored sailors in Tassie getting the equiptment for free or are you paying for it?

Free, that would be nice. No we pay for it. If I didn't get help from my sponsors though there is no way I could afford the gear I have, so then my results would probably be not as good as they could be and I'ld probably get frustrated then and given up by now, so that would be one less sailor on the water. 1 less sailor competing. Sponsoreship has really motivated me more with the sport, I'm super keen to give everything a go, super keen to show their gear off and show that it works and gives good results. It's also a nice feeling to finally get recognised for all the years I've been sailing, especially against guys all the time. I've pumped a lot of money into buying gear over the years, so someone has been benefiting from me all those years before sponsorship. :)

I kited for about 15 times got board and gave up ,1 year later I got intrested in windsurfig and still frothing hard after 60 odd sessions,even though te progression is slower.my 9 yr old daughter looked at my local spot and said I want to kite even though I had a wind surfer,guess it just looks more appealing.got to admit it does seem like a sci fi movie with 50 odd kites in the air.Ben Wilson kiting cloud break got me Syked on it,there a bit more exposure for kiting.

Time, often the next time around things grow eg Longboarding