We have been thinking that it would be really cool to have a Windsurfing Weekend (maybe long weekend) for windsurfers who are interested in teaching their own kids to windsurf.
Kids love to see other kids windsurfing and that really helps to motivate them to give it a go and persist with it once they've started.
We would love to see something like this annually at least (or more if it works out well). It could be held in different locations if that's what everyone wants.
We have just moved to the coast and our house is full of termite damage so we probably can't do anything spectacular this summer but it would be good to get an idea if anyone else is interested so we can start working on it for next summer.
Of course if anyone wanted to get together with no pre planning this summer, it might kick start the process. We reckon Sanctuary Point on the NSW south coast is one of the best spots for teaching your kids.
I thought that the whole family could come, arrange their own accommodation and bring their own gear to teach their kids with if they have it (otherwise, we could try to share). There would need to be at least one parent who windsurfs to teach their kids. We would exchange ideas and tips, maybe help each other and the kids could make some new "appropriate" (that is from a windsurfing family) friends.
In time, we could try to approach shops for demo gear, arrange a BBQ/party for one night, organise races and friendly competitions and maybe even put in for instructors to take them to a new level once there are enough doing the basics (eg teaching them freestyle tricks or how to race slalom).
So, any takers?
Count me in too. It would be great to see the tricks and techniques of other parents that have successfully guided their kids into the sport.
This is a great idea.
When is a good age to start the windsurfing lessons? My boy is way too young at present but I am interested to hear from those who have kids that sail as to when they started sailing.
Merry christmas
Fun, Fun, Fun and did I mention - make it Fun ?
I've done a bit of instructing on other sports and with kids you need to make it fun and they will come !
With my two boys, who are now aged 12 & 14, I didn't even ask them if they wanted to start windsurfing. They saw how much fun I was having and they just naturally wanted to be on the water too.
We enrolled them in the Summer School run by WV, but in the meantime they learnt pretty much all they needed from our own local instructors !
Within 12 months - plenty of TOW !! The eldest and I have our own running bet about who is fastest on GPSTC and the youngest isn't far behind at 2sec PB 18kns already !
My favourite recollections of spending time on water include my kids standing alongside me commenting on how gnarly the conditions are - especially if its a SW with Low Tide !! 
That sounds great...I would def be interested.
I bought a kids rig and board but so far have not had a lot of success...My 7 YO is not keen on muddy water (Lake Illawarra) or scary, sharky places (Botany Bay) but ironically will paddle out the back surfing at any beach break I take her to.
On the 2 occasions I have tried the conditions have been a little too strong for her to handle...tho I like your idea of "on land" training.
I am not trying to push it cos I know that will be the total end...so Sanctuary Point sounds like a great idea.
I'll be definitely interested in a group....was trying to get something similar in Sydney but everyone (including me) is so busy at this time of year.
Great idea akim. My 5 year old is already hooked I think! Just needs a bit more height and he should be right to go. He would love the idea of a weekend sailing with other kids, he was awestruck watching Alex sail down at jervis.
Rexy thats how I started both my sons and also mike lancey doubling them gave them a taste right at the start so they knew what the hard work would bring
. Others, watching only adults, think that windsurfing looks fun but is not for kids. I know a professional windsurfer who thought that he should wait until his daughter asked him to teach her to windsurf because then it would be easiest - she is now almost an adult and he has waited in vain (even though she saw that he enjoyed windsurfing). Another point to think about is having commitment (not the kid but the parent) - there are a lot of people who wait to get the appropriate gear when they are sure the kid will continue with the sport. Although there are always exceptions, generally if you don't make it easy (and fun) and have the right equipment to start with you ensure that this won't happen.
I may be able to rock up with some gear at a later date - at the moment all my training sails are loaned out to others as my kids are 18 or older. My daughter (18) is teaching her boyfriend and his little brother over the hols.
If there is sufficient interest in teaching people in Canberra, then I may be able to bring down a full trailer-load of One Designs with 4.5s some time after we move to the ACT in January. I have no access to rigs for smaller kids at the moment.
It would be great to do some shortboard instruction as well, but not all kids are into "extreme" sports (look at the vast numbers who sail dinghies compared to the tiny numbers who sail boards) and we could lose a lot of them if they don't get to sail when it's light.
Haven't checked with the boss yet but I think I'd be a pretty reasonable chance for at least one of those days.
hey, hows it going, sounds like a sweet idea, goodluck and nice one ka360, i agree with your longer post as well, i grew up on scotland Island in the, magnificent eighties, we were all windsurfer by about 5, but we played, paddled on one designs everywhere, making the sailing of them easy, really its more like sailing a small boat then windsurfing on such a big board, it enables the kids to sail in nothing, go anywhere, have adventures, we would sail to places a few ks away, waterfalls etc, great time, that form of sailing, zero performance exceptations, soley fun, exploring, playing, that was the greatest as a kid i think, then i guess about the age of ten, started being more concerned with performace, the gear, the heros, etc,, its a great sport for kids, i loved it and there was a massive crew of kids sailing as well, all different ages, all different ability, it was sweet, some still windsurf too, ha, goodluck to all involved
Only the oldest will be sailing - 6.5 yrs old.
Haven't heard others talk about this technique but I hook up his tiny sails (1.0 or 1.5 Ezzy) to a massive (210l) Starboard Start that easily floats us both. I sit just in front of the mast, facing backwards and help him trim the sail with my hand, but he puts in most of the work of holding the rig and generally following my instructions to lean it or sheet it.
I initially thought my weight on the board would have mucked up all normal dynamics of steering etc, but even with a 1.5m sail, it steers upwind and downwind as expected by leaning the rig for and aft. At some stage, I'll need to get off the board and let him go by himself, then get him a smaller board (got one of my old ones ready for that) but for the time being, this setup allows as to sails well away from the shore and be a bit more adventurous (eg sail out to an island, sail out to a sand spit) which is good for keeping him captivated.
He might like to have a look at this video of Alex when he was learning to windsurf (just a little older that your son). His blue sail (he called it his blue corvette) inspired the song we used. When I saw your son all in blue, I thought he might like to see it. The video shows Alex's progress from beginning to planning in the harness and footstraps (the stars aligned and this only took 3 months). It will show him what he might be like in a short time from now.
We have racing on that weekend so all of us with kids from lake macquarie would not be able to come.
we basicaly dont have a free weekend untill after the oceanic titles. 23 & 24 Feb.
This is the weekend before we actualy come down to Jervis for the last round
"heat 7" of the state formula series. so would mean two weekends in a row driving down there but this could be managed.
Is that the weekend of 9 and 10 March? Do you think it might be getting a bit late in the season?
From my short experience at teaching one kid (9 yo, 25-30kg), I've found that short boards will work perfectly for them[1] in winds as light as 5-10kt.
(don't let the low POV fool you, that's a 2.1 and the kid is barely 1m high)
And for those who were at Kyeemagh (Botany Bay) yesterday, they can confirm these gear still work in 20-25kt... Which I was pretty struck by....
[1] Them being very young kids: 7-10 (or using a more appropriate unit: 20-35kg). Since that's what the topic was initially about.
Note: For full disclosure, I got quite a lot of tips about teaching kids from KA360, so my contribution to this debate might be considered partial. But the fact remains that he was planning yesterday in a NE at Kyeemagh after 10ish lessons... So either he's damn gifted, or there must be some truth to that... 
On the same topic, having taught quite a lot of Uni students over the past year and half on Starboard Start (and then Go), and having myself been taught the old way (bic rumba then bic metal rock), plus having seen the old breed of our club members (windsurfing one design -> techno 283), the new gear are making a lot of people happier sooner. Sure the old way was teaching you a lot about balance and light wind skills, but how many were sticking long enough to see their first planning?
As stated 23 24 Febuary is one of the only free weekends in a very busy calander.
