This is a call to all windsurfing families with young kids and those that would like to just have a go.
As a 40yr old dad returning to windsurfing after nearly 20yrs, I have a 5yr old boy and 2yr old girl and my partner Lindsay is a water lover without much windsurfing experience. We are keen to promote and develop family oriented junior development and bring as much new and old blood into our sport.
I am suggesting starting with a purely social format and access to well maintained kid specific rigs, and a great fun family environment to socialise in both locally and away, where parents may be attending events etc.
Feel free to PM me with your contact details if you are happy to be included in and informed about where we might gather, and please also pitch in your ideas either publicly here or privately!
Looking forward to your ideas and interest!
Cheers,
Adam, Lindsay, Koen & Ember
Great idea, M.O.B. - please count us in. Our family has very similar ages and interests, and we've been toying with the idea of introducing wife and kids to windsurfing for a long time. The big blocker so far has been the lack small rigs as well as the lack of "peer pressure", so it would be great if we could get a few families together with the right equipment.
Great to hear d1! You will be pleased to hear that getting the right gear to good locations is not an obstacle.
If you want a little peer pressure, how about this. I'm going to rope in a few families to come to a BBQ at our place in Woodlands...pretty central. I'll organise to have some rigs we can play.
Anyone else keen?!
Definitely on board. Sorting out an old 145L Carve with some repairs for my young fella right now
Not able to attend Perth stuff much but happy to engage in a Lano weekend sometime
Yes we would definitely be up for that. I would like to get my two on the water more with the right kit. The BBQ sounds a good intro too. Just let us know where and when and what to bring! 
.
Cheers Nathan
We've done something similar in Vic. Been running three years now and we've learnt a lot. If you like PM me and I can share what we learnt (probably best to do phone call)
Count me in.
I have a 4yo turning 5 by summer and the wife is looking at some lightwind learning or SUPing
Morning easterlies at the pond would be perfect before a bbq and arvo seabreeze blast for the dads
[edit] and windsurfing mums 
I am thrilled with the response from all of you, thank you!
What would be awesome is if we could get the opinions of some of the ladiesThat are not already) on here too, so please encourage your better halves to register and post their own views and we can ensure we get the balance right!
Stay tuned for BBQ venue..thinking lakeside at Jackadder in Woodlands is pretty central and also has great play equipment and covered area near the BBQ's. We can check out the kids rigs I am organising and get to know each other and plan the next get together where we can get wet!
Keep the feedback coming guys..thanks again!
Adam
Hi all
Count me in, teaching my boys at present have some small gear plus plenty of good ideas
and like Stu recommend the pond is great for kids with land on 3 sides .
Keep us informed
Pyro
Select to expand quoteginger pom said...
We've done something similar in Vic. Been running three years now and we've learnt a lot. If you like PM me and I can share what we learnt (probably best to do phone call)
Cheers GP, will do!
Select to expand quotepaddymac said..
Great idea. I have a six year old and an Ezzy hankerchief. I'm in!
Hey paddymac, welcome!
Select to expand quotepyro said..
Hi all
Count me in, teaching my boys at present have some small gear plus plenty of good ideas
and like Stu recommend the pond is great for kids with land on 3 sides .
Keep us informed
Pyro
Sounds good pyro! Sooner the better!
D1's undoubtedly better half here! 
Definitely keen - our daughter is 7 (turning 8 in November) and she is a water baby. I am very keen for her to get into windsurfing - I wouldn't mind giving it a burl myself!
Stuthepirate - I have a SUP, but don't use it much as I don't have a SUPping buddy. Your wife is welcome to have a go on my board sometime!
Select to expand quoteStuthepirate said..
Count me in.
I have a 4yo turning 5 by summer and the wife is looking at some lightwind learning or SUPing
Morning easterlies at the pond would be perfect before a bbq and arvo seabreeze blast for the dads
[edit] and windsurfing mums
Hey Stu, keen to know which SUP's you guys are looking at? Windsurfable?
Hi Stitch good of you to drop in!
I met a german lady(windsurfer) up at Pinnaroo Pt a few weeks ago who as I recall has two children at least one of which is a girl..I wish I'd grabbed her number as I'd love to track them down..the crew up there seemed really friendly and social..anyone here know them and/or in that Pinnaroo crew? Great spot up there too!
Copied over from the General Forum
WWA is looking at ways to rebuild a junior fleet and we all now have family's who want to sail. If you are interesting in getting involved and helping out with a junior program, please email Info@windsurfingWA.org.au and we will keep you posted on what we have planned.
The Victorian programe and the T15 in the UK are leading lights for junior development so the benchmark has been set high. We have the conditions, just need to get kids AND people in general on the water.
Select to expand quoteWindsurfingWA said..
Copied over from the General Forum
WWA is looking at ways to rebuild a junior fleet and we all now have family's who want to sail. If you are interesting in getting involved and helping out with a junior program, please email Info@windsurfingWA.org.au and we will keep you posted on what we have planned.
The Victorian programe and the T15 in the UK are leading lights for junior development so the benchmark has been set high. We have the conditions, just need to get kids AND people in general on the water.
Thanks for linking to my thread, WWA. Sounds exciting!
I believe that with this social network in place and with regular impromptu gatherings in an exciting range of locations around the state from week to week, with guidance and support from WWA and its members, regional clubs can eventually be formed. The reward for regional retailers supporting those clubs, their training academies and events, is boosted and sustainable commerce going forward.
I truly believe that Winsurfing can be bigger in WA than it ever was and clearly we have enough existing young and veteran talent to underpin it. I hope there are others here that also think that there are a significant number of SUPers and people looking at SUPing to get into, that are potential Windsurfing people too. If we could have 10% of those, we would have a re-birth of windsurfing. I believe getting SUP's on the water alongside windsurfers is essential too!!
Select to expand quoteMan0verBoard said..Stuthepirate said..
Count me in.
I have a 4yo turning 5 by summer and the wife is looking at some lightwind learning or SUPing
Morning easterlies at the pond would be perfect before a bbq and arvo seabreeze blast for the dads
[edit] and windsurfing mums
Hey Stu, keen to know which SUP's you guys are looking at? Windsurfable?
Yes MoB. Definitely windsurfSUP. This would just be the most economic way.
Big board for Kids and Mrs to learn on and SUP and something i can run out into the waves on a light wind/small swell day.
I have only seen one wavesailable windSUP in the flesh and its an RRD I have in my workshop now. There is a new Starboard and Windforce has one of those on order for a customer..8'10..interested to see that one..
JP do windsurfingsup too
www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing-Boards/~a7kup/2013-JP-Australia-Windsurfing-Sup-157-litres.aspx?ref=r
All the talk of kids sailing is great as I have two little monsters who will be keen to sail in a year or 2.
As for sailable SUPs a lot of the older Starboard sups have two locations for a mast base to screw in not a track like you typically have. The 10ft SUP we have regularly has a sail thrown on it for cruzing around.
Good idea!
I have a 4yr old that I will start to introduce to windsurfing this year, would be keen to hook up with some other families.
Don't have a kids sail yet, but do have a SUP with mast base insert.
Let us know how you go.
HSelect to expand quoteTimB said..
All the talk of kids sailing is great as I have two little monsters who will be keen to sail in a year or 2.
As for sailable SUPs a lot of the older Starboard sups have two locations for a mast base to screw in not a track like you typically have. The 10ft SUP we have regularly has a sail thrown on it for cruzing around.
Perfect TimB, there are some winsdurf specific SUPs with mast track and across the range with retractable centreboards and strap positions, too...if I had a Mistral Equip race board I'd use that to SUP on flat water...wish..
I also like one of the inflatable starboards that has a viewing window and gear tiedown points. My youngest is 2 so I want her to be in the water ASAP so the inflatable crocodile will have to suffice for starters!
Select to expand quoteEazy said..
Good idea!
I have a 4yr old that I will start to introduce to windsurfing this year, would be keen to hook up with some other families.
Don't have a kids sail yet, but do have a SUP with mast base insert.
Let us know how you go.
Sweet! Well if you cant wait for summer I know you can get kids rigs from Windsurfing Perth Myaree(Neil Pryde), Windforce Nedlands(Severne), 2nd Wind on Canning Highway(RRD), Surf Sail on Railway Parade(Ezzy), Stuart Bell(Hypersonic) has some too..anyone else know retailers and brands?
Let us know what you have, what you like and what you find!?
Select to expand quoteTimB said..
All the talk of kids sailing is great as I have two little monsters who will be keen to sail in a year or 2.
As for sailable SUPs a lot of the older Starboard sups have two locations for a mast base to screw in not a track like you typically have. The 10ft SUP we have regularly has a sail thrown on it for cruzing around.
Hi Guys,
Been reading this thread with great interest...and its fantastic to get kids involved. The Vic Kids Club has been a fantastic initiative and a great way to get little tackers interested (and hooked!). Credit to WV for coming up with the concept!
SUPs are great to use coz they have nice gliding capabilities and stability and I just thought I should add that those most Starboard SUPs with the two mast positions more than likely will have a mast track under the foam deck.
I have got 2 X Starboard Windsups and both of them had mast tracks, which I cut the deck foam away to expose. To test it out, press down hard between the 2 mast positions and you should be able to feel the edge of the mast track. A track will make it heaps easier to get the "sweet spot" when position the mast foot.
cheers and big breezes,
mick
i am looking to start my 2 1/2 year old on the water as soon as possible . Even as a kitesurfer i see little tackers on kids gear at peli point and as a water baby i know she would love it . At what age do most of you windsurfers get your kids going ?
Select to expand quotedusta said..
i am looking to start my 2 1/2 year old on the water as soon as possible . Even as a kitesurfer i see little tackers on kids gear at peli point and as a water baby i know she would love it . At what age do most of you windsurfers get your kids going ?
Hey dusta, I'd never tell you what to do but I reckon the best way for a child as young as yours is just to be around the action and with more than one set of adults hands available. I have dreamt about SUP'ing around the bays of the river with my kids on board however even if they are tethered and with PFD's - if I get a bump on the head or something..they are at a pretty high risk..just couldn't do it to them..
Start with confidence and competence in the water and underwater, and appropriate PFDs and supervision. A scare can put kids off bigtime
I reckon be in a decent sized group with a bunch of different activities for your kid and you/your partner/freinds to engage in with each other and for them to become mates other little ones with so he/she BEGS you to take them to see them!!
Balance and confidence on a board is where its at and sitting/kneeling is a good start, then perhaps standing up holding the mast with both hands with mum or dad in control and in the shallows with onshore(next to nothing) breeze. The river at Peli point or Melville, Matilda bay, Mosman..loads of spots..Safety Bay(The Pond)..
I reckon 4-5 at earliest will be about right for uphauling...very earliest. So make it more about the people you hang out with and all the other cool activities and most of all, more quality time together in fun places with all your family and friends!!
Basically as weird as is sounds, take the windsurfing/kiting out of the equation and create the ultimate fun setting. If there is no wind, we are still winning!
Hey Dusta, I started by just getting my young fella out on a longboard, sitting or lying on the back. First few times he only lasted a couple of minutes and then got bored. I tried to keep it fun, so as soon as he got bored, straight back in. He was four for the first couple of outings. I've also taken out my youngest in a Baby Bjorn at 2.5. One tip is to only do it in shallow water, so they can see the bottom. My oldest is six now and we can go out together for 10-20 mins. Steve from Windforce gave me a huge Elvstrom for nothing, it's been great, really stable. But it's too big for him to sail, he has nowhere near enough power to turn it. I've picked up a Tabou Coolrider for teaching him. Soft deck is important so when they fall off they don't graze themselves. Centreboard is good, small back fin (as the Vic guys advise). First attempt with a 1.0m sail age 5. At age 6 now and this summer I should be able to get him to learn some basics. Main focus is for him to think it's fun.
