Why does it seem windsurfing is fading away

WMP · Joined: 30 May 2000 Posts: 671

You guys REALLY need to think outside the massive urban area. Heck, I'm living right on the edge of pure Gorge wilderness (heaven) adventure-land and it doesn't cost me anything to live here. Just rent out the luxury homes on this here property and live in the cheap home with the million $$$$ view!! Windsurfing, kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, skiing/snowboarding, natural hot spring soaking.... got all this healthy living stuff within a very short distance here... for free!!

spookini · Joined: 09 Sep 2010 Posts: 68

zpp66 · Joined: 02 Apr 1994 Posts: 77

Personally, I love being in the water and windsurf, surf, kitesurf, SUP, waterski, and sail as much as possible. However, between the time and the gear this is not practical for most people. Especially outside of a few places (I live in SF).

IMO, unless it is blowing in the upper teens with good B&J, or preferably waves, I have a hard time getting that excited about windsurfing. It may be becuase I've done it since 1979, but, I think outside of a few spots, other water sports have a big advantage unless you are going to totally geek out on light wind race gear or are content for just cruising on displacement hulls.

Kiteboarding is WAY easier. I learned to go up wind and change direction without getting wet in about 5 sessions. I have friends who have been windsurfing for 10 years and still can't jibe. You can pack all the stuff in a sedan's trunk or in a closet, or even in a golf bag for travel. And you can catch huge air on a lake in 15 knots. Big advantages.

SUP requires little forecasting of weather conditions and can be done about anywhere or anytime. Outside of waves it is not a particularly skill building endeavor, but most people are more focused on fitness in their outdoor activities. I don't think it has anything to do with "hip" or "trendy" in my opinion, it is actually not very hip at all, but it is devilishly convenient. Big advantages depending on where one lives and what one is after.

I'll still take a 4.5 sideshore session in the waves over everything I can think of (well, except heli-skiing in AK), but, with two kids and living 1.5 hours from Wadell those sessions are limited. I personally don't see windsurfing making a huge comeback as a sport for most people in most locations. But then again, the teen crowd is definitely a lot more into skiing vs. snowboarding than they were a decade ago, so who knows.

w8n4wind · Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Posts: 278 Location: canada

i started kiting in 99, and was mostly all i did until 3 years ago, someone gave me a longboard..
ok, the truth is kiting in low winds becomes boring as batshit.. seriously..but it is easy if thats your thing, and no, you cant boost huge in 15knts, you can boost,..but not huge.
anyway, now in the lightwinds id just as soon be on the longboard learning, and practicing some skills that will help once the wind does pick up enough for windsurfing.
and the idea that kite equipment is compact makes me laugh, im sure weve all seen that stuff strewn all over the beaches, and try rigging it up in a confined space.
yep, i can see more people coming back from kiting to windsurfing, just like snowboarders are coming back to skiis.
about the only time i kite now is if its in onshore, and shorebreak, and im feeling too lazy to deal with it..
kiting was fun for a while though.

steve1 · Joined: 30 Apr 1998 Posts: 239 Location: Alameda, CA

I'm a long time windsurfer (started in '77) but have been mostly away from the sport for the last 6 years. I got back on the water this weekend and was pleasently surprised at how many other windsurfers were out there. From my perspective, in the SF bay, it looks like the numbers may be going back up again.

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Another guy who took up kitesurfing after 17 years of windsurfing, 5 years racing in the SFArea.
While kitesurfing is great in waves and 15-25 mph winds, it's still the same drive to Waddell as windsurfing.
Light 10-17 mph winds, you can hang long and LOW, that's precisely the problem...who cares?
Big jumps, 10 meter kites and 15-25, can get dangerous, is lots of fun, still need catch beach and help up and down. 15-25 is prime 5.2 windsurfing weather, you actually get to JUMP, not get pulled upwards.
As for light winds, it's up to you and where you live. Neither sport can really jumping. A kiter suspended for 3 seconds and 100' distance, 4' up in the air, with a 16 meter kite in light winds is totally nothing.
A slalom board at 30 mph (but you need 14-20mph winds) TO ME, is still fun, as you're an inch from disaster.
Easy.... if it was easy, it'd be called kiteboarding. Easy is sitting at home and texting.

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

elitist behavior of all of us is a large part. planing only equipment onhand, on sunday, kept us all from teaching a girl who spontaneously approached us and asked that we teach her to windsurf. we could not help her.

had any of us been able to grab a long board, like the wind SUP, we could have casually taught at the drop of a hat. as a population, in the 1980's we nearly all could teach. that's a huge missing element in our sport.

Sailboarder · Joined: 10 Apr 2011 Posts: 656

johnson_brian_j

bates · Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 301

We don't have enough vacation days in the US. Not enough free time as a group to do a sport like windsurfing that takes so much time to get good at. We work too hard and too many hours. Always the catch 22, you have money but no time, or time and no money. Also people split their attention to too many things at a young age, too much pressure for kids to be good at like 3 sports and maybe math camp all summer. Not enough time to just do one thing, everyone wants easy learning curves and instant gratification (kiteboarding), but for those that stick with it and are patient, the gratification hooks you for life (at least me).