Author Topic: Official End to Windsurfing  (Read 22114 times)

Beasho

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #30 on: March 01, 2012, 03:55:03 PM »
I dusted off some old video.  Back in the day this was all cutting edge and cool. 

Many of you crossover East Coaster SUP - Sailors will recognize the spots.

White Squall

TallDude

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #31 on: March 01, 2012, 04:14:59 PM »
Quote
Just out of curiosity, what made you stop windsurfing?
Hey 'surf4food', I had a serious back injury that shut down pretty much all sports for about 3 years. I was so focused on work and paying for doctors (not having insurance at the time), that I moved away from the water completely. Got married, had kids. SUP got me back in to surf, and now maybe windsurfing again. The wind is too inconsistant and weak where I live. I used to drive an hour plus to San Pedro, Ca if wanted consistant wind. I used a 6.9 most of the time. Rarely could I go smaller around here. We go to Tahoe and Big Bear a lot these days. It would be nice to have sails with me next time we go.
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

mbarnhar

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #32 on: March 01, 2012, 06:59:20 PM »
Beasho, You started this thread by repeating a tired old kiteboarder's mantra of "windsurfing has been officially cancelled".  After reading your 2nd post, you would think someone with your windsurfing experience would be a little more kind to the sport.  I think you might have cancelled windsurfing for yourself.  Windsurfing is not "officially cancelled".   Some of us just like to do both windsurf & SUP.  Lots of reasons Windsurfing Mag folded....sad indeed....but the sport lives on.  Sorry....I'm actually a laid back, thick skinned, stoked windsurfer & SUP'er...but the whole "windsurfing has been cancelled" thing is plain bull and it always gets my nerves when I hear that.
« Last Edit: March 01, 2012, 07:06:56 PM by mbarnhar »

surf4food

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #33 on: March 01, 2012, 07:51:31 PM »
Quote
Just out of curiosity, what made you stop windsurfing?
Hey 'surf4food', I had a serious back injury that shut down pretty much all sports for about 3 years. I was so focused on work and paying for doctors (not having insurance at the time), that I moved away from the water completely. Got married, had kids. SUP got me back in to surf, and now maybe windsurfing again. The wind is too inconsistant and weak where I live. I used to drive an hour plus to San Pedro, Ca if wanted consistant wind. I used a 6.9 most of the time. Rarely could I go smaller around here. We go to Tahoe and Big Bear a lot these days. It would be nice to have sails with me next time we go.
At least SUP is a good work out for the back (well depending on what exactly the injury is).  Good luck with getting back into the wind.  I know south OC isn't known for wind conditions.

surf4food

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #34 on: March 01, 2012, 08:03:17 PM »
We only got 10 – 15 plane-able days per year so it meant that you had to skip whatever was going on when the wind blew.  Moving from Ithaca to NY City, Philadelphia and Boston meant scoping out all the best spots from Sandy Hook NJ, to Heckscher State Park, Lakes Bay, Cape May to Cape Hatteras.  Kalmus beach, Chapoquoit beach and off to Pocomo on Nantuckt    
I think that epitomizes why there are so many less people windsurfing these days.  Most areas there just isn't the consistent wind to make it worthwhile to invest so much $$ in all the equipment.  Here in San Diego which is a very light wind town we at one point had 4 windsurfing shops, now they're all gone.  Kiteboarding has pretty much taken over (tho you still seem some windsurfers on that rare cranking day) and even that seem to be fading a bit.  SUPping can be done on any body of water anywhere. 

Weasels wake

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #35 on: March 01, 2012, 10:24:06 PM »
Who looks like they're having more fun there?

Of course they were having more fun. They came in a took over the break plowing though the crowd of proners.  This is the same type of behavior that gives sups a bad name.  Looks like fun but they have a boat and sail's they could have gone anywere.   ;)
Maybe in that clip but ahh, no, that very rarely happens, at Ho'okipa it's not allowed, and at most other places, by the time the wind comes up enough for there to be good windsurfing, the proners are out of there because it's too windy.  Windsurfers vs. proners is far less an issue than, well, you know.
It takes a quiver to do that.

Piros

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #36 on: March 01, 2012, 10:33:00 PM »
I think one of the reasons windsurfing isn't popular is that it stopped being "easy". It became more about high-performance sailing than just sailing; that whole "If you're not planing then you're not doing it right" mentality. It became a sport for experts.

Good point but that's now reversing to a small degree.

It's actually going through a resurgence in Australia , as kiting is not sailing ( in it's true form) and people are enjoying the feel of sailing again , still plenty of poles on the water around here. The local kite ,Sup & sail shops are still moving windsurfers.
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Ichabod Spoonbill

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #37 on: March 02, 2012, 03:02:51 AM »
I'm glad to hear it. I was pushing longboarding for a while here in NY, but nobody seemed too interested. To me honest, I got laughed at.

I still sail my longboard though, and it's a lot of fun.
Pau Hana 11' Big EZ Ricochet (Beluga)

Water-kook

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #38 on: March 02, 2012, 06:08:46 AM »
The truth is windsurfing has become a “purist” sport. ;)
All the kooks who were not that into it or found it just to much work and to difficult went to kiting and now SUPing
I do all three sports so don’t think I am just defending the only sport I do. I really like all three sports but if I had to give one up for good it would be kiting as it is the easiest of the three and I am starting to get bored with it.
Kiting and SUPing are much easier to do on many levels. The equipment for one is much less in both sports. Kiting is way easier to learn than windsurfing. I do love the simplicity of SUPing with just a board a paddle and a leash.
Windsurfing is alive and well and allows more action on the wave than any other water/wave sport. ;D

spookini

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #39 on: March 02, 2012, 04:50:43 PM »
We only got 10 – 15 plane-able days per year so it meant that you had to skip whatever was going on when the wind blew.  Moving from Ithaca to NY City, Philadelphia and Boston meant scoping out all the best spots from Sandy Hook NJ, to Heckscher State Park, Lakes Bay, Cape May to Cape Hatteras.  Kalmus beach, Chapoquoit beach and off to Pocomo on Nantuckt    
I think that epitomizes why there are so many less people windsurfing these days.  Most areas there just isn't the consistent wind to make it worthwhile to invest so much $$ in all the equipment.  

Nah.  Outdated notion based on outdated equipment...  The modern shapes are much wider and plane much easier.  The problem IMO is a lot of WS'ers are old-timers who haven't invested in a new board in the past 10-15yrs.  As a result there's not much recent equipment out there.  Too many narrow 80ltr boards and ppl praying for nuclear wind so they can get planing.  (Sorta like in Beasho's old-time film reels :) )
« Last Edit: March 02, 2012, 04:54:53 PM by spookini »
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Do flying fish hate us?  Hells yes

Ichabod Spoonbill

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #40 on: March 02, 2012, 05:49:47 PM »
The windsurfers in my neck buy a lot of new boards, but they never buy a board very large. The philosophy is, “If you're not planing, you're not windsurfing.”

The wide boards are nice, but they're also kind of limited. You still really need to be planing to have fun with them. I really think longboards are much more versatile. I have one of each, BTW. The longboard (215 liters) can go out from 5-25 mph winds. The wideboard (150 liters) about 15-25. With limited vehicle space, which do you think is taken out more? (I will admit the wideboard is more fun at planing speeds.)

A longboard can also be SUPed, which is how I got onto this sport in the first place. Go Kona!
Pau Hana 11' Big EZ Ricochet (Beluga)

wilanz

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #41 on: March 04, 2012, 10:00:24 PM »
I've been SUPing for almost 2 years.  Primarily SUP surfing but I do get out on flat water with family and friends.  This past summer I wanted to learn how to sail and took a 2 day course on a 20' Sailboat.  The sailing center also had brand new windsurf gear all rigged.  I tried it and was hooked right away.  I sold my board to get a SUP that could also windsurf.

A couple of months later, I went to check out the Florida Wave Challenge http://floridawavechallenge.com   It was very cool to watch and I wanted to do that!  Foot straps, jumps and flying across the waves.

Race SUP was replaced with 115L windsurf board, sail rig and a couple of sails.  I'm still learning how to use that small board but in the meantime,  windsurfing a SUP has been great.

Here's a pic of my latest - Starboard 12' SUPer (Big Easy).

These days I show up to the beach with a paddle and sail rig.  Always have a good time!  The days of solo downwinders with board locks and rollerblades have been replaced with upwind sailing followed by some downwind blasting.

I'm a SUP->windsurf convert and this winter in south Florida has been great to learn. 


DavidJohn

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #42 on: March 05, 2012, 04:24:55 AM »
Please bring back the good old days..  ;D

DJ


Easy Rider

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #43 on: March 05, 2012, 11:18:03 AM »
wow - look at all the One Designs.   
My brothers first one was sail number 1240. 
Easy Rider is the name of my store in Edmonton, AB, Canada.
My name is Warren Currie . . . and we SUP Surf indoors . . . in a shopping mall!

SUP Sports ®

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Re: Official End to Windsurfing
« Reply #44 on: March 05, 2012, 11:38:30 AM »
Most all windsurfers from the Tri-Counties area...SLO/SB/Ventura spent time at Lopez Lake during the foggy summer months...
The inventor of the carbon skinny mast, George Greenough, was a regular back in the day...

http://surfingsports.com/images/george_greenough_wsurf1.jpg
http://surfingsports.com/images/george_greenough_wsurf2.jpg
http://surfingsports.com/images/george_greenough_wsurf3.jpg
http://surfingsports.com/images/george_greenough_wsurf4.jpg

I don't miss the 80's colors at all...;-)

http://blog.surfingsports.com/2009/11/windsurfing-early-years.html
« Last Edit: March 05, 2012, 12:02:09 PM by SUPsports »
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