Do you think Windsurfing is making a comeback?

[PonoBill]

The Dog is right on for the ideal sail for this kind of stuff. No surprise there. The Maui Hot Sails Superfreak is ideal for boards that are slow to plane--or never do. I don't think I have any other sails remaining, other than maybe an old triradial moldering in a pile somewhere. Cadillac big power push instead of the bang, bang of mylar. I know it sounds geezerish, but I much prefer sailing SUPS, mostly for the old school feel. I've had mine out in some pretty sketchy conditions and never broke anything other than a boom. Oh, and a universal, but who counts those.

[covesurfer]

Holy crap, is that PONO!? We gotta go sailing this winter!

Love the vids and pics. No conditions for w/s the past few days but got a downwind run in my one-man and another few sup-surf sessions with glassy conditions but small kine waves. I'll take it anyway.

Thanks for helping feed the stoke with these posts!

[PonoBill]

No, that's probably wardog. I can still jump, but I can't land.

This is me, ripping it up on lake michigan in 2007 on the Starboard 12'6" I gave to Bob and a 9.0 Superfreak with a Hokusai "Great Wave" panel. Probably blowing chree to fi'. Praying to make it back to land.

[surf4food]

We probably do not want to use this clip to attract younger people into the sport: 

[JimK]

Wave Sailing on a SUP has rejuvenated a bunch of old time windsurfers here.
I can say however that throwing a mast track on a SUP doesn't mean it will perform
It take serious designs to both paddle well, SUPsurf well, and SUPsail well too.

I know what works and I'm NOT getting into what doesn't

JimK
Extreme Windsurfing

[eastbound]

i that "lawn mowing", bill? gon take a while given mow-speed and the apparent significant acreage!

[SUP Sports ®]

i that "lawn mowing", bill? gon take a while given mow-speed and the apparent significant acreage!

I call that holding up the laundry to dry...;-)

I love wavesailing...but, aerials are fun as well...the Freaks do behave themselves in the air...but, they are known for luffability...and, durability...

[SUP Sports ®]

The Dog is right on for the ideal sail for this kind of stuff. No surprise there. The Maui Hot Sails Superfreak is ideal for boards that are slow to plane--or never do.

Also ideal when it blows over 50mph on boards with fins that are designed to be controllable...cuz they "breathe"...flex = twist...;-)

http://surfingsports.com/wardog_fin_designs.asp

[PonoBill]

i that "lawn mowing", bill? gon take a while given mow-speed and the apparent significant acreage!

Slow mow for sure. Just goes to show the the extremes a junkie will go to. I had to pump the thing all the way back to the beach. Should have brought a paddle.

[starman]

More signs of a comeback, Windsurfing Now is a new print magazine for North America. I liked the link to this video from Robbie Swift;

https://www.windsurfingnowmag.com/robby-maui-favorites-2015/

[SUP Sports ®]

Not what I would call a sign of a comeback...unless you are talking about going from zero windsurfing mags in North America, temporarily, back to one...;-)
I think that mag just took Windsport's place...Pete DeKay was the guy behind Windsport...now Windsurfing Now is his baby...best wishes...
Windsport website hasn't had new news since January...their Facebook even longer...their Instagram link is kaput...etc...I haven't seen an issue in awhile...they shipped them to us for the shop from Canada for "free"...

The biggest publication in the US, Windsurfing Magazine went away at the end of 2011...never to return...it was propped up for years by the other 35 mags in the Bonnier Corporation...

http://www.bonniercorp.com/brands/

[starman]

Hey it's a big deal these days to start a publication in print. It puts windsurfing back on the map. 

[nalu-sup]

Just had to report somewhere that Maui had the first truly big north swells of the season; surf forecaster Pat Caldwell called it 20' to 30', and I would say he was about right. Too big at most places to surf or paddle, and there was just barely enough wind to bob my 90 liter and 5.9 out the channel if you timed it right and were lucky. While I was out, there were 50 people on the beach, but only one other guy (half my age) who was also attempting to work the main outside peak, so no crowd problems at all. Wavesailed some nice 20+ today before I had to pay some dues. Got taken out by a mast and a half high lip, and when I finally surfaced after a nice long hold down, my ear lobe had been torn and was fully spit apart all the way up. Had to go and get it stitched back together by my friendly windsurfer doc, but those few rides were sure worth it. One of these days I am going to realize that I am getting too old for that much size, but not today.

[starman]

Yea, judging from Si Crowther's Facebook page it was quite big at Jaws as well;

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=691686584&sk=photos&collection_token=691686584%3A2305272732%3A69&set=a.10153689930121585.1073741827.691686584&type=1&l=2ca7c6afef

The NOVENOVE ALOHA CLASSIC starts today but will they get wind for the event?

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

The former editor-in-chief of "Windsurfing" is an occasional contributor to this site. He's "uglysuper". (I don't know if I have the spelling right. I write a couple of articles for him, back in the day.) Bonnier was going to do a SUP mag, but they canceled it.


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