Windsurfing growth

Boredom is not something that exists in the physical universe. Boredom is only a perception it exists in peoples minds, it is a stateof mind. Maybe you have a mind that is boring. Light Wind Windsurfing is not boring, only some people will perceive it as boring because of the way they perceive the world, it is what they tell themselves about the world.

[Floyd]

No Bill ; think we were trying to accept that all sides are entitled to an opinion yet still contribute their own ; without insuling others.

I haven`t agreed with a lot of what P18 has said but its a pity not all sailors are as enthusiastic and as well informed.

Come on Bill give us a break and make a worthwhile contribution.
You know ; one about the topic.

[steveC]

When I witnessed high wind windsurfing in 1984, I was sold on a commitment to investing in the sport. Although it took me probably almost a year to pull it off (nobody was leading me in this, as it was solely a personal decision in a void of support), my first kit was an 11'10" F2 Strato with a 5.7 high aspect RAF sail.

However, I must emphasize that I didn't start in the old "Windsurfer" days (that focus wouldn't have ever caught my attention and eventual dedication). While I sailed a longboard to learn and grow in the sport (I was smart enough to know, I had to start that way), the ultimate goal was always moving towards a smaller board and a more technical/planing outcome. Believe or not, some have been attracted to windsurfing because of the more interesting planing side of the sport.

Some like me gravitated to windsurfing because of the short board opportunities, because the earlier non-planing side to the windsurfing concept really had no foothold on my interests. I came from surfing, so the sailing (racing) or true lightwind orientation was never a turning or starting point.

While I've hung tough on the planing side of the sport for over 22 years, I'm now wanting to augment my outlook and focus to include the high performance/low wind opportunities offered by the Serenity concept. While I can't say yet that the low wind game will capture my soul, I'm now quite willing to open the door. Still, no racing here, but a bit of adventure and awesome exploration potential is at hand. Quite frankly, I'm enthusiastic about the option, and I don't think that I will be bored.

Although I will never veer from the high energy side of windsurfing, I'm thinking that there are other inviting options to increase my days on the water. Imagination and new opportunities are interesting doors to explore.

Try and tell my 11 yo old son light wind windsurfing is boring, he wouldn't know what you were talking about, he's too enthralled by it all, you can't wipe the smile off his face.............. "Light wind windsurfing is Boring By Bill the Dill", It's just your thick head mate, it's not open enough

[Screamer]

Originally Posted by Floyd

I do think it would have been beneficial if this distinction had been maintained.
The Div2 is the extreme of Saiboarding (along with perhaps the Serenity) with the small waveboard the extreme end of "Windsurfing".In the middle the sports overlap both in designs and skills.
Why not have both sports represented at Olympics ???
But really how can it be expected for any organisaion (or bsinss)to promote both ends of the Spectrum of the single sport without showing bias .We should have realised and accepted the monumental differences (skills/accesability/performance) and set up bodies to promote each sport.Not just the one !
Effectively "Sailboarding" (ie a small boat on which you stand and steer with the rig) was "killed off".(The word I mean)
Windsurfing (A large surf board with a sail which you steer with your feet) was deemed "The Sport". Sailboarding which we all start off doing was demoted;forgotten.
(Magazine even changed its name)

In a way this is agreeing enirely with your view.
Promote "Sailboarding" ??? Bring it back.(It never really disappeared but ???)
Think you get my point.
There are two distinct sports. (As different as Rugby is from Football)
Its like we are trying to just call Rugby and Football "Ballgame".

I always thought that the idea of two windsurfing "divisions" was an interesting one, and maybe beneficial for both (see my post #51). I'm not sure these two sports are that far away though. When you are cruising on an Imco (or a Kona), you often switch between displacement and planing mode, quite unlike rugby/football ;-)

On the other hand, I can't imagine how would it all go with the official bodies/organizations. We witnessed the mess over Olympic board choice, won by RSX (although it doesn't displace well (compared to Div2), and it doesn't plane well either (compared to wide shortboards), it covers a huge range of wind conditions so there we have it). There would be a zillion questions to answer/choices to make within both hypothetical classes: pure displacement class or one with some planing performance (which we have now)? Which shortboard class would be Olympic (course racing/slalom/waves/freestyle)? All of them? Class equipment is locked (like sailing) or developed (alpine skiing)? Etc.....
With all the "street" sports gaining Olympic status over the past 10-20 years, I sometimes wonder why does it have to be so complicated with windsurfing? I don't have the answer.


Fair winds

PS C249/poster18, shoot me a mail:
screamer_bgd at yahoo dot com

[Screamer]

A new catchphrase born in this thread:

BOREDOM IS IN THE EYE OF A BEHOLDER

T-shirts, anyone?

I'll email you the day after tomorrow, Screamer; sorry I didn't get to you earlier but I'm running a regatta. The strongest wind was about 5 knots, the dinghies didn't race, but we had some great sailing and the juniors and sub-juniors (under 13 years) had a ball.

PS I totally agree that many longboards, especially raceboards, flick between "windsurfing" and "sailboarding". And the original Windsurfer, handled properly, can record 25+ knots and is quite nice to flick through a full-planing duck gybe (a duck is actually the best way to keep it planing fast throughout the gybe) and isn't much worse than a modern SUP in the waves, which sort of underlines that the "division" between the two types is very blurred.

PPS - to reiterate to others, the term "sailboarding" only came about because the owners of the Windsurfer trademark wanted to keep the term out of common use as that destroys the trademark. The term "Windsurfer" definitely belongs to the original style of the sport.

Dont think the names are terribly important its the disticntion in usage;skills and capabilities which are.On that score Floyd has a very good point.

Perhaps it is time to accept we are involved in 2 sports.
How can you say a Serenity (which never planes BTW) is same sport as Evo 80 ???
They just arent the same sport.
They need promoting in completely different ways.

[Britt]

I have both a Serenity and a Evo 80. I consider them both windsurfing. Just different tools for the conditions. I enjoy them both. I assume just like golf clubs.

It’s great that people can get excited windsurfing in 4 to 8 knots of wind.

Of course some people probably get excited cutting the lawn and painting the house and that’s great too.