Why The Sport Is 'Dying'
Jim Munro x2497
slowly dying out. A friend of mine who is in the wetsuit business confirmed
that times are real slow.
I don't think we are just seeing the effects of the economy slowing down. I
think that as Windsurfing has migrated from the original log with a sail
attached to todays high-tech gear, that the sport has become very much
a minority sport and also one which requires considerable financial
outlay.
A new sailor who sees people jumping waves and flying across a lake at
30 mph may be tempted to give it a try, but as we all know it takes alot
of time and determination to become any good. I don't most people
wnat to make that kind of commitment, especially when the reality of the
sport is far from the publicity. NO one tells you it's going to be cold,
wet, and strenuous!
I've sailed for years and I"m finally sailing a short board on the ocean
just like I always wanted. I still can't jibe worth a damn and I can't jump
without losing control but I"m not giving up. Most people would.
iWhen I learned surfing, I spent nearly two years before I could stand up.
( I didn't learn till I was 36). When I learned skiing (three years later),
I was riding the chair lift and skiing down the green slopes the first day. It
took two more days before I went on intermediate slopes.
I think windsurfing is destined to be a minority sport and that it will not
be able to sustain rapid equipment changes every year for much longer.
Fortunately equipment today is pretty good.
Jim Munro
PS: Leaving for two weeks in Baja Friday night! Pray for wind!
Jeffrey C. Tsai
> There have been a number of comments recently about the sport or industry
> slowly dying out. A friend of mine who is in the wetsuit business confirmed
> that times are real slow.
>
> I don't think we are just seeing the effects of the economy slowing down. I
> think that as Windsurfing has migrated from the original log with a sail
> attached to todays high-tech gear, that the sport has become very much
> a minority sport and also one which requires considerable financial
> outlay.
>
What ever happen to those beginner rig for $299 deal when I started
windsurfing 4 years ago? It was the rig like that got me hooked on
windsurfing enough to sell my Hobie Cat because it was cheaper, easier
to rig, and no boat tax!
As I recall, the windsurfer once was called "Poor Man's Yacht".
Not any more ....
MICHAEL JAMES VRHEL
there is alot of used equipment out there for those people who are just
starting out. Just ask around everyone seems to have one collecting dust
in the garage.
Will Howard
1) Other equipment-intensive sports have "plateau-ed" in recent years, partly
because, in my perception, of the cost and complexity of getting started with
new equipment (skiing and boating are relatively flat). When I started
windsurfing in 1980 there was only one kind of board available - the original
Windsurfer (mine had wooden booms!) or some of its imitations like the Mistral.
Since then - well I hardly need to tell this group the story of evolution into
"funboards," shortboards, raceboards, etc., and into RAFs, camber-inducers. So
the equipment is one factor.
2) There's also a little bit of a "snob factor." I mean there are wind snobs -
people who wouldn't lower themselves to be out on the water in less than 20
knots, and equipment snobs, who wouldn't be caught dead onanything bigger than
a 9'0". It would help beginners, or prospective beginners, to see good sailors
out occasionally in conditions, and on equipment, that's accessible to them
(the beginners or contemplators). I have, and can sail, short or long boards,
and there are lots of 12-16 knot days when my F2 Lightning will plane, and I'm
out on the water having fun while the shortboard-only crowd is sitting on the
beach grumbling about the lack of wind.
3) Finally, a serious and insidious problem is the lack of launching sites and
increasing regulation restricting access to the water. One of the appeals of
windsurfing to me was the ease of carrying my board on my car and popping it
into the water when and where I wanted.
Well there's my two cents. Any thoughts?
P.S. I'm a New England sailor recently moved to the New York area (specifically
Rockland County). Where are good places to sail around here?
Todd Andrew Ferrante
This may be true, but I haven't found any. I started learning in the
fall and would like to buy a used funboard and rig by the time the
weather warms up. I went to the only three stores that have windsurfers
within an hour radius the other day ( it took awhile ). I found that a
used funboard and rig would cost me $550. I've yet to spend that much
on a car, let alone a piece of sporting equipment ( even if the sport is
a blast ). If anyone in the Pittsburgh area knows of a better deal than
this, let me know. I want to know if there are really boards and rigs
collecting dust in someones garage.
Todd Ferrante
268-4390
Michele Fabrega
|> ...
|>
|> 2) There's also a little bit of a "snob factor." I mean there are wind snobs -
|> people who wouldn't lower themselves to be out on the water in less than 20
|> knots, and equipment snobs, who wouldn't be caught dead onanything bigger than
|> a 9'0". It would help beginners, or prospective beginners, to see good sailors
|> out occasionally in conditions, and on equipment, that's accessible to them
|> (the beginners or contemplators). I have, and can sail, short or long boards,
|> and there are lots of 12-16 knot days when my F2 Lightning will plane, and I'm
|> out on the water having fun while the shortboard-only crowd is sitting on the
|> beach grumbling about the lack of wind.
I don't understand this reasoning at all. Beginners don't want to go out in
high winds, anyway. So you are saying we should FORCE ourselves to go out in
conditions which we might consider less than "worth it" because it may help
encourage beginners to take up the sport?!
Although I love to windsurf, I don't get much pleasure out of it when the wind
is lame (to me, < 15 knots). I'd rather spend my time ws on days when the wind
is great, and do other things when the wind is not.
So, call me a "wind snob". I don't care.
Marc A. Lefebvre
Actually, I have seem some pretty good packages for begginner or
USED equipment. My first (and I still use it) short board cost me $299, and
that included fin, straps, mast, boom, and a sail (RAF). It was a O'brien.
I realize that O'brien isn't BEST but who needs it when you are learning.
It is a high volume slalom(145 l) and it is pretty quick. I beat the socks
off of a mistral on 5.0 day. So I hope that you guys don't give up keep
looking. THe bargains are there, you have to look for them. You would be
surprised that there are alot of reasonable priced recreation baords that
perform pretty well.
Keep the faith......
---
___________________________________________________________________________
/ ** **** | World Cup 1994 \
| ** ** ** Marc A. Lefebvre | --USA-- |
| ** ** ** Computer Science Department |Go Albany Capitals -APSL |
| ** ** * ** University of Albany |--------------------------|
| ******* ******** | "Don't Drink and Derive" |
| "I'd rather be windsurfing!" `--------------------------|
| ml4...@sarah.albany.edu ml4...@rachel.albany.edu ma...@nick.csh.rit.edu |
\___________________________________________________________________________/
Chad Price
>Todd Ferrante
>268-4390
Try mailorder - a cheap beginner board new will cost you about that. Remember
though that if you get truely addicted (like myself and most who seem to post
to this newsgroup) you will want a better board within a few months (or even
6-8 weeks)
Sailboard Warehouse in Minnesota
Sailways in Connecticut
Windsurfing Express in Florida
all have 800 numbers. Call 1-800-555-1212 for their phone numbers.
I have dealt will Windsurfing express and been reasonably happy. Sailways seems
to have the best closeouts for sails and so forth. They all have el cheapo
beginner equipment.
News system owner ID
> Although I love to windsurf, I don't get much pleasure out of it when
> the wind is lame (to me, < 15 knots). I'd rather spend my time ws on
> days when the wind is great, and do other things when the wind is not.
> So, call me a "wind snob". I don't care.
Wind Snob!! Wind Snob!! Wind Snob!! Wind Snob!! Wind Snob!!
Wind Snob!! Wind Snob!! Wind Snob!! Wind Snob!! Wind Snob!! :-)
No, really, why would one want to buy, or even drag along, a 6.0, a
7.0, and maybe even an 8.0 and definitely not a Lightning or other 11'
board that weighs 40 pounds and crowds your mountain bike off the roof
of your car? Not to mention the 16' masts, extra booms, mast feet,
etc.
The ideal would be for windsurfing to die enough that the Gorge gets
uncrowded, kooks clear out of Maui, and nobody but me and five of my
closest friends ever find out about my favorite breaks on the Oregon
coast, but not so much that keeping access open is a problem.
Rolland
Ken Poulton
I think I agree; it really is too hard (compared to, say, skiing) to get
started, and too hard to be social while sailing. You kind of have to
be a well-off, speed-hungry, technophile introvert with good balance and
a flexible work schedule who lives near a large-ish body of water with
decent public access and frequent winds to fully enjoy this sport. That
does narrow the mass appeal a bit. :-) (Most of us reading in this
newsgroup probably *do* fit most of this description - for a worldwide
total of maybe a few hundred? )
> and that it will not
> be able to sustain rapid equipment changes every year for much longer.
I guess I don't agree here; the economy is soft, so sporting goods will
suffer, but I don't see a mass exodus from the sport (yet). I expect
that most of the present manufacturers of windsurf gear will stay in the
game, but in the absence of an expanding market, there won't be too many
new arrivals and that gear will remain expensive (sigh). Consider any
other kind of sailing as a parallel.
But I'm not too upset about windsurfing staying a minority sport,
because the best places for doing it are so limited. If demand for
skiing goes up, they can (and do) add more lifts, even open whole new
resorts. However, many of the best windsurfing spots (e.g., the Gorge,
SF Bay and Delta) are at capacity in their present public-access
conditions. If demand for windsurfing increases, someone will have to
build windsurfing marinas that will then charge us ski-lift prices to
cover their insurance costs! We just have to remain a vocal minority
to keep and expand our access rights.
Ken Poulton
pou...@hpl-opus.hpl.hp.com
Kevin Gamble
>The ideal would be for windsurfing to die enough that the Gorge gets
>uncrowded, kooks clear out of Maui, and nobody but me and five of my
>closest friends ever find out about my favorite breaks on the Oregon
>coast, but not so much that keeping access open is a problem.
And that real estate prices would drop enough that I
could afford a second home in HR (or better yet on
the river in Rowena. :))
Kevin Gamble (kga...@oes.orst.edu
Bill Crick
>There have been a number of comments recently about the sport or industry
>slowly dying out. A friend of mine who is in the wetsuit business confirmed
>that times are real slow.
was the thing all the "beautiful people" were doing. The fad has now passed.
People found out is isn't trivial to learn. Now only a smaller number
of commited people do it.
As far as the equipment getting specialized, there are still thousands of
used beginner boards available used cheap.
As far as major equipment advances, I'd say there wer some big changes in
rigs about 5 years ago (RAF, Cambers replaced two batten three panels).
Last few years, I'd say there are small incremental tweaks that only very
skilled people notice. Last few years, I've went to shops, and
compared the "NEW FAR BETTER WONDERFUL IMPROVED THIS YEAR"S COLORS" sails
to the same model of last year by laying them on top of one another.
Differences in shape are minor. Battens moved a few milimeters, panels slightly
different cut. Every year I've bought last year's sail at 1/2 the price of
the new one. The next year I get the NEW IMPROVED.......one at 1/2 price, and
the differences tend to be incremental.
I do suffer the shame of being seen with "last year's colors".
I also get the joy of having people come up to me and asking how I passed
them with that "old blown out sail" which is an old 5m Gastra Power Gem
that doesn't even have full battens.
;-) Bill Crick
bt...@vax5.cit.cornell.edu
> collecting dust in someones garage.
i've got 7 boards in my basement, and only intend to sail 2 of them,
i have two "Goolies" (some of you britons may remember them), a 50+ lb.
wooden "Rocket" (flat bottom, a la 1980 windsurfer rocket) that blew off the
top of my father's car once, i have a wooden board that has a v-bottom and a
pivoting centreboard, i have a Bic funboard ca 1987, a big high-fly ca 1986,
and an O'brien 9'10" that is my "short" board (i sail inland and weigh 195+).
although they are all sailable, they are hardly saleable except for maybe
the bic with a dacron raf rig ($200, your shipping). none of the equipment is
newer than 1987 or so, and most is over 10 years old. only 3 of them have
modern conveniences such as mast tracks (the wooden rocket has 3
old-style windsurfer mast slot positions, but the mast foot is at the bottom of
converse bay on lake champlain - ooops). you could get on the water and have
fun (i did 10 years ago with this stuff) but you'd soon be dissatisfied once
you saw other peoples' equipment. it's prob worth more to me to have them
around for picnics and such to give friends a taste of w/s.
now i'm a packrat and i might have older junkier stuff than most,
but i imagine a lot of the dust-collector items are like this, they wouldn't
satisfy for more than a half dozen weekends. $200/6 = almost cheaper to rent.
brian carcich
Kirk Lindstrom
>I've sailed for years and I"m finally sailing a short board on the ocean
>just like I always wanted. I still can't jibe worth a damn and I can't jump
>without losing control but I"m not giving up. Most people would.
>
of the attraction as I get so much satisfaction from "finially getting"
something once and then getting better at it with practice. I find it
nice to know there is still ALOT more to master so the fun, steep part
of the learning curve extends for quite some time.
>When I learned surfing, I spent nearly two years before I could stand up.
>( I didn't learn till I was 36). When I learned skiing (three years later),
>I was riding the chair lift and skiing down the green slopes the first day. It
>took two more days before I went on intermediate slopes.
>
ANd after maybe 50 days on the slopes one can start to do the black runs while
50 days (~2-3 hrs board time each) is what it took me to feel comfortable
enough on my transition board to leave Shoreline (beginner lake) and sail
Coyote Point in close. After another ~150 days at COyote Pt, I'm now hitting
multiple jibe days on a short board. My guess it will take a good part of
another 50 days to get the jibe percentage above 50%.
>I think windsurfing is destined to be a minority sport and that it will not
>be able to sustain rapid equipment changes every year for much longer.
>Fortunately equipment today is pretty good.
>
Agreed.
>Jim Munro
>PS: Leaving for two weeks in Baja Friday night! Pray for wind!
>----------
Good luck and have fun!
Kirk out
Jeremy Schofield
water every year ?
Dan Olson
> Actually, I have seem some pretty good packages for begginner or
>USED equipment. My first (and I still use it) short board cost me $299, and
There are some good buys out there. My brother who frequents the
thrift shops (Value Village, Salvagtion Army, ...) found a Jimmy Lewis
shaped Sailboards Maui 8'10 slalom which was in decent shape - $39.95.
I traded him a snowboard for it (which I had bought from him in the
first place) and have been sailing that board ever since (three years
now). Its not pretty but then I haven't been one for glossy, dingless
boards. Function is what counts. And not having to worry about
wasting overpriced equipement gives you more freedom.
--
dano [] UUCP: ..!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!dano
[] Internet: da...@ssc-vax.boeing.com
"Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box."
- Italian Proverb (I think)