Tudor/Mistral Racing
DAVID W. SCUPHAM
series will be defunct next year. Anyone have info on this? Is it true?
Or is this an unsubstantiated rumor? If it *is* true, how will this impact
the future of racing in North America?
--Dave
US-174, Mistral One-D.
Export4
It is not an unsubstantiated rumor. You (or anyone else) may confirm it by
contacting either Guy Britton at World Sports and Marketing or Joe Boersma
(backw...@aol.com) who is events chair for USWA.
Your question about how it will impact racing is a good one and one that
all of us should be discussing. There is an effort right now to have USWA
do a national scoring system and perhaps attract sponsors directly.
There are several problems with the proposal as made. 1) Guy Britton has
conflicts of interest in his efforts to have USWA get involved with
national scoring/sponsors. World Sports and Marketing is still in event
promotion and many people (myself included) feel that USWA should not be
acting to benefit the financial interests of a particular board member. It
should be noted that Guy was against USWA getting involved in this until
his company lost its main sponsor (Tudor Watch) which provided something
on the order of $200,000 a year.
2) If USWA is to get involved in this, the ground rules for industry
support should be spelled out and all companies afforded the opportunity
to participate without risk that marketing information is provided to a
competitor. Again, Guy's company has had a long and very close
relationship with Mistral. It is naive to expect other manufacturers to
participate in a USWA run series if the person running it (Guy Britton)
has close business ties to Mistral.
3) There has been a proposal from this same group of people to require
events to pay a sanctioning fee (per event) to USWA in addition to club
membership dues.
Nothing has been said as to what will be provided in exchange for this
fee.
As an event organizer who is not in it for the money (Our club has an
agreement with the local park district that any excess funds generated
MUST be used to improve the site,etc.) I have to watch the budget very
closely. For the 2 years that the AMOKA Classic has been held, I
personally have made up an approximate loss of over $200 per year....or
close to $500. If forced to a choice, the event will either cease to
exist or it will end up unaffiliated with USWA. Both of these are poor
choice.
On the other hand, there is a MOWIND meeting in Michigan City, Indiana at
which midwest region racing will be discussed. A number of event
organizers from the Midwest will be there (in the past we have averaged
about 15-20 people involved in organizing events). One of the proposals on
the table is for Midwest events to formally organize MOWIND (incorporate)
and pay $50 per event to MOWIND. What does this result in?
1) MOWIND has printed 5,000 plus 11 by 17 full color race calender posters
each of the last 2 years.
2) MOWIND has performed regional scoring across events for the last 2
years.
3) The (event) insurance issue will finally be resolved. ALL MOWIND
events will have coverage as a member of MOWIND. (Think about the
liability that organizers incur.......)
4) MOWIND is seeking sponsors on a regional basis, without anyone skimming
off the "cream" for themselves.
5) MOWIND is not linked to a particular manufacturer nor does it have any
commitments to anything but putting on good racing. A professional
organizer may certainly join MOWIND, but they will be on the same footing
as anyone else.
Now, having said all of the above........
I would certainly support USWA going ahead with national scoring, finding
sponsors and even having its own tour......once it resolves issues of
conflicts of interest. This problem is not limited to Guy Britton. Another
director has told me that his scoring software is going to be the official
scoring software for USWA and that he is going to get paid $10 per person
who is nationally ranked. Only a slight conflict of interest?
People don't need USWA to race. They can find that anywhere 2 or more
people are willing to compete. People certainly don't need USWA in order
to windsurf.
The only thing that USWA can offer is the integrity of the people at the
top and the (presumed) best efforts of those in the inner circle. If the
people in the inner circle don't honor the confidence placed in them by
members, USWA becomes irrelevent.
Writing as a frustrated member of USWA.........
Michael Hammer
US-185
Scott Haas
Event for the last two years. The extra advertising - Tudor
Watch prizes - and a few hundred from Mistral helped to make our
annual Toledo Windsurfing Champs a successfull event attendance and
money wise. Attendance is key to making an event happen year after
year - we averaged 85 the last four years. Also we managed to pick
up a couple other local sponsors - not much $ wise - but enough to
pay for the beer and pizza at the Saturday evening party.
The absence of the Tudor/Mistral connection I don't believe will
hurt us much. Over the long run it probably will dent the IMCO
fleet - unless Mistral picks up the ball & keeps pushing One-Design
Racing Events. We had about 30 IMCO sailors in 94 comprising over
a third of our fleet.
Personally I'm hoping a new sponsor steps up and supports the
?/Mistral Series. Maybe there be more $$$ and World SPorts
won't need to charge organizers the FEE for be a Tudor Event.
Scott Haas - US2232
Bill O'Such
wrote:
>
> It is not an unsubstantiated rumor. You (or anyone else) may confirm it by
> contacting either Guy Britton at World Sports and Marketing or Joe Boersma
> (backw...@aol.com) who is events chair for USWA.
>
I talked to Guy a few weeks ago and I got the same impression. i.e. that
USWA would take over the series and include IMCOs as a class in their
rankings. Also, I recently received a cc: of a letter from the Canadian
Association asking that the USWA involve them in the scheduling process.
> Your question about how it will impact racing is a good one and one that
> all of us should be discussing. There is an effort right now to have USWA
> do a national scoring system and perhaps attract sponsors directly.
>
...lots of stuff deleted...
I think there is a broader issue underlying this discussion. What is going
to happen to amateur racing over the next couple years? As far as I can
see, racing interest is definitely waning in the wind starved/long board
sailing regions of county (e.g. Rochester). When newcomers get into
windsurfing they rarely consider long boards and if they do, its only for a
short "learning" period and then they move to light wind slalom boards.
Attendance at our events have plummetted from 50 (1991) to 40 (1992) to 30
(1993) to 20 (1994). Our races are cheap ($10-$20) and people say they are
run just fine. We advertise throughout the area, are mentioned in the USWA
lists, etc. However, the basic honest response from people is that they
don't want to purchase a board just for racing. When its not windy enough
for light wind slalom boards (i.e. 7.5s and 140l) then they have lots of
other responsibilities. Even me, being a die hard racers has the same
feelings. Last year I attended a bunch of races outside our area, this
year -- none.
So despite all this discussion about sponsorship, etc., I think many areas
have a more basic problem. IMHO, I think next year or the following year,
our club will stop having races (I'm debating it right now). Those who
want to race will go to the major venues and probably just charter a board.
If anyone needs an IMCO, there are 3 of them for sale in our area. Five
other ones were sold over the summer.
Anyway, enuf rambling. I agree there's some conflict of interest issues,
however if the USWA can reenergize racing in this country and some people
make some $$ on it, I'd rather have that than not having racing due to a
lack of critical mass.
my 2 cents.
--
Bill O'Such
Eastman Kodak Company
DISCLAIMER:
Kodak provides me access to this Net, and are not responsible for
my postings.
Kevin Smith
>
>In article <38gjkm$m...@newsbf01.news.aol.com>, exp...@aol.com (Export4)
>wrote:
>
>
>>
>> It is not an unsubstantiated rumor. You (or anyone else) may confirm it by
>> contacting either Guy Britton at World Sports and Marketing or Joe Boersma
>> (backw...@aol.com) who is events chair for USWA.
>>
>
>Attendance at our events have plummetted from 50 (1991) to 40 (1992) to 30
>(1993) to 20 (1994). Our races are cheap ($10-$20) and people say they are
>run just fine. We advertise throughout the area, are mentioned in the USWA
>lists, etc. However, the basic honest response from people is that they
>don't want to purchase a board just for racing. When its not windy enough
>for light wind slalom boards (i.e. 7.5s and 140l) then they have lots of
>other responsibilities. Even me, being a die hard racers has the same
>feelings. Last year I attended a bunch of races outside our area, this
>year -- none.
>
This probably explains why the Florida Funboard (or Leukemia) race was
cancelled here in Florida this fall. This is an annual event I have
attended for the last three or four years and always look forward to.
The shop sponsor (Tinho Dornellas, excuse the spelling) just said he
couldn't get enough sponsors but what I suspect was that Tudor and
the Guy Britton gang weren't going to show up and without his rental
truck of boards there might not be as much interest. Remember this
is just speculation but he did say they may not have the Florida
Midwinters, another annual event I went too, due to lack of sponsors.
I am really pissed off at all this, I sail shortboard and don't own
a Mistral Longboard but what I do is charter one for the weekend along
with many others from the Tudor/Mistral people which means I get
the new equipment without the expense. I only sail sport fleet but
the competition is just as furious as the IMCO folks and it a lot of
fun to boot. Cancelling these two races, if the Midwinters is cancelled
won't be due to lack of interest it will be due to the Tudor/Mistral
pullout (IMHO). The race attendance has been steady for the last
3 or 4 years but many people do charter the 20 to 40 boards offered
by the traveling rental truck and without it I won't be able to race
competively without it.
If the Midwinters is cancelled it will definitely spell an end to
amateur racing. :-( :-( :-( I blame some of this on the industry.
All the new high tech equipment has priced itself out of the average
consumers range of interest. If Mistral could offer there top of line
equipment for about half then more people may be able to afford to keep
up with it. Well enough of the soapbox, I'll just have to get used
to missing the fun of amateur racing.
--
Kevin Smith ksm...@gate.net
F.Cabral
Bill O'Such <os...@kodak.com> wrote:
>In article <38gjkm$m...@newsbf01.news.aol.com>, exp...@aol.com (Export4)
>wrote:
>
...
>Attendance at our events have plummetted from 50 (1991) to 40 (1992) to 30
>(1993) to 20 (1994). Our races are cheap ($10-$20) and people say they are
>run just fine. We advertise throughout the area, are mentioned in the USWA
>lists, etc. However, the basic honest response from people is that they
>don't want to purchase a board just for racing. When its not windy enough
>for light wind slalom boards (i.e. 7.5s and 140l) then they have lots of
>other responsibilities. Even me, being a die hard racers has the same
>feelings. Last year I attended a bunch of races outside our area, this
>year -- none.
Your are not alone. Here in the mid-atlantic reqion attendance also declined
drastically. Our NJWA regattas are also cheap ($10-$15) with lots of great
incentives (trophies, lunch, giveaways). People just don't want to spend the
money on new light wind racing equipment.
Lets face it. If I didn't have help from sponsors I would not race either.
The price of equipment is rediculous. Good race sails in the 8.0-10.0 range
cost $600-$900 each. Course boards can cost $1500 to over $2000. Sailors rather
spend the money on better slalom equipment if they have to spend the money
at all.
On a similar note:
I see the problem beginning at the manufacturer level. Many local dealers have
closed their doors on windsurfing because they can't make a decent profit.
Think about this. If you are a dealer you need to keep sailors interested
and coming into your store. How do you do that. Easy.
You buy the most wanted equipment and keep it in stock so sailors can see them.
This means stocking up on equipment for display. You purchase a few boards from
varying models. Your cost for a particular slalom board is ~$900 plus shipping
(~$975) it retails for $1299. You have to pay up front and eat the board if it
doesn't sell. Your money is tied up on inventory very quickly.
Now the end of the year comes and the manufacturer has closeout sales. The mail
order shop advertises the same slalom board for $899 (in most cases without
having the inventory in stock) mean while you still have the same board that
cost you $1000 the begining of the year!!
There have been some price decrease overall this past year. However, the
manufacturers/distributors need a reality check. You will sell more items
if the prices were lower. The cost incurred building the boards/sails and so
on is very small compared to the profit margin for the maker. A roll of
monofilm may cost $7 enough to make a complete sail. The labor is cheap. The
poor third world country is exploited for their labor force.
Ok, I'll shut up. I love this sport but I hate the cost!
--
* Felix Cabral {fel...@hoscd.ho.att.com} "Give me nukin winds, *
* AT&T Bell Labs { att!hoscd!felixc } a rad board, rad waves, *
* Holmdel,NJ { (908)949-1188 } and a company sickday!" *
Boris Litinsky
locations, with the notable exception of the Gorge. With the closing
of some sail lofts and shops, the sport is becoming more inaccessible
to beginners without whom the sport has no potential for future
growth. I think some of this is due to the high equipment cost, the
difficult learning curve, and the image that one's isn't windsurfing
unless one is sailing mast-high waves in Maui.
Many of my friends, who even live in the Gorge, don't want to
shell out $2K to get started, when they can be mountain biking,
skiing, hiking, canoeing, etc for far less. I think if this trend
continues, less manufacturers will be producing equipment and what
they produce is likely to cost more.
I don't know what the solution is but if something doesn't happen
soon, the sport will only exist in remote locations of the world.
If the cost of the sport could be made to approach that of other
similar sports (skiing, snowboarding), more people are likely to get
into it. Mistral has really been raising prices on their gear, at
almost 10% a year on the same construction. Who can afford to pay
$1200-$1500 per board? I hope the manufacturers realize what is
happening and do something about it.
What is more likely to happen is that they will get into other
sports like snowboarding and eventually drop windsurfing when it
ceases to be profitable. Both F2 and Mistral make snowboards already
and although there is a lot of competition in snowboarding, there is
also a lot more demand.
Does anyone have other opinions?
--
Boris Litinsky bor...@tekcs1.CSE.TEK.COM
"The views expressed are my own."
Dick Watson
1. Is expense the issue? Or is it convenience and conditions? I live in
Charleston, SC. I see plenty of high school kids and young adults playing
all summer with with relatively expensive boats and jet skis. There are
many more days with waterski conditions than windsurfing conditions. Unless
you live in the right place, to get adequate conditions, you have to travel.
Even then, you are more likely to get skunked windsurfing than you are to
get skunked, for example, at a snow skiing destination resort.
2. I think culture is also a big issue. I believe much more could be done
to popularize the sport. Have the shops or the manufacturers really reached
out? Couldn't we have demos, free lessons, programs, perhaps cheap rentals,
for high school students? Newspaper advertising? Radio/TV? Once these
kids see their buddies, or someone in their peer group out there shredding,
won't there be a rush to learn and buy? I swear there is money to be made
by increasing the size of the entry end of this market if someone finds the
key. Again, in an "iffy" conditions area like the one where I live this may
be difficult, but given acceptable beginner conditions, not impossible.
All ya gotta do is get the hook in...
(I am 51 and sail off the beach here with my 14 year-old son.)
DICK WATSON, ISLE OF PALMS, SC
Rolland Waters
> Does anyone have other opinions?
Yeah, the need for growth is a myth. What percentage of Dynafiber's
sales are outside the Gorge/ Maui/ California Coast? For Hurricane?
Northwave? Real Wind? Cascade? Windance? When was the last time
surfing was a growth industry? Squash? Hang gliding? How positive,
really, is the impact of growth on fly fishing or mountain biking?
When one guy like Scott Holt (who?) puts out a better board then
any production board maker (lighter, turnier, stronger, cheaper),
what do we need the rest of the world for?
Smugly superior in The Gorge (or at least sort of close to it)
Rolland
KEVIN CLARK
Did anyone see that picture in American Windsurfer recently of Lake Garda,
crowded with boards as far as the eye could see in LIGHT winds. Wild.
And you've got corporate involvement there too. I just don't get what
the difference is over there that makes it so popular.
Kevin
Craig Goudie
Yup, I've got an similar opinion. 7 years ago there were 4 dedicated
windsurfing shops here in SLC, now there's 1. The one which is left
was totally dedicated (that's all they sold year round), but the last
few years they've moved into the snowboard market. Every year since
then they've gotten out their snowboard gear earlier and earlier, and
put away their sailboard gear earlier and earlier. I was bitching at
the proprietor (Duane Bush, who by the way is a good guy to do buisness
with) about this. Duane told me that the snowboard industry is 100%
more lucrative than the sailboard industry. I guess the cost to produce
a $300-$400 snowboard is very small compared to it's retail value. He
also said that he makes very little profit on windsurf gear and boards.
So he wishes it was winter year round, and he's trying to convince the
locals that it is.
So the manufacturers may be making money but the distributers sure aren't.
He also said that he has the 12-15 year old contingent lining up to spend
$400 on the latest snowboard, but the sailboard contingent seems to be
more like the 30-40 age bracket, and for some reason (maybe experience)
they seem to be a much harder sell, more interested in the perfornmance
characteristics, price performance, typical conditions the board was
ment for, than they are in the "way rad graphics dude". This means it
requires a lot more of his time to sell a product that he has less
profit margin on. It's pretty obvious why he's turning to snowboard
sales.
I don't think it's any more difficult for an adolesent to come up with
$400 than it is for an adult to come up with $1000. But you can see that
as the adults get old and broken (yes it does happen, you can't stop it)
they leave the sport and the initial start up price is just too high
for an adolesent.
So my opinion is that the manufacturers (in a fit of short term greed)
will eventually choke themselves to death (look at the dying snow skiing
market, how many pair of $700 snow skis will you buy in the next few years).
But don't give up hope. When this happens and they either move to
another form of revenue, or die, it opens up more and more nitches for
small companies to fill, yes there'll be a derth of equipment for a while,
but then we'll see a new bunch of companies emerge with cost competative
gear, and the whole thing will start over again. Remember when you could
buy an in line sail for $100 or a new board for $300, I do.
Craig's philosophy of cyclical enterprise
For what it's worth (.02)
8'4" CFX Wave Slalom, 9'4" Progressive Composites Course Slalom
Wt 160#, Ht 6'3", Usually sail on high desert lakes near SLC in Ut
Go short or go home
CoRodent
> Does anyone have other opinions?
I don't think that it is the cost of equipment or the lack of beginner
equipment which is responsible for the decline in windsurfing popularity.
It is more the limited places that have reliable and fun (ie. high wind)
conditions. Puttering around on long boards is never going to turn into a
growth sport. The fun of windsurfing is blasting around on short boards
in high winds in chop or waves. Windsurfing is destined to only become a
certain size as a sport because there are only a limited number of places
you can reliably do it.
Matt
christopher purvis
To all,
I read the "Windsurfing in Decline" thread with interest since
I've completed only one season in the sport and have invested
over $1000 in equipment, $500 in rentals/lessons.
******* Some of the ideas proposed to explain the decline are:
1) places with reliable conditions are scarce
2) "real fun" comes when zooming around on shortboards in high winds
3) older people spend $ carefully, demanding extra info/service/performance
from their sales/equipment than teenagers
4) the price of entry to the sport is higher than that of other sports
5) older folks have less robust bodies, and permanently leave the sport
(without being replaced by younger people willing to accept the high
"price of entry")
6) the beginning market has not been tapped adequately by marketing people
7) Europeans windsurf in large numbers, despite low wind conditions. Why?
******* I propose these additional reasons:
8) Technology: Equipment deployment, storage, and maintenance is more
problematic and time-consuming than most other sports,
so that the ratio of "overhead time" to "zooming across the water time"
is a very high number compared (for example) with mountain biking.
For me the windsurfing number is something like 5:1 or worse.
9) Culture: American culture, which features individualism combined with a
zeal to "go fastest, highest, longest" etc.., is much more functional
than relational.
---> This contrasts sharply with the paradox given in item 7) above.
Europeans don't care if the wind is barely adquate
because they're out on the water to enjoy the breeze, the sun, to
have a holiday feeling, have relations with others in their
community, to take in the ambiance. If
the windsurfing is hot, wonderful, if it's cool, that's OK too,
'cause we're really here to relax and be social.
How many dedicated American windsurfers take that view of the
sport; i.e., as only a facilitator for helping them enjoy the
company of other people on a nice day?
Many participants that i've met (who are willing to spend some money)
have an object-oriented, glad-you're-here-now-see-you-later,
gotta-go-shred, every-man-for-himself mentality (note: i've
been guilty of this too).
No wonder a skunked day seems like such a downer.
Given items 1),2),3),4),and 8) and 9), I'd not be surprised
if windsurfing is losing its luster in America.
Just some thoughts ...
Chris P.
MLefebvre
(KEVIN CLARK ) writes:
I too agree with all posted previous. As far as the popularity of Lake
Garda vs. the US in general is a matter of Geographics. If you notice
that most of the major population centers in the US are not on a major
water way where windsurfing is popular, with the only exeption being the
gorge. The gorge has two things going for it, the wind and having a major
city within an hours drive. Even in the gorge there is a large population
that are there full time. On the opposite side of the spectrum you have
Cape Hatteras. It is on of the best windsurfing spots on the east coast
but the closest major population center is atleast two or more hours away.
Lake Garda is situated near a large city, it really makes a difference.
To illustrate my point picture this for a kick:
Lest say that there was a great place to windsurf where the wind was
consistant and you could see the water from your office. You'd be in work
and when you could see people starting to go sailling because the wind is
comming up you could get away and go sailling when it blows. That way
you'd never get skunked, and there would be less disappointment.
Many beginners who don't stick with the sport feel that it is ridiculus
that they may take a weekend excursion to go windsurfing and there may be
an overwhelming chance that they may not get a chance to go because of the
wind not blowing.
In reality how many people could live on the Outer Banks, have a decent
job doing what they went to college for, and get sail when the wind blows.
Hell, my obsession is getting to the point that I would love to through
away all of my college, and work experience, get a job in Hatteras that
would feed me, and I could go sailling when ever I wanted. Who needs a
software engineering job when you can shred when you want! Well, I guess
I do. I want both!
Thanks for listening to me rant and rave....
___________________________________________________________________
Marc Lefebvre (US-775)
Seatrend/Fanatic, NP/Waddell, Rainbow Fins, and Body Glove ...
"I'd rather be Windsurfing!"
Jaime Cordera
I'll pass along the explanation I got from a European native living
in the U.S. Maybe it'll draw some observations from our European
friends.
Basically, it is a space rationale. Europe is an older, more densely
populated place. Therefore, there is MUCH less space for toys like
trailers, specifically boat trailers. Next time you go windsurfing,
look around and take 1/2 or more of all those people in small boats,
sailing and otherwise, and imagine them windsurfing instead. Look
at some of the big boats (40ft+) and take some proportion of
those people too.
Obviously, windsurfing takes up a lot less space than a boat and a
trailer, and is one HELL of a lot cheaper than buying a big boat and
renting a boat slip. There just isn't ("free")space to store that
Hobie cat in the side yard like there is in the U.S.
All those people that want to be out on the water are funneled into
windsurfing as a small-space, cheaper (as a former big-boat sailor,
believe it), more popular sport than bigger boats.
Comment ? True ? False ? Not even wrong ? :-)
Jaime
--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jaime Cordera
ja...@synopsys.com
<.signature under construction>
wolfgang sorgel
is less popular: gas is expensive (at least 4 times the price of the US),
boats / jet skis are more expensive than here, you often need a license
(which means $$$ and plenty hours of learning),
on all German lakes (except Lake Constance), motorboats aren't allowed
at all, maybe Europeans are also a little bit more concerned about
environment (blasting on a sailboard makes less polution than riding
a jet ski).
A word to the crowds at lake Garda: That's exceptional, all Sailors from southern
Bavaria, Austria and Northern Italy seem to be there at the same time. Too crowded
(and too light) for me, I prefer the Northern Sea.
Also, material prize could play a role: Nearly all consumer goods (electronics,
cameras, bikes ...) are cheaper here in the US than in Europe, the price for
windsurfing gear seems to be about the same as in Germany, even at the current
exchange rate (weak dollar).
But: The peak of windsurfing enthusiasm is over. Ten, twelve years ago, it
was really "in". Today, the market lives from a relatively small number of
really "freaky" sailors.
I hope we won't die out !
Wolfgang
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wolfgang Soergel, grad. Student of electrical engineering at Clemson University
220 Elm Street # 122, Clemson, S.C. 29631, Phone: (803) 654-0930
...............................................................................
5000 miles away from home :-) and my boards :-(.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Volker Wedemeier
Hmm, maybe the land area to coast lenght ratio is better here or it's because the
population density is higher. There are not many (I'd even say no) far out and
hidden away surfspots here. So more people have the opportunity to see
windsurfers from close by and get interested in the sport.
At the North Sea where I surf quite frequently, there are always a lot of
people hiking and I have already been asked a couple of times how
one can learn to windsurf, how expensive it would be and so on.
But then the sport is declining here, too. But I think it'll only shrink to a
normal long term level after a strong boom.
Volker
Jaime Cordera
I'll second that feeling. I'm mildly concerned about the
consolidation of some of the manufacturers, and the closing
of Waddell Sails (my sailmaker), but I've found an alternative.
Just like surfing, the overhead cost isn't that high, for
boards, sailmakers, or most of the other windsurfing parts,
and there are always some alternatives in the tiny shops of either
the Gorge or Maui that want to make a name for themselves.
My board maker has decided NOT to pursue growth in terms of
volume, and that has only pluses for me. That means they give me
more personal attention, better discounts, etc etc etc. We can
definitely support them here in the Bay Area, and have for a long
time, even through the "decline of windsurfing".
This isn't a plug for localism or to try to limit the sport so
we can have the best places to sail all to ourselves. The
sea is a big place, with room for everyone, but I'm not that
interested or excited by being involved in a trendy sport.
It doesn't matter to me that much one way or the other.
I like sailing, and I'm going to sail whether the sport
grows, shrinks, or stays static.
wolfgang sorgel
[lines deleted]
>Basically, it is a space rationale. Europe is an older, more densely
>populated place. Therefore, there is MUCH less space for toys like
>trailers, specifically boat trailers. Next time you go windsurfing,
>look around and take 1/2 or more of all those people in small boats,
>sailing and otherwise, and imagine them windsurfing instead. Look
>at some of the big boats (40ft+) and take some proportion of
>those people too.
>
>Obviously, windsurfing takes up a lot less space than a boat and a
>trailer, and is one HELL of a lot cheaper than buying a big boat and
>renting a boat slip. There just isn't ("free")space to store that
>Hobie cat in the side yard like there is in the U.S.
>All those people that want to be out on the water are funneled into
>windsurfing as a small-space, cheaper (as a former big-boat sailor,
>believe it), more popular sport than bigger boats.
>
>Comment ? True ? False ? Not even wrong ? :-)>>
>Jaime
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Jaime Cordera
>ja...@synopsys.com
><.signature under construction>
In my eyes, that comes close to one of the points (why ws is on the decline).
But I think, windsurfing catches away more of motorboating than of sailboating
in Europe. I think there are more sailboats but far less motorboats on the water
in Europe (i.e. in Germany, where I come from.)
John Cruz
time competing with mail order. Are there statistics on yearly sales that
show a decline? How about number of people sailing, are there statistics
that show a decline ? It seems to me that the number of people sailing at
some sites on good (and not so good) days has not changed all that much
over the past 5 years or so but other places might be different.
JimZ 8859
possibility of ever purchasing new equipment again. The manufacturers have
turned windsurfing into another overpriced elitist sport, just like
skiing. It sure is great fun though! I'll never quit, just buy it used.
Later - Jim Z
James Brockman
: difficult learning curve, and the image that one's isn't windsurfing
: unless one is sailing mast-high waves in Maui.
: Many of my friends, who even live in the Gorge, don't want to
: shell out $2K to get started, when they can be mountain biking,
: skiing, hiking, canoeing, etc for far less. I think if this trend
: continues, less manufacturers will be producing equipment and what
: they produce is likely to cost more.
Why yes Boris, I do! I'm somewhat new to the sport, and I do
believe your right about the difficulty of a beginner to get started. The
only way I could even approach the sport was to consider used gear.
However, I did find alot of good used equipment out there, and got a very
good deal on an old board, sails, etc. I'm getting to a point where I'm
starting to look for a second intermediate board, and the prices of new
equipment is astounding. Not to mention the thousands of accessories
you'll need.
However, compared to skiing, the cost to me seems somewhat
comparable. With the prices of lift tickets, equipment, etc adding up it
can easily outweigh good old no-ticket-required windsurfing. As far as
mountain biking goes, you can't beat for cost after your initial outlay,
which is probably why it's getting so popular.
I do believe the difficulty of learning to windsurf keeps many
people away, but their is nothing really to be done about this. To me,
the satisfaction of finally getting up and cruising, or pulling your
first super-whatever, or surviving for a day, is worth the extra effort
required.
Your final note about not feeling part of the sport unless your
jumping waves in Maui is unfortunate, but true. The magazines like to
promote this feeling I'm sure, as do the manufacturers, hoping to sell
more jump boards, or whatever. But you also see this extensively in other
sport magazines, and should be expected from high-excitement sports. The
PROBLEM with the windsurfing mags seems to be the lack of beginner
articles, tips, instruction, help, etc. We all know the sport has changed
from an all-types to a pro-only sport, and why the magazines don't try to
promote the beginner side is beyond me. Anyway, enough raving. it's still
fun, isn't it.
Paul Algren
In article <3965mf$7...@newsbf01.news.aol.com>, mlef...@aol.com (MLefebvre) writes:
> In article <395j0p$16...@usenetw1.news.prodigy.com>, HBF...@prodigy.com
> (KEVIN CLARK ) writes:
>
> I too agree with all posted previous. As far as the popularity of Lake
> Garda vs. the US in general is a matter of Geographics. If you notice
> that most of the major population centers in the US are not on a major
> water way where windsurfing is popular, with the only exeption being the
> gorge. The gorge has two things going for it, the wind and having a major
> city within an hours drive. Even in the gorge there is a large population
> that are there full time. On the opposite side of the spectrum you have
I would contend that there is a decent population near the SF Bay Area.
I've also known it to blow there occasionally.
> Cape Hatteras. It is on of the best windsurfing spots on the east coast
> but the closest major population center is atleast two or more hours away.
> To illustrate my point picture this for a kick:
Jaime Cordera
MLefebvre <mlef...@aol.com> wrote:
>In article <395j0p$16...@usenetw1.news.prodigy.com>, HBF...@prodigy.com
>(KEVIN CLARK ) writes:
>
> I too agree with all posted previous. As far as the popularity of Lake
>Garda vs. the US in general is a matter of Geographics. If you notice
>that most of the major population centers in the US are not on a major
>water way where windsurfing is popular, with the only exeption being the
>gorge. The gorge has two things going for it, the wind and having a major
>city within an hours drive. Even in the gorge there is a large population
Sorry, but this is incorrect. The San Francisco Bay area has a
population of about 6.8 million people (by FAR larger than Portland)
and some of the best windsurfing in the country (if not THE best,
but that's another discussion). Not as warm or consistent
as Maui, not as high wind as the Gorge, but it has amazing variety AND
accessability, from waves at the coast to fresh water "river" sailing
at the Delta. People can, and do, sail after work without taking
a 2 hour drive (I can drive to the first acceptable sailing site in
15 minutes, my preferred site is 30 minutes away). And, unlike
either the Gorge or Maui, it's not in the middle of nowhere,
and has plenty of non-sailing, and non-outdoors, things to do.
And, it has a lot of software jobs in Silicon Valley :-)
Jaime
--
Christopher Ratel
|> ...<snip>...
|> Sorry, but this is incorrect. The San Francisco Bay area has a
|> population of about 6.8 million people (by FAR larger than Portland)
|> and some of the best windsurfing in the country (if not THE best,
|> but that's another discussion). Not as warm or consistent
|> as Maui, not as high wind as the Gorge, but it has amazing variety AND
|> accessability, from waves at the coast to fresh water "river" sailing
|> at the Delta. People can, and do, sail after work without taking
|> a 2 hour drive (I can drive to the first acceptable sailing site in
|> 15 minutes, my preferred site is 30 minutes away). And, unlike
|> either the Gorge or Maui, it's not in the middle of nowhere,
|> and has plenty of non-sailing, and non-outdoors, things to do.
|>
|> And, it has a lot of software jobs in Silicon Valley :-)
|> Jaime
|> --
Jaime,
Can I send you my resume?... :-)
Anyway, my $0.02 cents on this thread is:
I really don't care if it is in decline as long as I can still do it!...
Chris Ratel
ra...@bellcore.com
Rolland Waters
> Many participants that i've met (who are willing to spend some money)
> have an object-oriented, glad-you're-here-now-see-you-later,
> gotta-go-shred, every-man-for-himself mentality
Hey! I resemble that remark!!!
John Wright
decline in windsurfing in that time but I'll accept for the moment
that the decline is real. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned
in how I got involved. A woman, of course. When I met my girlfriend
two years ago I had never heard of windsurfing. She is a real shred
betty who let me know of her interest right away. I thought it looked
like fun and asked to learn and she taught me using her older equip-
ment. I've since bought my own equipment (used) and sail as much as
she does, if not as well. Later I find out that if I hadn't enjoyed
it and quit, she would have dumped me like a hot potato. Moral of
the story: teach your significant others. Share your equipment and
keep your older stuff to teach on. Then, in the course of time, some
couples will break up, meet others, and bring them into the fold.
There's nothing like the threat of no sex to encourage someone to try
something new.
One caveat is that you have to date people who are not already
sailors. Yes, yes, I know sailors tend to be fit and have nice
bodies but you have to get out into the general community and
avoid inbreeding. Besides, if you date an accomplished sailor,
they'll want to borrow your new G10 blade fin. Newbies are content
with your old one design and a plastic fin (for a while).
Keep shredding.
John
Craig Goudie
>I've only been sailing for two years so I can't say I've seen any
>decline in windsurfing in that time but I'll accept for the moment
>that the decline is real. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned
>in how I got involved. A woman, of course. When I met my girlfriend
>two years ago I had never heard of windsurfing. She is a real shred
>betty who let me know of her interest right away. I thought it looked
>like fun and asked to learn and she taught me using her older equip-
>ment. I've since bought my own equipment (used) and sail as much as
>she does, if not as well. Later I find out that if I hadn't enjoyed
>it and quit, she would have dumped me like a hot potato. Moral of
>the story: teach your significant others. Share your equipment and
>keep your older stuff to teach on. Then, in the course of time, some
>couples will break up, meet others, and bring them into the fold.
>There's nothing like the threat of no sex to encourage someone to try
>something new.
Sex, what's that, I think that was something I used to do before
I learned how to sail, but I can't quite remember.
Craig
Ed Cornell
Wright) wrote:
> There's nothing like the threat of no sex to encourage someone to try
> something new.
Conversely, I discovered sex with my shred betty one windless day...
--
Ed the Shred
Dave Crabbe
you can buy a 200L board and rig for $500 and have a lot of fun, but only on
very selective days. (one sail doesn't buy a lot of wind range).
But if you look at people around you zooming past and want to get in on the
action it really adds up in a hurry. A new board in Canada costs us between
$1500 and $2000. I bought a used Tiga for $800. My boom broke ($160), then my
harness lines ($35) I need a new fin for higher winds ($150),my mast foot came
apart because I didn't know proper preventive maintenance (ie. tighen the
screws every so often,dummy); which I then promptly lost in the lake as I
fiddled with it ($50), I've gone through both sails (duct tape is pretty
cheap).
I need a 7.5 sail because in the summer we have very little wind. Neil Pryde
Street racer new is over $800 Cdn, so second hand is only answer. Then I need
a new mast and possibly new boom. Then on those real windy days I need an 80L
(have only a 125L now) ... $$$
Accessories: Long wet suit ($350), short wet suit ($150), gloves ($35), boots
(60), helmet (a must, $45) .. etc .. etc.
If I ever had kids there would be two things I would hope they wouldn't get
into: 1) windsurfing and 2) horses ..
(Of course for all us married folk, add to this the cost of :
" you just spend 2 grand on windsurfing and all I want is a new ... [insert
appropriate object of spouse's affection] "
------------------------------------------------
Dave Crabbe
NSCC - Burridge Campus
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
(crabb...@novell.burridgec.ns.ca)
------------------------------------------------
Bob Galvan
(MLefebvre) writes:
> Lest say that there was a great place to windsurf where the wind was
>consistant and you could see the water from your office. You'd be in work
>and when you could see people starting to go sailling
like, for instance, San Francisco?
Dshred
1) Europeans have a lot more vacation time, so they are not as bummed out
by a mediocre day, or the hassles of packing up huge amounts of equipment.
When I get the chance to go sailing, I throw one short board on the car
and go. I keep my Windsurfer (original since 1980) for the occaisional
summer trip, but I wouldn't invest in light air equipment again because I
don't use it enough. Maybe the typically frantic, rushed recreation of
Americans is more suited to hop on and go sports like mountain biking.
2) Sailing is a loner sport. It may be social on the beach, but when its
good, Its just you. My friends and I go on ski trips to ski together, when
I go to the beach with my wife - its see you later. Much less appealing to
most people.
3) Water access- I've lived near Naragannsett and Chesapeake bays - both
with huge amount of coastline - and have a poor selection of legal/nice
places to sail with onshore winds. For example - the only beginner area in
Newport, RI, a popular resort town, costs $5 to park and has straight
offshore winds most of the time. Beginners are rescued regularly which
can't do much for promoting the sport. Maryland is worse unless you make a
weekend of it at Dewey.
So, windsurfing is fun for me,I run out when the wind blows and head to
the gorge once a year - but I don't expect to get too may of my active
friends involved.
- Dave
Annette=Stump...@leo.cecer.army.mil
1) equipment problems:
There aren't many beginning boards anymore. The high tech shortboards with footstraps aren't any good for beginners, and
retailers push the wrong equipment on beginners. Floating white logs without footstraps (like our old Waylers) are good for
beginners.
2) lack of teachers:
My husband and I taught windsurfing at the University of Illinois and park districts in Champaign for 9 years, and can't
teach any more. (We have fulltime jobs, travel a lot for work, and a kid). So there aren't any instructors here in Champaign. We
don't have as many new windsurfers here (except for our 4 year old and a 6 year old girl), because nobody has the patience
to work them through the beginning stages. Some new students who windsurf come to town every year, while the population
of locals who windsurf keeps getting older. (we're still addicted though, and can afford equipment because we have jobs).
Insurance prices for instructors/rental shops are too expensive also. (the university covered us when we taught).
3) local retailers vs. mail order stores:
There are less retailers now, because they can't compete with the mail order businesses. (I know - my father-in-law has
the only full time sailing shop in Illinois, and he quit selling sailboards last year. He couldn't get boards for the prices
the mail order shops sell them for because he didn't sell enough volume. And he couldn't keep up with all the new
technology/equipment that people read about in the magazines. So he would be stuck with old stock
he couldn't move. Then he wouldn't have the money to buy the new latest and greatest equipment. There really isn't much of
a markup on windsurfing equipment. Not like furniture or clothes.)
4) it takes PATIENCE and DETERMINATION to learn to windsurf:
potential beginners need to know we have practiced and practiced to get as comfortable windsurfing as we are. Learning
windsurfing is like learning to walk again. They aren't going to pick it up overnight and be able to do loops like the windsurfers
do in tv commercials. So encourage them! Tell them they can do it, but it will take a while to learn.
5) WEATHER CONDITIONS:
Beginners learn best in winds under 12 miles per hour. Really! So don't take your girlfriend/friend out in high winds and abuse
them. Pick a day that isn't windy enough for you to go have fun to teach a beginner. Remember they need small sails too!
Then success and addiction will overtake them and we'll have more windsurfers!
gfa...@zilker.net
In article <395pi6$4...@newsbf01.news.aol.com>, <coro...@aol.com> writes:
> I don't think that it is the cost of equipment or the lack of beginner
> equipment which is responsible for the decline in windsurfing popularity.
> It is more the limited places that have reliable and fun (ie. high wind)
> conditions. Puttering around on long boards is never going to turn into a
> growth sport.
I disagree. The growth comes from people seeing that it's fun and accessible.
For years I thought it looked fun, but I didn't get around to trying it
Until I found a cheap board at a neighborhood garage sale. SO far all I've
learned to do is putter around on a long board, but I feel sure my interest
is already rubbing off on others in my neighborhood and at work. I may or
may not ever take the time to move up to the next skill level, but even my
level of interest is helping to build a market. And of course, a large
market implies more manufacturers competing, more R&D, and perhaps even
falling prices.
Keith Knight
I don't agree with any of y'all
there is no way ws is in decline
at least not in virginia
I work at NASA langley research facility
last year there were maybe four sailors out here
now there is a car with rigs on top at every parking lot
were i used to sail with just my friends dave and derrick
now there are whole groups showing up.
there has always been large crowds at the flat water spots
now there are more and more wave sailors
and I only live an hour/half from the outerbanks
now down there has become a windsurfing metropolis
in five years.
it seems to be growing by the week.
I think that maybe it is market compitition
not a decline in participation.
Juri Munkki
>5) WEATHER CONDITIONS:
> Beginners learn best in winds under 12 miles per hour. Really! So
> don't take your girlfriend/friend out in high winds and abuse them.
> Pick a day that isn't windy enough for you to go have fun to teach a
> beginner. Remember they need small sails too! Then success and
> addiction will overtake them and we'll have more windsurfers!
I have noticed that the wind isn't really the problem for beginners. If you
give them a small enough sail, they can usually manage. The biggest problems
are caused by waves and chop. I used to avoid offshore winds for teaching
Windsurfing, but this summer I noticed that my students actually learned
better when the waves were not rocking the board.
I use an old Mistral Competition (with a huge daggerboard) for teaching,
so it was definitely the most stable board you can find.
I also noticed that the Mistral Equipe (with a big pointer fin) is very
bad for teaching, because it's much more unstable and it doesn't turn
very easily. It's very hard to even demontrate the basic turn where you
rotate the sail by holding it by the uphaul rope, because the board simply
doesn't want to turn unless you force it. In this respect, the Competition
was ideal.
I use sail sizes between 4.3 and 6.0 for teaching.
--
Juri Munkki There ain't no such thing as a shareware lunch.
jmu...@hut.fi Windsurfing: Faster than the wind.
Nick Cox
I am hearing more often now that Windsurfing is a dying sport in
most locations,
<stuff deleted>
with the closing of some sail lofts and shops, the sport is becoming
more inaccessible to beginners without whom the sport has no potential
for future growth.
<lots of stuff deleted>
Does anyone have other opinions?
Well, here in Toronto, Ontario the Toronto Windsurfing Club had, up
until about three years ago, only about 100 members. Around that time
our membership doubled and has been relatively consistent since then. We
have quite a large number of beginners as well as racers and short-board
types too.
Nobody on the club exec. really knows why the membership suddenly
doubled, but windsurfing is still really quite popular around here
despite the way overpriced cost of most production boards. It may be
because there is a lot of good used equipment out there which is still
relatively cheap. I hear, the windsurfing club in Barrie, north of here
is also really quite healthy too.
Windsurfing in decline? Not apparently around here!
Cheers,
Nick Cox
CAN32
* OLX 2.1 TD * That's not line noise--my modem's speaking in tongues!
* S2S Toronto
Dick Watson
Its that way in everything -- some jerks, some great guys and gals. I don't
think this is a key to the "decline" -- its not like other activities have
all the nice guys and windsurfing does not. Its a two way street; take a
crazy chance and talk to a stranger. At least half of them will help you
out (for a price <g>). Incidentally, there are some really fine people in
the Charleston, SC area. Seem to be good folks on this board, too.
"Repatriate Milton Frobisher" "Go hydrogen or go home"
DICK WATSON, ISLE OF PALMS, SC.
BoArD sUrFeR
here in Singapore. Just picked up this sport about 3 months ago and I
think I would be hooked on this sport for the rest of my life. Can't wait
to upgrade myself to a short board. Anyway, the wind is blowing here due
to the Monsoon period but for the time being, I still have to concentrate
on my studies (exams) before I can make my way down to the beach. By the
way, how's this for a sig? Ciao!
--
d8888b dP .d888b d88b
dP .dP dP dP dP
d888b .a88b .a88b d88b .a8888P V888b dP dP d88b d888P d88b d88P
dP .dP dP .dP dP .aP dP dP .dP .dP dP .dP dP dP dP.dP dP
d8888" V88P" V88P Vb dP V88P" d888P" V88P" dP dP V8888P dP
,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,
D a v i d C h a n * isc4...@leonis.nus.sg / chan...@iscs.nus.sg *
Jim Wood
In article <39gg25$o...@hq.hq.af.mil>, <damoore@pafosu1> writes:
DELETED STUFF
> Recently I moved back to the U.S. and I was really looking forward to
> everybody speaking English at the sailing sites. After getting here and
> sailing at several different sites my enthusiasm really took a hit. I still
> love the sport, but the attitude I can do without. I hope there are many
> people out there that will disagree with me on this (that means there are
> sites where the people have the attitude of, "If you can't do such in such
> or you don't have the 'x' equipment your not worth talking to").
> BTW - to all British people...I actually did meet some that were very
> nice.
>
> --
> Dale Moore
> Email - dam...@pafosu1.hq.af.mil
>
Dale:
On the button with the "attitude" comments. I wrote a little bitch last
week in that regard. Times change, I realize, but coming from a "brother
hood" of windsurfing of the late '70's and 80's this sport is going the
way of skiing. Skiing has become "how you look, and what you wear", more than
"what you can do"...neither of which are very important if you are an arrogant
*@#???, anyway. Creating technophiles rather than technicians is part if it I
guess, without getting into serious sociology.
Windsurfing needs to encourage newcomers, more than most sports. Previously
mentioned in this thread is the amount of time, effort, and frustration
involved in learning the basics. It's easy to turn others off the sport, we
need to welcome the newcomers rather than creating a clique of the hardcore
Jim.
Dale A Moore
the idea that maybe people make the difference in the popularity of our
sport. I learned how to windsurf while serving in Naples, Italy. Which
was a big benefit. The equipment didn't make the difference, nor the
location (if you've ever been to Naples you know what I'm talking about), the
difference was the other windsurfers. Most were Italian and all were very
helpful in giving me advice and just making me feel accepted at the sailing
site, excluding the British (Ow no I can hear the keyboards clicking now).
CoRodent
You are right about the visiblity of the sport perhaps restricting its
growth. However in regards to your own interest in the sport, try
advancing to the next skill level and windsurfing will turn from an
"interest" into an "obsession".
Matt
J M Lazarus
<lines deleted>
> However in regards to your own interest in the sport, try
> advancing to the next skill level and windsurfing will turn from an
>"interest" into an "obsession".
I want to agree with that 200%. Most ppl I've spoken to who boardsail are
agitated when they're inside and the wind is howling outside. There's only
one thing on the brain at times like this, which indicates a level of
fanaticism unique to the adrenalin junky foke.
I think the reason that windsurfing is
fading is simply that ppl are learning to sail on short boards. I originally
thought it must be impossible , but after speaking to about 5 guys who learned
that way... Windsurfing is still useful for an entry into the real thing.
(Go for the BIG air)
-LAZman
Glenn Woodell
>
After getting here and
>sailing at several different sites my enthusiasm really took a hit. I still
>love the sport, but the attitude I can do without. I hope there are many
>people out there that will disagree with me on this (that means there are
>sites where the people have the attitude of, "If you can't do such in such
>or you don't have the 'x' equipment your not worth talking to").
>
exceptions everyone around here is friendly and helpful. Come visit us some
time.
Glenn
Paul Delnero
: I am hearing more often now that Windsurfing is a dying sport...
: Does anyone have other opinions?
Windsurfing, a sport envisioned in the early 70's(IMHO) has been
in decline since about 1982. Boardsailing has taken over the interest of a
smaller group of participants. As is true in any economic system,
manufacturers will need to increase prices if the demands decrease.
Fortunately, I think that there is still a large base of *Windsurfers*
out here who, though not as visible as the shredding boardsailors, would
love to see the sport of windsurfing grow.
I *sail* my big board/big sail combo much more than many locals
who sit *skunked* on the beach because I love *sailing* and find
windsurfing a quick and efficient way to *get out there* in almost any
conditions. I feel that if the sport and its promotion were more focused
toward the general public, sailing in *normal* conditions, then the
customer base would increase, demand would go up and prices would fall.
Performance boardsailors, do not take offense, I can be found out
on my short board, screaming and howling when the conditions are *right*,
I just feel that in order to keep attracting the numbers of *new*
participants to the sport, we need to show them an accessable 1st step.
Please...hold your flames...these are only my opinions!
Paul Delnero
=-) PAD =-)
(pdelnero.keene.edu)
Scott Smith
..
>I can speak for my area (lower Chesapeake Bay) and Hatteras. With a few rare
>exceptions everyone around here is friendly and helpful.
The popularity of the site makes a difference too. When people feel
there is competition for water space/parking spots/waves etc things
are less friendly. My fave spots are all ones where ten people is a
crowded day. Everyone knows everyone else, talks to everyone else,
etc. I've had some nice sailing days at Kalmus, Canadian Hole, Dewey
Beach, Coyote Point etc, but they were missing something that I like
about a place with half a dozen other sailors. So, lets hope for a
BIG decline in popularity here :-)
Scott
Don Heffernan
>In article <39gg25$o...@hq.hq.af.mil>, damoore@pafosu1 (Dale A Moore) says:
>>
> After getting here and
>>sailing at several different sites my enthusiasm really took a hit. I still
>>love the sport, but the attitude I can do without. I hope there are many
>>people out there that will disagree with me on this (that means there are
>>sites where the people have the attitude of, "If you can't do such in such
>>or you don't have the 'x' equipment your not worth talking to").
>>
>I can speak for my area (lower Chesapeake Bay) and Hatteras. With a few rare
>exceptions everyone around here is friendly and helpful. Come visit us some
>time.
>Glenn
I agree with Glen. Most sailors are extremely friendly and more than willing
to advise newcomers, and struggling co-fanatics at any level. Where are you
sailing Dale? I hope that address does'nt signify Air Force HQ here in
Washington. I know the DC area sailors are a friendly lot.
Don Heffernan (H) don...@access.digex.net
Washington, DC (W) donald.h...@gsa.gov
(WWW) http://access.digex.net/~donheff/donheffernan.html
Scott Mather
Who cares?
I don't worry about the decline. The equipment is advanced thru the dedication
of board heads around the globe - not the big industry players.
Let's face it. Its not the sport for everyone. While it looks glamorous as
all hell, it is sufficiently difficult that 9 out of 10 people who try it
give up and pursue other things. It is entirely weather dependent. So,
unless you live in nukin places it is often pretty marginal or at best
seasonal. I don't believe that cost is a factor. It is expensive but so
is water skiing, jet skiis, snow skiing, and golf - each very popular and
*easy* to get into. Also, it is very much and individual pursuit - rarely
a group activity. Around here, some of the best places to go are hideously
ugly and/or barely habitable.
Its a fringe sport, why try and make it a big popular thing? The sport will
get along just fine without support from the "trendy" set. My advice is to
be involved in a lot of activities - it is easy to find complementary activities.
For instance, it sucks to play tennis with wind above 10 mph. High performance
dingy sailing is a blast in winds under 15mph (and above to be sure).
So what do other people do when they are wishing for those high wind days?
I mtn bike, play organized soccer, tennis, and sail small boats.
scott mather
email: g...@austin.bga.com