Discouraging for newcomers

[johnson_brian_j]

[isobars]

Yeah, but at least WS boards and sails aren't jettisoned like excess baggage. How often do ya hear WSers asking folks to watch out for their lost board, or watch a sail fly off into the sky out of sight? I've even heard rumors that a kite can cost $1,500, and is outdated soon because the equipment is still evolving so rapidly.

Mike \m/

[cgoudie1]

I think you maybe missed the humor Brian. I don't have 8 boards
and 20 sails because I need them, I have that much gear because
I like it. The context had to do with hoarding gear. I have 5 boards
in HR between 70 and 84 ltrs, I can loan one or 2 out and get somebody
sailing and still have eveything I need myself. I probably use
1 board, and 3 sails 90% of the time in the Gorge.

I have 3 cars too, and 3 pair of Tevas, but I can only drive or
walk 1 at a time.

Windsurfing isn't inexpensive, but any sport you develop a love for
can get that way.

-Craig

p.s. Almost every Utah Kiter I know (and I know a few) has
thousands and thousands of dollars worth of gear.

[sergio_k]

[River-Lizard]

[advance420]

As a 22 year old from Wisconsin just getting into Windsurfing, I can give some of my reasons, and from looking around online, my impressions of the sport. I'm sure this isn't the views of all new sailors, but since I'm sure I'm not special in the way I think, I'm sure it is common none-the-less.

I've always liked the surf culture in general. When I was a kid, I would watch Rocket Power, and watch how they would always be on the beach surfing. When I found out that I would be moving to a tropical island to a college right next to the beach, I thought I'd take up surfing.

After finding out that surfing wasn't that common in north Hainan (the part of the island I'll be), I was a bit annoyed, but I always did consider that riding around on little meter high waves for maybe a 30 second session at a time might not be that fun. Then I heard that windsurfing was a popular activity in north Hainan. That's what got me interested.

From my research online, I've learned that it's a very challenging sport, but also that instead of surfing on a wave for 30 seconds, you can sail around at 15+mph for hours if you like. Additionally, you can jump, ride waves, learn fancy tricks to impress your friends, and make friends with locals who share similar interests.

It's not just the idea of windsurfing that attracts me to the spot, but the idea of spending my days at the beach, staying active, and in shape, and meeting friends to sail with.

I didn't even know windsurfing was or wasn't in the Olympics until I read yall talking about it.

The main problems I'm having getting into the sport. The kit is fricken huge, as well as expensive. You can buy a brand new surfboard for a couple hundred bucks. That's all you need. You can carry it around, walk down to the beach with it. You can find them all over. Windsurfing boards are HUGE. Yall tell me to use a long board to train on, and that's cool, but I sold my truck about 2 weeks ago (since I'm moving), and all I have is my parents Ford Mustang. I can't afford to pay 2000 dollars for a new kit, so I'm forced to drive 4-8 hours away to pick one up that may or may not work, and then try to get that big ass thing home. Then I have to walk with it about half a mile to the lake to try it out.

Now, a current problem, some dude is selling a sweet kit, but there is no mast. So, I have a kit, but no mast. I now have to find a used mast that will fit the kit I have, that's even more difficult to find. Masts new are 300 dollars minimum when I searched.

I've heard to rent a kit, or take lessons. I can buy an entire kit (without a mast) for 175 dollars, or I can get 2.5 hours of lessons for $150. Which do you think is smarter? I'm by no means poor, but us young people need to be responsible with our money. I'm going to a tropical island in the South China Sea. The other side of the world away from my parents. I would love to pay for lessons, buy a long board to learn with, and then move onto a more specialized board, but I can't afford it, and I'm willing to bed 99% of people my age can't.

So for now I'll buy myself a cheap kit with a board likely a bit too small that will make it hard for me to learn against yall's suggestions, and I'll find a mast (hopefully), and spend the next 2 months of my summer falling off of it, and trying not to break it until I fly out. Hopefully, by then I can find a board less than 109 inches for cheap, so I can take it with me on the plane to Hainan, because I'm going over there to learn Chinese, and with no current knowledge of the language, I doubt I'll be able to find a good deal on a used board.

The cool shit I found that keeps me motivated to pick up windsurfing. The Point of View cameras that people attach to their heads, and then surf around look SICK. I would love to be able to move that fast across water. It looks awesome. Planing looks like it could make it all worth it.

[advance420]

I'm not sure if it would be good for the community, but if they can get a bran new fully ready to go kit that is good for 1 year, and sell it for 150-250 bucks, I think people would be much more willing to give windsurfing a try.

[mchaco1]

[advance420]

[mchaco1]

Im not sure, ill ask though. he has some partners there that are trying to get things going. They say its a pretty good windsurfing place though, other than lack of new equipment and instructors. If I were you id watch a few how to windsurf dvds and try to find some local people to help you out, then spend the money on rentals. I tried the old 80's equipment route since I was in AZ and rentals were not an option, it always works out the same, the stuff looks decent when you get it but falls apart the 2nd or third time you use it and replacements dont exist and you might as well throw it away when youre done cause no one will buy it.