General questions from Gorge newcomer about windsurfing

[CoreyC]

I just moved to the Gorge last summer and am considering taking up windsurfing. I work in The Dalles, and my wife and I bought a home in Bingen. Driving home from work on Highway 14 every day I have looked at at Doug's beach with a bit of envy. I plan on staying here for awhile and it seems I should try to enjoy the signature activity of this place. We like living here very much so far.

The question, though, is whether it is realistic for someone at my age to get into this hobby. I'm 42 years old, and have never been much of an athlete. Since moving here, I've been working hard to get into shape and have rediscovered the joys of skiing (so much so that I am now nursing some cracked ribs back to health). I am still not as fit as I need to be. I am a big guy (6'4) and have never been super dexterous. My swimming skills are sub-par, so I know that would be square one. I have no illusions about being great at windsurfing, but how possible is it to get even mildly good at it starting where I am? Is the learning curve like golf, where it takes years and years to become even mediocre at it? My neighbor is a big-time kite surfer and he told me I should try that because it is easier to learn. Is he right? I really know nothing either way, but the Zen of windsurfing looks more appealing to me, if that makes any sense. From what I've read, kitesurfing is better for lighter wind conditions, but living in the Gorge that shouldn't be an issue, right?

I was also hoping for some recommendations for lessons. I figure all of the experts on here should know who is good and who to avoid. I would assume the smartest course of action as far as gear would be to rent until I have somewhat of a clue?

Thanks so much for reading my post, and I look forward to any replies!

Corey

[isobars]

Age is not a factor. Even kids of 6 and 80 can do it, just not quite as well or aggressively as a 25-yo expert. OTOH, some silverhairs on Medicare can outlast many 25-yo experts, so much is up to the individual. And your limited athleticism can be an advantage, because many accomplished jocks get embarrassed, frustrated, and/or impatient when they can’t master WSing overnight. Methodical students with modest expectations and egos often learn more rapidly than know-it-alls. You will quickly find that there are so many ways to enjoy the sport that it always offers an opportunity for fun as long as conditions are somewhere between calm and deafening. As long as you don’t expect to be blitzing across mid-river in heavy whitecaps in your first season, you can progress fine. It makes no sense at all to me for anyone with even the slightest bit of interest in sports, water sports, excitement, SAFETY, and/or windsurfing in particular to live in the heart of arguably North America’s primo WSing spot and let it pass them by without trying. Tens of thousands of WSers around the country would give their left … whatever … it depends on their gender ... to live where you do; one difference is that you had the self-confidence to pick up and move and they don’t.

Fitness is not an issue. Whether it’s in a gym, or doing yardwork, or windsurfing, you can and will get in shape. I never set foot in a gym until I quit my winter sports and moved north for the windsurfing, but my yardwork is done, so now I bust my butt all winter in the gym so I can hit the river running in early April. If you don’t sail enough to get fit, it’s not the wind’s fault.

As for swimming, a) the gym has a pool, b) there’s plenty of water in Da River once it gets warmer, and c) we don’t so much swim as stroke and kick with one hand on our gear when in the water. The only time we “swim”, per se, is when our gear gets away and we must catch it. That’s usually avoidable, and there’s a wide range of unobtrusive flotation vests on the market. I’ve been a water rat for over 60 years and never WS without extra flotation. (One reason is that WSing keeps me so fit that I sink without extra flotation. I’m planning on that for the next 10-15 years.)

Yes, kiting is easier to learn. Virtually every WSer I know has given it a great deal of thought, and many have added kiting to their sports or even replaced WSing with it. I built a long list of pros and cons of adding kiting, and most of the entries are personal judgments, not absolutes. Even the fact that it maims and/or kills a far higher percentage of participants than does WSing puts it in some people’s Pros column. And guess what: many kiters become wind snobs, too, sitting on shore with the WSing wind snobs until it’s whitecapping. You might consider trying both. But I shuddered at a photo in my local paper yesterday of a couple of guys exactly half your age trying to untangle and launch a big light-wind kite in extremely gusty, urban, directly-offshore winds @ 30-50 mph with trees, a highway bridge, a 12-foot-high boulder jetty, and other obstacles directly downwind of them. In those conditions a novice WS is risking a swim and a hike; that kiter was risking his life and that of the helper trying to figure real time how to handle the kite and all them there strings.

Lessons? Absolutely, positively, 1,000%, Hell, Yes. Lessons are worth thousands, but cost only hundreds and will save you years of struggling. And you live in gear heaven; good boards can be had here for the price of fins in the rest of the country.

Rent? Very strongly advised. Talk to some instructors now (Big Winds has ‘em, and I’d guess the Gorge Surf Shop and Windance also do), get their advice, and give a tiny bit of thought into watching the local swap meets for a steal on some highly advised beginner board. But unless you find a real steal guided by a knowledgeable bud and that instructor, wait until you get at least a few lessons before buying anything. The swaps start in 22 days at Windance, and roll on right through summer.

One tip up front: expect to drive. You're likely to find better novice conditions elsewhere than your immediate launch, and when you're ready for open river conditions you'll find there are a hundred miles of highly variable conditions at your beck and call. Those who sit and wait do far too much sitting and waiting.

Mike \m/

[johnl]

Well I've been sailing for about 17 years now and I'm 56. So I started about 39 or 40. The difference is that I have been very active outdoors my entire life.

I find windsurfing one of the most challenging sports that I have been in. But that being said, the beginner gear has come a VERY long way. Big Winds (and others) have beginner gear and lessons all set up at "The Hook" which is located at Hood River. Once you move past the beginner stage to the intermediate, then there will be lots of places you can sail in the Gorge.

You need to not be afraid of the water, but you don't have to be a great swimmer. Just get a life vest (they make them for kiting and windsurfing) and build up your stamana so that if needed you can do a side stroke or breast stroke to shore. Normally you will be dragging your gear (side stroke) or lying on top of it (surfer style). However the ability to do a normal freestyle type stroke quickly for a short distance is very handy in case you become separated from your gear. But all of this in the intermediate to advanced stage. As a beginner basic swimming (non dog paddle) is about all you need to get started.

[CoreyC]

Thanks for the replies. My plan is for the wife and I to take some lessons as soon as possible. I know that it is not one of those things that you can just try one day and be good at, but I hope I am not too hopeless that I can learn at a decent pace. We shall see. My wife and I are doing Crossfit to get in shape and we should be ready to rock.

I was also wondering why I never see anybody sailing off of the marina in Bingen. I am assuming that is a bad area for it but I don't know why. I am definitely not afraid to drive somewhere within bounds of reason. The other dilemma I would face is what kind of vehicle I would need if this is something I decide to pursue, but I will cross that bridge when I get there.

Funny, when I took the job transfer to the Dalles I thought I was going to hate it here. I grew up and spent most of my adult life in the Tri-Cities and thought the Gorge would just be that in microcosm. Figured I'd just do my time and move on as soon as I could. I have met so many people from Portland while skiing at Meadows who tell me how lucky I am to be able to live here, and I find myself agreeing with them more and more. Our last home was in Bellingham for 5 years, and while that is a beautiful area, everything here is just so close and accessible. I never thought I'd be an outdoorsy person but now I am looking forward to exploring all the possibilities of this place.

I am sure I'll be on here asking more specific questions, and I thank you for taking the time to respond.

Corey

[cgoudie1]

Mr C.

The Bingen Marina is not a bad place to sail. We used to sail there
a lot. The biggest concern is logs floating just above the surface
(or just sub surface). You need to keep an eye out for them. The wind
there is typically lighter than the wind down at the Hatchery by about
1M. The inside near the beach is smooth water, and outside doesn't
really develop much swell, so it's a nice place for early intermediates
to get their feet wet in the Gorge. The rigging is grassy (and filled
with goose poop), and the trails down to the launch are at least tolerable.
If I worked at Insitu, I'd sail there on my lunch break. The reason we
don't sail there any more is just that we've figured out how to avoid
the crowds at the more advanced launches (and because we're swell riders).

You should definitely learn (and so should your wife though learning
together could cause some marital strife). I liken the learning curve
to snow skiing. You can have fun after a couple of days learning,
but the real adrenaline comes in about the second or 3rd year.
The sport does require a certain kind of commitment (probably more
than athletic ability, though that doesn't hurt either), but at 42, you'll
probably be one of the younger sailors at a lot of the advanced launches.

I love the area. I cried tears of joy when my wife said we should get
a residence there. HR has some of the most pleasant people I've ever
encountered. Maybe that's because everyone is having so much fun!
If you have detailed questions about launches or anything in the area,
PM me and I'll try to answer them. I've been spending most of my
Summers there for 20 years.

-Craig

p.s, the winters are kinda grey and rainy, be prepared for that.

[isobars]

[geohaye]

Terrific thread here.

Corey, Mike's (and others') superb advice here seem to be getting you pretty centered about this. If you are patient as you are learning, and if you like the sport (you will....), then I predict that you'll come to feel that learning to windsurf was one of the best decisions you ever made!

And, at 42, you're basically still a baby. You definitely have 42+ years of windsurfing time left.

[jfeehan]

windsurfing vs. kiting...

there are two components to learning any watersport;
1) learning the particular physical skills that define that sport
2) developing an understanding of how the water and the wind behave, and the ability to anticipate and deal with changes in the wind and water.

most say, and i agree, that learning the basic skill set for kiting is easier than for windsurfing.

the time to acquire an understanding of the wind and the water is probably equal for the two sports...,

but..., the cost of getting it wrong can be dramatically higher for kiting than windsurfing.

it sounds like you probably don't yet have a sailors sense of the weather, the wind, and the water - yet.

is the wind likely to increase or decrease today?
how gusty is the wind?
is there a front passing today?
might it get squally?
what direction will the wind shift to, if it does change?
what's the current doing? is it going to change?

unless you do something really stupid, getting any of that wrong while windsurfing is, at most, probably only going to cause a swim in, a walk up the road, or some other relatively minor inconvenience.

get it wrong kiting, and serious injury is a real possibility.

so start out windsurfing, learn some water-smarts, and get comfortable out there.

you will see plenty of kiters, and if it's for you, you will know it.

[isobars]

[windanceshop1]

Hey Corey,

Do it , you won't regret it. It's a long and enjoyale learning curve (with a few swear words once in a while)

Here's my advice on how to get good quick.
1/ Time on the water.
2/ Own a proper suit (not too tight)
3/ Wear a small life jacket
4/ Get yor wife into it
5/ Enjoy the veiw !