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Windsurfing Lake Arenal Costa Rica

 
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Ticowind



Joined: 15 Jan 2012
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 10:37 am    Post subject: Windsurfing Lake Arenal Costa Rica Reply with quote

> 2012 Fanatic gear
> 2012 North Sails
> Fanatic SUP'S

Sail with Scotty Freeman from Gorge Surf Shop and Guy Trudeau from Canada) doing his tricks.
Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere from Costa Rica

Check out our WEB page
www.ticowind.com
and follow us on Facebook for pics and daily wind speeds.
www.facebook.com/ticowind

See you
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rigitrite



Joined: 19 Sep 2007
Posts: 520
Location: Kansas City

PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 2:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ticowind is awesome. I sailed there in 2001 and LOVED it!
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AlexM



Joined: 03 Jun 2005
Posts: 49
Location: Mosier, Oregon

PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 10:16 am    Post subject: Ticowind Lake Arenal Costa Rica Reply with quote

I sailed 12 consecutive days in CR at the end of December this year, almost all of it on a 5.2 or less. The equipment at Ticowind is ideally suited for Arenal conditions and all of it is new or nearly new (at least to judge by appearance). Likewise, in terms of friendliness and professionalism, Ticowind is absolutely top-flight - I couldn't recommend them more highly.

Some of my sailing days were on the coast, at Bahia Salinas. Essentially the same wind, but a different kind of experience - beautiful in it's own way (a bit drier than the Arenal area), and largely untouristed. You will find few if any windsurfers, but a ton of kitesurfers. If you search these forums, you'll find references to Marc, the Dutch guy who rents windsurfing equipment at the Ecoplaya hotel. Some have called him unreliable. That was not at all my experience, though it is true that business is so slow for him that he no longer hangs around the beach waiting for clients to show up. One needs to contact him either by email (mbruinsma@gmx.de) or cell phone (8873-4800 - if calling from the States, preface that with 00-506). He doesn't have a whole lot of equipment (and may start having even less if he starts selling it off due to lack of business), but what he does have (Neil Pryde and JP, mostly) is kept in meticulous shape. Also, he is a good guy and a superb freestyler who doesn't mind providing endless tips for improving your sailing.

I also recommend the Ecoplaya hotel. Though business was extremely slow while we were there before Christmas (occupancy at maybe 15%?), it is friendly and well maintained, right on the beach, with lots of interesting flora and fauna on the grounds. We found that we were able to negotiate a considerably better rate on the spot than we would have done over the internet (I believe it was about $70 for a room with kitchenette). However, I would not recommend the Blue Dream Hotel, As others on these forums have commented, that place is primarily oriented towards package deals with kitesurfers - and it's probably a pretty good place to stay if that's your thing. But if you're a windsurfer, people there (including management) tend to look at you like you're an oddball antique - unfortunately, an experience that's becoming all too commonplace wherever you go. In general, it strikes me as another sad commentary on our sport that Bahia Salinas - which along with Arenal is arguably the most consistent mid-winter wind machine in this hemisphere, has become almost completely dominated by kitesurfing, with windsurfing on the verge of dying out altogether.
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Ticowind



Joined: 15 Jan 2012
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 7:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alex, thanks for the Kudos and glad you enjoyed it with us. Let me assure you that Windsurfing is still very important for us. It may get a little hectic at weekends with the small group (4-6) of local kiters that come up but other than that windsurfers are allways in the majority, once the season kicks in. Sure we teach as many new kiters as windsurfers but our core business remains windsurf rental. Personally I am still an avid windsurfer, in fact am waiting for my new board coming in next week like a kid @ Christmas.

@RIGITRITE: Thats a long time ago. About time you came back down.

Peter
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AlexM



Joined: 03 Jun 2005
Posts: 49
Location: Mosier, Oregon

PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 1:12 pm    Post subject: Windsurfing Lake Arenal Costa Rica Reply with quote

Didn't mean to imply that there was any windsurf/kitesurf friction at Lake Arenal. Far from it - everyone gets along and the stoke is shared by all! I was referring specifically to Bahia Salinas, and the fact that kite surfing has come to completely dominate there. I should add that there is some rational basis for that, since the shallow water issues at low tide negatively impact windsurfers more than kite surfers. Still, even if you have to shuffle your feet a couple of hundred yards to get out at low tide, it's a great place to windsurf nonetheless.
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