| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Ugly_Bird
Joined: 04 Nov 2008
Posts: 335
|
 Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 6:06 pm Post subject: Re: Windsurfing is alive and well |
 |
|
| pe4387 wrote: | | Teach someone and give back to the sport, |
I offer FREE windsurfing lessons at the local sailing club. In about 5 years only about 5 people were interested. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Sailboarder
Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 656
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 8:06 pm Post subject: Re: Windsurfing is alive and well |
|
|
| Ugly_Bird wrote: | | pe4387 wrote: | | Teach someone and give back to the sport, |
I offer FREE windsurfing lessons at the local sailing club. In about 5 years only about 5 people were interested. |
Free is often not good enough. Better ask for a minimal fee. With minimal publicity, we gave 10 initiations a few week-end ago. About 8 loved it and had big grins. Remain to be seen if they will persevere. We asked them to be members of our local windsurf club, 15$. Money is used to pay insurance and maintain equipment. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rangerider
Joined: 19 Jul 2009
Posts: 206
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 8:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
| The wind was pretty strong yesterday at our city lake (Calhoun - Minneapolis). There was about 10 of us windsurfing including me out on the lake when about 200 canoers/kayakers started a triathlon of sorts. We were going pretty well and having fun. Tons of people were walking/jogging around the lake - many would stop and ask how hard it is to learn and where they can take lessons. A lot of people sup here now and I think when they see windsurfing they realize that it would be fun and not such a stretch from what they already do. There are probably 150 canoes / kayaks / sups for rent at one corner of the lake. There used to be a shop where you could buy windsurf gear but there is nothing now. There is one guy giving private lessons. I think the interest is on the upswing now that boards are wider and actually work in our lake environment. Windsurfing here is alive but it is going to be difficult to recruit new enthusiasts with virtually zero gear and instruction. As for me - I can't even convince my wife and kids to do it - my enthusiasm has not yet rubbed off. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
boardsurfr
Joined: 23 Aug 2001
Posts: 1266
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 9:24 am Post subject: Re: Windsurfing is alive and well |
|
|
Thanks, Dan. Congrats, Coach Ned. Get those kids (and their parents) to windsurf!
| Ugly_Bird wrote: | | I offer FREE windsurfing lessons at the local sailing club. In about 5 years only about 5 people were interested. |
For many people, free = worthless.
I just talked to our local windsurf shop. They are giving paid lessons every day (@ $125/3 hours). They are also selling a lot of beginner boards to students after the lessons. Seems selling a $2500 kit now is easier than a few years ago, because parents are buying it for their teenagers instead of for themselves. Getting kids to not look at phone/tablet/computer screens for a while apparently is worth spending a couple of grand!
I have offered free windsurfing lessons, too, with very limited success. Over more than 6 months, I got exactly two guys expressing interest. One I never heard back from; the other thought I should drive 45 minutes to meet him at his place - driving 45 minutes to where I teach was not worth it for him.
But when I offered 2-hours lessons for a $100 donation for a windsurfing-related cause last week, I got 3 takers in 6 days. Two of the three are windsurfers I know, but nevertheless, I think paid lessons are more attractive than free ones. If you don't want the money (or deal with the tax implications of getting paid), you can always have them make the checks out to a charity instead of yourself. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ugly_Bird
Joined: 04 Nov 2008
Posts: 335
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 11:49 am Post subject: Re: Windsurfing is alive and well |
|
|
| boardsurfr wrote: | | I think paid lessons are more attractive than free ones. . |
I think this point makes sense.
Paid=commitment,
Free=whatever.
Thanks for the insite.
Andrei. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dvCali
Joined: 23 Aug 2007
Posts: 1314
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 1:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Ugly_Bird wrote: | | Sailboarder wrote: |
I am on the impression that I couldn't afford the same in Europe, while windsurfing would still be possible. |
BTW windsurfing gear in Europe is more expensive (less affordable?) than in US.
Andrei. |
Well I do not think it matters much but it seems to me that windsurfing is less expensive in Europe than in the US. The US dollar is very weak, it is going around 1.4 Euro, while the cost of living is about 1:1 Europe to US. Most brands are in Europe. Comparing retail prices it seems like there is at least a 10-15% extra cost in the US in respect to Europe.
Why is Windsurfing more popular in Europe? I don't know but it is not a new thing, I remember coming from Europe decades ago and windsurfing was much more popular In Europe than it was in the US ... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You can attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum
|
|
|
Search
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Register
