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Rebuilding the Herd

 
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builderguy



Joined: 07 Feb 2008
Posts: 20
Location: Washington DC

PostPosted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:18 pm    Post subject: Rebuilding the Herd Reply with quote

Being new to the East Coast scene having moved from Detroit to DC just this year i was hesitant to plunge into the Hatteras coastal waters since i really didn't know the area very well. i ended up sailing on the sound side primarily because I didn't want to sail by myself on the Atlantic. i ended up meeting a couple of folks just getting back into the sport having been away for many years. They had purchased from a local shop some real old school equipment and were struggling quite a bit. After watching them struggle I had to get involved because it was frustrating just to watch. I got them sorted out as best as possible given the age of the stuff they had to work with and suggested that when funds became available to buy some more recent gear. Nothing crazy just something built within the last 5 or 6 years. What surprised me the most was that a shop was still selling gear made in the early 90's to people that don't know any better. This is a disservice to their clients and to the sport. Luckily these guy's took the bad news well and went out and got some newer equipment which shot their confidence way up. Now I might have a future sailing buddy for the coast after i get him trained up a bit. My suggestion to others would be to look around and help out the less experienced sailors sailing among us otherwise we won't have much of a sport to be proud of in the future.
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outcast



Joined: 04 May 2004
Posts: 2724

PostPosted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 5:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks for taking the time. ..... alot of us try....sometimes people listem....sometimes they don't....probably didn't want to spend much, and didn't realize the benefit of new school....now they do.....
(blame the kiters>>>>>>)
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PeconicPuffin



Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 1830

PostPosted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:06 am    Post subject: Re: Rebuilding the Herd Reply with quote

Good for you for helping these folks out (and welcome to the east coast!)

Meanwhile we have a guy who likes to give advice in the iWindsurf forum who would fit right in at that shop.

builderguy wrote:
Being new to the East Coast scene having moved from Detroit to DC just this year i was hesitant to plunge into the Hatteras coastal waters since i really didn't know the area very well. i ended up sailing on the sound side primarily because I didn't want to sail by myself on the Atlantic. i ended up meeting a couple of folks just getting back into the sport having been away for many years. They had purchased from a local shop some real old school equipment and were struggling quite a bit. After watching them struggle I had to get involved because it was frustrating just to watch. I got them sorted out as best as possible given the age of the stuff they had to work with and suggested that when funds became available to buy some more recent gear. Nothing crazy just something built within the last 5 or 6 years. What surprised me the most was that a shop was still selling gear made in the early 90's to people that don't know any better. This is a disservice to their clients and to the sport. Luckily these guy's took the bad news well and went out and got some newer equipment which shot their confidence way up. Now I might have a future sailing buddy for the coast after i get him trained up a bit. My suggestion to others would be to look around and help out the less experienced sailors sailing among us otherwise we won't have much of a sport to be proud of in the future.

_________________
Michael
http://www.peconicpuffin.com
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 10:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

For those PacNW locals and visitors reading this section, let me remind you of the Columbia Gorge Windsurfing Association's equipment recycling program. Gear donated to them is sold dirt cheap and the proceeds go to CGWA programs we all benefit from. It keeps indestructible materials out of landfills, offers some fantastic deals (you'd be amazed at some of the stuff people give away; there are occasionally some excellent boards and sails there for less than the price of lunch), generates funds for launch sites, and puts some huge smiles on the faces of many sailors.

Mike \m/
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colorit



Joined: 06 Sep 2004
Posts: 98
Location: No. Virginia/Hatteras Island

PostPosted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 1:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is windsurfing a sport that you can really teach to yourself?
When I was 22 back in 1982 I had all the time in the world to figure it out on my own at the local lakes and weekends to the Jersey shore. It took a while, to teach myself to jibe and waterstart, but when you're young it's only time, which my friends and I had tons of. It didn't matter if our sails weren't rigged correctly, or we taught ourselves tons of bad habits, we were at the beach having fun. It was 20 years later that a 1/2 hour lesson with Andy Brandt had me jibing better than I ever had in the past. I should have done that many years before.
Kiting has the marketing mindset of "Don't enter the sport without Lessons from an accredited Instructor." Maybe windsufing should go that way a bit. There are several instructors available on the Outer Banks to teach everything from first time on the water, to wavesailing basics. At my age now my time is more valuable than 25 years ago. I've no problems with helping the newbies at the beach, but at the same time, maybe some of those people need to invest in some professional instruction to get them more proficient. I carry tools, spare downhaul line, fin screws, etc. and am more than willing to hand these out on the beach, because there are times when I've needed these things myself, but I'm primarily at the beach so that I can sail.
Windsurfing isn't easy and if I was better then I'd be an instructor myself. Sometimes the best advice is "Get a Lesson", and when on the Outer Banks there's always someone available. Just a different view on the topic.
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fox



Joined: 09 Sep 1997
Posts: 133
Location: Pine Point, Maine

PostPosted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 3:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have been recommending to those that want to learn the sport to go to Aruba for a week (in the spring), take a lesson, and sail good rental equipment. Other places also fit the bill, and if one has the means and the desire, this is a great way to start.
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sailingjoe



Joined: 06 Aug 2008
Posts: 1087

PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just because they were struggling with old school gear doesn't mean they won't be struggling with new school gear. The other day was rather gusty with winds averaging from 20 to 30 depending on the time of day. The water was rough, although I was sailing an area that can be good for beginners. An older guy who I have seen sailing there for the past two seasons with beginner equipment showed up. He had a large Bic Nova and 4.7 sail rigged. I knew he was going to get punished. I warned him politely. While talking I realized that he was in for an eye-opening day, but I knew he wouldn't stay on the board, nor go far with it. Afterwards, humbled by Mumsy Nature, he asked me about water-starting. I remembered how I learned (no instruction, but with picture books and observations). I told him to buy a short board and that it didn't matter how old it was. I also suggested that he obtained a bigger sail. The short board would make it easier to waterstart in wind. A bigger sail would make it easier to waterstart without wind. I told him that he wouldn't stay on a shortboard long, but he at least would get a feel for how it's done. Experience is the best teacher. A trip to Aruba would be great, but it also isn't something the average person can afford.
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btbill



Joined: 05 Jun 2002
Posts: 236

PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmmm, I am surprised as well that a local Hatteras windsurfing shop unloaded some old gear on folks. Though, if that is all their budget supported, I guess you "get what you pay for" regardless of where the gear came from. I am sure the shop probably/hopefully first showcased the new gear, and based upon the customer's self-allocated budget made the sale?!

The side topic of instruction and learning new stuff about windsurfing, I find intriguing. This is exactly the purpose of the Hatteras Windsurfing Festival Series, and both the LoopFest in June, and the recently completed September Hatteras Wave Fest, were exactly the venues provided to offer that level of support and advice from local experts. This was the first year for these venues, and we had promising attendee numbers and sponsorship support (again thanks to all who participated, both sponsors and participants! Very Happy ), but I was surprised to see recent mention of a lack of finding support to learn new stuff, and especially with regard to wavesailing, since that was exactly what Hatteras Wave Fest was all about. Another recent post on this forum mentioned questions/advice about hitting the waves in Hatteras, and I thought to myself, we just had the exact festival you were seeking a little over a week ago! We had a number of visiting attendees for both festivals; however, most were from neighboring NC states, and none were from the northeast, Canada, or beyond, though we did have a few from FL.

Perhaps it was a lack of promotion/advertising for the festivals, but online the saturation was fairly strong. Timing may have also been an issue, but we timed these festivals based upon years of windsurfing experience in Hatteras. The best months were chosen to maximize wind potential, and ideal sailing conditions in Hatteras. The traditional Hatteras Spring and Fall seasons fell just outside the window for both festivals; however, that was part of the reasoning as well. Hatteras really fires during the "warmer" months, so why not come out then? Per outcomes for both events, we definitely scored on wind, and primarily trunks only too! Some called it "luck," but those months (Jun/Sept) are great for Hatteras wind! Hopefully, next year we will have even greater participation as the festivals continue, and if you really want to learn a new discipline in windsurfing, and take your sailing to a new level, register for one of these events! Plus, the experience of a true Outer Banks windsurfing "safari" is quite priceless. Smile

We all hope to see you next year attending one of the festivals, succeeding in your windsurfing goals, and taking home new stoke in this sport we all obsess over!

Bill
www.obxbeachlife.com
www.obxwindfest.com
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-=koLLac=-



Joined: 11 May 2008
Posts: 39

PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I guess I'll add a beginner's perspective.

I've really only started windsurfing this year (even though I got a lesson 2 years ago and sailed very little last year).

I scored some old equipment for little to nothing on craigslist and when I say old I mean ancient. The board weighs about as much as I do, no surprise that it has an old boat registration sticker from Utah or wherever on it. You could mount an outboard on that thing, haha. Nevertheless, it was great for learning to sail in little wind during the summer. I was luckier with the sails and while they are older, I have several with quite a bit of life left in them (monofilm/kevlar in great shape still).

However, once the fall windy season came I was basically screwed. I did not know how to waterstart and the tubby board's center of effort was so far forward (since it displaced water) that it constantly turned upwind (although I got it up on a plane twice and that changed its behavior quite a bit).

The happy ending to my story came 3 weeks ago when a nice guy who was sailing at my usual spot offered to let me use his board (with my rig) as he probably felt bad for me. He also made sure I knew how to waterstart...even if I did not quite learn it right then and there (I got 1 successful try that day...although I only tried less than 10 times). After we stopped sailing, he offered to GIVE me an older version of the Mistral Explosion...in immaculate condition. Now you may think it's a crappy board in comparison to the new designs out there but I took it out in 25 this past Friday and it was a hell of a ride when i think back to my old tubby board. I also got about 25 solid waterstarts!

The moral is...talking to an experienced windsurfer even for just a single day is a huge learning curve...spare a few minutes to point a newb like me in the right direction and get more people excited (<it's way more fun to blast around at speed...which is not easy to achieve with no instruction).
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