In the beginning......

The stock one-design Windsurfer planker rigged with triangle regatta sail and teak boom was the hottest gear in town!

In fact, it was the ONLY windsurfing stuff on the market for a period of time.

Fast forward to now.

Here's my question?

What was the 'one' gear innovation that 'most' advanced the sport of windsurfing and why?
(Can be an early development or a late one; simple or complex, your call).



Tip from 'slave.
There is no right answer.
Think carefully?
Don't just blurt out carbon fibre, that's so predictable.


GO.

That's pretty smart Nathan,
too quick for my liking.

But what about the HARNESS? Hmmmmm.

"Twist off" sail leech's looked to be a fair jump in sail design technology

Nah Nathan is closest. The harness was just an adaptation of that already used in catamaran sailing etc.
I'd say footstraps, followed by sail technology (twist, mono, battens, cams etc all as one "group" of technology). Fast boards and turny boards were easy and not really windsurf specific (borrowed from existing boat and surfboard principles already known).

Interestingly, mono replacing mylar and dacron was probably the biggest performance (speed and handling) improvement. However Boards magazine coupla months ago argues it was largely responsible for the decline in windsurf popularity: it is too hard to see sailors out there. I have to agree.... when driving up to my spots from say 1km away, I really have to look hard to see if anyone is out. And that is a windsurfer "looking hard at the water". Joe Blow driving past no longer sees the sails out on the water, is drawn to stop and have a look, then go try it.

fleuro pink and orange

baby, the eighties are back!

mast tracks are now further back from the nose of the board
damn my brain hurts

Well it wasn't me

I started wind surfing then all of a sudden lot of people started Kite surfing

Sorry Guys and Gals

Elmo's on the water

WIDE beginnners boards..

Like the ones Starboard came out with . i.e the Start.

Brought alot of people into windsurfing, I reckon.
Most would have normally given up after day on a 3.7m whaler.

booties

Mobile phones^^

R.A.F SYSTEM
ROTATING AYSEMTRICALY FOIL ---WAS WITH OUT DOUBT A MAJOR TURNING POINT .1ST EVER NIEL PRYDE THE PINK THINGS AND THE GASTRA WAVE FOILS

THIS LEAD TO THE SHORTNING OF THE BOOM LENGTHS,COUPLED WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF ALLUMININ MAST,FROM THE UNBREAKABLE AMPO ,WHICH WAS FKRN STRONG FOR ITS TIME .BUT FKN HEAVEY AND EXPENSIVE. FROM THIS MAST TRACKS WERE ABLE TO COME BACK.
BOADRS ARE BOARDS
I REMEMDER MY FIRST GLASS ONE IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES IT FLOATED ME AND WAS LIGHT FG GLASS, A THRUSTER AND IT WENT RIGHT OFF AS A MARK RICHARDS FISH DESIGN SURFBOARD STYLE.

WEST COAST ARE GOEN DOWN ON SATURDAY DOODS.

Carbon fibre

the bombora dromedary
after months of hype and stalling, we unpacked our first example and wet ourselves with laughter. for at least 2 hours.
please someone find me one so i can relive the experience.

I reckon Waveslaves red dacron sails that looked like they were upside down with his fishing rod masts and those funny looking little boards were way ahead of their time.

quote:

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Originally posted by Haircut 4000

booties

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i couldn't agree more haircut- i wouldn't sail if it weren't for booties...i can't stand things touching my feet!!

quote:

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Originally posted by mkseven

My vote would have to go to the UJ, without it we'd just be normal sailors. Not that it really advanced windsurfing... just made it possible.

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This was really the essence of the original one design. If you read the original patent application, the novel innovation was the application of a universal joint to a sailing craft.

I'm surpised no-one else has said it yet, but I reckon the one absolute stand out has to be the advent of the 'short' board. It's almost a different sport!