I took up kitesurfing somewhat recently and was hoping my girlfriend may become interested in learning, however she seems more partial to taking up windsurfing, as she has done some of this (a long time ago) before.

I was wondering what the learning curve was like, what lessons were required and could be expected to cost. I was also wondering how much one should expect to pay for gear suitable for a person of around 100kg. Do a lot of people upgrade their windsurfing gear every year, like kitesurfers, and by extension, is there a lot of second hand gear out there in a relatively good condition?

And finally, what wind range is generally suitable for windsurfing?

Thanks in advance,

Mike

Any wind range is suitable for windsurfing, depending on the gear you're using and what you want to do. ie cruising about on a big floaty board you can go anywhere between 2-15kts, and planing conditions (on smaller boards) generally exist when the wind is 15kts+

You're probably better off discussing lessons (cost and number) with an instructor as they'll be more suited to discussing/assessing your personal requirements. Checkout the link at the bottom of this post for a list of windsurfing schools in WA.

Perth is probably the best place in Australia to buy second-hand windsurfing gear.
Have a look through the classifieds here on seabreeze to get an idea of the range of equipment available. I think the smartest option would be to visit the shops around here, seek their advice and ask about a package deal, even for the 2nd-hand stuff. Maybe even consider a package deal with the lessons??

I only got back into the sport about a year ago and I was somewhere between the beginner and intermediate stage. I found most shops pretty friendly and helpful, and managed to get exactly what I wanted. I ended up with a mix of new and used gear for less than $1500, and if I'd wanted to wait I could have possibly saved some money buying privately, but then I could have also bought un-suitable equipment... I'm still using all of the stuff I bought originally, but as I've progressed I've added more to my collection, so I can mix and match a bit.

This link gives you a list of instructors and shops around Perth. www.windsurfing.org/wa.htm

Hope that helps!

Another way is to beat them everytime they get it wrong.