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Originally posted by Gestalt

1986 on windsurfer one design at my school for sport on wednesdays

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Same for me, but at 41 I wasn't going to school!!!!

Started about 1985 on a windsurfer one design at 15 years old. Then bombora tri-fin, bombora newtoy, windaction 9'6" slalom, then 8'6" windaction wave and 9'1" white lite slalom. Then all ended at 21 (1992) when I when to Canberra for a job. Now at 38yrs and on the central coast so 2 months ago bought a carbon art slalom and rig. still have the old wave board. So far 2 good sessions but very rusty but have the bug back.

1983 on a TC runner at age of 13. did it about 5 times a year for the next 3 or 4 years but rarely got on the plane and never in the straps, then got into it again 15 years later in 2001 and hardly had more than a week off since

1979 on what I think was called a sun surfer, looked like a copy of a one design. Anyway it was winter down in SA on the Murray River and bloody freezing. Must be a record for learning and not falling in.

november 1984, at school end of year activities, on a one design, with a 3/4 sail, well that's what they called it, sailed ever since, had 3 years off in the mid 90's, due to broken gear and no cash, poor uni students...

Started windsurfing in hawaii on the way back from a holiday in the states in January 1982. Frustrated the instructor on the mechanical training rig on the beach so he left me to it to sort it out on the water by myself.

This was more successful but then he had to come out and rescue me when the wind died completely.

Came back to NZ and bought a new "Seaskate". It was polypropolene plastic, pull out wooden dagger board with rope handle, and a very groovy yellow and black sail...very cutting edge for the time.

Used to wax the deck for traction but then found out you could groove the plastic with a suitable knife.

Even sailed it in the surf in Taranaki . There was nothing like the adrenalin rush of going flat out with the dagger board still in and it trying to rotate the board as you maxed out on the plane.

What a change from my present " Kombat "