Make up your own mind:

According to the courts, some kid in the 1920s, sailing a tin canoe in the Swan River.

The law is an ass.


And it could be argued once Windsurfer International folded due to losing their patent in the mid eighties, windsurfing went backwards as a sport and has never recovered.

I watched it around 4 hours ago but from what I remember Matt Schweitser (spelling) was there along with Robby Naish. I think the chick might have been Anglela Cochran. The yank bloke I think was Mike Waltze. Not sure who the old bloke who spent too much time in the sun is.

Wet Willy said...

...so it wasn't Jesus?

Nar he walked on water

obviously there were the well knowns in there Angulo, Naish and Kalama.

The old guy...I have no idea.

Matt Schweitzer is in there with Kelby Anno, Mike Waltze and Angela Cochran.

I don't think there is any doubt that Schweitzer and Drake were the first to patent the idea, and to popularise the sport. Newman Doyle was one guy they spoke about in the clip who came along in 1962 I believe, but he didn't patent anything. There was also a case won in the UK to say Peter Chilvers invented it in the late 50's, but there is evidence of people sailing windsurfer like craft right back to the 1940's in Australia. So we may well have been first.

It was a very American point of view, not even mentioning anything that was happening in europe. After all it may well have been the competition between Windsurfer and Mistral that really evolved the sport. And history will show that Windsurfer never kept up with evolution.

P.C_simpson said...

Schweitzer and Drake definately, they invented the universal.

Hmmm, they didn't exactly invent the universal...many cars run them in steering and driveshafts and have for many years prior to windsurfing. But I get what you mean.

Actually Doyle used a uni joint on his kit as he was the first to work out you could turn a rudderless craft just by moving the sail forward and back.