now i have your attention. there is a serious lack of chicks/women if you will in windsurfing. now i try going out there in just a seat harness trying to raise some intrest and all i do is get a lot of pain when i hook in with the wrong bar. but seriously if we get more chicks we instantly get more guys and hence more windsurfers out there.
poley

I am a lucky one. My girl introduced me to the sport (thank god for her!) as her dad has been doing it for years... I think that the biggest problem with getting ANYONE into it is the cost of gear... I would never had considered it if Barrie hadn't had the gear there ready for me to destroy... Victoria/Melb doesn't seem to have the windsurfing lifestyle that many other areas have - there is only one spot where you can rock up and hire off the beach, generally the gear is old making it more difficult to get going quickly (eg Go boards or boats with flags as i call them), plus the prices are expensive... we need something like the RYA in England to really get kids into it early, thats where its at.

Doc J.

Now that was a dumb thing to say, next thing you know
that ration will be 20/80

Well said Lesley. What a great, intelligent, and completely sensible post.

(Let me stress that I'm being sincere and NOT scarcastic. This forum needs more posts like these.)

I think Lesley summed it up in one posting.
I must admit that i taught my girlfriend on a wide board I purchased for her,this was a board similar in dimensions to a Wind glider[I imagine a rip off of concept],but made of solid not inflatible material,something like the woven material of those old foam surfboards [remember the 60/70s],it was very stable had a small kids type rig and was easy to sail,it suited her for the season until she felt comfortable and confident,it sailed well and better in strong wind, and I never left her to sail alone,as It was for both of us the fun of sailing together that we enjoyed.
At the end of the season she had wanted to get something more sportier as she had outgrown this board [she thought it didnt seem sporty looking enough],and really the rig needed upgrading and couldnt easily.
But I know that the reason she enjoyed sailing was the comraderie of doing a sport with me rather than the sailing itself otherwise she would have continued after we broke up,So comraderie in sailing is a big thing too,If you want to share a sport with your girl you must sail with her,not leave her in the shallows as Leslie has mentioned.
Im still best mates with her now,and im prepared to buy a wideboard for her to use if she was inclined.And I could use it in the winter months to keep dry.

... and the dolphins!

I agree too les! I took my sister out for the first time last weekend on a 205L JP learner board and 4.5m sail and she was cruising around by herself within about 45 minutes...while some poor girl was struggling on her boyfriends 80L wave board!!! How on earth are we going to keep ANY beginner (male or female), interested if they can't even stay on the board for longer than 5 seconds before falling on their face. It is definately worthwhile to get some lessons or at least some proper learner gear if you want to learn. And you have to admit, there are just as many, if not more girls learning than there are guys at the moment. And if they are anything like us they will own more gear than their boyfriends soon!!!

hi Drum,
I can understand your frustration, but with less windsurfers ,boards, sails etc would all cost more, there would be less choice, fewer shops to buy from, and less seond hand kit to buy.
We live in a huge state, with hundreds of good sailing spots. There are still plenty of places you can wave sail by yourself in perfect conditions. Just takes a bit of imagination.
Most euros are used to sailing with hundreds of others (3000 out in Tarifa on a windy day) so don't even think it's crowded.
Maybe it's time for some wavesailng rules to be posted at the main sailing spots. I know that last summer at Coro's it was pretty dire on somedays.
Thats the problem with living in the best windsurfing location in the world!!

Simon..... Mark from Esperance here.

Too bloody right. Lets organise some wavesailing right of way signs at Gnaraloo, Coro's, Sunset, Green Head, Lancelin, Margies and Esp..... but none at those spots we never speak of on this unsecured network or if anyone may be listening
No idea how to but F'g good idea.

Instead maybe the shops can hand out right of way pamphlets, printed by WWA, to anyone new or from O/S??

I am a qualified instructor and I refuse to teach anyone I know. I have found that as soon as someone pays for lesson they listen.

I was beggin him to give me a free lesson in "picking up" but he refused... looks like its gonna be another lonely night

Never teach your wife or girlfriend how to sail.
WHY...because familiarity breeds contempt.

Hey, you're the coach and the know-alls won't do a thing you say.
Call it pride, like whatever. If you must tutor them, start with lesson no.1......the waterstart. Continue with this challenging task until they totally get it.

Once they master that trick, the rest doesn't matter. Whatever happens, they can always return to shore under their own steam.
Success.

I hope she doesnt read this ... eek

Bula bula

Point in question Tony!

Tony is a very mature Windsurfing and Kiting Instructor (40+++).....however even Tony's wife, the lovely Sheryl, books on Sailboarding Safari holidays to Winda Woppa and Fiji to get instruction from me....good decision tony!

See...it's not just punters...even us professionals realise the advantage of our own limitations.....and longevity in relationships! My partner is getting lessons from Emilie, our Kitesurfing instructor in Fiji, because this is the most professional way to do it....don't try teaching yourself........

Happy Sailing Sheryl!

Encouragement is always important.

Rgds

Warren
www.safarilodge.com.fj
[email protected]

Tony...

My little girl is only 4 months old...thought i'd wait until she can at least stand up! She has got webbed feet and lives in a harness though...got one of those on here already!

Another 25+knot day in Fiji today...windsurfing on 69litre boards and 5.0m sails....Kiting on 8 and 9m kites....whew!

Rgds

Warren

www.safarilodge.com.fj
[email protected]