Anybody windsurf?

[el_timmo]

well there's a thread for kayakers and one for kiters so I just wanna know if anyone else here windsurfs.... I windsurf, usually down HillHead but I go wherever else I can when I can.

[tomcat360]

I hope to be starting soon, as soon as possibly this weekend. I know someone who offered to give me his old set up last fall, but I never had a chance to get it from him.

Hopefully when I see him this weekend I can gently nudge the topic

Any tips for starting out? (I think I talked to you a while back about this)

[thaya]

I go windsurfing. Usually just at my local lake in Surrey. It's one of those things I'd love to do more, but there's no way I could ever afford my own and I wouldn't have anywhere to store it! The local hire shop must make a fortune out of me! It's fantastic on a sunny day with a nice breeze when I can't go surfing or it's flat. In fact, I think I should just live in the water. When I'm not doing the above I'm swimming after work. Maybe I already do live in the water? Hmmm....

[GowerCharger]

used to windsurf loads, more than i surfer. But i kept breaking equipment and new stuff costs a fortune, my mast alone cost more than my last surfboard! Plus all that hassle rigging up and de-rigging when you can just grab your surfboard and go straight in. I'd like to get back into though, just for the days when its flat but the winds blowing.

[el_timmo]

Hey Tomcat360, I think the best tip for starting out is to go for a big board and a small-ish sail. That way you won't get fedup of falling off the board. It's almost impossible to learn on a small board (unlike surfing) so if your mate has a longboard, or even better, one of those newer widestyle boards, it'll be a lot better.... btw windsurfing is mucho fun in waves and flatwater!

Hey thaya, I haven't been windsurfing in any lakes yet actually. I sail usually at Hill Head, which I really enjoy! It's really good for jumping when the wind is dead onshore, although it's really hard to gybe. Some say if you can gybe there, you can gybe anywhere hahahaha! I do have my own kit, but I couldn't buy it by myself, so I got interest free credit from my local shop.... definitely the way to go for poor people like me!!

Gowercharger, yeah the kit really is a lot of money! Sometimes (esp recently) I look at my kit and think "WHY IS THERE NO WIND? I SPENT SHEDLOADS OF FLESHIN CASH ON THIS AND I CAN'T EVEN USE IT!!" But then when there is a good day, I'm always stoked when I'm in the water and when I come off and I remember exactly why I bought all that expensive kit (on interest free credit!!)

Just as a general post (sorry for making one long post) if anyone (around south coast of england) is interested, there's always a car boot sale on the last sunday of each month at Hayling Island... kit always going cheap there!