Personally I don't agree with your friend who used to be a professional and famous windsurfing coach.. btw.. Who is he?

I have found that most helmet wearers are just sookie la la's..

You know.. The type who always wear helmets on skateboards and roller skates.. .. Just kidding..

Then there are those who charge big waves and don't want to get hit on the head by their board.

Also those who have had a hit on the head and think that they were lucky to get away with it once and don't want to push their luck.

Dogman always used to wear a helmet before he became a legend..

I remember him saying it was for sun protection reasons. (or maybe that was someone else).

I don't have anything against helmet wearers.. and I don't think there is any need to stay clear of them..

DJ

So you dropped in on some person wearing a helmet? and all of a sudden he's the one with tunnel vision. damn helmet wearers, mtorcyclists, skiiers, cyclists, skateboarders, must be the fault of the helmet that bikers get hit by cars I reckon. BS

How can I be dropping in on him when im floating off the back to clear his way as it was his wave. Typical helmet wearers response. No thought given to the situation,
Did you notice the 'generally,' not all helmet wearer lose awareness just quitea few,

I also call bullsh!t Peguin.

I generally wear a helmet for both windsurfing & SUPing for safety reasons as I want to have fun, push myself fairly hard but also go home to my family without any head trauma. The helmet also helps keeps me warm as my head folicles are a little sparse these days. Cruising on the WS & supping most beachies and I'll leave it in my kit.

Kooks will be kooks, regardless of headwear. The one time that I didn't wear my helmet at a local point-break I copped a 7-stitch gash to my head, thanks to a snaking bogger (he wasn't wearing a helmet either) that was on a suicide mission with my board/fins until I jumped off the back & grabbed my leggie.

If anything, I would assume that recklessness would go hand-in-hand with not wearing any safety gear?

I am definitely no charger but I started wearing a gath surf convertible recently after being nagged by the Missus .I tend to surf a fair bit on my own , like to escape . Managed to get smacked on the head twice in the last 12 mths once by a longboard and once by a SUP . So I got the stern talking to either surf with a group or get a helmet , got a helmet .

Must admit when I first got it I was reluctant to wear it but I don't even notice it in the water .

Find the helmet great for keeping my ears warm meaning I don't have to wear a hood , hate wearing hoods .I have much better hearing and vision in the helmet then in the hood .

Also has a peak so no need to wear a cap on the sunny days to protect the hairless parts of my head .

This isn't one of BP or Doggie's little trolls is it

after Surfing near some local SUP riders on my shorty recently I think they should supply everyone else with a helmet and body armour -talk about tunnel vision and a lack of awareness of anyone else on or in the water !!!!!

My gath needs replacing - cracked around both ear holes (prob from stretching on to my boofhead), but the worst damage is from where a mast came down square on top of my head in a gust a couple of weeks ago - cracked from the front about 80mm down the centre...I think I'll keep wearing one thanks.

After having 2 decent hits to the head I always wear one now. I probably have more awareness of what's going on because my board has hit me in the head. Even with a helmet on I don't want it to happen for a third time.

Reading the responses in the thread it seems the observation that helmet wearers seem to lack awareness and tunnel vision takes over, seems to hold true for reading posts too i see. For example:

1. Accused of dropping in...Post states i was dropping off the back of wave as his wave so no dropping in. .. So no awareness of what stated in a post..
2. Accused of telling people not to wear helmets... No mention in post of against wearing helmet. Actually support it in rocky, shallow reefy conditions Again no awareness of what stated in a post..
3. Called people soft for wearing helmets...No mention of that either in my posts..Again no awareness of what stated in a post..

Want proof to my statement. Go visit a skatepark on a saturday/sunday morning. Watch the kid who's parent have brought him along and he's wearing a helmet (usually bicycle type) knees & elbow pads on the outside of his clothes, running trainers and gloves. Watch how he/she just zooms around without looking up or around to see where other people are. Stops and starts wherever. Then watch how the other skater/scooter/bmx etc have to avoid the kid, abort tricks and runs etc.
Those other guys have awareness of the fellow skater, the kid has no awareness, has caused lots of incidents and possibly accident but walks of the park with a big smile and edger to go back another day whilst the other guys are left cursing and rubbing bruises.

Yeah lots of skatepark kid wear helmets (skate type) & pads (under jeans) but have done the learning curve and are totally aware of the fellow skaters. Just watch when the gook get off the park and how the park flows without incident and lots of smiles.

So when you don your helmet, boyancy aids, gloves and booties and head out into the surf you ain't alone so be aware of other surfers.

peguin said..
Reading the responses in the thread it seems the observation that helmet wearers seem to lack awareness and tunnel vision takes over, seems to hold true for reading posts too i see. For example:

1. Accused of dropping in...Post states i was dropping off the back of wave as his wave so no dropping in. .. So no awareness of what stated in a post..

2. Accused of telling people not to wear helmets... No mention in post of against wearing helmet. Actually support it in rocky, shallow reefy conditions Again no awareness of what stated in a post..

3. Called people soft for wearing helmets...No mention of that either in my posts..Again no awareness of what stated in a post..

Want proof to my statement. Go visit a skatepark on a saturday/sunday morning. Watch the kid who's parent have brought him along and he's wearing a helmet (usually bicycle type) knees & elbow pads on the outside of his clothes, running trainers and gloves. Watch how he/she just zooms around without looking up or around to see where other people are. Stops and starts wherever. Then watch how the other skater/scooter/bmx etc have to avoid the kid, abort tricks and runs etc.

Those other guys have awareness of the fellow skater, the kid has no awareness, has caused lots of incidents and possibly accident but walks of the park with a big smile and edger to go back another day whilst the other guys are left cursing and rubbing bruises.

Yeah lots of skatepark kid wear helmets (skate type) & pads (under jeans) but have done the learning curve and are totally aware of the fellow skaters. Just watch when the gook get off the park and how the park flows without incident and lots of smiles.

So when you don your helmet, boyancy aids, gloves and booties and head out into the surf you ain't alone so be aware of other surfers.

Sounds like your talking of inexperienced mixing with the experienced nothing to do with helmets.

GizzieNZ said..

....if no one can see you & no one can save you.....do yourself a big favour and wear a helmet

Bingo

From what I see at the skate parks the kids with the helmets are the ones with the common sense and the awareness to look after themselves

The kids without the helmets seem to be the heroes taking risks and hurting themselves and other kids .

Maybe it's different in WA