If it is why do you think it is?

Yes and no... and possibly.....

Yes, not many young dudes, as in 16-18 doing it.

No, some people who did do it in the 80's have or are coming back to it.

Possibly because not so sure we are targeting the youth of today for a long term investment in the sport. (Principle SKinners voice: "Prove me wrong kids - prove me wrong")

Will it make a come back?

It is a cool sport, as in it satisfies cool elements:

1. Speed - check
2. Jumps, tricks - check
3. Fun in the waves - check
4. Blasting - check

So based of the cool elements, I think yes it could, if it isn't already :P

What would make it more popular?

I think TV, media, extreme sports coverage... to pull younger audiences.... the use of GoPro's (and their 3D version) for better, cooler vision, water level cams, helicams (expensive)... It's all about media coverage.... Fox sports, Channel 1 etc.. Channel 31 (bring back "on the water")....

Some fun promos in front of the office workers during summer days, for example in Melbourne, if there was a good summer breeze, if some dudes blastered around the Yarra or Docklands with advertising for the sport, could pull some fans.... Same could be said for Sydney at Darling Harbour, or Brisbane River......

Obviously all things take a huge amount of time... and offer a certain amount of return... so I am just spit balling obviously, since the question didn't limit resources etc.... :P

And promo chicks (who can sail - free lessons for these girls of course)....

And docos (local) to return retired windsurfing dudes back to the water :P

AND... maybe its just me, but the designs are pretty old school for board graphics.... they should mix it up with stencil type street art prints... go easy on the fluros.... sure the 80's was fun, I too had to wear stupid fluro socks... but its past... its gone.... let go of the fluro :P

The 2012 gear seems to be a lot more colourful.

I still think the entry cost is too high which discourages the young form getting into the sport.

Judging on how many PWA freestyle/slalom events there are I would say the sport is booming and the yanks have their own wave tour...amazing times particularly when it seems to have happened during a period of financial global turmoil.....and gear has never been cheaper.

Ercorn said...

I think the costs of getting into windsurfing are very high and that doesn't help the sport either.

I think this is the number 1 reason why young kids are not getting in to it as much.

I remeber when I got into it, many years ago, I bought my first complete kit from the trading post for $540 and it was great back then. I realise that the tech has improved significantly with better materials etc, but still.....

maybe the brands should sell beginner kit at cost to the public, they might make no money from it right away but will pay big dividends down the track

How can you smash out a cheap board like this:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Surfboard-NEW-70-Mini-Mal-Minimal-surf-epoxy-Fins-/250870678856?pt=AU_Sport_Surfing&hash=item3a690ec548

And sell it for 320 clams...?

Surely you could smash out cheap sailboards using epoxy?

Could be a good business idea for the shops here - use a basic board design (bit like the BIC's), use epoxy, go a sh1te load of colours to mix it up, smack on foot straps with 4 to 3 strap configurations, and use as a surf board as well.........

Just sayin - could be a winner


Look at this, a 9 foot board for 950 clams...

www.ebay.com.au/itm/SouthPoint-91-Epoxy-Longboard-Surfboard-/180700634261?pt=AU_Sport_Surfing&hash=item2a1298dc95

Back in the day Mals were damn expensive... epoxy has made things fun and cheap.

I think one way to grow its popularity would be to hold more "amateur" contests...IMO

WWA tried it last year with a couple of amateur wave contests/clinics, one at Wedge from memory, that had a really good turn out.

Its good to see the pro's, but a lot of people would like to compete in something a bit closer to their skill level ... triple forwards (any forwards actually) are somewhat out of my league.

There are a number of challenges that have to be sorted out to get people interested.

1/ Access to equipment - There should be relatively cheap rental in popular areas for people to have a go.

2/ Cost - even if someone likes windsurfing they can quickly get put off by the cost. There should be entry kit available at places like Amazon and Rebel sports that cost less than a grand.

3/ Learning difficulty - its not as easy as other sports so it needs plenty of time and commitment to get proficient. More beginner and intermediate events can encourage people to get out on to the water and though the tough elements of Planning, hooking in, getting in the straps and gibing. Once you have gotten good at these you are a windsurfer for life.

If basing it on contests, I would say making a slight comeback from 5 years ago.

Reckon there are 2 main stumbling blocks for kids getting into windsurfing

a) Transportation of all the gear. Having to wait for parents to cart all their gear to the beach, until they get their own wheels is not cool. Unless your parents are doing it, it will be very hard for kids to get into for this reason. Surfing, jump on the bus or put on the bike. Skate anywhere, bike anywhere. Thats tough to compete with.

b) Suitable conditions. Saturday morning a kid can go skate, bike, or even really surf most weekends. Easy to do with your mates and can plan ahead. Windsurfing is a bit more about being an oportunist. Which again, is fine if you got wheels.

A very small % actually live anywhere where it is decent to sail. So it gets very little coverage, and then just starts to fade out of sight or from a young kids thoughts about what sports to start up.

NR said...

If basing it on contests, I would say making a slight comeback from 5 years ago.

Reckon there are 2 main stumbling blocks for kids getting into windsurfing

a) Transportation of all the gear. Having to wait for parents to cart all their gear to the beach, until they get their own wheels is not cool. Unless your parents are doing it, it will be very hard for kids to get into for this reason. Surfing, jump on the bus or put on the bike. Skate anywhere, bike anywhere. Thats tough to compete with.

b) Suitable conditions. Saturday morning a kid can go skate, bike, or even really surf most weekends. Easy to do with your mates and can plan ahead. Windsurfing is a bit more about being an oportunist. Which again, is fine if you got wheels.

A very small % actually live anywhere where it is decent to sail. So it gets very little coverage, and then just starts to fade out of sight or from a young kids thoughts about what sports to start up.

Transport and cost is killer for kids.

Look at the rubbish the average Grom surfs in. The conditions are not important its showing off to your mates and getting away from Ma and Pa.

the reason i gave it up back in the 90's was because it's so weather dependent, and couldn't justify the cost / sailable days as i was only a student at the time. and discovered another sport which i enjoyed more. .

back into it now though and loving it

For those of us in Sydney ask yourself what you'd recommend if a 16 yr old asked you about getting in to windsurfing, as far as I know the options are:

1) teach them yourself but most of us don't have suitable gear to teach so need to hire it

2) learn to windsurf events run by WSS - good on WSS for doing this, thank you! - but they only happen every so often and only one session - took me much longer to learn. Totally fair that they aren't regular as funding if for WSS would e a challenge. As I say, a great initiative but not going to completely meet the challenge

3) balmoral school - don't know too much bout what they offer

A long way of saying that for the average 16 year old who dont have windsurf obsessed parents then it's a really naccesble sport.

I guess in an ideal world there would be more hire centers, maybe windsurf clubs with gear that young people can come along and use for a reasonable cost etc.. But i'm equally realistic that those can't of set ups can by done easily or cheaply and need some serious commitment and risk.

As I write this I have a feeling I've read about a group down at botany bay?

Any ideas on how to make the sport more accessible? I got a 15 ys old on a windsurf board a couple of weeks ago and had great fun teaching them, worryingly I got the feeling they would be better than me very quickly. Perhaps there is opportunity for some of us to get involved in making the sport more accessible?

Not declining.

Very stable in Europe and the USA, and probably increasing in Australia despite a couple of rubbish seasons. We're seeing the guys who left the sport when they got married and had kids coming back... and hopefully bringing their kids with them.

"Not declining" = not declining since last week or last year sort of a thing.

"Sport is doing great" = by people who haven't lived the great years and seen real numbers. But that was long ago - Capper could jump then and Wally Lewis could still run.

"Old timers coming back" = if that's true, then almost implies the sport will die within 10 years.

Anyhow, individual sailors don't teach anymore: too busy, don't care, solipcism, whatever. Used to be everyone would teach anyone - and enjoy it too. Funny how generations change...

Yes the new Generation is very lazy. Only a small % do tricks at skating or are regularly active, the rest plays video games. When they do pick up something, it has to be easy, effortless and fast.

I personally take 3-5 learners every summer - personal thing here. Hand picked, no lazy b***d. It is fun, greatly rewarding. I got one going just last week and she was screaming like crazy (in about zero knots) - good for her.

I teach on days when the wind would be too **ty for me to sail anyways, so may as well have fun and socialise. Gotta pick the right people, that's all. About 2/3 end up getting their own gear.

That won't change the world, but my goal is not to crowbar people away from video games (or other easy-to-learn activities). I'm just happy passing on the passion.

What do you mean declining, over here in W.A i always sail with at least 5 people in winter, in summer at some spots you cant even get a car park to actually go sailing, crowded spots don't show any sign of declining and there are heaps of young guys and girls sailing here.

And no bright colours, have you seen any new surfboards? fluro everywhere, even wetsuits are running the fluro again..