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lepracon3
Joined: 08 Jul 2016
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2016 8:09 pm Post subject: Windsurfing at Lake Erie? |
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Looking to get into the sport. Literally no stores anywhere near where I live (Simcoe Ontario). I don't drive/have a license. (My vehicle is a bike and custom built trailer).
I can't find more than 1 or 2 people with boards on kijiji. I can't seem to find any stores online that aren't going to cost me over $3000 to get set up.
Is it not possible to get setup for around $1500? I'm interested in the sport for a few reasons... I hate the wind (my vehicle is my bike) so because I enjoy nature, I would love if I could enjoy the wind, instead. I've gotten into gardening during the past year and while I hated when it rained before - I now love it. Would be nice to actually enjoy riding in the wind to the lake. I am also quite into fitness but not into wasting my time at the gym.
I have basically no knowledge of the sport but I do know that no other sports interest me. I've tried skiing multiple times - nah. I love the sun. Kayaking would have been a contender if it wasn't for the fact that you have to annoy someone to be your ride for the day. I like to do things on my own.
I am a 140lb, 25 year old 5'7 male that lives in Simcoe Ontario who would like to get a rig for around $1500. I have time off work all the way from July 16th to July 24th and I want to use that entire time to teach myself to windsurf - but I have no rig yet. I do not wish to spend over $2000.
So I guess I'm in sort of a rush to get set up in time for July 16th.
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J64TWB
Joined: 24 Dec 2013
Posts: 1685
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| Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2016 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Rent a car for a few hours and drive to Curtis Sports Connection in Buffalo. They have a ton of used gear and will set you up.
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gvogelsang
Joined: 09 Nov 1988
Posts: 435
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| Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2016 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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| bluefish1 wrote: | | Rent a car for a few hours and drive to Curtis Sports Connection in Buffalo. They have a ton of used gear and will set you up. |
That would by my first thoughts, as well.
There used to be a bunch of guys that windsurfed from Sherkston. There is also the windsurfing Santa in Fort Erie, John Fulton. He is a good guy. I remember meeting up with him in Crystal Beach one time after an epic, 30 mph day. A long time ago:
http://surfingsanta.com
Doug Curtis is your guy, if you are serious.
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joethewindsufa
Joined: 10 Oct 2010
Posts: 1190
Location: Montréal
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isobars
Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935
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| Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2016 10:11 am Post subject: Re: Windsurfing at Lake Erie? |
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| lepracon3 wrote: | 1. I don't drive/have a license. (My vehicle is a bike and custom built trailer).
2. I can't seem to find any stores online that aren't going to cost me over $3000 to get set up. Is it not possible to get setup for around $1500?
3. I am also quite into fitness but not into wasting my time at the gym.
4. I like to do things on my own.
5. I have time off work all the way from July 16th to July 24th and I want to use that entire time to teach myself to windsurf |
1. That will have to change if you get the least bit devoted to this sport. It is inherently gear-intensive, especially considering the range of conditions you experience in the Great Lakes.
2. Windance in Hood River has a good range of used gear on consignment, ships virtually anywhere, and will give you honest gear appraisals.
3. If your gym time is wasted, you're doing it wrong. People including strangers on the street comment VERY often on my physique (and I'm probably older than your grandfather) despite the fact that I spend less than six hours per YEAR actually lifting weights and in the hard part of interval training ... and their purpose is getting in shape for windsurfing. You're probably referring to the outdated, unnecessary, and often harmful concepts of spending hours doing three sets of ten three days a week and jogging on a treadmill for hours. Boo!
4. That's a major reason I didn't take up kiting. HOWEVER, you can cut years off your learning process with training videos and professional lessons. You will struggle for years without them.
5. You'll need to re-think that one. I've been at this for 37 years, mostly full-time in very windy areas, and still learn more every day despite not being interested in such WSing segments as racing, freestyle, or just logging miles.
Mike \m/
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lepracon3
Joined: 08 Jul 2016
Posts: 2
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dmilovich
Joined: 19 Jul 2009
Posts: 99
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2016 4:46 pm Post subject: +1 for Lepracon |
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I don't have any spare gear to send you, but I'll chip in $50 for your gear. When I was a kid I used to fantasize about biking down the East Coast with a surfboard on a trailer to camp and learn how to surf. Never happened, but I'll back you and live vicariously. PM me your address and I'll send you a check. Anybody who's ready to bike and tow their windsurfing gear 12 miles to learn our incredible sport gets my vote (and money).
D.
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Brian_S
Joined: 11 Jun 2005
Posts: 249
Location: SE Michigan
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| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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Lepracon3,
You definitely need to stop at Sherkston and visit the Reef Warriors. It's a little far by bike, but you must have a friend or relative with a car. There's a great group of windsurfers there, and probably some used gear for sale.
https://reefwarriors.wordpress.com/
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Brian S
www.miwindsurfing.com |
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canada9
Joined: 21 Apr 2008
Posts: 52
Location: Worldwide
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| Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 3:47 am Post subject: |
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visit Silent Sports in Thornhill - maybe you can get a ride or use public transit?
There are a lot of good spots on Simcoe: Keswick, Beaverton, Willow Beach, Minet's Point in Barrie.
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Philip Soltysiak
http://www.PhilipSoltysiak.com |
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