Request: Learning to windsurf near Shelter Island?

jdcooper · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 4

Hi there,

I've always wanted to learn to windsurf. (I'm from Florida.) I'm spending the rest of July out on Shelter Island and I'd like to take some lessons and rent some gear. The only place I've found is Windsurfing Hamptons, but at $185 for a two-hour lesson, that could get expensive really fast assuming it takes longer than two hours to start sailing.

Two questions:

1. How long do you reckon it will take me to get up and get tooling around on the water? I'm reasonably athletic and I know how to sail a sailboat. My balance is okay but not insanely great.

2. Does anyone know of a more cost-effective way to learn in the middle-South-Fork area? A weeklong class would work great, but I can't seem to find any. Or does anyone from the forum want to teach me on a one to one basis?

Thanks,

jon

Hudstur · Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 9

Go out to Napeague Harbor on the way to Montauk Point. There are instructors that teach windsurfing and kiteboarding. They are usually there everyday. If it were me I would skip the windsurfing and get into kiteboarding.

jdcooper · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 4

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll try and check it out. It's a bit of a drive over there but I suppose it's worth a visit and a poke around. Does anyone happen to know any of the folks who teach out there so I can call them and setup a lesson in advance?

Out of curiosity, why would you prefer kiteboarding?

vims · Joined: 16 Nov 2016 Posts: 0

JD- You might want to check out the Peconic Puffin's page all about long island windsurfing.

http://www.peconicpuffin.com/

One of the "puffins" may have some tips for a cheap way into windsurfing. Also, check out my "windsurfing guide for poor people".

http://jimbodouglass.blogspot.com/2008/07/poor-persons-guide-to-windsurfing.html

Yes, $185 is pretty expensive for lessons, but you will learn a lot in 2 hours; enough to get your own equipment and start sailing without an instructor. (Although at first you should still sail when other windsurfers are around to help if needed.)

Hudstur- Kiting's not for everyone. For one thing, the lessons take longer and are even more expensive than windsurfing lessons. For another thing, you need a good, steady breeze to kite, whereas with longboard windsurfing you can go in almost any conditions, even on small lakes or other sheltered waterways when there's barely a ripple on the water.

vims · Joined: 16 Nov 2016 Posts: 0

Everyone has an opinion about kiteboarding. Here's mine:

http://jimbodouglass.blogspot.com/2008/01/to-kite-or-not-to-kite.html

Frank4 · Joined: 10 Apr 2006 Posts: 69

Windsurfing Hamptons does the lessons at Napeague. If that is too expensive for you, rent or buy a modern beginner windsurfing video, or find one online, there are many good ones. Watch the video 10 times, then rent gear at Napeague and give it go on your own. As long as you can swim and have some balance you will be fine, low tide at Napeague is pretty safe for learning. Maybe a kind soul would give you a few tips....

jdcooper · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 4

Thanks for the input, folks. It's not an issue of absolute cost but one of relative value - $185 for 2 hours seems expensive relative to the cost of windsurfing instruction elsewhere. (Florida, California - two other places I've considered taking instruction.)

If it's likely I can get on a board and start toodling around after two hours of instruction, though, I'm inclined to just go for it. I'll probably head out to Napeague tomorrow and give it a shot. (Assuming the weather and the wind look okay in the morning.)

Thanks for the input, I'll let y'all know how it goes.

armaswindsurf · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:04 am Post subject: IT DU SUKS!!

Dude... Kiting is a pice of shit... chek this:
-Kites veri often get leaks (even more when you are biginner ), you will need some one to go with you to the beach to help you... (cuz is not a self suficient sport) , if the wind for some reason stop blowing YOU ARE "FACT UP" if that happens in far in the water... And if wile you are saling your kite start leaking and gets soft away in the water!!... you will be more fuct... and if a kiter give you the excuse that "THAN KEEP AROUND THE SHORE" .... than that will be one point in my favor proving that kiting suks!... "cuz is not self suficient"...

windsurf ROCKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

Kiting is losing the "new kid in town" luster to, of all things, SUP? Imagine the "hey look at me. I'm doing the new thing," being upstaged by a harder version of kayaking? LOL! Staying away from the kitchen while enjoying the water is the most important thing that all of us do.

Poaching a windsurfing site to "subvert" newbies into learning kiting instead is being cool, nice, or what?

-=koLLac=- · Joined: 11 May 2008 Posts: 39

my 2 cents...

this is how I "learned" windsurfing. I took a 15$ community center windsurfing class that took about 20 minutes. I loved it. Came from sailing keelboats so, like you, had an idea about points of sail and all that wind stuff.

Went on craigslist and scored a serious PILE of equipment including masts, booms, bases, sails, a huge Dakine Hawaii bag and an ooold, very oold longboard for 250. Went out there and by the 2nd day I could sail wherever and tack without falling in the water.

I'm still not good, and probably never will be when I only get to sail at most once a week, but I feel like I entered the world of windsurfing on the cheap and I'm still having a ton of fun. Once you get more into it you can upgrade anyway.