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My Rant About Sailors in Low Wind Areas
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konajoe



Joined: 28 Feb 2010
Posts: 517

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 12:23 pm    Post subject: My Rant About Sailors in Low Wind Areas Reply with quote

OK. Here it goes. To shorten the length of this, wherever you see *, insert "his chest puffs out, and he says ' my biggest sail is a 5.0 and my biggest board is 80 ltr' ."

I recently spent an extended amount of time in an area with inland lakes (don't ask where). I was out with some people, and asked if anyone windsurfed there. There was a guy. Do you windsurf? * Does it blow hard enough for that? Three or 4 times a year. Well, why don't you get bigger stuff? * Very proud of himself.

I find another person in the area. And..... *

I see someone with windsurfing roof racks. Guess what? *

Does anyone windsurf here? * Well, what about other people? Everyone here *.

These folks were really proud of themselves, even though there seemed to regularly be plenty of wind for a formula board or longboard.

There. I'm done. Almost.

Windsurfing is never going to become popular again in this area. I understand it used to be. But when these local 'experts' act like this, it is just a shame. I never said it to their face, but I'd like to tell them to stop being so freaking proud of themselves. In the future, when strangers ask them about windsurfing, I hope they include the phrase 'I'm too lazy to get off my a$$ and sail, I'd rather complain about the lack of 25 kt. winds.

Done.
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gvogelsang



Joined: 09 Nov 1988
Posts: 435

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 12:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I windsurf on Lake Erie.

The past couple of years I have had about 5 - 6 really nice 6.5/ 125 lt days.

I don't go out much on stronger days (like tomorrow!), because I don't have smaller equipment, and I don't like getting trashed.

Your post reminds me that I need to get a Kona, or Kona Carbone for next year.

Thanks,
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You're ignoring the basic, valid reason so many WSers feel that way: We sail for the swell and the maneuvering and jumping it offers. In lakes, that takes wind. If I wanted to sail on flat water around here, I could at least quadruple my TOW, but I'd rather mow my ACTUAL lawn than sail on the flat water that accompanies 7.5 wind. I find a lawn chair, a breeze, and a good book or conversation MUCH more rewarding and FAR less hassle than putting on a wetsuit, rigging, launching, slogging, and standing on a big board holding up a big sail going in straight lines. Similarly, I abandoned street motorcycles for dirt bikes, where sitting on a big bike at 70 mph on a freeway doesn't hold a candle to flying through a forest or across sand dunes at 30 or 90 mph. It's called preferences -- it has nothing to do with pride, posing, or laziness -- and it comes from having tried both and abandoning big gear and the flat water it encounters. If I had easy access to waves without much wind, or if motorcycles had no speed limits on the highway, I'd change my tune in a heartbeat. I seek adrenaline, not transportation.
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acalhounguy



Joined: 25 May 2013
Posts: 57

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love windsurfing. My smallest sail is 6.5 - I have sailed in good 6.5 conditions probably 5 days this season. I get a lot of 9.5 and 12.0M days. I love windsurfing with the 12.0, and the 9.5, and my 7.5.

Any day that is good enough to sail with 9.0 or below there will be 2-10 people windsurfing at Lake Calhoun just south of downtown Minneapolis. There is no chest puffing. And though there are plenty of people sitting on lawn chairs for the sake of comraderie they generally get out and sail if there is enough wind to plane.

I could have had some epic 5.5 days this year actually but I don't own one. Next season - It will probably only get used a few times but they will be worth it - that being said I am glad to have my big gear for our regular conditions.

We like to drag race, chop hop, practice gybes, show off our low-wind early planning skills etc. We don't have surf to play with unfortunately but we have what we have along with a nice little windsurfing tribe to enjoy it. If you want to show-off there are people everywhere around the lake and at the lakeside restaurant near the launch on southerly days - unfortunately I don't have any skills worth showing off (other that some big crashes when my 6.5 is actually too big for the wind).
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techno900



Joined: 28 Mar 2001
Posts: 4161

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 2:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Windsurfing is an individual sport, and all of us have different views on what is "fun" and is worth the effort to get to the water. Where we live pretty much determines what type of sailing we get to enjoy.

Iso lives in the Gorge and has access great conditions for 2/3 of the year. Why would anyone living in the Gorge want anything bigger than a 6.0 and 100L board?

On the other hand, some live where winds are typically light, and if there is wind, it's very gusty (me). But the OBX is 3 hours away, so access to great conditions is just a few hours away. I only sail to plane and I use Formula for light stuff and a 96L board with a 4.0 for the strongest stuff. Yea, the board is a little big, but it's used mostly for 5.2 and 4.5 sailing.

I have had longboards for over 3 decades (still race on rare occasions) and just don't want to cruise on a longboard in light winds.

Am I a *? No, but If I lived in Gorge, some might think so.

No right or wrong here, just do as you choose and avoid ridiculing others for their choices.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 2:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

techno900 wrote:
Why would anyone living in the Gorge want anything bigger than a 6.0 and 100L board?

A few examples include:
Racing.
Major downwinders.
Logging GPS miles.
Freestyle.
Exploring.
Getting back when the wind backs off after sunset.
Playing in the nice swell that can build in steady 6.2 wind at some locations.
Quadrupling their TOW.
The coast.
Some people clearly enjoy slogging.
Making the best of a blown forecast and otherwise wasted drive.
Planing .. Just planing.
Gotta be at work the rest of the day.
Tipping the scales at 300#.
DISliking adrenaline.
It's been hot and calm for two weeks.
It's after Thanksgiving and the river's losing another degree on its way into the 30s.
It's January and the river temp is in the 30s.
Hell, some people are so desperate to get wet that they will stand on a picnic table and PADDLE all over the river, wind or no wind.

I wish I had the balance to do that.
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PeconicPuffin



Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 1830

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember a 3 year period during which I had very limited time available to get on the water, and those times were in light wind midsummers. My quiver was 6.1, 7.5, 9.8.

I remember how I never wanted to rig the 9.8, because I had it in my head that it wouldn't be fun. Then I'd get into the footstraps, and I was happy as a clam. A planing jibing clam.

Having gear appropriate for the conditions is the ticket! Big gear is plenty of fun.

_________________
Michael
http://www.peconicpuffin.com
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NOVAAN



Joined: 28 Sep 1994
Posts: 1544

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 5:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good wind is good wind. I would rather be on a 6.5 and a bigger board flying across the bay at SPI in super steady winds In April with 85 degree air and 75 degree water without a wet suit than a gusty cold choppy 4.0 day at the Gorge. Been there done that in windsurfing. Most places when its 4.0 its gusty 4.0 Lite wind sailing can be just as much fun and takes its own set of skills.
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Ugly_Bird



Joined: 04 Nov 2008
Posts: 335

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 7:25 pm    Post subject: Re: My Rant About Sailors in Low Wind Areas Reply with quote

konajoe wrote:


Done.


Yep. In my area there were several guys turning into wind snobs. 86L 4.2 sail or forget it. I do not see them around any longer. Meanwhile I'm happily sailing mostly with 7.5 cammed on 130 L board (I'm 145 lb). Some days with 6.5 and a couple times with 5.5 on 105L. Works for me...

Andrei.
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swchandler



Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 7:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sometimes I think that muscling the folks on the beach about our view of things versus theirs is kind of useless. Ever try to turn a kiter, particularly those that used to be windsurfer, into a windsurfer? Many just can't understand why I'm still a windsurfer.

I have to say though, there are still a few of us windsurfers sailing about with the kiters. What I've found this summer sailing, back at Leadbetter Beach where I started windsurfing in Santa Barbara, is that visitors at the beach are openly curious and stoked about windsurfing. Many have asked about rentals. That's what we are looking for. Folks that see something in windsurfing. Long ago, I was one of those folks at that very same beach.
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