.
for me? gives me a good perspective on how quiet out on the water can be only hearing the wind and board splattering the water...from concrete to liquid sure is some soft solace from everyday life not too quite complete..i guess it gives me control of what am doing rather than be directed at times...hmmm sounds corny but sure does makes all my facial muscles move
but the start of it all? 1985 sitting on a beach with a friend having a brew and i couldn't believe these 4 europeans just blasting back and forth and from then on i just said to myself i just had to do that and in '93 did get the chance never looked back and still learning
but the start of it all? 1985 sitting on a beach with a friend having a brew and i couldn't believe these 4 europeans just blasting back and forth and from then on i just said to myself i just had to do that and in '93 did get the chance never looked back and still learning
i vowed that one day i would learn to windsurf.
i couldn't say these days.
i was spoilt for choice. i did windsurfing and catamaran sailing in summer ans boogie boarding in winter.
it only came about becasue the local windsurf/catamaran school approached my high school and offered it to them.
Samb0: the 4 universities here all offer the sport. they each have a relatively active windsurfing club that does weekly training sessions and takes turn to hold competitions.
Strange thing is that most of them don't continue windsurfing once they've finished school.
. Next time surf is better than the wind should go for a surf. I haven't been surfing for ages because, well I've been windsurfing.
I got involved because 2 mates kept talking it up, then one of them organised an old Calypso, then the other one gave me 2 15 year old Gaastra mono film sails plus boom and mast which I got realy cheap.
Even on that old kit at one point I was woo hooing at luckybay, then the progression started and my need for adrenaline was being satisfied, I now have 2 boards, 3 masts, 2 booms, 5 sails and a GPS.
The stoke, the crew and how I feel after a really good session just blasting about with the the top guys from here and all over the world, I could be standing next to Robbie Naish and I would have no idea and if I said g'day he would probably have a chat.
It's all good and I cant wait to get 120ltr JP Excite ride next
I want 30knts too
Cheers
I have a windsurfing wife too
No problems getting out for a session on the water.
We had to buy a Delica to fit all the gear in tho.
I dont think words can describe the feeling I get when I get on the plane.
its so peaceful yet so violent, its slow yet so fast, its so engaging yet so relaxing.
I've only been doing it 4 months odd, needed a sport because I wasn't doing anything, and I am more then addicted to this sport. I get narky at my family if I go more then 2 days without a sail...
I can already see this turning into my life, I've already changed from a sedan to a wagon to accomodate the gear, I've already got a 71L wave board and cant wait to take it to Coro :D
I love this sport
Interestingly, the good kiters here seem to be going back to directionals. These are the guys that used to windsurf, and still go out kiting in 30 knots when it's double mast high. We don't get flat water often, so it's more about the waves here than in other parts of the country/world.
But, that's probably called wave-kiting more than kiteboarding. There's nobody on the beach to show off to when it's 30 knots and the spray is blowing down the beach..
The majority still pack up and call it quits by 20 knots.
Forgive my ignorance triple 5, but where abouts in New Zulund is Port Taranaki - north or south?
I'm assuming around Auckland somewhere seeing as how much they love their boats there.
)
What I really like about windsurfing is the time you have to sit around doing nothing after you wreck your foot in the footstrap in a 100 mile per hour stack in,... while everyone else is out having fun.
(groan. my foot really hurts!) 
I think i will take up kiting.
I took up windsurfing in 1984 because it was cool.
I got back into windsurfing in 2007 because Howard lost the election.
and if i said that i always get the reply "am a woman therefore..." you know what the sentence would end up. i don't mind but at the end of the day i'd be more dead tired than just smiley tired
why do i windsurf? again? i guess a little bit of a '5minute claim to fame...sort of?!? pls. check out neilpryde.com and voila! us 3 southern guys relatively unknown to 60% of the fleet with me giving the victory sign..am bewildered as to why of all them dashing and photogenic guys including the pro's and top finishers were we chosen as one of the closing pics..am guessing you guys might be wondering so what?!?not a really windy week as a low pressure not normal this time of the year was clogging the northeasterlies but nevertheless a great event for us so called 'provinciano's' or from the province but were all stoked to get into a cool website and that is good enough for me....regards
