Giving up too early

[Denis Wee]

5 years! That's an awfully long time to suffer in frustration.  I take my hat off to you, hoonsong. You hold the record for persistence.  What you need to do is to ask for pointers from the other windsurfers at the beach.  If you don't ask, they won't tell.  They don't like to give unsolicited advice because there are some people who get offended if you try to tell them what they are doing wrong.  Getting the right kind of advice is very important in any kind of sport whether it is in windsurfing, golf, tennis or anything else.  It can shorten the learning curve tremendously and save a lot of frustration.  Some people can pick up the correct techniques by themselves.  These are the lucky ones.  The rest of us need some kind of hand-holding.

Just look at the young windsurfers at the National Sailing Centre.  After less than one year of proper coaching they can already take part in international competitions!

[blackhawk81]

Hi,

Came across this post by accident and couldn't help but wanna say something...

I've been windsurfing at PAWV(EC) weekly for almost 5 years. Took me a year to learn how to use a club board, another to tack and jibe on it. Subsequently I bought a JP Freeride 129.. took me 1 year just to sail without falling all the time and another year just to tack. The last year I've been trying to jibe but its like out of 10 tries I get 1 right. And I cant even beach start yet... Damn. It can be really frustrating but whats keeping me going is imagining one day I can windsurf like the pros at the club and the constant reminder that I've invested so much time and effort in it already.

I get most of my information online and the library. My friends who started out windsurfing with me pretty much moved on to other things. So I'm pretty much by myself. I do ask for occasional tips from the ppl at the club but being not very sociable by personality, I don't do that very often. Think thats the major reason why I'm such a slow learner.

I really wanna learn but couldn't help but feel there must be a better way to progress. Constantly I am wondering whether am I doing things right.

Just a perspective about how hard it can get from someone who is still not there yet.

Regards
Hoon Song

Hi Hoon Soon,

Actually, the windsurfers at PA are very helpful (though some may look aloof : P). But just pick up the courage to speak to us and most of us will be more than willing to share our knowledge with you. For your info, i also learn by speaking to the old timers at PA and learning from internet forum. You just need to persevere,but in the right direction, to learn fast. Do speak to the moderator (Roger Jackson) at starboard learner forum as well. He is my online mentor when i first learn windsurfing and he gave great tips through his online reply : )

And i think its time on water that matters.. not the number of years. the effective amount of hours spend in water with quality instruction should make your learning curve less steep..

[PlaneSailin]

1. Go to beach.

2. Sail.

This will help. 

I 've seen a few people who miss these obvious steps, and keep asking how to improve...

 

You'll get there one day, so keep at it.  But...you've been windsurfing 5 years and you still can't beach start? Huh?

[hoonsong]

<blackhawk81> Understand the part on unsolicited advice and agree on spending enough water time with quality instruction =) If only there are short board lessons I can take =P 

<PlaneSailin> Yeah I've been windsurfing for years and I cant beach start on my board. Kinda sad. The board keep spinning sideways or flipping up whenever I try to step on it on my first foot. So in a way I kinda stop trying beach starts and do other stuff like tacks and jibes... they are more fun ha... my bad... =P

Will be there this coming Sun... see how things go. Last Sat was not bad average wind out there but once your near the shore more than often the wind kinda dies so I'll end up playing the balancing game and wait for the occasional gust of wind to push me back to shore =)

[11onze]

I've been windsurfing for 2 years. I can't do beach-start either and it does not concern me too much.
It's the joy of planing that pulls me to PA every Sunday.

Unlike you, I rented the club-board for about 4 months then I used a second-hand GO 185L board for about one year before buying my current 133L board. I used the 185L board to learn fundamental stuff like how to use foot-straps and harness.
My feeling is that the jump from club-board (200+L) to the 129L board is so abrupt that it possibly have brought a lot of frustrations on the way.

As long as you start to enjoy it, you will never stop.

p.s. I watch these windsurfing clips on youtube from time to time, which are really inspiring, motivating and educating.

Hi,

Came across this post by accident and couldn't help but wanna say something...

I've been windsurfing at PAWV(EC) weekly for almost 5 years. Took me a year to learn how to use a club board, another to tack and jibe on it. Subsequently I bought a JP Freeride 129.. took me 1 year just to sail without falling all the time and another year just to tack. The last year I've been trying to jibe but its like out of 10 tries I get 1 right. And I cant even beach start yet... Damn. It can be really frustrating but whats keeping me going is imagining one day I can windsurf like the pros at the club and the constant reminder that I've invested so much time and effort in it already.

I get most of my information online and the library. My friends who started out windsurfing with me pretty much moved on to other things. So I'm pretty much by myself. I do ask for occasional tips from the ppl at the club but being not very sociable by personality, I don't do that very often. Think thats the major reason why I'm such a slow learner.

I really wanna learn but couldn't help but feel there must be a better way to progress. Constantly I am wondering whether am I doing things right.

Just a perspective about how hard it can get from someone who is still not there yet.

Regards
Hoon Song

[Syamil]

Hey guys, what's the budget for about 4-5 sets of windsurfing equipment, preferably used and at least 3 of them are longboards?

Cheers