"The Best Ever Stories of Boardsailing Adventure in the Exceptional Olympic City"
Volume 7 No. 7 August 1996
(C) Chris Voith 1996


Our editor at Hatteras.

Learn-to-Windsurf Day a Huge Success

by Chris Voith
Even my mother learned to windsurf... well sort of. And thanks to William's great job of publicizing the event, about forty other people showed up for our free lessons last month. More than a few really seemed to get hooked. With Gregg, Dan and Chris Pyron putting students on the two stimulators and the rest of us helping people fall off their boards, the beach at Sunrise Cove was quite the happening spot.

It was so much fun that we're doing it again (see William's article above for the details). If we have another good turnout, the club will benefit financially (we could use the dough), plus there will be a new crop of shredder-wanna-be's anxious to buy your old equipment. What a deal. But we need your help to make it all happen.

Please promote this to your friends and co-workers who really seem like they might take to sailing. People who ski or run or bike or own boats, etc are great prospects. We all know people like this who may have said they "always wanted to try that" or even "tried it, but it's too hard". Remind them that like many sports, a little bit of instruction goes a long way. (For example, almost nobody would try to figure out how to snow ski on their own). Tell them too that if my mother can learn to sail (sort of), then anybody can.

We also need your help with the on-the-water part of the lessons. This is easy and a lot of fun.

Once the clinic part is done, the Wind Ceremony and general mayhem will commence, so make plans to hang out until dark (or later). Bring your friends, a picnic and you can even bring your mom if you want.

Windsurfing is Dead, Long Live Windsurfing

by William Fragakis
Have you heard? The windsurfing press has for years lamented the fact that the sales of Dunkerbeck replica boards have been declining. In June (thanks, Ed Marks), the Wall Street Journal asserted that windsurfing had gone the way of the Professional Putters Association (for you Gen Xers, that was the Putt Putt pro tour and, yes, it was televised). Well, at our Teach a Friend to Windsurf Picnic, forty eager friends showed up for the funeral.

We had a blast. A gentle onshore breeze made it a delight. Gregg, Dan and Chris Pyron ran a bunch of people through the simulators and never lost their smile. A bunch of us made sure that the boards didn't float off. What fun. So much fun that we have decided to do it again in September.Which leads me to the...

September Wind Altar Ceremony, Beginner Clinic and High Wind/Short Board Seminar. We are pulling out all the stops. We will repeat the beginner clinic for all those who couldn't make it in July. Those who participated in our July picnic can come again for more tutoring. For the many people in the club who are beginning to sail in higher winds and are just starting to use footstraps and harnesses, we will have a specific program for you, too. And for those who just want to ask the club's best shredders for free advice, come on. We will also be breaking out the wind altar in preparation for autumn cold fronts. Price? Free to club members, 30 bucks to non-members (but we will give them a one year membership). This event has something for everyone. If you don't come, we'll put you on Van Pugh goose poop detail. So there. Sunrise Cove, September 21, Noon.

Corrections and Apologies: In the last issue, Chris mistakenly referred to me as the "soon to be looping Commodore." It should have read, "soon to be loopy Commodore." We apologize for the error. Also, Lindy Carter and others may have mistakenly got the impression from our last issue that while Tim C.'s board and sails, are very fine, he hocked Dylan for them. Au contraire, Tim can not only find a good used board at a fair price, he can convince a sticky fingered airport employee that old, blown out sails actually fetch big bucks at a pawn shop. Tim, could you tell the rest of us where to park next time we are at Hartsfield?

Community
The loopy president guy was up late the other week and began to ponder the nature of clubs and why people belong. Windsurfing is not a sport that demands any formal structure. You show up at the beach and do your thing. Even competing requires nothing, you just need someone going the same direction you are. It could be a willing or unsuspecting windsurfer, sailboat or jetski (admit it, most of us have sheeted in a little harder when in the vicinity of someone else).

So why have a club? Sailing by your self gets to be a drag after awhile if nobody is around to share the experience. We belong to the club because we enjoy the company and community of other windsurfers, and the club provides that. Certainly,the club fulfills other functions like races and renting houses on Hatteras. But, most of all our club connects us to each other. After all, why is our largest club function, the Christmas Party, both miles from the water and indoors?

With this thought, our newsletter will introduce a feature. In each issue we'll profile a couple of club members-expert or neophyte. Since many of us haven't had a chance to meet that many other members, this will give you the opportunity to skip the small talk at the Christmas Party ("So, you really taught Robbie Naish how to jibe?") and proceed to the good stuff ("I hope I don't get stuck with Gregg Cattanach's size 6, pink bunny slippers").

The Top Nine Signs it's August