For the most part our gatherings are social at the moment and while there are no limitations, for the most part we have been sailing the Windsurfer One Design board and sail combination (affectionately known as Wallys). As some of us are in the process of getting full One Design Exocet Kona set ups, we are in the process of setting up a combined fleet and within 12 months I envisage that our group will be pretty much split 50/50 on Wallys and Konas (3 on Konas, 3 on Wallys). Ok, somewhat humble beginnings but as a wise person once told me “Big trees grow from little acorns”.
There have been numerous little hurdles that have been put in our way on our journey so far and no doubt there will be countless more but with a sport that is so much fun and is as colourful as ours, as long as we perservere I don’t very well see how we can fail in the long run. Make something that is fun to do and people will do it (AKA “Build it and they will come”).
The long term vision is for us to establish ourselves as a permenant club (or within an already established and suitable club, located on relatively flat water) that is local and ‘Windsurfer friendly’ racing One Design Longboards, split up into different classes but in the same field. While I see the Wally and the Kona as the logical choices, I would be very interested to hear from any Mistral One Design sailors and for that matter any person who has course raced in the past or may want to in the future.
As our group welcomes novices, we have based most of our activities so far at West Lakes, but I do recognise the limitations of basing a club there due to the very fickle, unpopular patchy wind conditions. Yes, it’s an acquired skill to race well there but there are other places more suitable and in particular I am looking at the stretch of water located out from the boat ramp at Garden Island, including the Barker Inlet as a potential regular meeting place. We are also negotiating with the Flinders Port Authority to hopefully allow us to race alongside the various boat classes from time to time at the Port River Sailing Club.
I also recognise the potential our sport has in the development of youth and plan to eventually develop a Youth Training Program as a joint partnership with various organisations. That in itself could be a great training ground to boost numbers any club that we are able to establish and form a starting point into National Junior Competition.
I would love to hear from other interested persons who in particular are interested in the Course Racing aspect of Windsurfing.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon and together as a group re-energising course racing for our sport within South Australia.
- Darrell Staight
