Select to expand quoteAll i heard was 18 minutes of whining by someone very fortunate enough (and naive enough) to be able to play the new latest greatest gear churn game $$$ poor lost soul :(
If he spent the same time and money and energy on getting new and old punters back in the game his/business would be booming!
From a 'real' professional in the industry this is a much more positive, solution and action ...
Heres what Goya is planning.....basically a place to learn/rent/teach and grow new participants...
Smart grow the sport, grow your customer base, and not rely on gear churn as way to make money.
Want to sell more steaks ..get more people into your steak restaurant ..don't need to keep changing the menu all the time!
couldn't post the link ...
extract ...from USA website , linked on book face
Winds of Change: Goya Windsurfing to Open New Community Hub in Bingen
If you've driven down the main drag in Bingen, Washington, you've likely seen the new construction in the works! Maybe you're wondering what's going on-we were too-so we got some answers for you!Goya Windsurfing, if all goes well, will open in the Fall of 2024! The new showroom will be open to the public, offering windsurfing lessons and wholesale gear from beginner to pros.We spoke with Francisco Goya about his newest venture..
Who is Francisco Goya?
Francisco went to high school in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After graduation, upon turning 18, he left for Maui to live and pursue his dream. Having segued from skateboarding to surfing to windsurfing, Goya, along with some close friends, honed in on his passion for customizing gear, while riding for different shapers and designers, helping with their research and development. Just five years later, in 1994, he and his pals started Quatro. "It was those passionate windsurfers from all over the world who bought our gear and were stoked with the sport, that made it possible to start our own brand." In 2000, he became the windsurfing champion of the world.Goya sees the windsurfing industry as a community project. "We are all learning how to improve the sport. One thing I'm sure of is that it will take a lot more than one brand and one vision to really take windsurfing to where it deserves to be." He is a firm believer that brands need to collaborate to support each other.The new "surf mill" will manufacture surfboards, kiteboards, SUP's and wind boards, for winging, foiling and downwinding action.
When asked about the best places for wind sports, Goya tells us it is Maui, Europe, and the Gorge, on the Washington side, that has the best wind. His favorite spots to get some action are the Hatchery, Stevenson and Bingen!
The team plans to create events for the community and will need investors, grant money, and permits along the way. He emphatically states that he wants no barriers to learning the sport, and will offer community services to schools and the underprivileged as well as to seniors wanting to try something new!Why Windsurfing?Francisco describes windsurfing as the cheapest form of sailing, and believes it not only has the ability to remove one's fear of water, but connects us to others. "Diversity adds value to a community-we are able to meet people from all over the world, exposing us to different cultures and languages."Goya sees the potential for windsurfing to become the most popular water sport in the world. "The more I travel, the more people I see enjoying windsurfing from all ages and social groups-it is a sport that needs only water and a little wind."You can feel his passion for the sport when he speaks-he closes our conversation with, "I have always been able to find my answers in the water".
Select to expand quoteTaavi said..duzzi said..
A good youtube somewhat related to this thread, mostly about the state of the industry ?si=O9Q9oRcMbWwA433B&t=1078
Not sure what Marios' (author of the above video) general windsurfing skills were, but looks like somehow he ended up putting a huge cambered race sail on a freeride setup and then blamed a freeride board!? At least all his examples in the video are with huge sails.
My experience back in the day was totally different. After just a handful of days of learning I was totally comfortable with my setup, which although not competitive in foiling comps, was so much fun to ride. Who cares if it wasn't the most efficient setup, it was still wonderful to learn something new. Only good memories from that period. The fact that I have a slalom board in the video below instead of a freeride board (10 cm length difference) is not really important, the freeride boards that I tried were pretty much on a par.
And yes, it was fun in almost non-existent wind as well - absolutely no need for special and huge and complicated rigs.
There are always people who are gifted athletes and learn in "a few days". I never got over the fear and I still do not foil.
But besides personal athletic gift, the guy has a great point. Freeride is where most people are. It is almost bizarre but there is almost no windfoiling left in the San Francisco Bay area. It is bizarre, because windfoiling is arguably much more versatile and way more performing, than wingfoiling, but there you go: the easier, more freeriding tool won. (Hands down, windsurfing. windfoiling, kiting and kitefoiling are pretty much gone in the Bay.)
So to rephrase the question "Are new windsurfing developments possible", can we develop a windsurfing freeride package that is rangier and easier than what we have now?
The discussion often seems to revolve around the cost of windsurfing and that many have accumulated 15K worth of gear. And yes, I'm one!
This reminds me of a story in a book I read about the success of the Pandora charm bracelets. The bracelets are cheap enough, which gets people on board, but by the time they've loaded it with all the charms they want, they could have bought a gold bracelets with some diamonds!
So If windsurf equipment manufacturers wanted to boost the uptake, maybe they should have an ultra-cheap line up of entry-level gear - even to the point of selling at cost - and reap the rewards when they purchase the higher level gear once they're hooked?
The problem may be that they've missed the boat!
And with less people windsurfing, that may mean less incentive to spend money on R&D and we'll just get gear that's an evolution rather than a revolution?
Select to expand quoteCarantoc said..
Electric motor assist would seem like the thing everything else has going on.
Just enough to keep the forward momentum on those superlight days or kick you onto the plane on the marginal days ?
Foot button on the deck / push button on the boom or flow sensor in the hull to make it automatic ?
Motor integrated into the board jetski style, so no extra drag from a propellor ?
Must be able to fit an e-foil motor to a fin and give it a go ? Surely somebody has done it ?
Could have a lima wave generator. Charge the battery while going crosswind or while planning fast. Battery lasts maybe 1min.then use batterypower to get planning. Where daggerboard would be is the switch to activate the planning assist which will autoswitch off after 15 seconds. Just posting this here to get patent rights in the future.
Select to expand quoteKit3kat said..Carantoc said..
Electric motor assist would seem like the thing everything else has going on.
Just enough to keep the forward momentum on those superlight days or kick you onto the plane on the marginal days ?
Foot button on the deck / push button on the boom or flow sensor in the hull to make it automatic ?
Motor integrated into the board jetski style, so no extra drag from a propellor ?
Must be able to fit an e-foil motor to a fin and give it a go ? Surely somebody has done it ?
Could have a lima wave generator. Charge the battery while going crosswind or while planning fast. Battery lasts maybe 1min.then use batterypower to get planning. Where daggerboard would be is the switch to activate the planning assist which will autoswitch off after 15 seconds. Just posting this here to get patent rights in the future.
Nuclear. If they can make small nuke bombs that fit in a suitcase , I'm sure they could make tiny reactors the size of a cigarette packet. Probably cheaper than a pack of cigarettes. Heaps of water for cooling to stop meltdowns. Only need just enough power to give those pesky wingers a run for their money on light wind days. I'm a genius, can't see any problems at all. I'm sure the guys developing the Fangy fin could iron out any bugs. I hear Flex2 has a lab in a hollowed out volcano.
