I am the only person never to have had a windsurf lesson?? It seems that every windsurfer I ever talk to or hear from on these forums has been on a Guy Cribb coaching course. Or, if not a Guy Cribb one then they've at least had lessons at Moon Beach or some other exotic windsurf location. And it seems as though most people have been on such courses several times....

Meanwhile I still plod along teaching myself everything and having never windsurfed outside of the UK.

Maybe, once the house is built it'll be time to save up for a windsurf coaching holiday.

Al.

I had a lesson once

click here

seriously though these course's are supposed to be pretty good these days and I guess they are a step on from the RYA level one course's I used to teach.

Still you can't beat time on the water for improving and you do get plenty of that

iv neaver had a lesson i carnt say Self taught more magazine taught and gleaning bits of info of people on the beach.
nice one paul is that nik baker teaching you and some innovative new kit your on

Bit of a recovering lesson ex-junkie here, although had none in a year now..

To add another view to things...

Peeps like me discover windsurfing in their 30s or later, and suddenly there just isn¥t the time to fart about learning from mistakes. We need to get good QUICK before bits start dropping off and drooping... There certainly is a sniff of ¥crisis¥about it, wishing we¥d discovered windsurfing 20 years earlier. So clinics & stuff seem like a good way to make up for lost time. And a good way for pros to make money!!!

So I reckon that¥s why lessons are so popular. Fret not about it, I think the perfect balance is in fact 10% lesson, 90% d-i-y on the water. So there.

This is my (slightly biased) opinion as an RYA L5 instructor.

I started windsurfing in the RAF, after many years dinghy sailing, in '87 with someone shouting random instructions from the shore of a lake in Telford. Years later, after I qualified as a L1 instructor, I found that I could get a novice sailing up to the same level in 1 weekend that it took me 3 months to get to.

The unfortunate side effect of windsurfings' go for it attitude is an arrogant "what the hell can you teach me" attitude that is missing from other sports such as skiing (most people automatically book lessons when they hit the slopes).

My aim when I go out sailing is to glean as much from those that are better than me. I have gained a lot from structured lessons and, given the friendly nature of windsurfers, most of the time this advice is free.

I'm not saying get lessons every time you sail but it pays to sail with people who are better than you and it certainly gets you off those plateaus but make sure you get lessons off a reputable school.

I wasn't saying I was against lessons or thought there ws nothing anyone could teach me, I've just recently started to realsie that everyone seems to have them and I hadn't really ever thought about it for myself.

I started in about 1985 when there wasn't many places to have lesson. I got an old Dufour Wing board and 6.3m triangular sail, worked out how to stick it all together and just got out there and worked it out for myself. All this probably explains why why its takern me so long to get to the crap standard I am now!!!

Mind you, I did the same with snowboarding.... got a board and boots, waited for it to snow in the hills here and just went for it.

My main problem about booking either lessons or even a windsurf holiday is that I can never find anywhere that offers everything I want at a price I can afford. So I always stay in Borth which does have everything I want and doesn't cost anything!! I've tried several times now to book a windsurf holiday, but it just never happens as I'm not brave enough to spend that sort of money just in case I'm there for the only week when there isn't any wind.

Al.

There must be a few instructors reading this forum. Maybe there be should a forces-of-nature teach-in at borth ! Get the instuctors to come to you al!

befs (5 days of 1-2-1 lessons at moonbeach, cos I was the only guest there !)

yep had a few, but always blowing a good un during the session and end up wishing i was blasting about with mates. cant beat em vidio clinics to highlight your deficencies though .

Not sure what it is with the video thing but everytime the camera went anywhere near me my sailing went to pot, and got even worst than it was normaly, if that is possible

befs

Last autumn (Gower weekend time) I had a pants time - rushing home for bereavement, no wind, got sick etc. I¥d actually planned to go to Ireland, and SO GLAD I didn¥t waste the money on the ferry.

For every person I know who¥s had a great time on an expensive exotic windsurf holiday, I know another who spent megabucks on two weeks of no wind.

So I personally reckon that if it¥s pure tuition you¥re after & improvement, it¥s best done ¥as & when¥ with an instructor in the UK. Windsurf holidays are great if you need a HOLIDAY, but you have to imagine how you¥d feel if you spend a grand on a trip then had no wind....

btw... in Tarifa, we¥ve had ONE day of decent wind in 10 days. There are lies, damned lies, and wind stats!!!

I don't know whether some of the problem with lessons is to do with the level people are at, and the expectation.

There are a number of comments about 'expensive holidays', well as adjesq says if you need a holiday you might as well make it a windsurfing one.

I found that with two weeks of good tuition and sailing (whenever it's windy) I improved my personal standard, which is what it's all about.

As a result I have been back to the same place several times, and although I've probably outgrown it I am going again, because it's a good holiday.

I don't know whether I should now venture to some of the more recognised Windsurf Centres, but I worry about talking it all too seriously.

Having said all that I want to say how much I have enjoyed the coaching and been inspired by most of the instructors I have met, (you can't win them all). The best thing that most of them have given to me is enthusiasm
and they haven't laughed too much.

[Edited on 30-4-2003 by Dave]