+1, I think that there should be a revamp on the forum structure by the admins.

There should be a separate freestyle section. A newbies/beginners section and a photo/video section where you can chuck up sessions etc...

i think because u learn quickly and are not a newbie for long

Nah we don't need a Newbies forum cos we don't get aggro and hang sh1t on the beginners like the Kiters do.

Greenleader is right I think - why would very experienced sailors visit a newbies forum, and they are the ones who dish out the best advice.
If it aint broke, don't fix it.

Breaking the forums further up is not a good idea. There was a bit of a backlash about the setting up of the wavesailing forum. If the forums are fragmented then the amount of people reading them will decrease.

There would be very few windsurfers who are not keen for new entrants so we don't put crap on them like the kiters do. Why is that? Coz basically I think a new windsurfer is unlikely to cause the sort of havoc a new kiter could cause.


I think the compulsory use of tags is a better suggestion. So all threads must be in one category or another.

Edit
LotofWind there are plenty of new windsurfers out there. Witness the threads on the NSW forum about Venturer Scouts. I've taught over five people to windsurf in the last year. Lots of windsurfers have the skills to teach and having access to a beginner board and sail makes it easy to learn. Who knows? It might be good for kiting too as many kiters come from windsurfing or do both sports. They usually are the best kiters as they don't have the sh!thead attitude that seems to permeate the kiting culture.

Yes there are many kitesurfing schools. However I would not want to invest my time or money into one of them if I was into kitesurfing, unless I realised it was not something I could plan to retire on. Just like there was in windsurfing there is a bubble of desire and interest to kitesurf. One day that bubble pricks and you have to shut up shop.

If anything I think windsurfing is healthier now than what it was in the 80s. The industry seems reasonably settled and those making a living out of it seem to do okay. Windsurfing has gone through the boom and bust and now as an industry seems to be on a sustainable level.

A newbies FAQ thread would be a good idea, however a lot of the questions are related to their own weight and wind situation which varies a lot. A standard reply would not suit.
I agree more experienced windsurfers would not visit the newbies forum and newbies would miss out on the wealth of experience forums are useful for.

At first I thought a Newbie section would be the go but after reading some of the comments I now think na, they'd be better off in the general section as now. Some of the advice I dish out might be diddly poop but I do throw my 2c in every now and again, not sure if I'd go looking in another section so I can bang away with two fingers
I do think there should be a separate Freestyle section for sure

Mobydisc said...

Breaking the forums further up is not a good idea. There was a bit of a backlash about the setting up of the wavesailing forum. If the forums are fragmented then the amount of people reading them will decrease.

i thought the same thing when it was first suggested, but it seems to have worked out pretty well. At least one extra forum for something like freestyle couldn't cause too much of an upset

lotofwind said...

newbie windsurfers?????????
Are there any people still wanting to learn?
All the windsurfer schools have closed around here due to lack of intrest(clients).

Stirrer..