A growing sport, the longboard illusion?
January 4, 2008 · Print This Article
Are wave oriented longboards the future of the sport of windsurfing? Or is the future something else? The windsurfing industry seems to be putting lots of weight behind wave-oriented longboards. Will it pay off?
If you open your atlas and check out where people live, where they have realistic opportunities to go for an “after the work sail”, then it becomes painfully obvious that places with a high people density typically have no waves. I have personally lived in Mariehamn (Maarianhamina, Finland), Espoo (Finland), Dallas (Texas) and the Bay Area (California). In none of these places there has been any opportunity for wave sailing nearby. The Bay Area does have waves reasonably close, but it is quite a drive (1 1/2 hour plus) for the majority of the inhabitants in the area.
'The Longrider' Photo courtesy - Robert Oricci Designs (RRD)
There are great waves in Bretange, but no people, there are great waves on western Ireland, but no people, there are great waves in Cornwall and at some Scottish islands, but no people, there are great waves in Jylland, but no people. The pattern is consistent. The accessible market is small where there are waves nearby, but if sheltered bays, lakes, reservours and other flat water spots are seen as prime real estate the accessible market is MUCH bigger.
Futher more, the good wave spots can typically not take too much people before becoming overcrowded. And then no one will have fun, neither the old hands, nor the new-bees.
'Kona Surf' Photo courtesy - kona-windsurfing.com
People are upbeat with the SUP (Stand Up Paddle) trend, as it seems to rejuvenate light wind windsurfing, as many SUP boards do have a mast track. However, a more thorough analyses reveals that it is just yet another trick to squeeze some additional dollars out of the already existing base of windsurfers, and more specifically those already dedicated to wave sailing. There is also hope that some lay down surfers would pick up SUP and thus become a new market for the windsurfing brands that extend into SUP.
'Starboard SUP'
The wave-oriented windsurfing longboards are not much better. The target group for those are people already committed to wave sailing that want to ride waves also when the wind is just too light for any other equipment. Once again, it is unlikely to substantially grow the windsurfing population.
The project to convince people that planing windsurfing on wide boards is The thing has continued since about year 2000. This is admittedly one of the best things to happen to windsurfing, and it has at least stopped the windsurfer population decline. But at the same time, it has generated only very slow growth.
Windsurfing can grow only if people can find enjoyment in it close to their back yard, after work, at a spot that is within half an hour from their house. And indeed, the prime market are those that live in houses with yards and garages rather than flats as only those have realistic opportunities to store gear (except for a few fanatics that indeed store their sandy short board and smelly wet suit in their living room).
Family fun cannot be arranged so that the whole family takes off immediately when it is windy. Skip school, jobs, commitments, scheduled hobbies, just to go windsurfing. That is simply not going to happen in any substantial scale. Family life means planning ahead, and reserving five hours Saturday afternoon for windsurfing. Regardless of wind strength. 4 times out of 5 it will be light, the fifth time it will be windy but rainy and mom will cancel the trip. THAT is family life.
'The Kona One' Photo courtesy - kona-windsurfing.com
Cruising is the keyword. Zen-like glide and relaxation. Family fun. Kids on board. Do it together with new and old friends. Bring back windsurfing to populated areas, to beaches in urban areas, as visibility is the best marketing.
But at the same time those that are preaching the longboard message have to accept that planing windsurfing is more fun than light wind cruising. That is just a fact. The equipment people are using in light wind MUST work well in 20 knots of wind. It has to be fast and easy to use. It has to be versatile, and there has to be compromises in different performance aspects.
It is unrealistic to envision that windsurfing would be a mainstream sport. It will most certainly always be a niche sport, but the niche could be at least twice, or even three times, the size it is today (2007). That may be sustainable and healthy. But it does require that more windsurfing brands, and the windsurfing community in general, commits to the “painful” mind changes that growth requires. This is no different from what is needed to turn a loss making company around, a new vision, a realistic market plan, some painful course adjustments.
Neither the SUP nor the Wide-style board is a new vision. It is just the same old path to hell.
The unfortunate situation is that the only brand committed to growth, according to this analyses, is KONA. Tabou has a Windstyler board that would fullfill the the equipment profile but has kept a VERY low profile with it. RRD has launched a board (Longrider) that shows hope. Starboard and Bic do have longish hybrids in their program. But it is not enough to have a versatile longboard in the range, it has to be pushed forcefully into the market (because there is currently no pull, otherwise we would not be in this miserable situation).
The Serenity' Photo courtesy - Starboard
Versatile longboards
• KONA +++
• Tabou + (released, but not pushed)
• RRD + (just released)
SUP-oriented wave biased longboard
• Starboard- Mistral
• Naish
• Bic
• KONA
On the sidelines
• F2- Fanatic
• JP-Australia
• HiFly
One way to look at longboards is to classify them.
• Wave-oriented longboards: SUP with mast track, KONA waveboards
The wave-oriented longboards cater mainly to those that already are wave sailors. The SUP boards are particularly specialized wavetools, and not of much use for any other kind of windsurfing (especially not cruising).
• Cruising-oriented longboards: Serenity and Div2
Cruising oriented longboards are a niche phenomena, just like Div2 boards were in the heyday of windsurfing. They are just too specialized lightwind tools to make any significant impact on the growth trends of windsurfing. But these boards are still important as they showcase the maximum available lightwind performance.
• Freeride-oriented longboards: KONA Style/One, Tabou Windstyler, RRD Longrider
And then also hybrids that are boards with a length of less than 320 cm with a dagger. The longer ones (Starboard, Bic, Exocet) of these may give similar experiences as freeride-oriented longboards.
• Raceboards: Phantom 380, Warp-X 380.
The Raceboard is an important niche as it is the most competitve racing board in variable conditions. However with limited appeal for the masses.
Luckily windsurfing magazines have started to pick up on the longboard trend, but in general that have focused too much on only one parameter: the early planing (assuming that only planing windsurfing has real relevance). That leads to recommendations for relatively small (wide and short) and light (small volume) boards that do plane reasonably early but are far from long-lasting lightwind cruising fun. Unfortunately, if the ranking criteria are screwed up then the results are f—ked up as well.
'The Longrider' Photo courtesy - Robert Oricci Designs (RRD)
The conclusion: The only group of boards that can induce substantial growth for the windsurfing industry is the Freeride-oriented longboards. These boards perform reasonably well in non-planing conditions but really light up in planing conditions. And why is this? Lets list those that don’t induce growth, and the reasons: - Short and wide boards with small dagger: has been around for almost 10 years but has not become particularly popular among intermediates. It is ONLY a substitute until the windsurfer moves on to a small boards without a dagger (and becomes a neurotic high wind junkie).
• Light wind freestyle is a very marginal phenomena, and will stay so forever.
• Light wind high performance cruising is a marginal phenomena
• Longboard wavesailing cannot grow significantly because a) good wave breaks are few and far between b) population centers and wave breaks are not co-located c) huge numbers of longboard wave sailors would induce a war with the surfing community.
The variant of windsurfing that CAN grow, and has an opportunity to recruit a substantial amount of people to the sport, is one that does NOT require “good conditions”. It is a variant that makes “good conditions” out of most days, in most spots.
I really liked the article. I live on the Hudson river and have limited opportunities to get out on the water. I can’t wait for those days of perfect winds. I have a Starboard Go, but it’s not too much fun when the winds are under 10 MPH. As well, it’s limited upwind ability made getting back to my launch site iffy. Sometimes I’d spend 45 minutes just tacking upwind to get to where I needed to go. Then I began using a 20 year-old F2 longboard with a (gasp!) daggerboard. Then I started to sail whenever I needed, wherever I wanted. Wow. When there was no wind, my wife and I would stand on it and paddle. I just bought a Kona to increase my fun. Now I’ll be able to get out, no matter what the conditions.
Honestly, planing is fun but the constant emphasis on planing takes away from the pure joy of sailing. To me, any day on the water is a good day. I don’t what the conditions are. That’s why I like longboarding - it’s windsurfing for anyone.
Patrik,
I appreciate your article but I would have to disagree with you on your approach and your point of view. I believe that adding a stand-up board with a mast track to a person’s existing quiver can open up tons of possibilities for windsurfers, especially - but not limited to - those living near (or willing to drive to, for five hours on a saturday) the coast. And while there is no 100% right solution to making the sport triple in size, the wavesailing longboard/SUP board is a great addition to the market. I do happen to live by the ocean, and since I’ve gotten an SUP board with a mast track I have doubled my days on the water and gotten my quiver down to two boards and 3 sails: an 85L freestyle wave board and the SUP (plus one surfboard, a shortboard); a 3.7, 4.7 and 5.7. My effective windrange with this setup is 0mph-40mph and includes freestyle, waves, as well as freeriding. When I visit my family inland, this is the same quiver I take with me, and if I am traveling somewhere by car it is the same quiver. Your article is pessimistic and close-minded: longboard freestyle is a ton of fun and anyone can do it; you don’t need great waves or great wind to longboard wavesail; you can go upwind without a daggerboard/centerboard by digging the windward rail (and the starboard SUP board does have a daggerboard trunk); not everyone lives by the ocean/sea but many people take vacations. Lastly, I think the Kona(exocet) boards are great, but I feel it is inappropriate to discriminate against other products in order to elevate the products you distribute, especially in a published article. Sorry to bring on even more negativity. -Stuart Proctor, Hatteras Island NC, USA
Just thought I would chuck my two cents in as a newly converted longboarder. I have the new Longrider (apparently the first in Oz). What a board it goes ok in sub planning conditions and gets me out there when the wind is 5 knots, but planes up nicely. I love the fact that I can get sailing when everyone else is wallowing about. I live inland so gusty winds on the lake make sailing a stop go event, but not now. All I can say is that I am enjoying my sailing more now then when I started yeears ago.
Interesting points in the article.
I’ve been longboard wavesailing in Maui for 4 years now and for me it’s one of the most fun thing I can do in the water, since the waves are way glassier than when it’s blowing 20 knots.
I do not agree at all with the following statement: “But at the same time those that are preaching the longboard message have to accept that planing windsurfing is more fun than lightwind cruising.”
If we’re talking just cruising on flat water, planing speeds just bore me (yes, I’ve been windsurfing for a while). Gliding instead, opens up my heart and takes my mind into a magic that, I understand, not everybody can get.
The real kick I get out of windsurfing though, is when I ride waves. And as I said, longboard wavesailing rocks.
Check my blog for frequent longboard related posts: http://mauisurfreport.blogspot.com/
Yeah, I suspect I would love a SUP if we just would have suitable swell driven waves in Finland. And I do understand those who put a rig on these boards. It must be a blast. BUT, I do believe that those anyhow windsurf already, they don’t expand the windsurfing population (but add to the days windsurfed).
I really tried to be as evenhanded as possible with regards to different brands. I REALLY hope that Tabou and RRD are going to push their steptail longboards in 2008. But the unfortunate fact is that up until the 2007 season the KONA brand has been the only one really committed to longboard growth. That is unfortunately an objective fact. I hope that this statement can be modified a year from now!
I do hold on to my opinion that waveboards aren’t the key to radical growth, even if it is the kind of windsurfing I like the most myself. And this means that I feel it is correct to critize brands that haven’t yet gotten their priorities right (for doubledigit growth).
With regards to the distribution thing. It certainly seems as if I would have the pleasure to pay for working in the windsurfing industry. I have committed to a two year project to help start longboard windsurfing growth in Finland, and luckily I work full time (paid!) with R&D in the mobile internet industry
Really i cant agree more .There nothing new about the kona. In fact its narrow and tippy. thus not good for beginner which i beileve people , we were trying to attract more of ?? . If one promotes the kona as a learning package, i believe one is missing the point . Its a counter productive way of attracting people to the sport now that we have widestlyes. (the only real “phenomina” in a long time)
the thing is if widestyes were available when windsurfing started its shortboarding focus and decline, I beleive we would not be where we are right now with the low numbers in the sport.
Windsuring has alot of competition, in my neck of the woods kayaking is very popular as a non motorized water sport.
You sit in it grab a paddle and within minutes you can pretty well padlde away.
funny thing is I alos sail keelboats everyoen ooohs and ahh if we hit 8 knots under chute, i laugh my ass off knowing that even a good longboard in meduim conditions can glide as fast. But no one on the board has the slightest inkling of wanting to try windsurfing.
Funny eh
Windsurfing while a great sport has lots of competition, it has been and will continue to be an uphill battle for numbers.
Jeff E of the GWN
There seems to be a few negative comments about the Kona in here. Not sure why. It is without doubt the most versatile package currently on the market by a mile and due to the long term commitment that the manufacturers have to it, is sure to become the future of budget course racing around the world. Other’s will build fantastic high performance raceboards that we would all love to own but in this day and age the average socio economic level existing out there must be considered and again Exocet are the only manufacturer that have really acknowleged this by building the board and sail out of less expensive materials. While a Kona may be a bit more tippy than a wide style learning board, it doesn’t take all that long to get past this as we all did in the 80’s during the boom of the sport. In lighter winds, sailing and turning a long board is on another planet to a wide board. Not sure I like the original article that generated this debate, but am a huge supporter of the Exocet Kona One and the staff that work there as they are doing it more for the sport than to line their pockets. Bravo.
Darell , as to my comments its really nothing negetive about the kona. (what i mean by kona make no mistake is the standard kona). Definatley comments are not against the people who are committed to the cause of windsufing or perhaps the cause of the kona , but
its an old style longboard reincarnated…
nothing, more nothing less duck tail included . If it brings more people to windsurfing hip hip hooray .
When it comes to widestyles versus the longboard during learning , there is NO substitute for a widestyle when it comes to the basics.
there is nothing more frustrating to a beginner in having an semi stable platform while trying to fiddle with the sail trim.
a few falls backwards off the narrow longboard and many will give up and never try again.
if you can keep even 10% more wannabe sailors that would have walked away at that point in the sport …thats a huge number.
it has to be as easy as possible in the beginning !!!
jeff e
In answer to weather SUP paddlers will invest in rigs for their boards and start windsurfing. The answer is yes. I am a sales rep for Mistral in the Great Lakes and several of my dealers have started out carrying boards and paddles but are beginning to offer rigs. Kyle from the Outpost of Manistee in Michigan called me a couple weeks ago and said his customers find the Mistral Pacifico to be one of the best windsurfing boards.
There is no question in my mind that the high gas prices will guide those who used to seek petrol powered thrills toward human and eventually wind power. Now unlike the seventies when the last boom happened they can see on You tube just what is possible.
Frederick (Chicago)
Thanks to Kona to bring a lot of people on water, and thanks to their one design races all other the world!
I believe it is this huge move that decided Starboard, Exocet and now Mistral to launch high performance raceboards.
Lets hope the magazines will follow the move…I am not sure!