What do you think about windsurfing?

Hell, no you are not too old.
If you are in good physical shape, why not try it?
I think it looks like an absolute blast! That is something I would go for if it wasn’t for balance issues.

Yes. You can also water jet pack

It’s when you think you’re too old that you most assuredly will be.

Familiarize yourself with some basic sailing principles, and make sure your arms and shoulders are pretty strong. Then go out there and have some fun! It’s been a long time since I’ve done it, but I loved it? :-)

Try it! It’s nothing I have ever had an interest in, but you’re not me – so what the heck – try it.

George Bush did parachuting when he was 87 (or maybe 88) years old. So no reason not to try this, at least on the grounds of age.

What does your spouse thinK?

Take a lesson, and do it on a relatively calm day. Also, I recommend doing it on a lake.

Thanks guys.
I especially like to hear what windsurfer athletes think.
Weather conditions can be a huge factor. Winds gusting to 30 knots with 3 foot surf is what expert windsurfers live for. I don’t plan on ever going there.

My arm and core muscles are strong. I race canoes all year around (for the last 5 years since I retired). Paddle 5 to 7 days a week (well over 2000 miles/year). I’m good at steering canoes.

Balance and managing the sail would likely be my biggest challenge.

@canidmajor My wife says to go for it.

You aren’t too old. But, be prepared to potentially be pulled 30 feet up, at random. Hitting the water, from that height, you’ll feel it…Then, you have to gather your kite, and get it back in the air, after your trauma…
I have trouble getting a flooded kayak, or canoe, to the shore. Sometimes, I have to just lay on the shore, for 10 minutes… It’s risky. But, probably fun…

I agree with @Caravanfan. Take a lesson, calm day, on a lake at first. You should definitely follow your dreams.

@MrGrimm888 I’ve saw a guy flying some sort of kite or foil sail over our canoe while racing at the Columbia Gorge (last July). The conditions were epic strong wind and high surf (So much fun in a 35 foot 6-man outrigger canoe). I not interested in kite-surfing (just windsurfing). I’ve seen windsurfers do flips in the air (I’m not interested in doing tricks or flying high through the air). I’m not interested in windsurfing in extreme conditions. If the conditions aren’t mild then I won’t go out.

Also safety first. I’ve watched a few videos on windsurfing and no one was wearing a leash and the advanced windsurfers don’t wear a PFD. I’ll be wearing both plus carrying a cell phone, whistle and staying close to shore.

My Ex took lessons one summer, a birthday present from me. As I remember, there was a lot of falling down and getting up in the beginning but as it progressed, he really enjoyed it. You definitely need lessons and on a lake as suggested, but why not go for it!

Yeah. You’re crazy, if you are not wearing a well fitting PFD. I only take mine off, in the Edisto River. Because it’s only 3–4 feet deep, at the time of year I kayak, or float it.

@MrGrimm888 I always wear a PFD while paddling in the PNW lakes, rivers and the Puget Sound in races and workouts with my club. Most paddlers in the PNW don’t wear a PFD unless a race absolutely requires it. We always have PFD’s available under the canoe seats (like on airplanes). I wear a PFD not for me but for other paddlers. If the canoe flips there won’t be time to get a PFD out from under the seat if someone is struggling. So I’ll be able to rescue someone in trouble quickly. They can hang onto me and not pull us both down.

^My man. That’s similar to why I always wear one. When a paddle vessel flips, it goes FAST. Mine has Styrofoam, under the seats, so, it can’t completely sink. Mt Sarnac, is actually very hard to flip. But I’m typically alone, and in saltwater (something that I don’t recommend, for canoes, and sit in kayaks.) I have a great wooden paddle, but I also have two backup, aluminium paddles strapped in the canoe. When you flip alone, you have to prioritize swimming to get your paddle. Then swim back to the boat, and drag the sunken vessel to the safest nearby land. That shit is exhaustive. I’m not sure if I could do all that without a PFD. I have a 14.6 ft canoe. So, if it isn’t too flooded, I can usually climb back in, and bail it out, out paddle to shore. That’s tough too though. It’s a 100 lb boat, and turning over, in waves, and current, is rough. If a 100 ft barge goes by, I t-bone the waves, but, if my bow submerges, I’m going down.

Then there are storms. I probably don’t have to tell you how fast the weather can turn, on the water. That’s when I tie a glowstick, to my vest, and hope that if I get struck by lightning, someone will find my floating body, and possibly revive me…

I fish in swamps too. The infamous Hell Hole Swamp, is full of bream. My favorite fish. But it’s also FULL of alligators, and Water Moccasins. The spiders , are ridiculous sized, but they are not venomous. If a snake drops in my boat, I’m out, like fast. So keeping a nice Life jacket on, is smart. Jumping out of a canoe, with a snake in it, into alligator infested water, is no fun. Frying pan, to the fire stuff… But I figure my PFD, gives me a little armor too. And I always keep my shoes on. Which makes swimming harder, but protects my feet somewhat. I also have a decent knife, with a 4 inch blade, on my vest. Alligators, aren’t supposed to be bigger than 12 feet, but I’ve seen some longer than my canoe. You’re talking about a 700 lb animal. I’m only 250… But I’m not easy to kill, and I think most gators, consider my boat, another creature. So, although I am 4 inches out of the water, I feel like they respect my size. I’ve had them grab my fish, when reeling in, and I just cut the line. I don’t use galvanized hooks, on purpose. They should rust other of an animal’s mouth, eventually.
I used to carry a pistol too, but I lost one to the water. So, it’s just knives from now on.
It’s interesting that the alligators, seem to accept me, in their environment, if I don’t pose a threat. I’ve gotten REALLY close to some big guys, and they seem to be OK with me being there. The babies swim up to me, all the time. 2–3footers. They’re usually the ones who grab my fish.

I’ve seen some old man made structures, DEEP in the swamp. It is likely part of the Swap Foxes, old structures. The British, were afraid of the area. Nobody else, could have built them. I once stumbled upon what must have been a long dock. It was way up, in the swamp. There were pilings only inches under the water, that sanded over 100 feet. They must be remnants, from the revolutionary war. I LOVE finding stuff like that… I have seen things like that, several times.
Paddle vessels, are awesome…
I wish I could paddle with you, in the Pacific Ocean. It must be great…

It’s totally your call. What’s the worst that could happen.

^^^ Literally, death. Unlikely, but drowning does happen.

Oh yeah. You can still drown, even with a perfect PFD.
When there was that bomb cyclone, on the Pacific Ocean, about a month ago, they recorded a 75 ft tall wave, with averages around 35 ft. If you get tossed around in that, you’re fucked. Even with a survival suit, and PFD. Plain water, weighs 8.9 lbs/gallon (not sure about saltwater. ) being battered, by such large waves, would beat anyone to death. There aren’t many boats, capable sustaining such waves, you’re going to end up, in the water. Then, you’re done for.
There are many ways water can kill you.

Only you know if you still have what it takes. Can you do any kind of trial first?

I bet there’s a place that rents them.

@MrGrimm888 You are a tough hombre to deal with alligators.

The most dangerous aspect of canoe paddling or windsurfing in my area of the PNW is cold water. The water temperature is 44 degrees F in Puget Sound and colder in lakes where ice typically forms. I would probably loose consciousness after <20 minutes in the water. That’s why I usually paddle with a buddy. When I paddle by myself I stay close to shore. When my canoe flips I can flip it back and be back on it and paddling in far less than one minute. No bailing is needed.

FYI: I just bought a complete windsurfer rig (used) from an expert windsurfer on eBay for $500. It’s located about a 2 hour drive away. He’s going to deliver it to me. I’ll probably wait until we get a warm day this Spring to try it out.

Thanks for all of your input.

You can get hypothermia, in any water, that’s a few degrees lower than normal body temperature. If you are exposed long enough.

I’m usually battling heat stroke. I got too far up a creek once, letting the tide carry me in. It was about 95° F, and very sunny. I was pouring water on my self, and drinking lots of Gatorade. But the direct sunlight, was beginning to take a toll. I was probably a mile from the nearest tree. I started getting light headed. So. I turned around and paddled towards the closest island I knew of. But I was paddling against the tide, and really feeling sick. It took me 45 minutes, to get within eyesight of Wolf Island, and it’s shade. I was starting to brown out. It took every thing I had to, cover the remaining distance.
When I got there, I just threw my anchor as far ashore as possible, and jumped out. I swam to a shady part of the shoreline, and layed in the water, for about half an hour, keeping only my face above water. I figure, if the island was a mere 100 feet further, I wouldn’t have made it.
I’ve been trying to design a top, for my canoe, but every design I’ve tried catches the wind, or makes fishing very hard…

I’m glad you got a kit. Be careful bro. And I hope you enjoy it. Update us, on your maiden voyage…

@MrGrimm888 That’s a close one. Sounds like you made the right decisions. Of course you’ll be safer paddling with a buddy.

I seem to deal with heat and high humidity OK. Never had problems in Hawaii and other places where paddlers needed immediate medical treatment for their heat injury.

One time I planned to paddle in the Puget Sound with two buddies. They didn’t show up. So I went out by myself (with PFD, leash, extra paddle, whistle and a VHS radio). My plan was just to paddle 3 miles out and 3 miles back. I got out about 1 mile and very suddenly the wind picked fiercely. Big whitecaps. Tried to turn the canoe around to go back. I wasn’t strong enough. So I just angled (with the outrigger down wind for stability) and headed for shore (about 2 miles off course to get back to my truck). Made it to a rocky beach where the wind and surf were beating up the bottom of my canoe really bad. Luckily a man walking on the beach helped me carry my canoe through the strong wind to a near by cliff that offered some wind protection. At no time did I feel like my life was in danger or that I was out of control of my canoe on the water. No need to radio for help. I sat with my canoe on the beach for 4 hours. When the wind died down I got the hell out of there.

I’m sure you have more stories…

I’ve got plenty. But, I learned from each mistake. I know it’s not smart, to go out alone.
It’s kind of a long story. I am terrified, of the water…
But, it pisses me off, to be afraid of anything. So. I’ve been kayaking/canoeing, by myself, for over 10 years now. I go to the scarry places, like Hell Hole Swamp. Not just for the fish. I want to be there. The shit I’ve been through, and having to do it by my self, have helped me with my fear.
I’ve also learned, how enjoyable it can be. I have a chaotic life. Once I calm down, I find an unmatched peace, in the swamps, and marshes.
Dolphins helped me a LOT. They come around at sunset, mostly. They swim around me, and seem to escort me. They stay VERY close to me, and it feels (probably falsely,) like they are my friends watching my back.

Even the alligators, seem to axcept me, as part of the swamps. They’re intimidating, but they don’t bother me. They give me a sense of belonging. If there’s a 12 footer, close to me, I know nothing else will get near me… I paddle very quietly, and don’t disturb the water much. When they realize that I am just another animal, and mean them no harm, they just swim up, and swim away. I’ve felt them bump my boat before, and then they swim away, afraid. As I said, I think they view my canoe, as a bigger animal. They are a different animal than the crocodiles, in Florida. I stay away from them. I’ve seen some absolutely massive ones, in Lake Okeechobee. Impossibly large, and the gun I used to carry, would not kill them. I once, accidentally, got within 5 feet of a monster. It was at least 16 feet long, and 3 feet wide. It was sitting so still, I didn’t notice it. Once I noticed it, I got the fuck away, but it never moved… I got about 20 bream, that day, “beating the banks..” But I didn’t return to the lake, in a paddle vessel…
The croc, could have easily killed me. Lesson learned…

When you are in the water, you are no longer the top of the food chain…

You should start brining a GoPro camera with you to capture your adventures. You have nerves of steel.

No way would I paddle in your alligator infested waters.

I’m AOK in the water. I feel completely at easy and in total control. Even in heavy surf in the open ocean where we jump in and out of our canoe during races. So sad that people panic and drown. If they would only relax and roll onto their back and float then they’d be fine (of course freezing cold water changes that).

Well, I don’t go into alligator infested swamps, at night. I’ve been stuck in storms, and had to paddle out at night. THAT’S no fun. They are more aggressive, at night, and it’s hard to see them. If you shine a light around, you see dozens of eyes. I always have a head lamp, just in case. But they will seem to come after me, at night.
I catch a lot of Gars, in the summer swamps. They are pretty scary. They have giant rows of needle-like teeth, and incredible armor. I treat them like sharks, and cut my lines. My father shoots them, if I’m with him. But, I’ve studied them up close, when I accidentally bring one in. It’s a prehistoric design, and you can see why they are still around. They’re aggressive as hell. You pretty much have to kick them out of the boat. My father brought a 4 footer into the boat once. It was dangerous, as hell. I insisted that he not hurt it, and tried to remove the hook. The damn thing nearly bit me, repeatedly. It’s snout was about 9 inches long, and filled with formidable teeth. They don’t really have scales. More like a woven armor. I can’t really articulate it… My father killed them, because eat the fish, we’re going after. He was very cruel, to them. They are not a fish, you want to eat. They’re hard to clean, and very bony. They won’t attack you, in the water, but they’ve grabbed hundreds of my caught fish, before I could get them reeled in.
I don’t like them, but they are impressive. When I was just a teenager, my father kept one. I examined it’s corpse, back at the camp site. What an amazing animal…
I tried to clean it, so we could get some meat from it, and it was like cutting though wood. Kind of like cleaning a shark. I might opine, that they are tougher, than sharks. Sharks are mostly cartilage, so you saw them between the vertebrae, and make steaks. But they have really tough skin, and are muscular. It’s like sawing through a 2×4…

But, at least you can eat the shark… I like them best grilled.

A friend of mine, brought us 3 sharks, about 3 ft long. He said he didn’t want them. I cleaned them all, and we had a nice cookout. But I was exhausted, from sawing through the bodies. It took me, over an hour, to clean the 3. They were delicious though. Orange juice, and lemon pepper.
I used all the meat. I even cut some, from around the head. Then, as I always do, I threw the remaining fish, in the woods. Something, probably ate the rest. I hate to waste any part of an animal…

I love shark steaks…