I've been asked to help with a special project... Camp Couchiching has a new windsurfing pavillion named after local windsurfer Dean H-P.
They want to get their leadership campers to get some windsurfing experience and looked me up on Sail Canada to see if I could help. Camp program director James was terrific in his enthusiasm for getting the July lessons organized.
This was stage one; I visited the camp and did a inventory of the gear they have. I was excited to find 6 wide style boards that are good for teaching on. While modern in design, they are a bit dirty but should clean up nicely. Eventually we found the dagger boards!
A few of the very old sails had been stored on the floor and that age old bane of winter windsurfing storage - mice did some damage. Luckily a half dozen 2.0 to 3.0 small trainer rigs were in great shape. There are a ton of good booms, masts and universals. We rigged up all the gear and got the sail locker organized.
Then it was time for me to give James a lesson and check out the beach and wind. In July we'll have a simulator on the dock to practice on. We made do with a quick land lesson and then right into the waist deep water. James did great, coming in a bit downwind after his first tack on the smaller 175l board. He stayed nicely upwind on his second run out and back on the 200l board. James stayed dry on the larger board - I think they'll eventually be ordering larger rather than smailler replacement boards. Right now they just need a few more sails in the 3.5 to 4.0 range.
I'm looking forward to when Len and I are at the Camp in July to teach a new generation of windsurfers. Here are some photos from the set up day.
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