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Dodgy ankle has put paid to much of my old sporting life. Fancy giving windsurfing a go.
Does anyone have any recommendations for places to give it a try in Kent?
Any advice generally?
Camber could be good. There's a coastal water sports centre on the Lydd side of the town and at a large lake on the Rye side.
I think you can do lessons at Bewl Water
Years ago I had Kitesurf lessons at the Kitesurf Centre in Camber. They also do Windsurfing I think.
No recent experience of them but I keep an eye on their posts on FB, I’d give them a try.
I’d also recommend kitesurfing instead, but might not be great for your ankle.
EDIT: Actually just checked, looks like they’ve dropped the windsurfing.
Aha, actually my lessons originally were with Rye Watersports.
I *think* the instructor I had started his own school, the Kitesurf Centre.
Bewl is probably your best bet. Rye watersports is a great place to sail when you have your own kit as the wind is steady and decent quite often.
If you get into wavesailing and jumping then it can be pretty hard on the ankles, but that's a way down the line so not worth worrying about.
It's a brilliant sport. Incredibly hard but utterly thrilling. The feeling of hanging from the harness under the sail with the board clattering across the surface of the water at 20mph is indescribably awesome.
Great advice chaps.
Give Mark at Boardworx (used to be Whitstable Windsurfing) a call, really nice shop and a good place to learn. I sometimes kitesurf at Whitstable, good spot but watch the oyster beds and shells on your feet.
Leybourne Lakes near Maidstone is used for Windsurfing and I did some lessons there many years ago.
My FiL often talks about Bewl water. It's supposed to be very good.
My mates kitesurf there and spend their time between Whitstable, camber and pegwell bay near ramsgate depending on the wind. One of my friends had kitesurfing lessons at pegwell and Whitstable. Bewl as mentioned would be a good in land option.
Bewl is ok for learning but the wind is really shifty which can be frustrating. Bough Beech sailing club is an option with a sw wind blowing over the dam wall so is nice and smooth.
I think there's a club down in Eastbourne too.
Not so stealth ad....
I am selling all my kit, 2 boards, 5 sails booms masts wetsuits etc.
As said above blasting along in the footsteps hooked in to the harness is superb.
I learnt to windsurf at Whitstable Windsurfing many years ago. Did they have a shop in the main street?
Moved away from the coast and lost touch/interest with the sport.
In many ways I wish I had not moved really.
Rye watersports is an excellent place to learn as the wind is quite clean there as the lake is in a flat area. Bewl is a lovely location but the wind is more tricky. Nice changing rooms and hot showers though! Eastbourne has indeed got an excellent club where you can start on the pond before hitting the sea. Started at all of those locations about 20 years ago. I'd say pick wherever is nearest as you do need to commit pretty fully when you're starting off.
Not sailed for last few years because of injury and the scene has changed massively. Wing foiling seems to be becoming incredibly popular locally and a few of the boys are now predicting it'll be the death of windsurfing except for high wind sailing. Wonder if the option to go straight to foiling will soon be available?