I am seriously considering this sport.. but after days and days of researching online... I am having 2nd thoughts.....
it seems like this sport is slowly dying.. There is less and less people doing this sport.. Especially around here (I live in Libertyville close 30 mins from wisco border). I cant find rentals, shops, even classes....

Also I have been looking at the weather forecast recently.. Its always around 6-12 knots of wind (for example today its like 3-8 knots).. I know that to get planing or to have fun, u need around 12 knots at least..

I am a bit worried of how often I can actually go out?

Personally, I have a very demanding job... I work about 50-60 hours a week.. The only true day off I have is Sunday.. One day a week + strict weather condition.. I feel like I wont be able to surf much..


Any suggestions? Is this honestly a good sport near in this area??

Max wrote:

Hi!

As a beginner, you won't need 12kn of wind to learn this sport. Planing is not the only way to have fun on a windsurfer. Cruising in displacement mode can be fun too. It's just a different way to enjoy the sport and a different stage in your progression.

The sport doesn't seem to be dead. It's actually regaining some grounds and manufacturers have a hard time to fulfill the demand - maybe just a COVID effect, who knows?! But for sure, it is less popular than back in the 80s and 90s. But who cares, if it's fun to do, why worry about how popular or unpopular it is?

As far as maximizing your opportunities for sessions when the weather is right, work or any scheduled commitments are certainly getting in the way. However, once you can windsurf, you can learn how to windfoil (foil attached to the board instead of the fin) to get you going in more marginal - less windy - conditions. Proximity to a launch site can also be a factor that promotes frequency. And yes, the midwest is a great area to windsurf - whether on the great lakes or on inland lakes. This website has a full inventory of places to go to.

As far as learning, I have to admit, there are not a whole lot of options around. A couple I know; maybe a bit far but here they are:
- North Shore Windsurfing Club offers free initiation classes on Lake Winnebago during the summer months near Appleton, WI. Check their Facebook page for more info.
- Sheboygan Sailing School used to offer windsurfing clinics in the summer last year. Not sure this is still happening this year though. Located in Sheboygan, WI.
I'm not sure what's available in Illinois...

The best way to learn windsurfing is to take a vacation trip to a destination where you can dedicate a few hours over a few consecutive days with an instructor. Doing it on your own would be frustrating especially if you've never had an experience sailing on anything. Here are a couple of great places to learn:
- The Outer Banks in NC (Avon, NC) is a great place to do that: Warm and shallow waters, steady moderate wind in summer, experienced windsurfing instructors
- For a more exotic destination, the lovely island of Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean: 86 degree year-round, great for a winter vacation, tropical shallow lagoon, top-spot to learn and progress, great vacation spot with world-class diving activity.

Anyone I know that has been patient enough to engage with this sport has been hooked for life! Not the easiest sport around but very rewarding for those who put the effort.
Good luck!

Let's see what happens tomorrow, Thursday afternoon - evening 7/08/2021 at Greenwood beach in Evanston - the windsurfing Mecca of northern IL.

Greenwood Beach base wind forecast 7/08/2021

Hard to say... Call northwestern sailing center and see if they're doing lessons this year. They used to do a beginners course that also included @ a month of membership after the course so you could keep going there and using the gear. Maybe you could try vacationing somewhere that offers lessons and rentals? If you try it and your not into it there is your answer. It's a frustrating sport for a lot of reasons (challenging to learn, weather doesn't cooperate, dialing in gear can be difficult and expensive), but I think most of us are hopelessly addicted (in a good way?). When the conditions come together and your gear is dialed in it's magical.

If you get into it you'll find a way to get time on the water whether that means windsurfing vacations or something else.

There area lot of other activities that are easier to do... but they aren't windsurfing

there is also:

For a busy person, it helps to have easily accessible sites that are sailable. How are your inland lakes for launching and sailing? Lake Michigan is not often sailable for beginners due to direction, waves, wind strength. A good beginner site is key, any site becomes more advanced when there is more wind.
I would never deflect someone from windsurfing to kiting, but this winging thing (wing foiling, see youtube) really could be an alternative to learning windsurfing. Yes, the foil is expensive, technical, and probably difficult, but the wing is not and one can start out with a cheap inflatable SUP and a wing. Initial start seems equivalent or easier than beginning windsurfing, and then progressing to the foil looks every bit as fun and exciting as windsurfing.

Coleman Lieb wrote:

LOL, this one went from "I'm ready, bring it on" to "someone on reddit made me doubt myself" to "windsurfing is dead and buried /said the guy on reddit/" in less then 24 hrs. Should be an excellent kiter material this one.

Meanwhile in Evanston...

2 windsurfers and 3 surfers catch an afternoon sesh.

Better day was July 1.

That's a beautiful day, David. When you think about the population of the greater Chicago area and how few have experienced that exhilaration and view from the turquoise waters of Lake Michigan we are lucky.