Classic Windsurfing 1980 Lee on the Solent

A trip down memory lane. ‘Old School’ classic windsurfing from the 1980s when Vinta and Tencate boards were the best sellers! These boards were indestructable being made from a ‘washing up bowl’ type of plastic.  New Waves were custom boards made from GRP and considered radical at the time.  The New Waves board in the gallery is a 320 – I wish I still had it.

The gallery features some photographs from  the early days windsurfing at Wadi Darbat, Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman and from Lee on the Solent

1980s windsurfing at Lee on the Solent

Early days windsurfing at Wadi Darbat, Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman

Sultanate of Oman open windsurfing championships

Classic windsurfing 1980 An exciting time to be windsurfing with New Waves custom GRP boards. By todays standards the sails were primative triangular pieces of material and booms that attached by rope. Happy Days!

1980s windsurfing at Lee on the Solent

1980s windsurfing at Lee on the Solent

Early days windsurfing at Wadi Darbat, Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman

The boom of the 1980s led windsurfing to be recognized as an Olympic sport in 1984. However, windsurfing’s popularity saw a sharp decline in the mid-1990s, thanks to licensing battles, and equipment becoming more specialized and requiring more expertise to sail. The sport experienced a modest revival, as new beginner-friendly designs became available. Further pressure came as a proportion of avid windsurfers took up the similar sport of kitesurfing. Wikipedia.

Fast forward to the present Windsurf Magazine