Boardsailing comes into its own

Sailors blend surfing, and sailing.

Ted Schweitzer sailed to first place in the Olympic Qualification Regatta.

By Carla Fisher

It was in Europe that boardsailing caught on in the late '60s. But in the last five years, the sport has come to America and grown to be an Olympic event.

Yes, it seems appropriate that the U.S. Olympic team had a sailboarding entry in Los Angeles this year. It was in California that two enterprising engineers came up with the first sailboard design in 1967.

But the popularity of sailboards has mushroomed throughout the country—not just on the coasts. You can find sailboards in all types of water from Iowa to Wyoming to Arizona.

A sailboard is actually very similar to the more familiar surfboard. The standard board is 12 feet long and made of various types of plastic or polyethylene and filled with foam core. The board itself weighs about 40 pounds.

But while surfboards relied on the surf to move them along, sailboards harness the wind with a free-sail system attached to the board. The sail is similar to one used on a small sailboat, but surrounded with a wishbone boom. The boardsailor maneuvers the board as he shifts his body weight and adjusts the sail.

There are now two fleets (clubs) in Illinois—one that serves the Chicago

Illinois Parks and Recreation 34 September/October 1984

metropolitan area and the Springfield club that has members from throughout central Illinois and St. Louis.

"I think it caught on in Europe first because it really fit the European lifestyle," explained John Proper, captain of the sailboard fleet in Springfield. "Sailboards are small and easy to transport on small cars. They can be used in oceans, rivers, lakes—just about any body of water. And they're fun."

Proper and his wife own Adventure Sports, a sporting goods shop in Springfield which specializes in Windsurfer sailboards and accessories. They organized the Springfield fleet (or sailboard club) and also give sailboard lessons. The Springfield fleet was organized in 1979 with five members. Today it has 60.

The Chicago fleet was organized in 1980 with five members. Fred Hartray, captain of the Chicago fleet, has watched interest mushroom. Today, there are 60 active members and more than 300 people interested enough to join and be placed on the mailing list. Hartray was introduced to boardsailing in Italy. Aside from Lake Michigan, boardsailors seem to enjoy Diamond Lake in Mundelein.

It seems that all shapes and sizes of people have gotten involved with boardsailing. Children can learn to operate one by the time they are nine and 10-years-old. Ability is more dependent on body weight (they should be 50 to 60 pounds) than age. One member of the Springfield fleet is 72.

Most people can learn to safely rig, launch and sail a board with about five or six hours of training. That means they would be able to rig the board properly, launch and direct it —and get back to the same spot— in light to moderate winds.

Women in central Illinois seem more interested in this motorless sport than men. Boardsailors have to learn that sheer strength isn't going to make them good sailors when they're battling the elements.

"Women seem to learn faster because they know from the beginning they've got to use technique instead of sheer muscle strength," Proper said. "It really doesn't take that much muscle if you learn the technique correctly. It takes a lot of strength, of course, when you're talking about high winds."

A lot of people have different ideas of what sort of "breed" this new water "animal" involves. Some consider it a boat—but there are no license fees or launching fees as those applied to boats in Illinois. Others think of it as a water toy—but, unlike other toys, all users are required to use personal flotation devices (PFDs) or life jackets.

Boardsailing enthusiasts are currently trying to eliminate state and municipal laws requiring PFDs for all boardsailors. They say half of the states have already done just that. The requirement still stands in Illinois.

There's also been some controversy surrounding the use of sailboards at public beaches. They're commonly seen off north shore suburban beaches. After years of bickering and negotiating, boardsailors are now allowed to launch and sail in specified areas at two Chicago beaches. They're now trying to prove that the board-sailor and the swimmer really can enjoy the same water in peace—and safety.

Sailboards are not required to be licensed in Illinois. For purposes of licensure, the State says they are exempt because they are considered to be watercraft under 12 feet in length. But many municipalities do require city stickers on water craft. Anyone truly interested in sailboarding should make certain of the laws and regulations that would apply in a particular area.

Regardless of what you call them, sailboards can clip right along in even light to moderate winds. Speeds usually range from 5-25 m.p.h. A run-of-the-mill or standard sailboard would range in price from $600 to $1,000. Of course, if you want to talk about a specialty board used for racing or some specific competition, you could well be looking at an investment of as much as $3,000.

Another real plus of this type of sport, however, is the convenience. Boards require minimum maintenance. They can be stored in a garage, up on the rafters or in the basement. All of the gear (rig and board) weighs only 60 pounds, so it can be loaded easily on a car top and taken to a nearby lake.

There are no launching fees. In fact, you can launch these little critters from about any point along the shore. And last, but not least, sail-boarding combines a lot of fun and water with good exercise.

Now, as an official Olympic event, it's taken one more step toward "legitimate sport status" in the minds of the boardsailors everywhere.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 35 September/October 1984