Recreation options for water sports have come a long way through the years. In the
1970s, an innovative sport, windsurfing, was popularized. For decades the sport had a
tremendous following. Then abruptly, in the 1990s, its popularity dwindled. Those
fluorescent sails that dotted the waterways were quickly being replaced with massive
kites. A breakthrough sport, kiteboarding, had become the water sport of choice for a
fresh generation of thrill seekers. Kiteboarding owes some of its popularity to its learning
curve. While a windsurfer’s learning curve is long and gradual, a kiteboarder can reach
proficiency much more quickly.
Why is it reasonable to predict that windsurfing manufacturers will work to design
equipment that is easier to use?
It will help assure there are no further innovations in kiteboarding.
It will help efforts to invent even more types of wind sports.
It will help windsurfing regain a portion of the water-sport market.