Windsurfing & Stand-Up Paddleboarding in Michigan

Randy Bass's Comments

Comment Wall (9 comments)

At 11:38am on April 2, 2012, Mark Boersma said…: Hey Randy, We will have to get together and sail sometime! Give me a call if you hear of any good wind coming in. My cell # is 616 402 3772. My dad and I are always looking for some people around the area to sail with!

At 7:01am on March 26, 2012, Tom Stahl said…: I usually go to Austin Lake, it is close by and big enough to have pretty constant wind.

At 3:51pm on December 21, 2011, Tim Brinks said…: Hi Randy

Randy

My brother, a friend and I have access to lake MI at the end of Fruitvale road and that is where we typical sail when the weather and temp are right. We have sailed White lake a few times when the wind picks up out of the west. Gun Lake is another destination for us when the big lake temps are chilly. I recently met Rob Dykstra about the same time I found this web site. Crazy coincidence!

We will have to get in touch this spring.

Tim

At 2:28pm on November 20, 2011, Rob Dykstra said…: Hi Randy,

Thanks for the email, yes, I am speaking of Whitehall/ Montague White Lake. My parents have had a place on the lake for 38+ years. They have since moved up there and live there full time so we (wife and 2 kids) are there very often in the summer (while living in Grand Rapids).

I learned to sail and board out of the yacht club. I used the race both butterfly's and MC's... One year they offered a windsurf clinic and that is where i fell in love with windsurfing. I learned on a whaler (not the boat whaler). Do you remember them? I think they went out of business 1-2 years after they opened.

I currently do not surf (have not in about 5 years), but really want to get back into it. I would consider myself an advance beginner to beginner intermediate. I started thinking about this early this summer, but was very disappointed to find out there is no local place to get equipment. Where in West Michigan sells windsurfer's? Have you lived there all your life?

Any help you can give me on equipment would be appreciated, I would love to sail with you this summer.

Thanks-Rob

At 1:33am on August 4, 2011, Ken Gothman said…: Thanks for the tip. I'll definately try it next time!

At 11:01pm on August 3, 2011, Ken Gothman said…: I also picked up a used, but in great condtion, 104 X-cite ride this Spring. I got a good deal on it, but, unfortunately, I can't use it yet, because I still can't do water starts. I hope to have them down before the end of this year. I'm told this should be a great board for me, once I improve enough to be able to use it.

At 3:34pm on August 3, 2011, Ken Gothman said…: Hey Randy, It's great to hear from you. I'd love to go sailing with you. I really like Gun Lake. The winds are usually a bit better than the Grand Rapids area and the whole West bay is shallow (about 5 feet). It really helps make the water warmer for Spring and Fall sailing. I just started this sport at the end of last summer. I started with a bunch of cheap really old gear (which made the learning curve tougher, but fit my budget). I'm gradually trying to get more, and better, gear. I try to invite other family and friends when I go to try to get them into the sport too. It's fun teaching them, especially on low wind days that are pretty boring sailing days for me. (Unfortunately, the biggest sail I have right now is a 7.4, which doesn't cut it for a fat boy like me in low wind. Hoping to get a new bigger sail very soon! Let me know if you want to go sailing with me at Gun Lake, or maybe a lake somewhere between GR and Whitehall, if Gun Lake is too far a drive for you.

At 2:04pm on June 4, 2011, Ted Schweitzer said…: Hi Randy, I was entering regatta info today for the regattas I am hosting in Traverse City and saw you left me a comment. Bowers Harbor is a bay and close to Power Island, it's a scenic place. Hope you come up, any questions let me know. -ted