About

How i started

Thank you for visiting Mike’s Windsurfing! I’m Mike Compton and I started this company from the passion I have had for windsurfing since 1987. Born on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, I was initially surprised when I found myself cruising at 25 mph on a motorboat, only to be quickly overtaken by a windsurfer. It was that same windsurfer who taught me this tranquil, yet exhilarating sport, igniting my lifelong passion for windsurfing.

Over the years, my favorite roles in the windsurfing community have been as an:

  1. Instructor: Sharing my knowledge to enable kids and adults with the experience of using the wind to have fun.
  2. International Competitor: Windsurfing with athletes that share the same passion and pushing limits in different venues with unique challenges.
  3. Long-Distance Enthusiast: Exploring vast stretches of open water, feeling the freedom of traveling by the wind for miles. 

History of Windsurfing

Sailing has been around for about 6,000 years, with the earliest record of a ship with sails appearing on a vase around 3500 BC. Surfing can be traced back to 12th Century Polynesia where cave paintings show ancient versions of surfing. Jim Drake, Peter Chilvers, Hoyle Schweitzer, and Newman Darby were the pioneers that emerged windsurfing from the Californian aerospace and surf culture in the late 1960s. It combined the thrill of riding waves with the wind-propelled dynamics of sailing.

Originally, all boards were long boards that were better in light winds. Today, there are many disciplines and variations of windsurfing: wave sailing, slalom, freestyle, wind foiling, wing foiling, kitesurfing, and kite foiling. These sports are not the easiest for the average person to learn. But the average person can easily learn windsurfing at a a beginner and intermediate level. It is very fun in itself; and also easier to enter the world of the more advanced variations of windsurfing, once learned. That said, the goal of Mike’s Windsurfing is to educate southern California on the skills of beginning to intermediate windsurfing, so it can be enjoyed by yourself, with friends. or with the whole family – whether on vacation or a day at the beach.

The reason I started Mike’s Windsurfing is because I want everyone to try it at least once, and get hooked. I want you to feel the peacefulness of gliding over the water and dispel the myth that windsurfing is hard to learn. We back this up with a money-back guarantee if you don’t get to windsurf across the bay.
Modern-day technology has made boards extra wide, so balancing is easy. Sails that were once heavy to pull out of the water, can now be pulled up and easily controlled by the hand of a 9-year old as shown here. Additionally, the board can accommodate 2 people.

Our Mission

Our mission is to make windsurfing a mainstream activity in Southern California by creating an easy learning experience that consists of proven learning methods, state-of-the-art equipment, and outstanding service.

 

We encourage feedback on your experience with us. If there is something in our power we can do to improve your experience, consider it done. We aim for a 5-star experience so let us know how we’re doing!

 

Health Benefits

Windsurfing isn’t just an adventure; it’s a workout for your body and mind. Here’s what it can do for you:

 Fun: Enjoy the rush of gliding across the water, powered by the wind.
 Core Strength: Engage your core muscles as you balance on the board.

 Calorie Burn: Burn calories while having fun.
 Mental Refreshment: Breathe in the fresh air, invigorating your mental health.

 Join us at Mike’s Windsurfing, where stellar service meets successful learning outcomes.