JUNE 2006: Our Area's Best Kept Fitness Secret

Windsurfing just might be one of the best-kept fitness secrets in the mid-Michigan area. That all might change, though, if Dave Batchelor has anything to do with it.

Batchelor, and Mark Beauman, are the owners of Great Lakes Windsurfing, LLC. Batchelor's on a mission to draw others to a sport that he's very passionate about, and to let everyone know that windsurfing is alive and well in mid-Michigan—and a great workout to boot.

"This is such a total body workout," Batchelor said. "It's a sport for the whole family. Your body is the connection with nature—with the wind and the water."
According to the U.S. Windsurfing Association, windsurfing equipment consists of a board that looks like a big surfboard, and the rig. The rig is like the engine. It has many parts including the sail, the mast, the boom (the part you hold on to) and the extension and universal.

Choosing your first windsurfing board and sail, you should consider sailing conditions, your weight, and your ability. Stronger winds, less weight and higher skills indicate a smaller board and sails. For most people a board with more or less 180 liters of volume with a sail around 4.0-6.5 square meters is the perfect starter package.

A rig for a beginner can start at $1,200. Used equipment costs less. Batchelor said he could get a newbie on the board and out in the water in a half hour.

Batchelor, and a group of his friends who also advocate on behalf of the sport, usually find themselves on Lake Lansing on any given windy day. They also travel the state and hold "demo days" at which they let beginners try out new equipment, while offering lessons.

If you're a fitness buff, it may be worth a try. A 150-lb person who stays out on the water (and on the board) for an hour can burn 211 calories. "It's an easy sport to learn," said Batchelor, who is a long time sailor, or windsurfer. He said he learned to surf on a long board that was hard to balance on. It's a far cry from the sophisticated equipment that people can learn on now. "It's much easier to learn on the new equipment," Batchelor added.

According to a survey conducted by the U.S. Windsurfing Association, there are nearly 1 million windsurfers in the United States.

While Batchelor said he likes to sail in windy conditions that challenge his abilities, he said that those who try the sport for the first time could ease into it.
"I think you always want to challenge yourself with some risk," he said. "For me it's strong winds. For beginners, it's something different and fun. I think that is why this sport can be so appealing."

For more information about local windsurfing, or to take part in Batchelor's demo tour and try your hand and windsurfing, click here or e-mail dbatchr@aol.com