beginner equipment?

Question
Hi, my son is 13 and newly interested in sailing (since he tried it this summer) - I figured windsurfing might be up his alley, and more affordable (on his paper route income), with far less equipment to maintain & store than a small sailboat.  

Can you tell me how sailing and windsurfing compare (and *if* they compare, as I've done neither)

He'd be using the equipment both on a small inland lake in northern Ontario, and on Lake Ontario itself - so I'm guesisng (again) that the requirements for the two lakes might differ...it would be quite easy to find enough wind on L Ontario...where on the smaller lake it might be a bit more hit-or-miss.  We found this listing on our local internet garage sale:
http://tinyurl.com/nllpyg
and we are wondering whether this might be suitable.  Can you advise us on this?

Thanks, Kristy

Answer
Hey Kristine,

The differences between a small sail boat and a windsurfer are not much. A sail boat is easier to learn and can carry 1 or 2 extra people where a windsurfer is pretty much a one person boat. Learning to read and use the wind is the same. Learning to sail a windsurfer is a bit more work than a sailboat but they are usually much faster and more maneuverable. Most sail boats require a trailer where a windsurfer can be on a rack on top of the car. Your son should  be able to rig his own sail on a windsurfer where he may need help with setting up the mast on a small sailboat. Both would use/need about the same amount of wind and the windsurfer can usually handle higher winds than a small sailboat.

As for the rig you sent the link to, it is an older board and would be a fairly decent beginner/intermediate board. It is a heavier board so loading it onto a rack on the car or carrying it to the beach may be a bit of a chore. But it could be easier than trailering a boat. The sails and other parts seem to be in good condition.

Due to the age of the board and the brand, I personally would not pay that price. I'm not sure what else would be available as used gear in your area but they are asking way more than that rig is worth. I'm sure they paid a fair price new but that gear is probably at least 15 or more years old. If you can negotiate them down a couple of hundred dollars, then you are getting near the true value of the rig. Where I am near the Columbia Gorge, you can't hardly give away a rig like that. So, see what you can do about getting a better price if you really want that rig. Also check ebay and craigslist for other used gear.

Hope this helps.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover