June 98 Newsletter, Page 7

San Francisco Boardsailing Association

It Takes Spirit

JEFF CRAFT AND THE SF SCHOOL OF WINDSURFING

His voice is reminiscent of MASH's Hawkeye and he looks less than his 41 years. With an infectious enthusiasm for windsurfing and an energy to match, Jeff Craft has set a course for improved instruction and greater satisfaction for a wider range of sailors in the Bay Area.

Jeff is the owner and head instructor of the San Francisco School of Windsurfing. If you have sailed at Candlestick, then you are familiar with the white truck parked along the Bay, windsurfing gear inside and out. Candlestick is one of two sites where Jeff and his staff teach windsurfing to the novice or the more advanced sailor who may want to improve their technique or learn new skills. Classes are also held at Lake Merced where groups of beginners learn the basics.

Multi-tasking as a way of life

I recently happened to catch Jeff when a low was spinning off the coast, bringing southerly winds to the Bay. If I had wanted to travel, I probably could have found some wind, but I needed to interview Jeff so I arranged to meet him at Candlestick.

Even with less than optimum wind conditions, Jeff was busy. I spent an hour and a half talking with him about his ideas with respect to teaching and promoting the sport, all the while watching him greet not only familiar faces but complete strangers and listening as he answered one phone call after another. Jeff gave one caller directions to Candlestick using Muni, someone information about rentals and another information about the wind. Although distracted numerous times, I never had the sense that I was less important to Jeff than anyone else needing information or help from him this particular afternoon.

In The Beginning

Jeff's introduction to windsurfing could be called a fluke. Ten years ago, after breaking up with his girlfriend, he happened to go into a car wash. Right next to the car wash was a windsurf shop. Jeff thought windsurfing would fill some of his time and he's been involved in the sport since then. After attempting to start his own shop, Jeff successfully launched the San Francisco School of Windsurfing at Lake Merced.

Jeff believes he owes his success to his past experiences. He was once a professional drummer in a heavy metal band, a chef and a psychic - having attended professional psychic school. After hearing this, I must have given Jeff a skeptical look which led him to explain how the combination of all of these experiences helped him develop people skills and his intuitive side.

Broadening the Sport

After our initial introductions, the conversation turned quickly to a discussion of the fact that the sport of windsurfing needs to be made more accessible to a wider range of people such as the occasional longboard sailor, not just to the fanatic who sails everyday, rigging in fifteen minutes and hitting the water at warp speed. I felt an immediate camaraderie with Jeff when I met him since I have long held the opinion that for this sport to survive, the average person needs to feel comfortable even trying it for the first time.

Since we live in an area that is so conducive to a wide range of learning abilities and skills, it is unfortunate that most people's initial impressions are probably created by watching colorful sails flit across the water at such expert sites as Crissy Field or by taking one lesson and giving up because it was too hard.

Jeff asked me who I thought were the two top pros in windsurfing. When I named Bjorn Dunkerbeck and Robby Naish, Jeff pointed out that both pros had very solid longboard experience, something which sets them apart from their peers and has made it difficult for anyone else to match their skills.

Jeff believes that basic longboard skills are essential to every sailor. Learning the essentials one step at a time, enjoying the sport as you progress at your own pace and having a coach who has not forgotten how hard it was when he/she "hit the wall" and pushed through, can make a big difference between someone who gives up after the first lesson or persists to a level of real enjoyment. And combining good instruction with good equipment can make an enormous difference in an individual's learning curve.

Longboarders Unite!

In keeping with his interest in promoting windsurfing, Jeff is introducing a longboard club designed to help people increase their sailing skills through peer encouragement and competition, social events such as potlucks, and miniclinics. Anyone interested in learning more about the longboard club should contact Jeff at Candlestick or through his school at Lake Merced. (See the April '98 SFBA Newsletter)

In the meantime, when someone tells you that they had one windsurfing lesson and gave up because they figured they'd never really progress, suggest that they check out what is happening at Candlestick. If you go there and hear a voice that sounds familiar, take a look around-it's probably Jeff Craft full of energy and a positive spirit, getting someone ready for a lifetime of satisfaction.

Dianne Thomas