This piece was posted on rec.windsurfing as an April Fool's joke on April Fool's Day, 1997.

Since no one has mentioned the new windsurfing museum in this forum already, here's my chance to contribute something. This is an article that appeared in the Rehowen Register (North Carolina) in December, 1996. I have deleted a few local references. I guess this is one of the few times the Regurger <g> has scooped the big boys!

The Windsurfing Museum in Rehowen, North Carolina is worth a drive--even from the West Coast. Located on the sound and next door to the aquarium, the museum offers windsurfers a chance to study the development of the sport. And brings tourist dollars [snip]....

The founders of the museum are wealthy enthusiasts who prefer to avoid the spotlight. They hired Chuck Spurrs, a North Carolina native [snip] ... to head up the operation. Spurrs has been involved in the sport since the early 70s and set a world speed record in 1976.

He had vision enough to see that putting a bunch of old equipment on display would not do the sport justice. Long before ground was broken he decided that the new museum would take a hands-on approach. As a result the museum has become a petting zoo for windsurfers. All the boards and sails exhibited can be handled and touched. "Bring a yardstick and you can measure the rocker line!" says Director Spurrs.

At the launch site behind the museum visitors can sail a selection of old boards (duplicates to the collection). The idea is to allow sailors to gain experience with equipment from all periods. You must sign a waiver absolving the museum of liability in case of accident. "You must be 18--it's too bad, but it's state law," Spurrs added somewhat ruefully.

The hottest item with visitors right now is a 12' "hump back" board from about 1980--with 350 liters of flotation! "If you're lucky," Spurrs says, "the old sail you use on the antique board may actually have a see-through window in it!"

Most older equipment has to be sailed using some modern parts. There are safety concerns with old U-joints. Some hardware, such as mast feet, from the early days of windsurfing, simply has not survived.

How old does a board have to be for the Windsurfing Museum to accept it? Spurrs established a cut-off date of 1985 for exhibition pieces. Nothing later than production year 1985 will be displayed until 2005. The museum is actively collecting from all years, however. (Tip: Contributions are tax deductible.)

Most of the items in the collection are production boards donated by John or Jane Q. Windsurfer. An anonymous European donor presented the museum with a full line of early Ten Cate boards. There is an extensive collection of fins, but the one that keeps people gawking is the Kanga Cock.

The Herbert C. Bonner Rig Room [snip] has dozens of sails dramatically hanging from the 30 foot ceiling. There are colorful pinhead sails set up with restored teak booms. All the windows have UV filters to protect objects in the museum from "photochemical deterioration," according to the director.

Labelling of objects in the museum is not yet complete because they [i.e., the Museum] rely on summer interns to inventory and describe the collection. They also calculate the area of earlier, unmarked sails, measure board length, and calculate the volume of boards, so that each accession can be adequately described and understood.

The museum houses a comprehensive library for the use of staff and for sports historians. Private collectors are allowed to use the collection to identify old equipment.

The librarian has collected backruns of all important windsurfing magazines. The old U.S. rag Board & Sail is there. You can find files of European magazines such as On Board from the U.K. and De Windsurfer from Holland. These are being microfilmed for long-term preservation. Digitized versions are produced from the film.

The library also collects manuscripts, particularly windsurfing logs and diaries from the early days of the sport. They are looking for grant money to archive computer files as well.

The temporary exhibit up now features the Baron de Rosnay's Atlantic crossing. There is no entrance fee, but visitors are requested to make a contribution of $5.00. Hours tend to follow the wind: above 20 kts. the place closes so the staff can hit the water.

Summer is the ideal time for a visit to fair Rehowen [snip]....

originally posted April 1, 1997