The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

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Could VR Help Windsurfers Learn?

Watersports can seem about as far removed from technology as any other activity. Sure, we’re technically using equipment that has been fine-tuned over decades, and which is actually fairly scientific in design; but as far as the tech world goes, nothing could seem further away. Watersports are about getting out into nature and challenging yourself, enjoying beautiful places, the rush of the wind, and the touch of the water.

That said though, the first few years of widespread virtual reality usage have brought about some interesting things that go well beyond the early arcade games and puzzle simulators we saw as demos. And it could be that in time VR becomes a useful tool for people learning how to windsurf, or even experienced windsurfers practicing their craft.

VR is already used in many different industries, but one of the first hints that it was moving beyond conventional gaming in the realm of entertainment was early interest from casino developers online. These developers had already introduced “live” games that recreate the thrill of playing in an actual casino setting by employing video feeds to human beings dealing cards. It was an industry already on the cusp of its own version of VR, and with VR we’ve seen a couple of early demos of casino-style gaming. It seems a matter of time before there’s more.

That at least represents a subtle move within the entertainment sector – away from conventional games and into the simulation of live experiences, so to speak. Similar adoptions are being discussed now, such as the use of VR to replicate the experience of sitting in a theater or a sports arena, watching a film or a match of some kind without actually needing to be anywhere but your own couch. It’s quite clear with these examples that VR entertainment is about experiences as much as games.

Whether or not this concept can extent to more action-packed experiences remains to be seen. Playing a casino game, watching a film, or taking in a sports match doesn’t actually involve action – or even really an environment, beyond a visual. There is no movement or touch involved, as there would need to be with any effective windsurfing simulation. So is there any precedent for this kind of activity yet?

Actually, there sort of is. There are multiple machines being designed (or even already in existence) that act as treadmills, to some extent, for VR users, such that movement is possible and action-packed games or experiences become more possible. A few years ago before the VR boom even really began a skateboard simulator was unveiled. There’s even talk about brand new workout machines that will hold our entire bodies suspended above ground such that we can move and twist in ways that work our muscle groups while we watch a game or some other program leading us through tasks.

Whether or not these kinds of experiences can ultimately lead to a windsurfing simulator of any kind remains to be seen. There was an article at Science Direct about just such a simulator, dedicated to strengthening exercises for windsurfers, but right now it’s not a product available to consumers so far as we can tell. Still, following the trajectory of virtual reality – from ordinary games to “lived” experiences to sports and activity – there seems to be some hope that a simulator like this could become a reality. It would never replace the feeling or thrill of actual windsurfing, but it could be an invaluable training tool.