Paul Hengstebeck is a windsurfing veteran. Back in the 1970s, he was one of the first filmmakers to capture the early days of the Original Windsurfer.
"The Wonderful Wacky World of Windsurfing" is a hidden gem that should be watched by sailors of all generations. You'll laugh and be amazed at what you'll witness.
The 17-minute movie produced by Hengstebeck invites us to take a trip into the good old days when the gear was something you built, not something you bought.
For instance: who would imagine riding a wooden log with a sail attached to it? And how about cruising the wind while grabbing two sails simultaneously?
The film shows how creative windsurfers were in the 1970s. They had all sorts of plans and ideas to improve the overall sailboarding experience.
"The Wonderful Wacky World of Windsurfing" also features people sailing in business suits, rail riding, land windsurfing, funny wipeouts and crashes, and multiple Original Windsurfer wave stunts.
Paul Hengstebeck captured everything we need to know about the early windsurfing days.
There are even a few shots of contest t-shirts and hats, windsurf-inspired license plates, and innovative freestyle tricks including side splits and tandem windsurfing.