Sailboards Miami, with its colorful sails, has
graced the entrance to Key
Biscayne since the 1980's. Our presence on the Causeway is
an unofficial
landmark for locals and tourists alike.
Pioneers in introducing windsurfing to the general public,
we have
watched the sport grow from infancy into adulthood. The school
began in
the days of triangular sails, tied-on-booms, freestyle, and
the family
dog being taken out for a cruise. Gary Eversole, Cort Larned,
Rhonda
Smith, Mark Robinson and many other windsurfing hot-shots are
a part of
our history. Miami Vice, with the neon era, brought tremendous
attention
to our sport (one of our own sailors even graced the opening
trailer for
the series!). Having survived Hurricane Andrew, we witnessed
amazing
developments in equipment as hi-performance gear became the
norm.
Ovidio DeLeon, the owner since the early 1990's, is a B.I.G.
Master
Instructor, a U.S. Sailing Instructor Trainer, and is competitive
in all
points of sail. Vid’s love of the sport and desire to
see it grow
motivated him to join the Sailboards’ team.
For over 20 years Sailboards Miami has been a partner with
Miami-Dade
County in providing recreation and safety on the Causeway.
The school’s
presence gives Windsurfer Beach patrons a sense of security,
a helping
hand, and serves as a tourist information center. Youth groups,
social
clubs, charity events, and local businesses utilize our school
for their
team building and fund-raising events.
Sailboards Miami proudly works with our local community. Swap
meets,
beach clean-ups, and fun races create a small town feeling
within the
vast metropolis of Miami.
On the national front, we have been
featured on
ABC Family Channel’s "Switched," The Travel
Channel’s "Red Hot Miami," Deco
Drive, MTV "Dismissed," Telemundo’s "Sabado
Gigante," Univision’s
"Caliente," and in The Miami Herald, The Key Biscayne
Islander, and the
Biscayne Bay Tribune. Our sails and beach have enhanced production
backgrounds and numerous celebrities have found taking a windsurfer
out
for a sail the perfect way to spend an afternoon. |
