Windsurfing invented at Hayling Island

undefined

Peter Chilvers is credited with inventing the sailboard at Hayling Island in 1958, when as a twelve-year-old he attached a sail to a board and rode it across the shallow waters of the harbour. This early experiment predated the American patents that later commercialised the sport, and Hayling Island's claim to be the birthplace of windsurfing is recognised internationally. The island remains a popular windsurfing and kitesurfing destination, with consistent winds and flat water on the harbour side.