Robby Naish
The original windsurfing prodigy who dominated waves and then helped invent entirely new ways to ride them, building a global watersports empire.
Born 1963 (age 63)·American athlete and entrepreneur·Birthday: April 23·Baby Boomers
Biography
Robby Naish didn't just win windsurfing competitions; he defined an entire era of the sport. A child of the Hawaiian waves, he was a pre-teen phenomenon, winning his first world title at the age of 13. For two decades, his name was synonymous with windsurfing, his aggressive, powerful style and competitive fire netting him an astonishing 24 world championships across various disciplines. But Naish's impact extends far beyond trophies. As windsurfing's popularity waned, his innate understanding of wind and water led him to the forefront of new movements. He was a crucial early adopter and developer of kiteboarding, using his credibility to propel it into the mainstream. Later, he did the same for stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). Through his company, Naish, he has been a constant engine of innovation in board design, sail technology, and kite engineering, ensuring that the spirit of wind-powered wave riding continues to evolve for new generations.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Robby was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Robby Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Robby's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won his first windsurfing world championship at age 13 and accumulated 24 world titles in total.
- Pivoted successfully to become a leading pioneer and promoter of the sport of kiteboarding in the late 1990s and 2000s.
- Founded Naish, a leading global brand manufacturing equipment for windsurfing, kitesurfing, and stand-up paddleboarding.
- Instrumental in popularizing stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) through competition involvement and product development.
Did You Know?
He was originally a champion swimmer and surfer before fully committing to windsurfing.
His father, Rick Naish, was a competitive sailor and his first coach, building his early boards.
He famously windsurfed the notorious Jaws surf break on Maui, one of the first to do so.
Naish holds the world speed record for sailing on sand, set on a dry lake bed in 1990.
“The ocean doesn't care who you are. You have to respect it, work with it, and then you can play.”
