Hi,

I am keen to get into windsurfing, particularly windsurfing the sloppy onshore waves of the sunshine coast. Basically I would like to be able to ride waves, carve etc.. and have a setup which will allow me to start doing airs as I pickup the wind side of things.

I am coming from a shortboard surfing background and weigh 75kg's.

ANY advice would be greatly appreciated!

Che

Hi Che,

To start with you'll need a large board and a small sail. These can be gotten quite cheaply if you're prepared to put up with something that looks a bit old and tatty (I paid $200 for a complete setup), or you can go the whole hog and get something like a Starboard "GO" or "Start" with a beginners sail brand new for something probably approaching $2000. You want something big, floaty and stable, probably around 160 or higher litres.
I would also recommend that you get at least one lesson, this can really help you to know how to rig, how to get going, and turn around when you're far enough out.

You will probably outgrow this setup in under 6 months, so be very aware that this is not your final board, and you won't be able to jump it or ride it in the surf. Coming from a surfing background you're at a bit of an advantage here, it might take you around 2 months if you're really talented.

Once you can uphaul, tack, gybe, go upwind and downwind, then it's time to start with the fun stuff -- a real rig. Onshore waveriding needs a bit more volume than offshore stuff, and the general rule of thumb is your weight + 20 kg's (so you'd get a 95 litre or thereabouts board). The transition to such a small board will take some getting used to, so be prepared to have some trouble adjusting.

Again, you won't be able to go out in the waves until you can waterstart. This is a skill that is difficult to learn if you don't have someone telling you what you're doing wrong, and your surfing background won't help you. The smaller board will make this slightly easier, but it's still a bugger.

Once you can waterstart, then you're ready to go into the waves -- pick a day that has low swell, and especially small shorebreak, yes you're going to look like a gumby the first few times trying to get out into the waves, but once you get the hang of it you'll be addicted!

Good luck, this forum is an awesome resource, many opinions on here so take everything with a grain of salt

when i was satrting out, i was using a old starboard GO (a modified formular board) 160 ltrs, and a old 2.7 mtr sail untill i got the feal of racing back and forward to go up and down wind, and than moved onto a 4.2 mtr sail, the 4mtr sail got me planing, into the harness and into the straps, i was 75 kg like you and i found it quite easy to pick up. but once you get to the stage of the water starts and planing in the straps you will want to get a bit of a smaller board which is good for getting the carve jibe, i would recomened getting a starbaord carve 111ltrs, or a jp freestyle 110 ltrs, i now after 3 months of windsurfing i can use the carve in light winds and find it easy to uphaul, when i get stuck, the carve is a great board for getting chop hops, and for small waves to get the feel for wave riding,

so if you were to be buying a board for learning purely get a large volume board like the go, even an old formular board, but if you want a board which will be a little harder to learn on but once you have the core skill, you will be planing, in the straps, getting jumps, and carving up the chop, i would get a starboard carve 121 ltrs or a 111 ltrs, and for a sail, try and find 2 sails, one a very old triangle shaped sail to start on and small 2.7--3.8, and more modern sail, year 2000 or up, but not the big probaly 4.5 to 5.0 is the biggest size you would want,
the reson i say get a real old sail is because the moder sails are easier to go up wind so you dont get as much of a under standing of how to use the sail, and once yoy get onto a (newer year 2000 or newer) you will be flying along because theya r so much easier to controll, (but get some one to help you rig it up right so the leach is floppy and not flat, like i did, because it makes it so much harder the handle

hope this helps out,
and enjoy this great sport, and i hope you get better wind than perth has been getting