That is a top package.

Beginners gear is not rare, it is just hard to find a whole setup as often people keep the rig for later and only sell the board. But you don't need a whole setup in one go. If you are anywhere near knowledgeable windsurfers who can help, you could put something together piece by piece for half that and then have a lot of money left for an extra sail and intermediate board next season.

Hi user

If you put down your state we might be able to line you up with something. Eg I have a complete beginner rig I am about to list.

I would get the explorer, will last you a long time, that type of board is a much better board IMHO than the funster in sub planning winds. (Never been on either by the way, just competitors equivilent), and for that reason you may want to keep it even when your moved onto much smaller boards.

The Viper and Rio, being similar to the explorer, also ask the guy giving the lessons

On the rig, 2nd hand is definitely a smart way to go, as your going to want at least two sails... The rig wont hold it's value as well as the board will, as your logic on it's rarity won't hold true for the rig, but there aint nothing wrong with the sails you mentioned, just your going to need at least another one...

Definitely get 2nd hand sails. You don't want to be falling on a brand new monofilm sail.

Mate you wanna give this guy a shout: www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing-Accessories/~ai6vh/item.aspx?search=kUAz4ywlWw9x4uvKNrfOmw==

He's got a few bits and pieces there.....

evlPanda said..

Retzy said..

Don't get the explorer. It's too narrow to learn quickly. Get the 180l funstar or a starboard go 170l.

Nonsense. Have you seen it?
It's got a daggerboard. Daggerboards make boards more stable.
They also mean you don't spend as much time walking your board back up wind
They also mean it's easier to learn to control the whole thing
The board will also get going much more quickly in marginal conditions.

The funster also has a daggerboard (made in West Germany).

If you weigh < 90kg it'll be a great board that'll certainly last you the entire first season, maybe three.

Give us sizes man!

I think you'll want two sails that can both rig on the one mast an boom. Will cover you for 90% of conditions.
Brisbane ...probably a 5.8 & 6.5?
That's a reasonable intermediate setup.
Assuming you weigh ~80kg.

Agree. Explorer is a good board, but if you weigh 90+ a funster will have more stability. There is also a Funride which I am not sure if they are making because its so much like the explorer.

Sorry about the lack of information guys.

I'm currently about 90kg, but I'm slowly on my way down to about 80kg. I'll be sailing the north Brisbane area, so it's all flat choppy water ways.

I want something that is beginner friendly, however I don't want something I'm going to outgrow within a couple of months.

I was originally planning on going to a store, but if I can gather enough knowledge on here I might try and do it myself.

Thanks guys, everyone's information is much appreciated

aquabluecharter said..

Hey All,
I am new in this forum site and I also Agreed to Mark too.

Cool boat. Any windsurfers on board?

I didn't performed yet actual test but in my opinion there are two completely different methods to learn windsurfing.

1.SLOW
- get yourself convenient , big beginner board , small sail, less wind , get on deep water
- now you could spend years practicing up hauling, sail for hours in one direction, walk on your board doing turns

one day you need to re-learn windsurfing again ( when you jump on smaller board)

2.FAST
- get yourself moderately difficult board - 110 -130 l and not too small sail
-choose a moderately windy day - not something below 10 ktn but 10 to 20 ktn
- find a place to sail with shallow water ( waist deep or breast) , the best with sandy banks on both sides, long across run 50- 100 meters only

Spent whole day practicing : beach start, crossing water 100m to another bank, turn back , beach start, go back
do this 100 or 1000 times

one day instead of beach start you could start practicing water start instead.

I guess that determined and moderately talented person is able to learn windsurfing in one week using this method.

Are you crazy macro?

Suggesting under 150l for a beginner board for a 90kg bloke is mad!

Clarence has a point that wide boards are harder to jibe. My 170l starboard go is 90cm wide and it's slow to jibe but still lots of fun!

A centre board is also an advantage to learn on.

The biggest regret I had when I started in 1990 was going to a short board way too early.

Buy a big board to learn on and then sell it.

Get a starboard go 170l

Macroscien said..

Yuppy said..

Are you crazy macro?

Suggesting under 150l for a beginner board for a 90kg bloke is mad!

Clarence has a point that wide boards are harder to jibe. My 170l starboard go is 90cm wide and it's slow to jibe but still lots of fun!

A centre board is also an advantage to learn on.

The biggest regret I had when I started in 1990 was going to a short board way too early.

Buy a big board to learn on and then sell it.

Get a starboard go 170l

Right . may advice was general, not directly to the guy 100 kg not very sporty, but lazy.
But for young guy wanting to learn windsurfing could work fine, or older but determined.

I am sure that if somebody determined spent all the time wasted on sailing straight for hours , up hauling to do beach starts, water starts and gybing
in adequate shallow water the results could be almost instant.
But most are lazy and think that practicing the same element is boring but sailing straight is fascinating.

This 90 kg guy on relatively small board - 130 L is presented with two option instantly:
learn to put foot in right place on the board and keep balance or fall into water.
Several minutes and should be able to sail - but condition Nr 1 - shallow water to avoid stress of falling into deep water and tiring uphauling. Then wind strong enough to keep balance. How often I see guys trying to learn to sail in no wind at all , when expert may have a problem too stay on the board.
I almost forgotten / lost up hauling skills myself , the same with tacking and I am happy with that. Now on the best way to forgot water start too.

Advantage of package Nr 2 is also a price. Cost of smaller , "difficult" package could be around $400 since bigger beginner pack will cost few thousand dollars only to become complete obsolete when learning curve is finished.

This method relys on the user living somewhere that gets regular consistent wind + has a lifestyle that allows plenty of TOW. If where they live only gets suitable wind a few times a month and they work 9-5pm it could be very frustrating.
It's feasable if the conditions are ideal & they get plenty of TOW but will be harder than getting a larger board. Also when they have progressed what if the wind only blows strong enough to enjoy the smaller board once a month.. A larger board will allow more TOW and if they are so motivated they can practise gybes, tacks etc in light wind so when the wind comes back they are ready to have fun!
They can have a 2nd smaller board for when it does blow.

A beginners perspective on gear and learning.
I live north side Brisbane and probably fit into the fat lazy category mentioned above :-)

90kg, 57years old and into my second year on the water

I wanted to buy second hand (it's my nature) however decided to go with new stuff from Simon at Boardcrazy because it included opportunity for free lessons in the package

I ended up with a large 220 l board Fanatic Viper soft top 85cm wide (not as typically fat) 285 long. 6.6m cam less sail

As much as I have tried to downsize I keep ending back on it as it is such a reliable experience - I have gotten plenty of use out of it.

In the harness and Planning - Learning foot straps, waterstarts and catapults the moment.

I also use a longboard for quieter times on the water and have a 155l starboard Go which I'm not having much success with.

I went secondhand for extra sails and gear and have made some inappropriate purchases not being experienced enough and overconfident in my ability to progress. Plus there is the enthusiasm of being obsessed and wanting it all!

So I'm suggesting:-

there is a lot to be said in getting lessons

Having a reliable board that you can uphaul on as you will end up in deep water ;-)

Sailing in shallow water with beach starts all the way. For me this is lake Cootharabah school holidays (Elanda pt) and Sandstone pt (pebble beach) Bribie in Se winds

Joining Lake Cootharaba sailing club as they have a range of boards available including large beginners gear and the enthusiasm of tonymatta to help out.

Getting in with other windsurfers for support big thanks to richard, deejay and nowork

Cheers Jeff
Pm me if you want to linkup

I learnt to waterstart in the first year in the 80's as I wasn't strong enough to uphaul the 6m sail ..

John340 said..
This is how I learn't to ride a short board back in 1984. I learn't on a Windaction sinker (about 70lit) with a 6.0m2 and 5.0ms sails, sailing every weekend in 12 to 15kts at the Boyne River mouth sand bar near Gladstone. I couldn't uphaul on the board. I learn't how to beach start straigth away. Getting into the footstraps, harness ropes and planning happened pretty quickly. I also learn't how to gybe and water start and progressed to the beach at Tannum Sands after about 2 months.

The key was the shallow water.

That is my boy I am talking about
Same happen in my family .I took myself comfortable aircraft carrier board and get old almost sinkers for my teenagers.
They have been waterstarting and gybing in no time at all.
I remain stack at same level mastering uphauling for years till one day I decided to claim their sinkers for myself.
If I had a brain 10 years ago things could be completely different

Is it better to do the same thing over and over again?

When I was in Vass, after seeing me getting catapulted attempting a waterstart for the 1000th time one of the instructors said "**** the waterstarts! You'll go insane continuously trying for them! Try them 3-4 times, can't do it? Uphaul! Don't do the same thing over and over again! You should be having fun out there!" The trouble with that was that uphauling was freaking exhausting given how strong the wind was. I would have stayed 1-2 hours on the water at most doing that (and that's what most of the pre-waterstarters did). So I persevered (sticking your head underwater and screaming helps to let the frustration out) and finally got them in the end (but not much else)... IMO, it's better to practice only one thing at a time until it's perfect or, in my case, at least until it starts happening.

But in hindsight... I should have listened to KA360 and gone to Bonaire instead. Now that's a beginner's paradise! Chest high piss-warm flat water lagoon for kilometers. Windy, but not too much and not gusty.