Depends on how you want to learn.
If it's the slow easy way, get something wide and floaty so it's easy to uphaul.
If it's fast and hard, get something that still floats you ok, but is easy to waterstart.

All shops will sell you a board and rig, but I can't think of any modern sailboard where you get the whole kit in one.

Help PR Hardy's arrived, what do I do now?????

I agress with eckas, I learnt on the starboard GO a few yrs ago, top board for learning on, stable platform, plain super fast and good enough to keep for a light wind board when you get your first high wind board....

TIP: get someone to show you how to waterstart a.s.a.p. then spend a whole day learning it. I wish I had, it will advance your windsurfing heaps.

Find a school get some lessons and trash their gear.

go for something 130-150 litres and wide 75+cm
such as a Fanatic Eray.

a light manuverable sail eg KA kruze.

when it comes to mast and boom and base don't scrimp here, they will be with you until you wear them out so get good stuff.

Go for skinny booms with arms about 28mm dia. and for as much carbon content in the mast as your wallet will allow.

learn to swim.
get a kite harness.

best winds
Tony L

quote:

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when it comes to mast and boom and base don't scrimp here, they will be with you until you wear them out so get good stuff.

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RAL INN:

So when your skill level changes,all you have to do is buy a new sail(within the specification of mast and boom)and a new board for an upgrade. Am I correct?

Why skinny or RDM(btw what does it stand for?)booms?Is it just for better hand grips?


decrepit:

low wind sailing; uphauling method(doing that for a little while)
mid to high wind; waterstart method(to save energy)

Is this correct?



THX ALL

Alex

Alex - at your weight, I'd agree with RAL INN, you can go smaller in board size down to about 150l.

If you buy a board with a full EVA foam deck, then you can afford to invest in a good sail first-up, as the constant scraping of the bottom edge of the sail across the deck won't damage the sail. A good, new sail will also have a much greater wind range (as you'll come to discover when you start playing with uphaul/outhall and potentially cams) so the extra $ might be woth it for the enjoyment and extra time on the water it may create.

If you got with a more conventional board with a rough, sandpaper-like deck, perhaps consider a cheaper, second-hand sail, as the up-haul process in particular (if you choose to learn this way) will see a lot of abrasion of the lower edge of the sail. Once you're consistently water-starting, you can then start to invest in good quality sails, as they wont' experience anywhere near the wear and tear of the learning process. No doubt you'll also be flung onto the sail a couple of times as you get used to the harness, so it hurts a lot less to put a harness hole through a second hand sail.

Your ideal first sail will depend a lot on where you want to windsurf and the typical wind strengths you experience. Don't buy old junk if you can avoid it, like I got sucked into doing when I started. It lasted 3 months before I basicly gave it away.

My rule of thumb for my sail quiver is:
8-12 knots - 11.5 sq m Formula Sail
12-15 knots - 9.5m
15-18 knots - 7.4m
18-25 knots - 5.8m
25+ knots...my next new toy. These are windspeeds on the water, at head height, powering the guts of the sail, not the windspeeds 10m up a mast at the nearest yacht club. There's also a fair overlap between each sail, based on tweaking the outhaul/uphaul.

Be realistic about the state of the water that will be created in much more than 20 knots of wind. You'll find that a medium-large freeride board will start to get wind underneath it, try to become a sail itself above 20 knots, given the chop that is generally created. It's even worse if you are overpowered because you won't be able to generate the downward pressure through the mast base in order to keep the mid-front section of the board flat on the water.

This may be a bit risky, but at your weight, with a 150l freeride board, I'd suggest perhaps a 6.5m sail, to be taken out in 15 knot winds approx. (By the way, I've also noticed that lighter sailors than me (100kg), around the 70kg mark, typically carry about 2 sq m less sail in the larger sizes, tending towards 1 sq m less sail in the smaller sizes than me on any given day). However, you haven't said where you intend to sail, so take this advice with a grain of salt.

Jump onto some of the manufacturers websites, and start to learn about the interelationship of luff lengths, mast lengths, boom lengths, mast base extensions and outhaul settings. You'll find that with a bit of forward planning in terms of the first boom and mast you buy, you should be able to rig two different sails on a single mast/boom combo, with one sail being at the shorter end, the other at the long end of the boom and mast base extension ranges. This will then get you into your second sail without the expense of another mast and boom.

Stick at it. If you can push through to the point where you pop onto the plane for the first time, you'll be hooked...like me.

quote:

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You'll find that with a bit of forward planning in terms of the first boom and mast you buy, you should be able to rig two different sails on a single mast/boom combo, with one sail being at the shorter end, the other at the long end of the boom and mast base extension ranges. This will then get you into your second sail without the expense of another mast and boom.

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eckas:
So get the best boom/mast money can afford,maybe saving to get the carbon version. Thanks for the advice.

Northboy:

quote:

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But it does not blow 15+ every day

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Thats very true specially in Melbourne,so I have to keep that in mind when it comes to board and sail selection but definitely spend more on boom/mast first.

THX ALL

Keep this thread going coz I'm sure there is a lot them out there wanting the same informative informations.

CHEERS

Alex

Ok mobilesuit.

Take note, this is a very addictive sport.
Hang in through the learning process and soon you will get that first buzz of fully planning and hooked in, maybe feet in straps.

At this point all is lost and you become one of us.

all thought of money and which 'one' sail will do me for all winds, goes out the window.

how does the saying go," I've spent most of my money on windsurfing, the rest I have wasted".

for a melbourne boy the 150L 6.5m combo will have you out in most seabreeze days and will keep up with your learning curve. I have been out at Beaumoris in 30kts on my wifes 150L board and had a ball(6.6m KA Koncept).

a recent customer bought a Fanatic Eray 170L for the purpose of extending his own enjoyment and teaching his family. he succeeded in both.
He is now planning to come down to our clinic at Sandy point this dec. with his son and daughter too boost their fun levels. all on one board and 2 sails.

And by the way never ever hesitate to make yourself known and to ask any question you like to any sailboarder you meet. All will be most happy to help. It's a cultural thing.

hope to see you on the bay soon.

Best winds
Tony Lorenz

Hi Poley,

Logistics nightmare.

those I've found with a boat are too scared to cross port phillip bay.

Navy cadets, ses just don't reply. started to try water police but got warned off because of buerocacy(brain fade on spelling).

How is it that the smallest wind powered craft is better equiped to do the trip than powered craft. although I remember an article on one of the Stones doing a inter island hawaian trip and the biggest holdup was waiting for the support boat to catch up.

I think 1 support boat per 4 sailboards would be OK and that group of 4 would have to act as a team and stick together.

Or maybe one jetski per board I just keep it quiet and bolt by myself. take my phone and call 000 if stuck. Oops accidents happen Officer, I will be more careful in future, ya ya yabber yabber say no more.

it might not happen over night, but it will happen.

Best winds
Tony L

I know of only one guy that was threatened with a bill for rescue, but it went no further.

Another kiter has been rescued numerous times at Torquay mostly when he didn't need to be. Got so that he would leave notes on his car asking not to be rescued. Mainly to avoid the agro from rescuers claiming he was doing the wrong thing and threatening to send a bill etc.

Actually the only proper request for payment was to a guy when rescued off elwood with w broken uni joint, was fined for no life jacket.

So perhaps as long as you claim some sensible excuse and not declare that you were crossing the bay things may be ok.[}:)]

So mobilesuit should be ready for the trip in a week or so.

best winds
Tony L

working today but getting up before daylight to get to Torquay in the morning hopfully catch the change before it dies.