G'day to all.

I've been hanging around these forums for a while, but this is my first post, so go easy!
I'm pretty new to this windsurfing stuff, but have been racing sailing dinghies since very young and would love to get into some windsurfing course racing. At the moment I'm messing around on a JF Funride 145 and I'm not yet fully confident in the straps (but getting there).

I'm soon to be moving to Albury/Wodonga, and I'm not too sure what the local windsurfing scene is like (if any). I would most likely be fitting in with the sailing club and racing within a mixed fleet. I would be planning on travelling interstate for some of the bigger Regattas during the summer.

I have done some research on the matter and have come up with a few options, and would like some opinions on their viability.

1. Longboard - Pros: wind range, can sail within Raceboard rules/yardstick. Cons: LONG! (btw how do you folk transport these things!?!) A Raceboard setup is getting expensive...
Example: Starboard Phantom 377, Kona One, Exocet RS 380 etc

2. Hybrid - Pros: wind range, easier to transport. Cons: not particularly good at anything
Example: Starboard Phantom 320, NP RS:X/RS:One, Others??

3. Formula - Pros: fast! Cons: Lacks bottom end of wind range, most expensive option(?)

4. The WOD - Pros: decent fleets in some areas. Cons: would prefer something a bit more modern (but can be swayed)

At the moment I'm leaning towards the Kona One Design, but I'm not sure of it's Aussie popularity and would be probably better off with a Raceboard (long or hybrid) if there's not many around.
I've pretty much ruled out the Formula idea, but could be swayed if the fleets are bigger than I expect. I hate having to wait for wind.

Sorry for the long post, but I would really appreciate some opinions/advice.

Oh and btw, I'm 199cm tall and weigh about 90-95kg

Cheers

Tootall.

From chatting on utube I know one windsurfer in Albury. I don't think he is into racing. I'd be surprised if there windsurf racing happens there. Around Sydney, in Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle there are quite a few racers and a few different racing fleets. They are mainly WOD and formula with slalom when wind is up. I don't think there are any Kona One fleets. I've only seen one Kona One once in Sydney. There is a bit of longboard racing too.

Not many windsurfers race. However there is an alternative to racing while still being competitive. This is with GPS sailing and the GPS Teams Challenge. This might suit you very well at Albury.

Hi Tootall,
Mobydisc mentioned that I sail here, well, myself and two other regulars and another three we don't see much.
I've been sailing for 18 months, so still figuring it out.
I'm super keen, so will be out whatever the temp. South Easterlies straight off the snow in 8 degree water during winter demand insulation and 41 degree days with fresh northerlies in summer, end up jumping in to cool down.
Mobydisc also mentioned the GPS team challenge, this has enticed me for a while now. I need to either approach an existing team or start new.
I make it down to PortPhillip a bit, 3.5 hrs down the Hume.
Being a Dam the water level in the Hume weir can change greatly year to year, having come out of drought it is full- ish, but can get down to pretty much nothing and stay there for years! There are other Dams around within a hour,I've been meaning to check out.
PM me your number if you want some buddies here.
Welcome.

hey tootall, yeah, i lived in smallbury for ages, i sailed the hume wier heaps, good fun, something different, patchy, flattish runs, and when you fall in, you can have a drink, ha, albury was pretty crap for a windsurfing life.....but its sweet for a boxing life, heaps of boxing gyms, some great boxers come out of albury, eg kane melbourne, johhny"fists of thunder" miller, , good luck man......................my friend is riding this absoulte isoar, its about 154l, 59 w, 2.8long, he kills it, plains early, and seems to push it past thirty no worries, its a mid nineties slalom board

hey man, as far as comparing boards, big matty, about 100kg, has started windsurfing at home recently, he turns up on a bic vivace race board, 2.99l, 59w, and 150litres, oh how i laughed and laughed at him........his kicking my butt!, that board seems to plain early, his pushed it past 32kts, his doing nearly 22kt alphas, he rides it with modern sails, loft race sails, an 8.6 and 7.3 and uses a jp36 weedy(fin), the board is going great gunns, their werid sizes compared to modern boards, thier heaps longer and narrower,,,,,i dont know about raceboard rules, formula they go as big as 12m, with a little bit of practise, formula would be doable for anyone, it might not be the best way to regain some skills when starting out, it is big and sails differently to free riding, but once your up and going, formula isnt a bad choice for light winds, but there is probably easier forms of light wind sailing, thats still good,,, you'd be a great boxer at that hieght, actually, at that hieght, you better be careful a plane doesn't crash into you,

Hi tootall

I just read this post. 2 comments:

I don't think you can go past an Ezzy sail. They are great and they will last much better than the NCX (in my opinion). There should be some on seabreeze. 2nd hand should be fine (I would get a freeride 2010 or later).

You can't go past a formula board in light winds as they get up and plane earlier, so dont rule them out. There should be some older ones on seabreeze which will be a good start.

Thanks for all the replies guys.

JackAcat - Good to know there are a few windsurfers on the lake and that it's nearing 100%. Also about the fact that it's not always windless!

Despite my late surge of interest in formula racing, I think I've decided to go for the raceboarding option. I guess the only issues now are finding a second hand raceboard in decent condition and figuring out how to transport 3.8m of board!


Tootall.

Hi Tootall,

The raceboard class has 9.5m as a maximum sail size for racing. The current favourite sail is the Severne Raceboard 9.5m.

Good luck!

Hey JackAcat - I'm pleased that the wind is more consistent! I must have been unlucky or maybe my memory is failing (probably the latter - old age)