Freestyle board for a learner?

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bjhjames

QLD

179 posts

bjhjames

QLD, 179 posts

30 Oct 2005 4:41pm

Hi there,

Recently back into sailing. Bought a JP Freestyle wave and enjoying it.

Have a couple of sons 11 & 13 35/45 kilo who are good little surfers and thought I would teach them to windsurf as well. I have spent a few hours on hire Starboard Starts with them and will continue to hire untill they have the basics but could not stand to buy one as they are too clunky.

Would something like a JP Freestle/ Starboard free sex be a exceptable learner platform in the largest sizes (which I could use as a light wind board myself!) or am I kidding myself and making it too hard for them. Or should i go the large freeride board route.

Any advise apreciated as I have little knolledge of how all the newstyle wide boards perform and how stable they actual are.

Thanks
James

drjukka

QLD

258 posts

drjukka

QLD, 258 posts

30 Oct 2005 11:04pm

James,

I've been sailing for 25 years and started out as one of those 35/45 kg types - pretty soon they will be 65-75 kg types.

I would recommend ~ 120 - 150 litres of bouyancy - enough to uphaul with good balance (they surf so balance should be good) and enough to get planing to enjoy the sport.

- J

Pugwash

7733 posts

Pugwash

WA, 7733 posts

30 Oct 2005 9:55pm

I started on a JP freeride 129. Great, wide, easy learning board. Star Carve is similar. Go with something easy to sail and they will stick with it

Katy

44 posts

Katy

WA, 44 posts

31 Oct 2005 8:51am

I started on the same JP freeride 129 and loved it too! However, at one point I had a go on my friend's Starboard Freesex 108 and found it to be even more stable and easier to sail than the 129... (I am 55kilos)
Both would be great, hope they love it!

FilthyAmatuer

877 posts

FilthyAmatuer

WA, 877 posts

31 Oct 2005 7:23pm

I started on a 103L screamer, when i wieghed 75 kg... was not a huge problem... learned to water start pretty quickly... just a bit of falling off at the start...

snides8

1731 posts

snides8

WA, 1731 posts

31 Oct 2005 7:51pm

my first sail was on a stock windsurfer around about the summer of 78' and to this day (controversy!) i still believe its the finest 'freestyle' board ever made!!!! it may not 'spock' or loop like the modern free style boards, but it sure rail rides and ever rolls a lot better than the new ones!!
mine comes out 3 or 4 times a year and the kids love it especially 2 and 3 up! (albeit there only 15kgs each!)the other plus is you should be able to pick them up for bugger all and at 19kg its sure to give you a good work out lugging around!

pole boy

292 posts

pole boy

WA, 292 posts

1 Nov 2005 1:00pm

go the freestyle if they can surf they'll pick it up in no time and at that weight the JP of starboard 101 will be more then stable enough and a good screw around board for you on those dodgy days.

poley

bjhjames

QLD

179 posts

bjhjames

QLD, 179 posts

1 Nov 2005 8:50pm

Well I went ahead and got a freestyle board.

Now I will have fun to see if my plan works.

Which as far as the kids go to tell the truth I dont really care. Im sick of them dropping in on me in the surf anyway and it helps me justify another toy to the wife. "Look dear see on the website it says good for beginers."

Youth, no respect , but alot of fun!

Tks for the advise all.

By the way my first baord was a Jet. 1978. Freestyle head dip was the big move.

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