NSW
2 posts
Hi All,
I bought a long board rig a few months ago and have 'mastered' it over the summer. I can turn and have afair idea of how to sail. I would like to now move onto something more intermediate. I live in mosman so balmoral is just round the corner but head up to lake mac quite often.
What do you suggest I look at getting?
I like the idea of a shorter board and a 2 piece mast.
Budget of around 500 bucks for 2nd hand gear, is ebay a good place to buy from?
Forgot to add I am about 65-70kgs
Cheers
Deane
NSW
95 posts
I was in your position alittle while ago and I bought a 119lt salom board, because I couldn't water start (I'm nearly there :) and still wanted to be able to uphaul easily. I'm around 65kg.
umm.. I don't have much more to add, but I hope that helped :)
WA
51 posts
After learning on big hire boards, my first board I bought was a 109 litre (I am 55-60 kgs). I had no trouble uphauling in moderate or light winds but it took a few desperate weeks before I could sail it without luffing up. Now I love it, it was worth the trouble. Being a little heavier than me you might want to go slightly larger. From what I understand you want an extra litre for each kg. So a ~120 litre board might be good.
SA
2898 posts
luffing up is what you do when you want to luff up.
if you don't want to luff up then luff down.
another term for luffing down is bearing off the wind to build up to planning speed, but be careful of too much techno gibblishness.
Get a fanatic E-ray 150, you'll never look back.
best winds
WA
15105 posts
Deane,
visit one of your local shops. Ebay is not the place to buy windsurfing gear, as it's usually really old/user-unfriendly equipment. Some of the descriptions of old equipment is entertaining at best!
I'm amazed that I saw someone describing an old board with a centre-board as 'near-new'. Maybe it was, but more likely it was old and not as easy to sail as more modern boards and rigs.
I can recommend talking to Sam at East Coast Boardriders in Brookvale, but I'm sure the guys are Long Reef in Collaroy are just as helpful. At the very least, either of these shops can suggest what is right for you, and if you doubt it, or even for confirmation, get another opinion from the other shop!
If you're talking to the right person, they won't be pushy and will let you listen to their advice, instead of insisting you buy a particular board or sail.
Both these shops sell second hand gear as well. Ask them, as their advice will be very useful. Well chosen equipment will be useful for quite a while and make your sailing much more enjoyable.
When Warren's (Warren Francis) in town, he's a good instructor. He can also provide good advice on equipment. I haven't used any other instructors here in Sydney, so I can't suggest anyone else.
I can't help with advice on gear, but talk to the guys that sell the stuff. Ebay sellers normally only want to offload what they have to sell, and usually its old. Have I mentioned that it's old?
Do you have other people that you sail with? Talking to other people that sail can often steer you in the right direction. Most of them are only too happy to offer advice.
Dale.
WA
65 posts
I agree with FormulaNova, visit one of the local shops thay have lots of 2nd hand gear, and they will usually demo the used stuff. If you can, buy the newer style wider board, it will be better for stability. I've sailed Balmoral, it's good in a NE but it can be a bit tricky getting of the beach on the north end due to the wind shadow, particularly on a shorter board w/o dagger board. Launch on the south end, Apart from naivagting around moored boats it will be easier to get out acorss the bay.
