Hi WW
Sorry don't know about calculating - I suppose it all comes down to experience and board shape, But at 85kg (my weight) and a 6.0 (powered up on a plane)you should already be down to about 100-110L.

Cheers
DavMen

Thanks for the info... so let me get this straight, if the weight of my board + gear + me equals the volume of the board, I won't sink?

What about when the wind switches off? How much extra volume would you recommend so as to be able to safely uphaul and slog back to the beach in light wind?

...

It is quite simple really. There is a formula similar to maximum heart rate.

Height(cm) + weight(kg) - age*6.5 = ideal volume of board.

For example.

I am 185cm, 95kg and am 29years old.

185 + 95 - 29*6.5 = 91.5 litres

Gee Wet Willy,

I'm in your position and totally confused. In this thread you're being told to buy a board equal to your body weight plus 15-20 to allow for the weight of your gear.

In another thread I expressed the same chop problems, and was advised to get a board equal to just my body weight !!!

Anyway, looks like I'm headed for body weight + 14. My existing board is body weight + 41, so it's gonna be a big improvement. Just hope I make it home when the wind drops.

Regards,
Harrow.

quote:

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Originally posted by Haircut

is that taking good old B.O.D.M.A.S into account?

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Ok Haircut, I'm waiting for the punch-line. Give it to us, I want to go to bed.

Hey WW.

Much Confusion out there!!!! ]

I'm 86-88 kg and ride a range of boards from 65 L up to 105 L

I have also been sailing for 20+ years so you learn a few tricks on how to get moving in marginal conditions.

Width & volume of board around the mast track is something I find critical. If you have too little width and volume in this area when you pump the sail to get on the plane all you end up doing is driving the board under water. (you have this feeling of plenty of grunt in the sail and when you direct the drive through the mast foot all that happens is you go underwater - too little volume in this situation !! - even when running off the wind)

My rule of thumb(s) are as follows

(marginal conditions 12-15 kn_ 105 Litre (BW+ ~20)
(Solid (14-26 kn) 95 Litre (BW + 10) - full sinking rig
(Strong 17-42 knots) - 80 Litre BW -5
Very Solid (20+ steady) 68 litre possible


We talk about board volume a lot but we should not underestimate the importance of fin size.

Changing fin can dramatically effect a board's performance in both light and strong conditions.
- J

I'd be looking at a board that suits the conditions you want to sail in. Use it for those conditions and you should be sailing most of the time and not slogging. I've been sailing boards equal to or less then my weight for over 10 years and only been caught out half a dozen time or so. Either you swim, which is good exercise or wait a bit until the wind comes up to slogging speed. I agree with Dr Jukka, the volume distribution plays a big role in sloggability. I have an 85 litre wave board which feels more stable and floaty than my 86L SuperX board.
Des

Well, it's just not that simple. I could have gone for the 85l as it is about 4cm less length and 1.5cm less width or something compared to the 93l (not 95). hell if I'd ever know the difference. But since this is my only board, I thought a little extra volume won't hurt in light conditions or when the wind drops or I'm trying to get out of another half completed gybe. I think
at really good skill levels usually people end up with their bodyweight as board volume.

S.