All i can say is enjoy, i had 10 years out of the sport and i am loving it. I started back with one 90L bump and jump board but things have progressed a little. There are plenty of good 120L free ride boards, so ask around i don't think anybody would mind giving you a run.

I Think the new gear needs to be dialled in a lot closer than the old stuff, especially slalom gear. My slalom gear feel ****house when it's set up wrong but almost sails itself when it's right. Tiny adjustments can make a surprisingly big difference. Things like mast step and foot strap position, the design and size of your fin, boom height, harness line length and position, sail trim. Each factor makes a small difference on it's own but make all the difference combined.

I was committed to the racing scene pretty hard in the early 90's and back then going fast was mostly a brute strength and fitness discipline. Boards were longer and skinnier and mast tracks and footstraps were further forward so you could simply chuck on a big sail, load up the back leg and grunt your way past people. To a large extent the brute strength and fitness is still a factor and indeed my advice to people wanting to go faster is get fitter and stronger, however this won't take you as far as it used to. Modern equipment is much more finely tuned and the sport is much more of a science. The average free racer or gps enthusiast is a lot more informed and cluey about his choice of gear and how to set it up.

I find it really helpful to sail in a spot where it is shallow enough to stop and stand up so you can adjust your gear. When sailing in deep water spots I often couldn't be stuffed stopping and fixing something, especially when I launch in spots that are a bit of a pain to launch from. The end result being I put up with a boom at the wrong height or mast step to far forward when I really should fix it. I found Harrington speed strip to be excellent for this purpose. You are always next to the bank and the flat water makes it possible to feel the effects of even the tiniest of changes. My gear has never been so dialled in as when I sailed at Harrington.

So that's my advice, keep tweaking. Especially fins. The right fin for you and your gear is worth every penny.

Cluffy said..

I Think the new gear needs to be dialled in a lot closer than the old stuff, especially slalom gear. My slalom gear feel ****house when it's set up wrong but almost sails itself when it's right. Tiny adjustments can make a surprisingly big difference. Things like mast step and foot strap position, the design and size of your fin, boom height, harness line length and position, sail trim. Each factor makes a small difference on it's own but make all the difference combined.

I was committed to the racing scene pretty hard in the early 90's and back then going fast was mostly a brute strength and fitness discipline. Boards were longer and skinnier and mast tracks and footstraps were further forward so you could simply chuck on a big sail, load up the back leg and grunt your way past people. To a large extent the brute strength and fitness is still a factor and indeed my advice to people wanting to go faster is get fitter and stronger, however this won't take you as far as it used to. Modern equipment is much more finely tuned and the sport is much more of a science. The average free racer or gps enthusiast is a lot more informed and cluey about his choice of gear and how to set it up.

I find it really helpful to sail in a spot where it is shallow enough to stop and stand up so you can adjust your gear. When sailing in deep water spots I often couldn't be stuffed stopping and fixing something, especially when I launch in spots that are a bit of a pain to launch from. The end result being I put up with a boom at the wrong height or mast step to far forward when I really should fix it. I found Harrington speed strip to be excellent for this purpose. You are always next to the bank and the flat water makes it possible to feel the effects of even the tiniest of changes. My gear has never been so dialled in as when I sailed at Harrington.

So that's my advice, keep tweaking. Especially fins. The right fin for you and your gear is worth every penny.

Yep. I've been back into it since 2009 after a bout 10 years off and I notice the boards bounce more and need more tecnique to get the best out of them. Back in the 80/90's - tuning ??? whats that? I've learnt more in the last 5 years than I ever knew and the more I learn the more I enjoy the sport.
e.g - I used to sail my 95ltre in 25kts and big chop with not enough downhaul on my sails , the one fin + mast foot stuck in the one spot for all conditions. I used to think it was normal for the board to be skittish and want to rail up and toss you off!
These days I now sail a 78ltre with smaller fin and sails well downhauled so they twist off and mast foot further forward for control.If I was still on the 95 I know to put the boom lower if I'm overpowered , add more downhaul and outhaul , mast foot forward + smaller fin.... I've only just touched the surface with tuning but I get heaps more wind range from my gear with a bit of tuning.

You're covering the most enjoyable wind range so I guess you have to be satisfied with that.

With more skill you can extend the range a bit.

Use 30 inch harness lines, This will smooth out your ride.

jh2703 said..

Use 30 inch harness lines, This will smooth out your ride.

Thanks mate... yeh, Ive got adjustable lines set about 28" maybe a touch more. I also have a lovely seat harness. I always used to like long lines (no pun) back in the day and was surprised to see all the 24 and 26" short lines that are popular now days (although it does seem, in my short time back in the sport, that this trend is dropping off). I feel like theres a tonne more room for movement while sailing, and if a massive gust hits Im not as likely to get flung.... conversely, I can easilly (it happens by default really) unhook in a sudden lull, lowering my chance of taking a backward dip.

I also like my boom quite low, like about mid chest, below my collar bone. Ive read lots of comments this is too low. Im all for personal preference, but if its hindering my progress then I'll take advice. I like it low for two reasons....

Waterstarting is easier coz the boom sits about 1-2" on the tail of my board, and...

I feel a lower boom gives me a lot more control when at max power. The issue here, is after 15 years of not paying attention to the wind Ive lost hat inate ability to gauge wind strength, so I generally rig up too big, get out there and find Im hanging on for dear life.

Ive probably answered my own question (with your prompts)... Im overpowered, under skilled, unfit, and have to learn how to tune all this modern kit. There seems so much more to it today than the 80s and 90s.

So, before I completely lose your attention and use up my rookie quota of questions, let me ask one more about my one and only fin....

Its the original JP fsw (very raked) fin... I think its 29cm. I see these massive fins being used in 25-30kts and think wtf... how are you guys not hydrofoiling (new word?). My understanding is the stronger the wind, the smaller the fin. Fins create forward drive and lift, right? So the greater the wind the less fin surface area required?

If I look at getting another fin to experiment with, one with a wider base as suggested above, should it be raked, shorter than my 29cm, or straighter and longer, which would mean way too much surface area, no?

Whats the smallest size fin in most peoples kit?

Thanks for reading and thanks in anticipation of your further comments.

Cheers
N

tomp said..

welcome back!

I've taken extended breaks from windsurfing (3 kids will do that) - but still addicted.

Maybe consider a board in the 100-115 litre range if you are more % on flat water.
If you just want waves there are a few 90-100 lt wave boards around, but they tend
to get snapped up pretty quickly or kept as a back up by the 'bigger' guys.

the modern more wave type oriented boards do slam in the chop a bit, they are a
bit flatter in the nose, shorter, & wider in the deck especially compared to the needle
nose boards from the 80's/90's.

Is 7ltrs going to make much difference? 23ltrs (i.e. 115ltrs) definitely will, but I fear spending money on a board that I may only use for 12 months until I find my way back. When I bought my setup I basically forgot I was 70kgs dripping wet 15 years ago and was riding 70-100ltr boards. Sigh, if only I had the money for two boards. I chose a trip to Maui in Oct over buying anymore new gear in the next 6 months (damn, Id better get my game together before this trip!!).

^ I'm on a FreeStyleWave with a waist harness and 26" lines. I suspect this is a very common combination.