Comrade Ren

This board you speak of, he is most definately for waves yar
Tri fins were big in the 80's and early 90's and then all but fizzeled out.
They are now starting to make a come back with Detla designs in Margs River reverting to the trusty tri fin set up

This Performance board it would have to be 15 - 20 years old.
Another way to check its age is to look at how far the mast track(the slot the mast fits into) is from the nose of the board.

When Bombora where still making glass tri fins they made the boards pretty short with the mast track way forward... they were great in high winds but not good for much else. At the time they were great boards but would not compare to something constructed within the last 5- 8 years

Compare to cars

Take a 1980's toyota celica for a blast around the block
Now take a 5 year old wrx for a spin around the same block...

There's your comparison between what you have (in reference to its age and performance) and what has happned in terms of development within the sport in the last 5 - 8 years

Good luck and get out there and have a red hot go !

Comrades

Not knocking tri fin set up for wave board.. I have had many and they seriously rip.
Jusst pointing out the expected performance of board in question...

By all accounts the Delta thrusters are trully awesome in the waves

Hi Ren,

Before you get your own gear get some lessons on a good modern starter board.

That piece of advice will save you about 2 seasons worth of swearing and frustration.



(I know, I spent a summer flailing around on the river with a waveboard and slalom sail.)

You got there b4 me sinker

Hi Ren,
Dont be too quick to right the board off because of its size.

Once you've got your waterstarts down pat you should be able to ride a board thats less in litres than your body weight in kgs as long as theres enough wind, (which there usually is during the summer seabreeze season) . i.e. at 98-100kg I can comfortably ride a 93l freestyle wave.

Just comes down to technique and wind strength (mainly windstrength)

anyway hang in and enjoy the ride.

Disregard my earlier post, sounds like you're going really well.

Learning to get into the straps and harness is one of the best bits.... now you can really get some power effortlessly into the board.[}:)]

What sort of board are you using and where? If you're on a big, older style uphauling board you're probably ready to move to something smaller or more intermediate. (if you're using modern starter kit you can probably keep using it for longer)

Have fun

The optimum hand position on the boom shouldn't change as you move back.
Unless your transfering the effort from one arm to the other as you do so. Those old boards are so complicated, may be you have too much centerboard down (guessing it has a centerboard). That will mean you can't rake the rig back with you as you go, as the center of lateral resistance stays forward. that means you have to lean forward to hold the sail awkwardly.
Sounds like it's time for you to update boards, get something that will be your light wind board in the future. That old board is only holding you back now, and the skills you are learning on it wont exactly suit modern boards.

quote:

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Originally posted by REN658


Just told my wife I need a new board on expert advice from the forum.
She has a great sense of humor but isn't laughing.

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Bummer!

quote:

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I have a smaller board on which to progress so maybe I'll give it a go next time out.

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If you mean the performance board, then you'll need fairly strong winds, 20kts and over I think, but worth a try.
You'll probably be able to water start and sail it OK but it's not the ideal board to learn to gybe on.

quote:

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Thats interesting ref the hand position, thanks. I haven't used the dagger board for ages unless I need to point higher to get out of trouble.

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So without the dagger board, as you move back down the board, the front of the board should start lifting out of the water, allowing the rig to be raked back moving with you.
You could try moving the mast back in it's track (assuming it has a mast track, not a piece of rope)
That helps the nose lift up, and makes it easier for you and the rig to move back.
It's also easier if you're in the harness, your weight should be on the rig not you supporting it.

Decrepit.
I don't know what to say. I was really pleased that someone was interested in just passing on info but had no intention of angling for gear. I thank you and your good wife for your kind offer but I will decline.

I have a few boards that I managed to procure when I decided to venture into this game. All on a shoe string budget. People are so generous in this game.
I was looking for a bigger board in the forum in, April I think, a guy replied saying he had one for me, when I went round his place I found it was a bit too small but he gave it to me anyway! plus an old sail that works fine.
Another guy I bought a mast from gave me two bases, an old board and a sail. I now have 5 boards. This is probably why the wife is not keen for another.

The other board I was talking of getting onto is a one I picked up for nix a couple of months ago. It was advertised in the forum and as it was near my work I thought I'd pop over to have a look. the link for a picture is below, it's the one on the right.
www.seabreeze.com.au/gallery/gallery.asp?imageid=2085&text=board

It's a slalom board I believe, or have been told. I've been out on it a couple of times but have had a hard time getting it to go where I want it to (old sailing habit).
I had a conversation with a fellow at Scarborough one windy afternoon on my way home from work and told him of my board and the troubles I'd had. He said I have to do my time in the river on the begginners board and learn how to do everything. So I went back to the barge and the river and found I could control it heaps better than I remembered. Got the waterstarts happening etc and here I am.

Must go put the kids to bed. Once again I thank you for your kind offer and hope to meet up one sunny windy day. I'll be the bloke with the very second hand mismatched gear lying face down in the river.

Cheers Simon.

Simon,
You should get howling on the windtech. As decrepit said it will be a bugger to to jibe but will teach you all the basics for getting your feet in the footstraps and getting the harness lines right.

And get off that river! Come down to safety bay and have a go in the pond!

After reading your posts it seems to me that you just need to hop on to a smaller board with a smaller sail. AS the wind increases a big board and a big sail become unmaneagable regardless of your experience. As you get overpowered the sail tries to ram itself into the water, catapulting you in the process. And a big board is harder to move quickly.

Gaz

Sinker.
Yes I beleive that plaining is the key. I can get the Bismarck up on the plan, however it never stays there long.

Boom height is a very good comment. I have always thought that I may have it too low, but when I sail it feels better a little lower. It would certainly cause it to be in the wrong position when moving back though.
I previously turned down an offer of a board from decrepit because I have plenty of board. I'm now thinking that the idea is to have the right board for my purpose. Tell me about the wave board.
I'm on a budget of naf all.

Cheers Simon.