I've got a Tabou 140 and its an easy board to sail plus it goes and turns pretty well. I'd recommend you look at getting a modern style (short and wide) board around 160 down to 130 litres which you can get into shortboard sailing, plus you can keep it later on as your light wind, bigger sail board.

Where do you live to get such nice winds?

Bighen,

I'm pretty well much in the same boat, but my sailing was 17 years ago. last week I got a JP Xcite ride 130 litre - after about two months of researching.

Im stoked with it and got up straight away, pulled beach starts and waiting for suffiencient wind to try to learn how to water start.

The newer boards are short and wide and easy(ish) to uphaul on. A 130 litre should be heaps big enough for you. I am bordering 100kg and can uphaul no worries on a 130litre. I dont know how much smaller you would want to go if you cant waterstart yet. (like me)

Cant really go wrong with new boards around today. Speak to Sam at WindSurf n Snow - he helped me out heaps and gave me a great deal, great service and speedy delivery - no affiliation, just appreciated honest good service.

2nd hand boards around 130litre are very rare, I think its worth the money to buy a new one and keep it for the lighter days as you progress - thats my theory and most people on the site agree with it.

Good luck -bring on the wind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Bighen
I have been hacking at this crazy sport for about 8 months now and am totally addicted (i have just finished building my toy box, that’s wind toy box, photos soon).
I have a Starboard GO 180 and still love it, I have spent many hours on it with many more to go and am starting to really get it (Waterstarts sorted, Gibe next). However I know I will need a smaller board soon. I have ridden a Fanatic Hawk 145 (, Naish Freeride Slalom 125 a JP Free Race 125 and a JP Xcite 110. Both of the 125l boards were superb and could uphaul 7m sails on both. I can just uphaul a 6.5m sail on the 110l but it is a struggle as I am 95kg. I will be looking at that 125 –130l board for my next purchase. Sam/James at Windsurf N snow are really helpful with this advice also (tops and all advise really). All arrows for me are pointing at the JP Super Sport 130 and keeping my big Go board fort light days when you just need to be out.
I know I am not one to be spreading advice at this early stage, however I would have liked some from someone at about my level in the past rather than just the super guru's.
Happy Smashing