Lear on. Is that a new trick ??

yes that should be learn on

even given my higer weight?? or would that not matter on a board that wide

Question 1 - where do you live.

Question 2 - what sort of sailing do you want to do?

Question 3- How flexible is your sailing time?

i wouldnt get the 170 id get the 150 im the same wieght

I am 110-115kg heavy, I recently bought Go166 (the latest 2008 model)and that is what I would recommend to you. Do not buy 170 as that is previous model - poorer.
Go 166 has exactly the same shape as Futura, just other materials-technology - much more durable which is important for beginners - you will not brake it. Go will keep the price very well, as this is most popular board in the world. I love mine and I am going to keep it for years, I will rather buy second board than sell Go. If I was you, my only dilemma would be 166 or 150...
Good luck !

yer starboard has there stuff together when it comes to beginner to intermediate gear, but almost every board company has something similar to the go.

one thing you should realy ask yourself before you buy any board is "where do you see your sailing going in say 1 year or even 2" be brutally honest here and true to yourself about your sailing ability.

if you intend to sail in the stronger stuff, go for something smaller, i don't mean something 100 litres but something like 130 to 140 litres, modern boards float reasonably flat so can be easily uphauled and tacked, you may struggle to get it going at the beginning, but once you work it out you will be fine and you won't out grow the board.

if you are going to sail in the lighter stuff go for something bigger but mainly for the bottom surface area as this will help you get going heaps easier.

the Go's and similar boards are great but i feel people would out grow them pretty fast if they are keen and on the water every chance they get, there shapes are great now across the brand, and they all offer heaps of strap position to learn to use them which is excellent but the weight of the tuffer construction let them down a little, and you can always buy a nose pad to fit almost any board these days.

if the store don't have a board you like in stock ask them which brands they can get in for you, it may cost you the price of freight to get it there but you will get the correct board for you..

Right on OceanBlue64: keep the old one, for the reasons you mention. Big mistake is to get into buying a new board every 6 months, there is no end to it. Surely you must see this coming.

Keep in touch with the roots for social stuff, teaching, and lighter wind sailing for yourself. Keep using the Go to refine moves and practice stuff before trying on shorter boards. Use the Go to get into freestyle.

Buy wisely and not too often, take your time too to decide what you will buy. I have taught people that get into the Tupperware party, just to drop after only 2-3 years coz they say the sport is too expensive.

Cheers mate.

(And I hope my English was clear enough for Stewie - the lear thing.)

wouldn't a freeformula be better for matth? apparently he seems to know the basics and as a one board for his weight he'll be faster later on that than the go

P.C_simpson said...
if you intend to sail in the stronger stuff, go for something smaller, i don't mean something 100 litres but something like 130 to 140 litres, modern boards float reasonably flat so can be easily uphauled and tacked, you may struggle to get it going at the beginning, but once you work it out you will be fine and you won't out grow the board.

That might be true for people 70-90kg but a 130L board is not going to work for a 110kg beginner full stop.

Hi, Whilst at WSP looking for a decent 120l board the other day I saw the JP Funster 160ltr. This board is similiar to the previous *Brd Go's but has a dagger board so great in really light conditions when drift is a big issue, and also upwind. *Brd make the Rio which is also similiar but the JP Funster appears to have more performance with its shape. I have been a *brd buyer of late but was really impressed with the Funster and the new JP slalom iv's . Any way am getting my kids into the sport and will probably buy the Funster or Rio for them and my wife to learn on and us all to use on family holidays etc for cruising. Damn, just put an offer in on a fast 120ltr board and also want to get a SUP/light wind wave (perhaps Bic Jungle) - the quiver seems to just want to expand - just have to HTFU and hit the water.

ive been sailing for 25 years and we didnt have the stuff you guys have today dvds, seabreeze where you can get advice, you need to get the big picture and stick to your go's and learn how a board responds to the sail its the sail that's doing it, not the board,most guys learn to sail fast on a broard reach
have a look at the videos i posted and stay on your go's untill you know how the board is responding to your sail

Time on water is the best thing to progess, updating gear every year will do nothing. My 84 quatro floats and gets going quite well and Im 85kg

sounds like you need a bigger board, maybe a starboard start for your wavesailing.
So you can do those moves?