1 posts
Hi
Inspired among others from discussions on this forum I just got myself a Windsurfer LT - which is a very rare board here in Denmark.
I have been windsurfing for plus 25 years, I can do +30 knots of speed, planing jibes and messing around in waves now and then. I also enjoy classic freestyle in light wind - quite average. 61 years and 91 kg.
The reason for me to get the LT was to switch the frustrating almost planing, waisting time rigging up days into joyful windsurfing whether it be non planing freestyle, playing in swell or speeding across the bay. The 'almost windsurfing' days probably cover 60 percent of my time on the water, and that's a lot (and very frustrating).
I got the flat deck edition of the LT, as I won't compete, and I don't want to hurt my toes on the dagger board, protruding the deck. I didn't buy the original rig with it, as I have plenty of sails.
Impressions are:
Good looking. Nice finish, and anything long and narrow on the water tends to look cool.
Heavy. You can't hide +15 kgs. But it means less on the water.
Very nice glide. And that's a winner. 7 to 12 knots with a 6.5 sail, when my freerace gear struggles to plane with a 7.3. That's a very lovely feeling.
Not really a speedster. I have hit 21 knots with a 6.5 NP Atlas in 20 knots of wind. Okay fun, odd position on the board but 6 -7 knots less than an ordinary freeride board would do. But it doesn't really matter, as the quite high average speed makes the board allround fun at lover speeds catching swell and messing around - and that's the main purpose.
Jibes. Horrible. No way near planing and very slow around the corner when it's windy, but it's getting better 😂. Light wind flare jibes work very well. It's all about me...
Playing around in smallish waves (very small), doing heli tacks, clew first, back winded sailing etc. in light wind, is excellent on this board. I used to do it on a 10'8 windsup, which is also nice, but on that I spend most of the time trying to get upwind. Dagger down on the LT and I gain plenty of new downwind distance to enjoy the feeling of being master of the (50 cm) waves.
SUP. It works surprisingly well as a sup-board...
This board has really changed my windsurfing into new ways of having fun - a LOT more. It's never really fast, and it's never really slow. But now all days have their own version of fun, and my learning curve is really getting up now.
How are your impressions of this board - especially when not taking part of one design competition (which is another game)? Is there something I could and should learn and try with it?
All the best
Per - Denmark