Hi Sharkbiscuit.

I took my 89 litre fanatic falcon slalom board off semaphore last night and it was good. I have been sailing for over 15 years and the chop doesn't bother me too much. You can do it with a slalom board but the speed vs chop may be enough to put you off. Always worth a try but depends on how much you like riding out of your comfort zone? A fast freeride or freestyle wave would be another option for a little more control in the chop.

Hope this helps.

try and ride a few different boards to get a feel of what they are like.
Hayden has my Starboard Carve 99, it's a fast freeride, he will give you a go on it !!
personally, I'd look for something slower so you can learn and grow into it all
then go for a faster shape next time you change boards

OOPS

What i mean by speed vs chop is slalom boards are fast and when going fast you have to be able to control the board in the swell and chop. The board does get a little flightly at times and at times you almost point directly into the wind to cope with the chop.

Advantages:- Fast and fun ride = speed.
Challenging.

Disadvantages:- Damage to gear and body if you get out of control and land wrong.
Harder on body - knees and ankles.

If you were buying a board to go off the northern beaches you would consider a fast freeride or freestyle wave. They will give you more control and easier to gybe in the choppy conditions. I only have slalom and speed boards and still want to ride fast wherever i ride. Like the other guys suggested try a freeride board and see what you think.

Gday Ja :)

Im in same boat,i sail northen beachs too an im out growing my bigger kit!!
I have been looking at the Kode/Futura an the Jp freestyle wave.
But the more read the more confused im getting cos they all seem so good
an carnt decide which one to get.In the ads for the boards they are sailing in perfect conditions(not coppy mess),I think any of these boards would be far more capable (than anything i could do on them)
Ive been saveing my $$`s so i can by new taking a long time,

Hi Kym. Yeah, I am just not surfy enough to use the features of a wave board, and can't don't get out to those places anyway (it will be a once a month treat).. but talking to the advances sailors over the past year that sail at Semphore and Largs, they all say the same thing: get a wave board. The only put off with a wave board is I hear they don't plane easily and they are slow.

Also, thanks for the SMS. Fixing my board as we speak (the epoxy coat has been applied.. cure for 10 hours, sand, prime and then paint). Should be ready to go on Monday. I'm having Monday off (just got back from a 2 week stint in the topend). Look forward to having a session with you :)

Thanks for the tip Rus :)

Ja

oldy but a goody.

starboard s-type 96.
slalom board cross with wave shape.

this board hooks in flat water and chop.
look for one on here, you'll get change from $1000

Ja, Pete has an starboard S type in at the shop, He was going to bring it down for me to try last weekend but seeing as they have a tuttle box and I have power box fins I passed on it and went for the F2 instead, Not sure of the volume but. you will love the gt31 its great to seee your speed and google earth tracks. I have been using KA72.com to process my data, check it out.

Hmmm...
I think you guys are missing a kind of "testing windsurfing gear day".
In my homecity in Austria we have a surfshop that is doing every year in April/May (because there is spring then) a surfopening.
It is hold in Hungary (enclosed in the east to Austria) for four days. There you can try the latest windsurfing gear from a lot of brands - from F2 to JP and from Slalom to Freestyle.

You just pay the accommodation and breakfast located at the Balaton lake if you are interested in you can do courses in Windsurfing and Kitesurfing and test the newest stuff - so you can test the boards and sails before you buy it.

There is also a chance to test at the Neusiedl Lake in Austria when there is the PWA Surfworlcup in Podersdorf. There you have to pay a little amount of money. The test stuff is moving from one event to another and the windsurfers have the possibility to try the windsurfing gear before buying it. That helps a lot to find out which board/sail someone want to have.

Is there nothing similar in Australia?

Yee Haa, I hope you enjoy the board Ja we have the wind for it here now.