You want a board that floats you. So something in the range 100 to maybe 115 would be a good start. Think body weight + 10 kgs - board volume will give you the amount of flotation. Too much floatation and you'll have problem turning the board, not enough flotation and getting out over the waves in really light conditions gets frustrating... especially when you are starting out. Current skill level does make a sizeable factor as well.

As for the board style I would suggest something like a thruster (three fins) with a shape that's gear more towards early planing rather than super tight radical turns. That will come later. The Goya One, Severne Dyno, Fanatic Freewave (certain sizes), Starboard Kode (certain sizes) all fit the bill with slightly different characteristics. Tabou and JP also have some boards in their range that fit the bill but I personally haven't used them lately so can't comment.

Give peter at wind and surf in landsborough a call. He has a new lorch tri fin wave board for less than some of the boards listed in the buy and sell. Hes clearing old stock. From memory its about 110lt

Thanks guys

Also depends on wind direction. 15 knots cross off could be 5.2 or 5.7 for me on a 105 (also 93kgs). Different story in onshore/cross onshire with currents running down the beach.

BenKirk said..
Also depends on wind direction. 15 knots cross off could be 5.2 or 5.7 for me on a 105 (also 93kgs). Different story in onshore/cross onshire with currents running down the beach.

Thanks, that makes sense - local conditions are usually cross to cross off, and unless the wind comes up quickly, them damn currents don't take long to form. What are you using in 15 cross on with a current? or that's just not enough to bother?

Cross onshore with a current = have to have a big enough sail to plane. If you're not planing in those conditions then not worth going out.

We get cross onshore with a current and 15 mph breezes in Florida more than any other kind of sailable conditions. Those that still try to sail in the waves in those ?? conditions have Exocet 11'5 longboards and 7.5 sails to make it work. Everyone else goes foiling on flat water instead.

5.7 with a 115/105. Now you may slog out but will benefit from smaller more reactive gear once riding the wave.

It also depends on what you want to do, your own style, etc and if you have access to more sideoff conditions where it's easier to build up speed.

100 lt will be perfect, at 93 kegs your not really going to be planning on the way out in 15 knots, 100 lt board these days turn awesome, i have 101 Severne Nuevo and it turns amazing.

Get a board with the volume under you when you plugging around, would avoid any of the Maui designed boards as they tend to have the volume more forward, east coast spots tend to mostly have no wind in the break so the volume under you in these parts makes a massive difference.

I would stick to wave boards as FSW tend to lose the fun factor once your on the wave and want to do tight turns and keep sails no bigger than 5.6-5.7

P.C_simpson said..
100 lt will be perfect, at 93 kegs your not really going to be planning on the way out in 15 knots, 100 lt board these days turn awesome, i have 101 Severne Nuevo and it turns amazing.

Get a board with the volume under you when you plugging around, would avoid any of the Maui designed boards as they tend to have the volume more forward, east coast spots tend to mostly have no wind in the break so the volume under you in these parts makes a massive difference.

I would stick to wave boards as FSW tend to lose the fun factor once your on the wave and want to do tight turns and keep sails no bigger than 5.6-5.7

I'll second that.
Having 92 kg i had the Goya 2016 Quad 116 and 2018 One 116, both of the "volume forward" type of shape. Both not feeling big, ok for slogging, very nice tight turning boards, but not perfect for fast or powerless bottom turns, due to the fat rails forward bouncing in fast bottom turns and the low volume tail not carrying my fat ass through powerless wind/wave bottom turns.
The new 2020 Goya One shape is quite the opposite, much more volume and width in the tail and thinner thickness and rail profile forward. This shape has so much slogging and planing power that my 2020 One 115 felt (too) big in tight turns so that i changed for the One 105. This board ist spot on for me now, easy slogging and planing and turning tight and wide nicely.
Best light wind board i had so far (despite being Maui designed )

cald said..

BenKirk said..
Also depends on wind direction. 15 knots cross off could be 5.2 or 5.7 for me on a 105 (also 93kgs). Different story in onshore/cross onshire with currents running down the beach.

Thanks, that makes sense - local conditions are usually cross to cross off, and unless the wind comes up quickly, them damn currents don't take long to form. What are you using in 15 cross on with a current? or that's just not enough to bother?

15 knots cross on soon becomes head high + with sweep, so I wouldn't bother, would head somewhere else or go for a wingfoil!

Daithidmg said..
..
As others have said with the current sails 5.8 is as big as I go, used to have 6.2 but found that there was little to no advantage in terms of planing in return for the extra bulk in handling.

Having experienced exactly the same regarding 5.7 vs. 6.3 (Goya Banzai and Fringe, newer models), now here comes the 100000$ question (at least for me):
What about a 6.0 Banzai? Hot or not?

I remember that once i had a Loft Lipwave 6.0 many years ago and i think i did like it (untill it was smashed in the shorebreak in Sylt or Siouville, don't remember anymore), but my wave skills weren't that good at that time and it's just too long ago.

One of the things I like about the big Fringe is it uses a short boom. Not much more than my 5.2 QU4D.

It's probably the easiest sail to gybe for it's size that I've used.

BUT I'm definitely not backlooping it, nor am I using it for really extreme riding. Side-on light wind wavesailing just isn't that intense, the big sail is mainly needed for a reliable water start and to get back upwind.