Hey guys and girls,
I want to get into windsurfing and SUP but have no idea where to start.
I live in the Hunter Valley NSW so I'll be looking for places near Newcastle to ride.
I'm 33, 6'3", 100kg, fit and strong enough that I shouldn't have any problems picking it up but I'm not sure what size or discipline gear I should get?
I'm not scared of speed and the more physical the better. I'm very competitive so it won't be long before I'm trying to race or compete in something.
It all looks fun to me, I'm thinking that I'm going to need a board for everything but ideally I'd like one that is versatile enough to do it all if that is possible?
What are the wind conditions like at the local spots around here? Can I expect to always have somewhere to go in summer or is it hit and miss?
I have a Navara dual cab, what's an ideal setup with racks for transporting everything?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Jeff.
Hi Jeff, welcome to SB and the sport of windsurfing. I was in your situation 18 months ago and have changed boards and gear all the way through so I have a fair idea what works at beginining and onwards etc.
As you have probably already found out, there are lots of different styles and sizes of boards and sails as well as terminology that is confusing. Don't worry though, the more you research and ask questions the more it will start to make sense.
As a general guide I would suggest being prepared to invest in and change gear as you progress. Windsurfing has fairly steep learning curve at the start but having gear suited to that stage will make an enormous difference to how quickly you learn and how much fun you have. There really isn't any point trying to learn on gear that you plan to be using after you have learned the basics.
With that, board wise, bouyancy and width are your friends. Both will contribute to the stability of the board. Bouyancy is represented by Litres or Lt and in the beggining 60-70 lts of positive bouyance, or more even, when compared to your weight is recommended. I would also highly reccomend as wide a board as possible. I started with an old, but very bouyant, skinny board, and while it was ok, the newer board I next purchased was far far better and easier.
The big board brands have specialised boards for all types which will fit the bouyancy, width, and robustness requirements for your learning as well as an optional centre board which will help with stability and upwind sailing. Boards like Starboard Go, Jp Funster, etc.
Once you have the basic and intermediate skills then you can more easily pick gear that will suit your longer term prefered sailing style.
Gday Jeff,
Glad to hear you're keen to get on the water. Its looking like it should be a good summer. We have a stack of good places to sail around the Hunter.
Best place to start would be to give the guys at Kite and SUP a call:
www.kiteandsup.com.au/
They have a shop in Warners Bay which is mainly Kites and SUP, but they also do windsurfing lessons and can get gear in for you. They usually run their lessons at Marmong Point or Warners Bay. Their instructors are excellent and they provide all the gear.
People on the lake mostly sail at Valentine, Coal Point, Marmong Point, Belmont Slips (near 18 footers), Swansea and down south at Shingle-splitters point (near morriset).
We have a club on the water at Marmong Point (George St) where we get together every Saturday afternoon and race Formula (light wind) or slalom (stronger wind), and also have beginner gear.
Your ute will be perfect to carry your gear around.
Feel free to PM me if you need any other info. See you on the water.
