Forums > Windsurfing General

Best skate board for land windsurfing?

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Created by K Dog > 9 months ago, 24 May 2010
K Dog
VIC, 1847 posts
24 May 2010 2:06PM
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I am doing up a scope of the kit I'll need to get a basic rig for land windsurfing.
Not really interested in forking out $300 plus for premade kits, and can't see any close to that for windsurfing rigs.

Was thinking a long board deck like this one:

(9 Ply Pintail) http://www.omnisk8.com.au/products_longboards.html

And then some extra wide trucks, the source some rubber wheels - are normal skate ones okay - or major stacks with little rocks? (such are the memories of downhill races as a kid).

Also, any tips for attaching your uni to the deck? And at what distance? Over the front truck?

Cheers!

andrew c
NSW, 39 posts
24 May 2010 2:17PM
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don't do it! friction is almost nil on a skateboard compared to a board in water.
i tried this out in 1990 as a young fella, out of control speeds in <10knots wind and broke my leg trying to gybe!
but if you're gonna do it, then uni joint as close as possible to front trucks.
good luck

K Dog
VIC, 1847 posts
24 May 2010 2:36PM
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But it looks like so much fun!

These duldrums are driving me nuts - I need a fix of some sort

windaddict
VIC, 1121 posts
24 May 2010 2:52PM
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Here's mine mate...

The board is made from Marine ply and I have attached another peice of solid timber down the middle underneath it to stop it flexing. Got the trucks ages ago from the trading post as they are much bigger than standard skate board ones. It goes really well at Sandy point on low tide or in a big oval...Not keen to use it on asphalt as its not as forgiving as water/sand/grass when you come off

There was a thread about a year ago with other peoples creations, if I find it I'll link it in.









WindRider
QLD, 838 posts
24 May 2010 3:57PM
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I took up Land sailing about 25 years ago with Windsurfing. Over the time I have only been landing sailing when others get pumped up for it. In Victoria a few years back a number of us had boards of all different types. I started off with a board very much as the one above, which I still have. Where I mainly sailed on grass or sand, like Sandy Point. Recently the guys have been using kite boards with skate board trucks and roller blade wheels for low friction for car park sailing. Others like myself have gone half between with mountain boards, which are ok on car parks and sand. We tried a number places for night sailing. started off with Parkdale Plaza and then ended up at DFO. DFO was perfect as it was big and open right next to the airport and a golf course. Some guys also sail facing one direction only (i.e. normal and then switched). Myself I always like to be able change my feet, thus a wider board with wide stiff trucks would be required to keep the board stable. The problem with grass sailing was grass length and wetness, needed more wind. Problem with car park sailing was how hard the ground is.

I would suggest give it ago, it does help with keeping the mind active in the windless months and with transitions. You can easily do duck gybes, carve 360s and beyond. On grass and especially sand you can flick the board out and perform a broad slide like on BMX flicking up sand etc.

flipper4444
VIC, 1214 posts
24 May 2010 5:11PM
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What about building a street luge? this is what i am thinking about building..


flipper4444
VIC, 1214 posts
24 May 2010 5:55PM
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or you could build one of thease.. www.seabreeze.com.au/Media/View/3733071/Land%20Yachting/measure-a-mini/?m=1&p=Land+Yachting

jermaldan
VIC, 1572 posts
24 May 2010 6:45PM
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flipper4444 said...

What about building a street luge? this is what i am thinking about building..





OMG! I built an (almost) identical one when I was 12! The one below seems to be missing some hand grips.

Watch out or speed wabbles on these babys, they can kill you!!!

flipper4444
VIC, 1214 posts
24 May 2010 6:48PM
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I am thinking about buiding one and testing it at mt. eliza or some where in the dandenongs i need my adrenalin fix just like you, and if there is no wind i go nuts, happens to me every autumn. so at least with street lugeing you dont need wind..

flipper4444
VIC, 1214 posts
24 May 2010 8:51PM
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I think this is the type of land sailer i will make, cause i like how the sails sits behind you..

landyacht
WA, 5921 posts
24 May 2010 8:12PM
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on land you need your weight further back , unless you build something 9m long
this is this years efforts by the landsailors
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=62729
my own ability and speed has been limited by the onset of fear as I go faster and faster. i then stop and go back to learning on water, till I get confident again, then back to the saltlake.
sitting at 38kph on land at the moment, with a board that has a 13m turning circle

actiomax
NSW, 1576 posts
24 May 2010 11:27PM
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No wind has been driving me nuts also and after your other topic post k dog that had the car park skateboard riding on you tube i went up and bought a 110cm long board skateboard 23cm wide deck 68mm wheels 3 bearings 240mm wide trucks $68.00 big W. I had been watching it & it went on special tried to talk my son into buying it with his birthday money but he wasn't coned so i went back & lucky day i drilled a hole as close to the front trucks as possible in front and at the back it has a long pin tail so i screwed a bloke of would on as brake don't have to lift the front wheel far to hit the ground ,got to get some more skate devils. I have been riding it and gybing with no wind its helped my gybing that's for sure living in a culdesac i just go on our street so far and my kind neighbours all get there cars off the road when i come out i have run 4 mtr & 5mtr i don't know what size sails others use works great cheap drill1 holefor base just put nut under board 2 screws for brake set boards perfect i will have to learn to post pictures .good start .Although out west we got some big grass runs power lines & water easment stuff the kids just upgraded bikes so i got some wheels & i want to make that scooter one just 2 bike wheels that i saw a picture of & go hooning

K Dog
VIC, 1847 posts
25 May 2010 1:09PM
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actiomax said...

No wind has been driving me nuts also and after your other topic post k dog that had the car park skateboard riding on you tube i went up and bought a 110cm long board skateboard 23cm wide deck 68mm wheels 3 bearings 240mm wide trucks $68.00 big W. I had been watching it & it went on special tried to talk my son into buying it with his birthday money but he wasn't coned so i went back & lucky day i drilled a hole as close to the front trucks as possible in front and at the back it has a long pin tail so i screwed a bloke of would on as brake don't have to lift the front wheel far to hit the ground ,got to get some more skate devils. I have been riding it and gybing with no wind its helped my gybing that's for sure living in a culdesac i just go on our street so far and my kind neighbours all get there cars off the road when i come out i have run 4 mtr & 5mtr i don't know what size sails others use works great cheap drill1 holefor base just put nut under board 2 screws for brake set boards perfect


This looks like a good cheap option - I might go this way - and can get going for a lot less.... I just want a play in very very light wind - wear some pads - and take it easy. Jibe practice has got to be a good thing - the more second nature that gets the better.

Tried a helitack?

WindRider
QLD, 838 posts
25 May 2010 2:46PM
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What was the link to the Landsailor video on Youtube?
I posted a quick race we had at Parkdale Plaza one night. The girl friend was sitting in the back of tailgate video taping with her music playing in the back ground. I still play video back to her every so often to stir her up, as her voice sounded real funny that night on the video.

Cruiser1755
QLD, 235 posts
25 May 2010 11:00PM
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how come no footstraps? is it easier to bail/ tack / gybe and what about jumps?

windaddict
VIC, 1121 posts
26 May 2010 10:23AM
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Cruiser1755 said...

how come no footstraps? is it easier to bail/ tack / gybe and what about jumps?


I'd imagine you would suffer some evil injuries if you were strapped in and stacked it. On mine above, I have glued some very course sand paper strips for grip. I'm not about to go jumping it either

dave.h
WA, 193 posts
26 May 2010 8:40AM
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now really, how can any one go past this as the best land sailor!!
and a fantastic pro-mo for tushingham sails durability aswell.

landyacht
WA, 5921 posts
26 May 2010 8:11PM
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windaddict said...

Cruiser1755 said...

how come no footstraps? is it easier to bail/ tack / gybe and what about jumps?


I'd imagine you would suffer some evil injuries if you were strapped in and stacked it. On mine above, I have glued some very course sand paper strips for grip. I'm not about to go jumping it either

i sail mine on salt and dirt lakes which , although they look smooth , the little bumps all add up to make your forward foot slowly vibrate and slide to leeward.
i sail in steelcap boots , so I have really heavy sand grip and a 5mm high wooden rail along the centre of the board to snag the heel on . with the current board I have some "wings" on the front so i can get leaverage to turn, but the next board will be slightly narrower and have a slight lift on the sides similar to clemco's board
My reason for no straps is that when it goes wrong you need to get clear and roll
the main reason for falling off is that you get hit by small thermals(willy willy) which you cant see cos theres no waves, so you get pushed off , or then the wind comes back and you get thrown forward and slide down the sail

Cruiser1755
QLD, 235 posts
27 May 2010 9:04PM
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hi landyacht good idea that strip down the middle ... got me wondering how a raised edge on both windward and leeward would go. as well as keeping your feet on would it allow some purchase so you could go without the wings

landyacht
WA, 5921 posts
27 May 2010 8:57PM
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raised strips work well in the middle , but not the edges(tried it)
hence the raised wings. I will replace them on the next building effort with rockered wings that are narrower..
All the heavy grip and strips are no good for bare feet or flip flops on the beach tho

insydney
1 posts
21 Jun 2010 11:24AM
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actiomax said...

No wind has been driving me nuts also and after your other topic post k dog that had the car park skateboard riding on you tube i went up and bought a 110cm long board skateboard 23cm wide deck 68mm wheels 3 bearings 240mm wide trucks $68.00 big W. I had been watching it & it went on special tried to talk my son into buying it with his birthday money but he wasn't coned so i went back & lucky day i drilled a hole as close to the front trucks as possible in front and at the back it has a long pin tail so i screwed a bloke of would on as brake don't have to lift the front wheel far to hit the ground ,got to get some more skate devils. I have been riding it and gybing with no wind its helped my gybing that's for sure living in a culdesac i just go on our street so far and my kind neighbours all get there cars off the road when i come out i have run 4 mtr & 5mtr i don't know what size sails others use works great cheap drill1 holefor base just put nut under board 2 screws for brake set boards perfect


bad knees and the percussion of sailing forced me to quit sailing (and skiing):( but this could be the answer...

actio' have u got any pics of this board ? it sounds like a pretty simple and affordable starting point.

anyone else know of any 'make ur own' details or vids online ?

saltiest1
NSW, 2559 posts
21 Jun 2010 11:13PM
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ive got a sector 9 downhill longboard from the usa, drilled a hole half way between the front and the trucks.
its got only slightly larger, slightly rubbery wheels, standard bearings and trucks.
found it to be fine in carparks & roads ( shhhh) and absolute sick fun!!!
sailed a 4.2 through to a 5.3 so far. super easy to gybe. so perfect for those lighter days to 15kn.

actiomax
NSW, 1576 posts
22 Jun 2010 12:15AM
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The only problem im finding is most carparks are funnily enough full of cars but worse around here is the speed bump every 10ft and they are badly affected wind area from buildings .Idea might try roof top carparks nobody parks there and have to have better wind .No what im thinking of making is a bicycle wheeled board like in ur other thread swiving front wheel kids bike front got that the idea of two rear wheels with trucks would that give me foot preussre turning as well ? has anyone made three wheelers before? i have two kids bikes to use so could do 4 wheels if i had too.there are heaps of grassed essament areas round here get good westerlys that arnt nesscasly hittn the coast.
i will have to invest some time & work out how to post pictures but the board was sold as the 42"maple long board from big w it has a mapple stain strip down the centrer that will wash off when ur kids leave board in rain.



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"Best skate board for land windsurfing?" started by K Dog