Ok so when I was a teen I had a go on some boards,
Then I gre up and stopped playing in the water.
Now I'm welllllll over thrity and found a windsurfer 1 for $100,
Can't let that go, except I've gone as far as that can now with this.
Some statts
195cm (6'5" (6"4" in the cold))
110 -120 KG (who counts in pound still)
I can beach start pretty well, even managed some Clew first sailing, now I'm getting ready to move up a level. Does anyone have a suggestion of board styles.
Oh yeah, around Hobart Tassie, where the apples come from.
A big volume board!
If you wanna get into waves, i've read in a recent windsurfing mag (can't remember which one) but Goya makes a ~140L that someone quoted as saying "they made a wave board for Shaquille O'Neill". He may be a little bigger, but hey go down that track for waves
What style of sailing you like?
What water type you sailing on?
If you like clew first sailing then maybe freemove/freestyle/threestyle boards.
See: Tabou, Fanatic et. al
FoS, send a PM to Easty and or Monster over there, they will help you out.
(private message)
But a board around the 140-150 will do you OK. Probably need one that will get you at least two seasons before you look at dropping down in volume.
Are you planing in the straps and harness?
Hey, what's the sailing like around Hobart? I occasionally think about going home for a holiday, one of these years...
And if you have a Windsurfer 1, don't forget to get down to Sandy Bay Sailing Club on Friday nights during summer, to join in with the fun racing. The original Windsurfer is limited in strong winds (so a Go or something would be great for you) but faster and (IMHO) more fun than most modern boards in light stuff.
FoS,
Im relatively in the same boat as you except I got off a old windsurfer about 20 years ago.
I have just recently started getting back into it.
I think you should look at something like an JP X-Cite ride, Fanatic Shark or similar.
I am 100kg and bought a 130ltr Xcite ride and am stoked with it. Its got enough float for me to uphaul when needed (currently waiting for wind to get some waterstart practise)
For me personally this was the best choice - in consultation with heaps of others, escpecially on this site. Its great as the board is still advanced for me and when I get to a good enough level to go a smaller (displacement) board, the 130 will still serve me for lighter days.
I think with where you say you are in skill level (me same level), you should look at something like this in possibly the next size up 140-145 litre, so you can still uphaul when needed - you will get heaps out of a board like this.
Good luck with it, its great to be back into it again. Just cant seem to get any wind or time off lately though. Rock on November NE.
OK It's Gotta be said
THANKS A LOT
I have been loooking at the StarBoard GO - But I wondered wether it would last long enough. And I also Liked the excite, it seemed a little bit more advanced, manuverable.
Water Type - Wet - I live on a little pennisular SthEast of Hobart - with Surf on one edge and sheltered Bays all around, So for a 5 min Drive I can sail the wild southern Ocean heading to NZ or antartica, Or the sheltered Inlets which currently take around 1/2 Hr to get accross and back in a reasonable wind. -12-18ish
I haven't bothered with a harness yet, but it's on the list- Hoping to find a cheap 2nd hand board, with Harness etc- Also this windsurfer 1 doesn't seem to have anywhere for foot straps, so I haven't done that yet either.
What I'd like to do.
I'd like to be able to blast across the flat water, up on the plan (nearly there a couple of times but the current board weighs around 30kg), and then do some really special turns. Then with a flick head out to the waves, and while not doning full inverts, maybe catch a little sky every now and then.
Maybe a couple of years
Oh and I've bit my tounge long enough - You all seem like great guys... Um
but ...
there seems to be anough wind around here
hey there...
cant vouch for the x-cite ride enough.
wasnt sure before i got it whether it was too big a step from a long board or whether i should go for the GO.. but tuns out its easy as to ride. im only a light weight at 70 kgs and have the 120 litre, (probably coulda gone for the 100 or 110) and not sure how big they make them but fairly sure theres a 140 and 150 litre..
have fun
You can DEFINITELY plane on a Windsurfer 1. Top speed logged on a GPS the only time we tried it was 25.4 knots, with 22.5 for 10 seconds.
They are definitely pretty slow (apart from upwind) in steady medium winds, but they do plane!
I'm NOT saying stick with one as your only board, though; a modern widestyle board would be great for you.
yep Easty, Rifle Range Rd, Maybe I've met ya, I've been around most weekends trying to catch a seabreeze (around 2pm ish)
Thanks for the encouragement Chris 249, I'm gonna try somemore.
Went out this morning, noticed the wind rising on this site around 10:30, so got it out and going about 11, but if you look here 10:30 was the peak, it just dropped from there
www.seabreeze.com.au/graphs/tasmania.asp
Oh well
ok seen this. Does it sound suitable ?
What the transport like to get to tassie (cost and quality)?
www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing/Boards/~z2e6/Bic-ASTRO-ROCK-280-cm-140-litres.aspx
Astro Rock 140l
Hrmm, the board may be okay.
But if your using modern sails (monofilm etc, not cloth type) then the mast track
may be too far forward to take the short footed new style sails.
Just guessing from the pics. Newer boards have a further back track. Check with
someone who owns one to be sure. I'm sure the seller could help you out with that.
Thanks Nobody - that saves me making anopther mistake.
I was going to be in Adelaide next week-and it was the right price.
Ahh well keep looking
OK after some feedback and checking the web adn looking all around
I've come up with a shortlist
Exocet S Cross 140L
Exocet Nano 155L
JP X-Cite Ride 145L
1 of these with maybe 3 sails from 4.5M - 8M
with 1 flat water and 1 surf/Chop fin.
Any thoughts.
another thing why are harnesses so different in price from online shop to shop ($80 to $180)
S Cross or X-Cite
You will progress further on either of these. Both are good performace boards, Nano's are good for schools, novice's, might be wishing you had something better a few months down the track
FoS,
I've got an Xcite and Fanatic Cross......wouldn't trade either of them for anything...I'm similar size (weight anyway....6'3ht). Got on the Xcite (165lt) today in low wind , flat water, and had a blast!!!
My next board will be 100-110lt (ish). That will about pull me up!
From the test I've read of the Nano it appears to be a good choice, especially for durability and price.
Test:
www.exocet-original.com/
Eg of price:
www.surfsailaustralia.com.au/showProduct/Windsurfing+-+Boards/141+Litres+and+more/nano155/Nano
Personally if I was in your situation I'd either be buying secondhand or getting the Nano with the optional nose protector. Lets face it, your heavy and very likely going to get catapulted many times before you learn to miss the board. Therefore the board's nose is going to get damaged. If your going to buy new, spend less and make sure your past the trash the nose stage before you buy something else.
The other boards would be good too, but you may be upset if you trash the nose within a week. Obviously get some protection for the board's nose and/or padding for the boom/mast, especially if you get an expensive one.
Yep , cheap and durable, like I said good for shools and novices. And in six months time when everyone else is burning past you you'll wish you had something faster, even if it has repaired nose.
P.S. Try and read independent board reports as all manufactures reviews have remarkable ways of making their boards sound wonderful and just suited for your requirements.
Just trying to avoid having to buy another board in six months time, I actually considered a Nano when I was getting back in to it but the Exocet dealer talked me out of it for the reasons I am describing, But FoS, you go for what you like,
I was buying over the net too as no local dealer and I couldn't actually see a Nano in the flesh until twelve months later, I'm glad I listened to the dealer.
Thanks Guys, this is great info.
Now I gotta find somewhere to buy it and get to Hobart.
There is a local reseller (Hood Sails) who doesn't really stock much, mostly 2nd hand, I would love to try some more boards befor deciding.
I would be very keen to buy, maybe on a return in a year system, a 2nd hand rig to try out and get moving forward. The oil tanker just cant be optioned with foot straps etc to start trying all the stuff I've been reading about.
Yes I've already been catapulted a few times, I missed the board, but not sure what happened to the mast/boom/sail until I cam back up.
Nose protector added to shopping list
