Hi guys,
I'm probably moving to Australia in about 6 months to study ( most likely Wollongong or Melbourne). When I move to Australia I feel I have to learn how to surf or windsurf. That's what norwegians think of when we think of Australia. That and kengaroos. 
I have been doing some windsurfing here at home in Norway, but not much.
I have some old gear at home, but I wouldn't bring it with me. I will buy new when I arrive in Australia. So, I am thinking of spending about 1800-2000 AUD. Can I get a descent "beginner" gear for that kind of money? Or do I have to look at some used boards and sails?
What should I look for? How many liters should my board be and how big of a sail? I am 20 yrs old and about 95 kg. So I'm a big guy. Probably have to start from scratch again.
Home some of you can help me on my way. 
Hello, Magnus,
If you come to Melbourne, here is a link to a shop named SHQ and to a beginner package they are offering at $2700: www.shq.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=5&id=24&Itemid=35.
The board is very wide (for stability when learning) and it offers a centreboard (for stabilty and being able to steer). It is made from very tough material, necessary because you will drop the mast onto it during your learning phase.
I would suggest a sail size of about 5.0 square metres as being about right for your weight when you are learning.
Even if you end up in Woollongong, you should have a look at the specs of the board (www.jp.com, Funster 180) and aim for something similar (don't know if there is a Neil Pryde outlet in Woollongong).
Hope this helps.
Hi Magnus
If on a tight budget you should be able to get a reasonable used set up for $2000. Have a look in the Buy and Sell section, might be able to get board and 2 sails, mast ,boom etc. I wood try and look for a board as modern as you could find,certainly no older than about 2005 model.
I spent a very short time on some ancient heavy gear before getting a modern wide 155L freeride board, it was plenty big enough (im 90Kgs), so i reckon you would be ok with a similar size especially if you have already had a little experience on the water. I got a 7m sail with this set up but soon found a 5m was neccessary (both would be ideal)
Cheers
Brand new its probably hard to get into that price bracket, but there is nothing wrong with second hand gear. There are some great deals on second hand gear out there, check buy&sell above. No point buying brand new beginner gear as it will lose at least 30% of its value as soon as you buy it and you will probably outgrow it in a few months.
You should be able to get a full set of second hand 2008-2009 gear for less then $2000 no problems. I would budget approximately:
$900 board,
$300 mast
$300 sail
$200 boom
$200 base+ext+harness lines
I have bought a lot of my gear of buy&sell, and I have a full rig, all top of the line 2010 gear (good portion which is brand new) for <$3000, you should have no problems getting decent beginner gear for under $2000.
Hi Magnus,
If you are to be based in Wollongong, you are not too far from Sydney - where we have plenty of good used gear available and also new beginner packages, as well as many demo boards to narrow down the exact size of board you need, as well as any information to help you get out there and having fun.
All contact details as well as our used gear lists are on our website: www.windsurfnsnow.com.au
PS: we are JP and Neil Pryde retailers and find the JP Funsters have indeed been very popular!
