Forums > Windsurfing General

Is it possible to go up a river system and back down it on windsurfer?

Reply
Created by gibbo000001 2 months ago, 6 Oct 2025
gibbo000001
73 posts
6 Oct 2025 4:03AM
Thumbs Up

Hello everyone. Thanks so much for all the answer so far. Have another if any of you don't kind answering.
Is this bloke in this clip doing a round trip on the windsurfer here or going one way? If he is, how's he go upwind and downwind? Does he have a dagger board? Is this something everyone should be able to do? Those rivers generally have winds that follow the shape of the river system.

decrepit
WA, 12761 posts
6 Oct 2025 10:04AM
Thumbs Up

Where's the clip?????

gibbo000001
73 posts
6 Oct 2025 11:38AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
decrepit said..
Where's the clip?????


%3A%2F%2Fwww.seabreeze.com.au%2F

decrepit
WA, 12761 posts
6 Oct 2025 12:00PM
Thumbs Up

looks like a downwind run, doubt he sailed back.
And it's not exactly a river, it's a passage between mainland and Island.

Kit3kat
QLD, 186 posts
6 Oct 2025 9:00PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
gibbo000001 said..
Hello everyone. Thanks so much for all the answer so far. Have another if any of you don't kind answering.
Is this bloke in this clip doing a round trip on the windsurfer here or going one way? If he is, how's he go upwind and downwind? Does he have a dagger board? Is this something everyone should be able to do? Those rivers generally have winds that follow the shape of the river system.



at 1:48 you can see hes going slightly downwind and then tacks back upwind on the way back.

He isn't going straight downwind in the video. Just slightly. His windsurfer LT is a longboard so he has got a daggerboard he can put down and use the lateral resistance to generate much more power and speed in lighter winds. The lateral resistance from the boards lenght and daggerboard also means that you can go upwind even in like 4 knots and the board is certainly faster slightly upwind than slightly downwind. He also has a vintage style sail that generates no lift and spills no wind. So those 3 things together means he is going reasonably fast even when there is hardly any wind.

And yeah everyone can do that.

jonesmb
QLD, 77 posts
7 Oct 2025 5:59PM
Thumbs Up

As Kit3Kat says it is definately doable on a longboard with daggerboard. I've also been investigating windsurfing down Pumicestone Channel (Bribie Island) and back again. In video that section of channel is still reasonably wide. The tracks below show sailing further down to Coochin Creek (downwind orange) and then return (upwind purple). At Choochin Creek it became extremly narrow and shallow also with wind shadows and shifts. It was touch and go initially trying to tack up against a running tide.

The 3rd screenshot shows tracks sailing from southern end and back (on different days), essentially I'm trying to work out if circumnavigating Bribie Island is possible. So I'd say the channel is navigatable. The main issue is having a full day of consistent wind, the equipment I'm using goes best in 10-15 knots.








mathew
QLD, 2133 posts
14 Oct 2025 12:07PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
jonesmb said..
... essentially I'm trying to work out if circumnavigating Bribie Island is possible. So I'd say the channel is navigatable. The main issue is having a full day of consistent wind, the equipment I'm using goes best in 10-15 knots.


Cool project - not much wind in the channel (which is why we go skiiing there !) -> keep us updated on your progress.

BSN101
WA, 2372 posts
14 Oct 2025 11:21AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
gibbo000001 said..
Hello everyone. Thanks so much for all the answer so far. Have another if any of you don't kind answering.
Is this bloke in this clip doing a round trip on the windsurfer here or going one way? If he is, how's he go upwind and downwind? Does he have a dagger board? Is this something everyone should be able to do? Those rivers generally have winds that follow the shape of the river system.


The LT class is build to be able to go around a course with up wind & down wind. Foils go up wind and down at even better angles. In light wind a D2 hull will be a great option if you can find one. A RB Lin Mistral OD & Equipe are also great options



Subscribe
Reply

Forums > Windsurfing General


"Is it possible to go up a river system and back down it on windsurfer?" started by gibbo000001