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Is the LT the best thing that ever happened to windsurfing? Or has it ruined it?

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Created by Ant-man > 9 months ago, 22 Nov 2019
AUS4
NSW, 1287 posts
26 May 2020 10:58PM
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RichardG said..

KA360 said..

Along with the retro windsurfer LT ( Long in the Tooth ) in their range, Thommen will also be producing a cool old school Raceboard .







Looks good and cool. It's a pity that there is no fleet of raceboards in Perth so I can't see a market for this of any magnitude of the LT and this is why Thommen has the LT in his range. That said raceboards are faster and at least as fun as LT, just more expensive and complicated unless you buy old gear and refurbish it. In the final analysis LT is cheaper, quicker and easier to rig up and sail, more accessible and a lot of fun so I understand why LT is more popular. I'm going to stick to LT from now on and foil boards and not invest anymore money in raceboards. I will keep my Mistral Equipe 1.5 CHS 1993 as a fun alternative. Course racing in fleets is in LT and maybe just emerging for foils now in Perth and that is where it will stay for the moment.






keensailor
NSW, 702 posts
27 May 2020 11:26AM
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I bought a new WIndsurfer one design back in the mid 80's. It was a good thing back then if you could get a board from the factory with very little rocker. It made the board faster, I guess due to a longer waterline. Is that still a thing to look out for in a new LT board or would you assume they all come from the factory with identical rocker.

RichardG
WA, 3758 posts
27 May 2020 11:11AM
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keensailor said..
I bought a new WIndsurfer one design back in the mid 80's. It was a good thing back then if you could get a board from the factory with very little rocker. It made the board faster, I guess due to a longer waterline. Is that still a thing to look out for in a new LT board or would you assume they all come from the factory with identical rocker.



These days in theory all the boards are identical with minimal rocker uniformly pre-programmed in. I am not aware of rocker variances like the old days nor is there the ability to remove or instal rocker using after sale thermodynamics.

windsufering
VIC, 1124 posts
28 May 2020 12:27PM
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AUS4 said..

RichardG said..


KA360 said..

Along with the retro windsurfer LT ( Long in the Tooth ) in their range, Thommen will also be producing a cool old school Raceboard .








Looks good and cool. It's a pity that there is no fleet of raceboards in Perth so I can't see a market for this of any magnitude of the LT and this is why Thommen has the LT in his range. That said raceboards are faster and at least as fun as LT, just more expensive and complicated unless you buy old gear and refurbish it. In the final analysis LT is cheaper, quicker and easier to rig up and sail, more accessible and a lot of fun so I understand why LT is more popular. I'm going to stick to LT from now on and foil boards and not invest anymore money in raceboards. I will keep my Mistral Equipe 1.5 CHS 1993 as a fun alternative. Course racing in fleets is in LT and maybe just emerging for foils now in Perth and that is where it will stay for the moment.








The white board concept has been so successful even the new Olympic class the IQ foil is using the white board concept !
Mmmmm the Windsurfer Lt showing how it's done !

AUS 814
NSW, 453 posts
28 May 2020 1:38PM
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windsufering said..

AUS4 said..


RichardG said..



KA360 said..

Along with the retro windsurfer LT ( Long in the Tooth ) in their range, Thommen will also be producing a cool old school Raceboard .









Looks good and cool. It's a pity that there is no fleet of raceboards in Perth so I can't see a market for this of any magnitude of the LT and this is why Thommen has the LT in his range. That said raceboards are faster and at least as fun as LT, just more expensive and complicated unless you buy old gear and refurbish it. In the final analysis LT is cheaper, quicker and easier to rig up and sail, more accessible and a lot of fun so I understand why LT is more popular. I'm going to stick to LT from now on and foil boards and not invest anymore money in raceboards. I will keep my Mistral Equipe 1.5 CHS 1993 as a fun alternative. Course racing in fleets is in LT and maybe just emerging for foils now in Perth and that is where it will stay for the moment.









The white board concept has been so successful even the new Olympic class the IQ foil is using the white board concept !
Mmmmm the Windsurfer Lt showing how it's done !


Truly outstanding

windsufering
VIC, 1124 posts
28 May 2020 2:11PM
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Mr Wonderfull appreciates your comments

azuli
QLD, 366 posts
28 May 2020 2:12PM
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The old Mistral Competitions were all white too

AUS 814
NSW, 453 posts
28 May 2020 2:28PM
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windsufering said..
Mr Wonderfull appreciates your comments


Good to see nothing has changed

cammd
QLD, 4257 posts
28 May 2020 3:31PM
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So is that the deal with Cobra now, if you want them to make you a board you have to agree to help clear some of the LT stock

windsufering
VIC, 1124 posts
28 May 2020 4:06PM
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cammd said..
So is that the deal with Cobra now, if you want them to make you a board you have to agree to help clear some of the LT stock


That's funny

RichardG
WA, 3758 posts
12 Jun 2020 11:03AM
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More shots of the Thommen Vandenberg Windsurfer LT:

















petermac33
WA, 6415 posts
12 Jun 2020 11:28AM
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Ive sailed next to LT sailors and they go upwind at crazy high angles. I was very surprised.

Their downside - they are even slower than foils across the wind.

Jethrow
NSW, 1272 posts
12 Jun 2020 5:23PM
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You think that's high Peter, try lining up with a Div 2 going upwind in anger!

delmar71
NSW, 84 posts
18 Jun 2020 8:14PM
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Hypothetical: does anyone put the lt (or the like) on a sedan? I have a wagon (always have) but the petrol head part of me wouldn't mind a g6 turbo (falcon). So cheap these days! Only available in a sedan, sadly. im thinking this would mean racks are too close together though? The board would hang over a long way both ends. Do people put supports up off tow bar? Or am I being paranoid and it's not an issue?
And yes, it'd be a pain with sails and stuff. Back seat folds down though. no, I can't afford a dedicated vehicle for sailing...

Gestalt
QLD, 14627 posts
18 Jun 2020 8:20PM
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delmar71 said..
Hypothetical: does anyone put the lt (or the like) on a sedan? I have a wagon (always have) but the petrol head part of me wouldn't mind a g6 turbo (falcon). So cheap these days! Only available in a sedan, sadly. im thinking this would mean racks are too close together though? The board would hang over a long way both ends. Do people put supports up off tow bar? Or am I being paranoid and it's not an issue?
And yes, it'd be a pain with sails and stuff. Back seat folds down though. no, I can't afford a dedicated vehicle for sailing...




i put an LT and a WOD on top of my camry and focus currently. you need thule or similar racks.

back in the day i'd load up 2-3 WOD on my sedan and do 120 up the freeway to get to the session. go hard or go home as they say.

p.s. not suggesting you should do as i did.

delmar71
NSW, 84 posts
18 Jun 2020 8:27PM
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Gestalt said..

delmar71 said..
Hypothetical: does anyone put the lt (or the like) on a sedan? I have a wagon (always have) but the petrol head part of me wouldn't mind a g6 turbo (falcon). So cheap these days! Only available in a sedan, sadly. im thinking this would mean racks are too close together though? The board would hang over a long way both ends. Do people put supports up off tow bar? Or am I being paranoid and it's not an issue?
And yes, it'd be a pain with sails and stuff. Back seat folds down though. no, I can't afford a dedicated vehicle for sailing...





i put an LT and a WOD on top of my camry and focus currently. you need thule or similar racks.

back in the day i'd load up 2-3 WOD on my sedan and do 120 up the freeway to get to the session. go hard or go home as they say.

p.s. not suggesting you should do as i did.


Yeah used to put wods on the mighty sigma on rolA racks. Used to flex all over the place, which is I think has lodged in my brain and makes me ask!

shoodbegood
VIC, 873 posts
18 Jun 2020 9:20PM
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What are peoples thoughts on sailing without footstraps after getting used to them for the last 15-20 years?

Gestalt
QLD, 14627 posts
18 Jun 2020 9:47PM
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shoodbegood said..


What are peoples thoughts on sailing without footstraps after getting used to them for the last 15-20 years?




i love it.

but i gotta say i sail without straps a lot. i wavesail my sups without straps. i can install straps but i like moving around on the board. i also sail my shortboard without the back foot in the strap in light winds and when im sailing as high as i can to windward. other than jumping and blasting flat out straps are a little over rated

the only time on the LT i've thought i needed straps was lit up in 20+ knots reaching back and forth. the board gets pretty lively.

on a triangle course. pointing as high as you can and running as deep as you can in most winds is fine you don't need straps. again when the wind and swell gets up beating straps can stop you slipping off the rail but it's gotta be pretty wild before that happens.

Ben1973
1007 posts
19 Jun 2020 4:19AM
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You'd think at least they would try to hide the fact it's a plank from the 80s by putting some better graphics on it. I can get the idea of a easy to sail light wind board but does it really have to be so ugly.

windsufering
VIC, 1124 posts
19 Jun 2020 12:32PM
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Ben1973 said..
You'd think at least they would try to hide the fact it's a plank from the 80s by putting some better graphics on it. I can get the idea of a easy to sail light wind board but does it really have to be so ugly.


It hasn't affected sales !

Rob11
240 posts
19 Jun 2020 5:44PM
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windsufering said..

Ben1973 said..
You'd think at least they would try to hide the fact it's a plank from the 80s by putting some better graphics on it. I can get the idea of a easy to sail light wind board but does it really have to be so ugly.



It hasn't affected sales !


True, the audience being those who thought it looked good in the 80s when they were 20... do the math

Imax1
QLD, 4924 posts
19 Jun 2020 8:08PM
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Rob11 said..

windsufering said..


Ben1973 said..
You'd think at least they would try to hide the fact it's a plank from the 80s by putting some better graphics on it. I can get the idea of a easy to sail light wind board but does it really have to be so ugly.




It hasn't affected sales !



True, the audience being those who thought it looked good in the 80s when they were 20... do the math


I've just figured it out , Your lottos bestie and also a sad kiter trying to get fun on a windsurf forum .
Its OK , we accept all sorts.

Ben1973
1007 posts
19 Jun 2020 7:10PM
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Rob11 said..

windsufering said..


Ben1973 said..
You'd think at least they would try to hide the fact it's a plank from the 80s by putting some better graphics on it. I can get the idea of a easy to sail light wind board but does it really have to be so ugly.




It hasn't affected sales !



True, the audience being those who thought it looked good in the 80s when they were 20... do the math


True.

and how do you know it hasn't hurts sales? You only know how many have sold not how many would off.

RichardG
WA, 3758 posts
19 Jun 2020 7:52PM
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Are some people missing the point? The whole kit is retailing for $2899 now. I think it was $800 for the board which you could use your old rig on it (which many still use) l and many others are seeing a huge resurgence in LT races all around Australia, Europe and the US is now emerging as well, the UK and Canada. People are having fun again with racing and the camaraderie after racing that what got most of us into it in the first place!! Who gives a f@& if it hasn't got sexy Severne red colours (they are nice by the way) ripped off from Alfa and Ferrari !! It looks cool enough as a white board. There are plenty of high performance/ zoolander windsurf kits out there to keep the technology and fashionista heads out there happy. This is a grass roots sport again. Let's not make the same mistakes as the past!! Thanks to Greg Johns, Bruce Wylie and a few other visionary folks to getting the LT up and running.... everything old is new again !! The future of course racing on any given Sunday 5-27 knots is in LT one design and Foiling course race and we have both at our club: Mounts Bay Sailing Club, Crawley, WA. On an LT the best sailor wins regardless of equipment, which is identical.

AUS 814
NSW, 453 posts
19 Jun 2020 10:11PM
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Select to expand quote
RichardG said..
Are some people missing the point? The whole kit is retailing for $2899 now. I think it was $800 for the board which you could use your old rig on it (which many still use) l and many others are seeing a huge resurgence in LT races all around Australia, Europe and the US is now emerging as well, the UK and Canada. People are having fun again with racing and the camaraderie after racing that what got most of us into it in the first place!! Who gives a f@& if it hasn't got sexy Severne red colours (they are nice by the way) ripped off from Alfa and Ferrari !! It looks cool enough as a white board. There are plenty of high performance/ zoolander windsurf kits out there to keep the technology and fashionista heads out there happy. This is a grass roots sport again. Let's not make the same mistakes as the past!! Thanks to Greg Johns, Bruce Wylie and a few other visionary folks to getting the LT up and running.... everything old is new again !! The future of course racing on any given Sunday 5-27 knots is in LT one design and Foiling course race and we have both at our club: Mounts Bay Sailing Club, Crawley, WA. On an LT the best sailor wins regardless of equipment, which is identical.



Outstanding

RichardG
WA, 3758 posts
24 Jun 2020 11:50PM
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Gestalt
QLD, 14627 posts
25 Jun 2020 7:38AM
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Is it possible to get the sails from other manufacturers. I'm up for a new sail and really like the thommen colours.

windsufering
VIC, 1124 posts
26 Jun 2020 2:41PM
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Rob11 said..

windsufering said..


Ben1973 said..
You'd think at least they would try to hide the fact it's a plank from the 80s by putting some better graphics on it. I can get the idea of a easy to sail light wind board but does it really have to be so ugly.




It hasn't affected sales !



True, the audience being those who thought it looked good in the 80s when they were 20... do the math


The boys did do the math , over 450 sold in Australia !

windsufering
VIC, 1124 posts
26 Jun 2020 2:43PM
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windsufering said..

Rob11 said..


windsufering said..



Ben1973 said..
You'd think at least they would try to hide the fact it's a plank from the 80s by putting some better graphics on it. I can get the idea of a easy to sail light wind board but does it really have to be so ugly.





It hasn't affected sales !




True, the audience being those who thought it looked good in the 80s when they were 20... do the math



The boys did do the math , over 450 sold in Australia !


In before Aus 814
Amazing

AUS 814
NSW, 453 posts
26 Jun 2020 5:33PM
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Amazing , so 300 for the next nationals



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"Is the LT the best thing that ever happened to windsurfing? Or has it ruined it?" started by Ant-man