Ive just started windsurfing using a mates equipment and now I want my own, but I don't really have much of an idea of what kind of gear will suit me. So im just wondering what would suit a beginner who just wants to get into slalom for starters and maybe wave sailing later i.e board size, sail size that would suit my weight and the winds around Perth. I weigh about 77 kilos and most my sailing would be done on the Swan river. I just want some idea of what I would need and at what cost.
Im a student so I can't spend much, maybe $400
Just met a guy at the estuary, he bought some old kit to get back into it.
2 boards, 2 booms, 2 masts and I think 4 sails, $500, but none of that would really suit a beginner.
Think is modern short wide boards are much easier to learn on than old long narrow ones, but of course cost more, (although when you grow out of it, should be worth almost what you paid for it).
Also depends if you're prepared to suffer a bit of indignity and no returns for a while.
If so you can start on a relatively short board,( for your weight about 100 litres,) and learn to water/beach start first, this method can be quicker with the right instruction, but can be extremely frustrating, if gone about in the wrong way.
If you want to learn the slow easy way, (uphauling first, and it's only easy if you keep sail size within you're ability for the wind strength) then a board over 120 litres is probably about right.
a 4.5/5.0 wave/freeride sail should be OK for both methods
I just picked up a Mistral Classic which I think is designed for slalom/freeride, with a pretty nice 7.5m race sail for about $480 on ebay. This rig is hard to handle for a beginner (me), but I can uphaul and tack well enough due to some practice on a longboard with smaller, crappier sails. If you can get a shortboard with a rig, and then pick up a dirty old longboard for next to nothing, you can stick the rig on the longboard to learn uphauling and some basic technique. Longboards are great fun for exploring in light winds anyway.
