Waitaras (not sure of the spelling either) rocked. They were so light and high tech compared to everything else in the mid eighties. They went really fast too.
My Freestyle Fun was traded in on a Ten Cate Fun Fan which was a pretty nice board too. Sort of like a little TC Runner.
Original Windsurfer, before it became the One Design.
Wooden wishbone, wooden centreboard, wooden everything, sail No. 30872. There were about 2,000+ boards in the country at the time (August 1978).
Windrush clubman
then a bombora trifin
then a bombora antartica
then ten or more years off and onto a JP 93 FSW, wow what a revelation 
Good ol' Windsurfer Original, bought at the Spit I think.
In those days, no questions asked: you'd take them out in 20 knots with the baggy Dacron sail in waves off Wanda, and you had fun.
For the hell of it I took one out in the waves just the other day, and it's surprising how you can ride the swell quite easily. Jumping was a bitch though 
We had a Dufor Wing, actually its still hanging up under the house. Learning to sail this at Scotts Point ie Redcliffe, then at the Gold Coast. Although I think we used to just paddle the board at Redcliffe as I don't think I could reach the boom at that stage.
Next was a Wind Action Super Slalom which was so far beyond my skill level it wasn't funny but it looked sweet and went well in a straight line - haven't practised enough to gybe, then a Tiga 270, Bic Vivace 275 and Bic Techno 283, now um let me go check
Current Boards are Fanatic Triple X (255cm, 109L) and a F2 Axxis (261cm, 85L)
Bought a near new German (Austrian?) made Sailboard Free, 11', square tail as wide as the board, twin fin in 1980. Interesting feature of the Free's sail was it had a flat top similar to what is used today whilst other makers still were using pin heads. After 6 months I learnt to use the straps and harness, then to chop hop it, then out to the ocean and wave jumped it. After half a dozen sessions I split the 2 piece hull at the seams. Following summer bought my first (used) 8'2" glass short wave board which was way too small, sank like a rock but learnt to waterstart very quickly because of this. Two more larger custom boards and I left windsurfing for nearly 20 years and only just come back this year with a Kona One and Fanatic CX140 (still unused...maybe tomorrow)....but I still have the last 8'10" custom board made for me from circa '87-'88...one day I'll use it again when I'm good enough for it (it sinks like my first 8'2" coz I'm near 20kg heavier).
Windsurfer One Design then Bombora Trifin. All from Tradewinds which 6 years later I owned, weird!!!
Oh and Moby, it was called a Waitata. Waitara is a suburb near you
Tyronsea Kite ? 330 I think, second board was the same as Marks a Bic hardrock, had totally forgot the name of that board. Was ok for a first short board remember thinking how much easier it was to lift it up onto the roof of the car compared to the heavy Tyronsea.
Cant remember exactly but it was a Tiga 254 or 245 VR plastic thing. Hardie might be able to remember? Later Hardie let me borrow his F2 Sputnik which he witnessed me do my very first carving gybe on about 4 or 5 months after I started windsurfing. It was on the estuary. He left me there to practice while he buggered off to get some waves. I remember sailing way past dark and rocked up at his house about 9pm with a smile from ear to ear
Hardie was my mentour. I looked up to him. If it wasnt for him I wouldnt be where I am today with my windsurfing
Yeah Waitata Waitara They were fantastic boards. I remember one was given away as a prize at a windsurfing race on the Nambucca River. Unfortunately for me I didn't win the Waitata.
The bloke who did, who was a local windsurfer used it for quite a while. I recall seeing him using it in the mid nineties. By that time I had a Hot Buttered wave/slalom board.
1st year Dufour wing..2nd ..Mistral Maui..then Tyronsea 295 slalom( I think..?) then windaction 9' fibreglass slalom that I use to use in the surf..fancy jagged diagonal half red half yellow paint scheme 
used to jump great! then an old sucked in caveman waveboard ( pretty floaty & forgiving ) ..It was pretty sick I can't remember if I sold it or what but I wouldnt have got much for it as it was delaminating..Thats why I got it it was cheap & crappy so ideal for my 1st real waveboard. Then a wizz bang epoxy ex sponsored wavesailors waveboard..I only used it a few times..much more maneouverable than my 1st caveman but not as forgiving to gybe.
I moved upcountry, got sick & didnt sail much for c 15years..bit of a shock getting back into it with the caveman..cripes I thought I remembered doing planing carve gybes..???sploosh![}:)]
Upgraded to a 125 Tabou Rocket + 95 Tabou rocket & still got the Caveman..I'ts for sale but I'm not sure maybe I should hang onto it for those big wind days as its slower than the rockets & c 86ltres so would be less of a handful in 30 kts..
1st board - Big white piece of fibre glass with triangle sail updated to Cobra Race then the Tiga Powerjibe then Cobra Gun
Bombora X-It. Riding it was similar to sitting on the back seat of an articulated bus. The board sort of deformed it's way across any swell.
For those of you who know about surfing, my first sailboard was a Bennett, one of the first surfboard manufacturers in Brookvale, Sydney (circa 1956) who are still operating today in the same location.
The board was a custom fibreglass floater, losts of volume, but not too long, with a football fin and was purchased around 1985.
I believe that they made a handfull of boards, probably due to the interest in the sport then by one of their surfboard shapers, as well as Midget Farrelly, and Tommy Petersen (brother of famous Australian surfer, Michael Petersen).
Used it in the surf just south of North Narrabeen, and kept it for quite a few years.
Great memories!
Windsurfer early 80's with pull up centreboard. Triangular sail and huge boom. Followed by a number of newer One Designs which improved due to retractable centreboards and better shaped sails. Last one I still have. Only comes out when it is really light and I need a sail. All bought from the now gone "Bai Sailboards" in Five Dock NSW.
First short board - Ten Cate Leaper, not good in waves (hard rails) but ok on the bays. Plastic construction so it was durable but a bit heavy, came with 5.7 De Vries wave sail, waist harness and endless hours of fun trying water starts. Got rid of this and got a custom wave board which was heaps better. Kept this just in case......hardly ever gets wet.
Windsurfer - One Design - retractable centreboard + foot straps!
Also bought from the now gone "Bai Sailboards" in Five Dock NSW.
I sold it to Chris at DAC - I think his partner (Deb?) was racing it, it's pink.
All bought from the now gone "Bai Sailboards" in Five Dock NSW.
Tiga Aloha....
170 liters I don't know what year - mine had a pink fin and turquoise foot straps (now replaced).
It was left on the side of a windsurf shop and then donated to me. I still have it.
It's a rocket in 7-16 mph of wind, but sux otherwise.
I love her.
-Windshark
-----------
www.windsurfquest.net
Where to Windsurf and Who is There
All bought from the now gone "Bai Sailboards" in Five Dock NSW.
after the one design when i was a teen, I started riding a Bombora Exit, for my first 'short-board'. i kitted out with a 6.5m v8 and a reasonable slalom fin which actually made that board sing if it wasn't too choppy. i could take this combo out into heavier wind, and the board's weight would slow me down enough to control it all. unfortunately, i picked up some bad habits on the bommy which took years to overcome.
still got the one design and bommy lying around if i ever get misty enough...
Bic 340 with a fenced plastic fin that hummed. Powerhead sail and an F2 chest harness. Wetsuit was a longjohn and bolero in those days. Early 1980's.
Yeah just like the one I had, same sail and boom. Yes the hull is the same as the Windsurfer hull but the fittings are different. I should have kept it but got conned into getting another board by the local shop.
the first board was a ten cate spacer dad bought it from my work we imported sailboards at the time he has since given to me & for some reason i cant bring myself to throw it out . the first boards i bought were a job lot out of the tradding post 4 boards $290 bombora 292 ,bic astro toy, mike davis bump&jump and a balin wave board . my kids use these old boards as stand up paddle boards so its lucky i have a truck .
