View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
venturi
Joined: 24 Apr 2001 Posts: 3
|
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 3:35 pm Post subject: Need gear advice: board volume and sail size |
|
|
Hi all -- so bizarre to be asking for windsurfing gear advice after being a North/F2 team rider in the 90s and traveling all over the world to compete... but like a lot of folks here I transitioned to kiting in 2000 and never looked back (until recently) and have ZERO IDEA what's going on with the new gear. I'm looking to update my windsurf kit and and want to be sure I'm comparing apples to apples. So two questions for the community:
1) If I used to ride an 80L board as my primary med-high wind board in the late 90s, would I still be riding an 80L board in today's designs? Or have the design changes altered how much volume to reach for?
2) Same question with sail sizes... if back in the day I was riding a 5.7 in 15-20, a 4.8 in 20-25 and a 4.2 in 25-30, would I still be rigging up the same sizes with today's sails?
I'm not looking to go full light air (yet), but definitely want a board and couple of sails for the fun 20-30 zone. Yew!!!
Many thanks in advance for your advice! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
isobars
Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935
|
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 3:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Boards magazine extensively analyzed your opening question years ago, after trying for years to come up with a meaningful perceived volume conversion factor for Trads vs Stubbies (yesterday's longer/narrower boards vs today's short/wides). They literally gave up. Your answer might lie in experimentation, especially since the choice of old vs new shapes is one of preferences, not correctness.
Depends on which sails. Some are designed to rig big and flat, some smaller and deeper, some with very little leech slack, some with HUGE leech scallops right down to the boom. IOW, we now have many more choices than we did in the '90s, and virtually none of them are inherently wrong.
Then there's the venue impact. 15-20 may not be enough for a 7.0 at one site, but may be plenty for that 5.7 at another; it's all in sensor placement. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
VinceSF
Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 249 Location: Maui, HI
|
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 5:10 pm Post subject: Re: Need gear advice: board volume and sail size |
|
|
1) You should possibly be using a slightly bigger board. That said, we will need to know your weight and what kind of sailing you will want to do. Shorter boards can be used in higher wind for the same volume as the older ones.
2) Same issue we have: we need weight/ size and what type of sailing you want to do. I can sail 4.0 or 7.0 with the same wind depending on the type of equipment I use. If I assume the sail to be wave oriented, and an average weight of 185 then your sizing is about right, though 5.5/4.7/4.0 combo might be slightly better. I would ask what people are rigging at your local spot(s).
I have found that most people have been slowly rigging smaller in the last few years; some of it is due to riding bigger boards, some skills, and some realization that they were rigging bigger than needed (quite common still amongst the older crowd). |
|
Back to top |
|
|
isobars
Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935
|
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 5:19 pm Post subject: Re: Need gear advice: board volume and sail size |
|
|
VinceSF wrote: | 1. Shorter boards can be used in higher wind for the same volume as the older ones.
2) most people have been slowly rigging smaller in the last few years; some of it is due to riding bigger boards, some skills, and some realization that they were rigging bigger than needed (quite common still amongst the older crowd). |
1. Many of us, plus Boards Magazine, disagree, because wider boards don't handle chop as well.
2. We older sailors won't hold that against you youngsters. Some day you'll develop the skills to handle more power and reap its many benefits. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
NOVAAN
Joined: 28 Sep 1994 Posts: 1546
|
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 5:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Boards are a bit shorter and wider. 80 liters is still 80 liters. Sails have way more wind range. 5.7 is still 5.7Go demo if you can |
|
Back to top |
|
|
swchandler
Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 10588
|
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 6:22 pm Post subject: |
|
|
venturi, everything still remains essentially unchanged on your familiar board and sail sizes. However, riding a 5.7 on an 80 liter board can be a bit of stretch in my view, but a lot depends on your weight and how athletic you are. Still though, an 80 liter is perfect 5.4 and down. What kind of windsurfing is your focus? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
dllee
Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5328 Location: East Bay
|
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 10:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I reckon, the good North stuff in 1997 is comparable to anything made today.
Sputniks and Axxis can still work as well today, especially if you're a lightweight sailor.
Fins have improved for slalom, not so much for wave or bump sailing.
I still use '97 Raves, Zeta's, and Spectros, and have 2017 sails in the van. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
MalibuGuru
Joined: 11 Nov 1993 Posts: 9293
|
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 10:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
If in 2000 you were on an 80 liter board, today you could ride an 86 liter quad. Today's boards have much less surface area, so, you will not plane up as quickly.Quatro and Goya for instance will slash the waves better than anything you've ever ridden, but you need more volume.
You will enjoy the modern boards once you've taken the time to get back in shape. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
isobars
Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935
|
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 11:04 am Post subject: |
|
|
MalibuGuru wrote: | Today's boards have much less surface area, so, you will not plane up as quickly. |
I thought the whole point of today's wider boards was earlier planing. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
NOVAAN
Joined: 28 Sep 1994 Posts: 1546
|
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 1:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Early planning is very noticeable on the new super wide low wind boards.
Not so much with a cm or two on a 80 liter board. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You can attach files in this forum You can download files in this forum
|
|
|