Bigger sail or bigger board

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

I'd get into light-air freestyle and/or longboard cruising, with occasional planing as icing on the cake. I'd also weigh other sports or locations against losing a hundred pounds. Some things are just not practical; I didn't snow ski in Alabama, SCUBA dive in Utah, snowmobile in Florida, or race dirt bikes crosscountry in Delaware. You ...

WAIT a cotton-pickin' minute; I just looked at your posting history. You live near Cape Cod and can't find planing wind? Sounds like a wetsuit problem compounded by a work problem more than a sail size problem. It sounds like effort and a warmer steamer will add more to your planing TOW than would a drive-in movie screen, cams or no cams. Smile

Mike \m/

adywind · Joined: 08 Jan 2012 Posts: 665

Hm, looks like the big boat with the big sail has sailed away for good. They used to be some recreational formula guys on this forum, but judjing by the replies so far there are none left. The last one in my area showed up with a kite this season-said he was tired of caring all that heavy stuff around.
Seems like the OP has made his choice already, but if for the car roofs sake he has a second thoughts I also recommend one of the new freemove boards in 120l carbon construction with a 8.0 as the biggest sail and a 42 cm fin. Then read this article and practice, practice, practice...Believe me it is actually fun on these boards.
http://www.windsurf.co.uk/peter-hart-up-and-riding-in-a-flash/

DelmarEdward · Joined: 05 Aug 2012 Posts: 72

i have had time to review the additional responses, and think i've made the decision more final.

i just bought the used kona from north beach windsurfing!

i just think i'd like being on the longer floatier board in light winds than a freestyle type board.

as for the wind off of cape cod, you're right they can be good, and kalmus beach is kinda famous on at least the east coast for winds. but....... i live 2+ hours north in new hampshire, and can get down there only friday, saturday or sunday. during the summer it costs $25 just to park there, and the cape is a giant traffic jam memorial day to labor day. if i worked a job where i could go at a moments notice or could sail in waves, i'd have more choices, but i don't.

i live one hour west if the new hampshire coast where most windsurfers and kiters sail in the seabrook "lagoon". at high tide it's a huge lake, at low tide a giant sandbar takes up a huge portion of the space. this is where a shorter fin will be helpful, also the wind is significantly lighter here in new hampshire.

in the summer with longer days i can leave work in concord and still get some time on the water in seabrook, then after de-rigging, grab a beer and grub with my wife.

now i'll wait for the kona to come, and begin ski season that with any luck will go until memorial day at killington

dave

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Bob Davis on this forum carries 4 Formula boards on his truck, probably has 4 more at home, but he didn't post here yet.
An F-162 sits on it's edge in my van, along with a MagicRide118, SSport109, and Futura 111.
Formula planes up earlier due to huge sails, but not earlier with one meter bigger sails.

gvogelsang · Joined: 09 Nov 1988 Posts: 435

I weigh between 210 and 215 depending upon how much whiskey and how much exercise I get.

My light wind set-up is one of the first Formula boards (270 x 85) and an old Neil Pryde V8 8.5.

The old formula board is narrower and longer than they are now, but it is nice and light for its size and works. It slogs ok as well. It is too bad that there isn't a board like that around for us older, larger guys.

A two or three cam sail with a deep pocket in 8.5 is all that I need to get going at around 12 - 14. When it gets steady over 15, I'm on a 122 Firemove and a 6.5.

I think that I would like something like an AHD Tactik for 10 - 14.

adywind · Joined: 08 Jan 2012 Posts: 665

techno900 · Joined: 28 Mar 2001 Posts: 4161

Since Delmar had made his decision, little reason to add much more. However, there is never one correct answer to most of the questions posted here, just a number of options based upon sailor skill, size, dedication, desire and venue/conditions. Nothing wrong with longboards if that suits your desires, but for most of us on this forum, planing fast is highly desirable. And yes, I know, you can do it on a longboard. I raced longboard for over 20 years, but we all know how much fun it is on a small board in good winds.

I have been on formula boards since the beginning, but don't race anymore, just free ride. Sunday I went out on a 9.2 in 10 to 20 mph winds. I could have been out on my 108 liter slalom board and a 6.6, or one of the 4 other options I had in between.

I planed 95% of the time and was overpowered 1/3 of the time and got wasted/pooped in short order. Probably should have used my 8.4 on the formula. I weigh 170 lbs.

Those of us in gusty lake conditions always face the dilemma of what to rig. Go big and get over powered or go small and slog a good part of the time, or go midrange and balance out being over powered and slogging. I usually go for the middle, but when I was rigging, there were only a few scattered small white caps. Sometimes, it's best to watch for 20 minutes before deciding what to rig.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

gvogelsang · Joined: 09 Nov 1988 Posts: 435

DelmarEdward · Joined: 05 Aug 2012 Posts: 72

for what it's worth, i have "re-made" my mind and backed out of the kona purchase

i think i'm grasping at straws now and there's really no need to spend the dough at this time.

i have improved (slowly) over time, and plan to begin sailing next year earlier and stay closer to home to make it easier to get out longer and more often.

will keep the 9.5 as biggest most used sail, will probably ditch the formula fin and use the more appropo 58cm fin i have for the 62cm wide tail, work on the skills and when comfortable with the back foot in outside strap (use inside rear strap now) possibly get a newer board, maybe a carve or futura, something that by design planes easier.

thanks again for the replies, i'm still reading, but computer out at work so no web surfing today.

Also- never thought about it before, but in summer i use a shorty wetsuit, but then in late fall (now) use a drysuit with thermal pants and shirt underneath-obviously gonna add weight and make planing harder.

dave