My Rant About Sailors in Low Wind Areas

[isobars]

[konajoe]

[cgoudie1]

Why would you carry around all that extra weight and length if you can plane, but that statement is indeed a poor choice of words ( I shall be
removing the plank out of my own eye later).

A long board is the appropriate tool if you have to get on the water, and the
winds are 2-10MPH, or if you're exploring long distances where you may encounter extended subplaning periods. Long boards are great for
times when most of the wind is sub planing but gusts can get you planing
occasionally. If it's averaging 10MPH like 8-12, I can make my huge short board work, but I don't have gear that big up here, because I'm old enough
to need an occasional rest day anyway. ;*)

I've ridden plenty of long boards (back in the old days), I've also ridden
new long boards. In our venue, it's not the right tool for me.

Back in the day, (and due to trademark infringement) we'd called it board
sailing, which is a great description for long boarding. Wind SURFING might
be a little different. ;*)

Tomorrow, I'll be trying to scratch out some planers in a mid teens Easterly.
That's probably going to work with a 6.7 and I won't be needing a dagger board...... I think...

-Craig

[boardsurfr]

As isobars said: it's all about personal preferences. I like longboard sailing best in 10-15 mph wind averages with a moderate size sails (6.5-7.5). At the upper end of this range, I could plane on a big shortboard with an 8.5, but I'm having more fun on a Mistral Pandera or an Ultra Cat with the smaller sail. I just love the feeling of that big dagger board pushing the rail up, and the board onto a semi-plane. If there are frequent lulls, sailing a big sail on a shortboard quickly turns into no fun at all; on the longboard, you just go a tad slower.

Somewhat to my surprise, I also found that playing with the little swell we get is easier and more fun on a longboard than on a big shortboard. Although perhaps I should not be too surprised, since longboards are somewhat similar to surfing longboards.

Every now and then, a fully planing session on a longboard is tons of fun, too. Sure, the speed may be a bit slower, but you're still fast, and it's an entirely different feeling. Just a couple of sessions ago, my wife opted to stay on a longboard for several hours, even when the wind picked up, everyone else was planing on shortboards, and she could have easily planed on 5.0. She was just having too much fun on the longboard. I've had similar days.

[westender]

Some people have very limited time for sailing. Must be nice to sail whenever there's a breeze. Maybe they're the chest puffers.

[jingebritsen]

long board wave sail dozens of times more than short boarders do. i sail, they watch and winge. my long board planes, not just on a wave. gives me upwind planing power to attack the upwind lip. also can force a front side attack in onshore stuff. again, most in florida are inculcated to do the short board thing.... it's, FLORIDA, not maui or gorge.

reality: gotta have big stuff or log lots of airline time if one wants planing conditions if living in humble places like most.

[wsmtbskate]

I can manage to fit in 30-35 session a year, and >1/2 my sailing is on an inland lake. However, I sold my 8.5 and big short board and now go on a Windsup or 100-110 liter board and do light wind free style even if it's blowing only 10 mph. Can't be picky about wind if you want to go. I think LWFS gets people interested in the sport too...kind of like watching skateboarder do tricks a small skate park or even flat ground rather than massive 1/2 pipes and big air.

[joethewindsufa]

today was a prime example of longboard REQUIREMENT
winds announced were 20-40 kph SW
work day and so, carry minimal equipment in car and not a lot of time
take wide shortboard too ? won't fit in car
Mistral Equipe II XR with HSM SpeedFreak 8.5 it is !!
naturally wind was NOT enuff to take 2 hour lunch %^&*(
and was only a bit better early afternoon
fellow was out with a Fanatic Ray 145 and SW Retro 8.5
okay - thought it was wider than 81 cm, but was schlogging big time
i had a riot !! some gliding, but always seeming to do MUCH better than the RAY
for me - the MEQ2 is my saviour !!!
anything else (like shortboard weather) is just fun and cherry on the ice cream

Sunday on the other hand was PERFECT wind snob weather
biggest sail on the water was 4.8
French Racer FRA1100 rigged TRXI 7.0 and SB iS 107
"mais c'est juste 25 noeuds Joe !!"
now i KNOW the French are leaders in this sport
Antoine Albeau, Thomas Traversa and Martin Plissoneau
and foiling seems to have been driven out of France
NO disrespect to our local heroes - US and Canada !!

[konajoe]

I know I didn't do a very good job at expressing my feelings. I wasn't trying to 'convert' anyone, or convince anyone to use gear that would get them more time on the water. I just want these guys to either keep their mouths shut, or take the time to talk to people about the various types of windsurfing opportunities.

These guys owned inappropriate gear for their area. But they presented info in a way such that it was the only way.

I live in a bigger windsurfing market area where the wave sailors, longboard racers, 'plane in minimum wind', and wind snob crowds all know about each other, and where they sail. So, if a wind snobber moves into the area, and shows up at a longboard race, he or she will be told where to sail in which wind directions, etc.

These guys presented the sport as 'there is no windsurfing here because there isn't enough wind. You have to travel to windsurf.' I knew that wasn't so. But they're guaranteeing that there won't be any windsurfing there because of the narrow focussed attitude they expressed.

[isobars]

Now THAT I'd call wind snobs.