2nd (Lightwind) Board Advice Needed

alap · Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 156

everything is about foiling now! OP says he is not interested in foiling, and yet - FOILING!!! don't you think guys you are stealing the thread??

In all seriousness start a new forum "Foiling Discussion".
This forum is called "Windsurfing Discussion"

NOVAAN · Joined: 28 Sep 1994 Posts: 1551

WOW! Pretty harsh. Most of us have 30 plus years on a windsurf board. Kind of been there done that. The big board and huge sail thing has been discussed over and over. What I see from the reply's so far is positive input about a next board and a suggestion to think about a foil. If that offends you in some way, so be it...

mmclimbhigh · Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Posts: 42

Thanks for all the input so far. I'm not out to ruffle anyone's feathers here! And yes, I've read the many threads about the negative points of big board-big sail combos. Please note... I'm a glutton for punishment!!

I'm definitely interested in foiling. However: a) I'm certainly not there yet, skill-wise (can barely complete a clean carve jibe!) and b) My local sailing areas have some wicked shallow spots and I can only imagine the catapult from driving the foil into the bottom!!! I'm certain that foiling will be in my future though. Just need to retire and head to the ocean!

I know that I'm going to have to drop about $1500 for a decent, used (perhaps new) board/fin + the 8.4 sail. I like alap's approach. Sub 90L for roudy days, 110L for the majority of the season, and 145L for cruising the low wind days.

For now, from the advice given here, I'll start with trying out an 8.4 sail with a 46 cm fin and see how it goes. In the end, however, I'll probably start shopping for a 145L freeride board. Anybody have a line on a comparable board??

Of course...... I could always bust out the Mistral Prodigy (255L monster!!) that I learned on Wink

. But honestly, that thing's a back breaker to carry to the beach and load on the truck!

coachg · Joined: 10 Sep 2000 Posts: 3550

mmclimbhigh,

I’m not here to debate or push you into my way of thinking. I trust you to make an informed decision. Everyone has a different experience with windsurfing, likes & dislikes along with sailing locations & different wind types. Let us just say I agree to disagree with some people.

In my experience, more volume & greater width does make a difference, especially in winds under 14 knts. An 80 cm wide potato chip will plane as early as an 80 cm wide barge with active pumping, but in passive planing I find that more volume planes up easier because there is less board sitting in the water. And in winds under 12 knts I find lots of 5 knt periods where the extra volume makes it much easier to slog an 8.4 at my weight than a 110 L. So to answer your question, yes, a 145 L board would be a better choice than a 135. I think D0ouglass nailed it spot on with volume & width. Boards over 90 are not very agile.

I had two light wind days this week with winds speeds from 5 mph gusting to maybe 20 mph. One day I foiled with a 5.7 rig and freeride foil, the other windsurfed my 85 cm slalom board with a 7.6 race sail. Both days with GPS to compare. Mostly passive planing with a little pumping here & there. Max speed on the foil was 18 mph with an average of around 10 mph and a max 500 meter average of 15 mph. Max speed on the slalom board was 30 mph with an average of around 7 mph and a max 500 meter average of 23 mph.

I enjoyed both sessions.

Coachg

mmclimbhigh · Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Posts: 42

Excellent! Thanks coachG. That's exactly the info I was looking for. I'll start taking a look around the interwebs for a comparable board. Heading to Padre soon, perhaps I can find one there too? Wonder if Jibber still has a fleet of wide boards kicking around?

NOVAAN · Joined: 28 Sep 1994 Posts: 1551

I think they have a Saturday swap at SPI in November in the lot down from the bungee thing. Also think about investing in a day trip to Worldwinds at bird island. They have the latest rental gear. Try a big board...

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

mmclimbhigh · Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Posts: 42

Ohh isobars.....times, they are a changin'! Morgan is a sketchy place to be these days! Broken glass all over the shore, trash on the shore and in the water, they closed down a couple units at the power plant and the water isn't that warm anymore, DEFINITELY NOT CAMPING there! I've even heard of break-ins while you're out on the water. Word on the street is to STAY AWAY from Morgan Lake. The wind still howls there, but there are far too many negatives to justify the 3 hr drive. Bummer. The lucky ones got to experience the good old days there. I'm sure it was spectacular. Unfortunately, it is no more...

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

i have lots of concerns about foiling

1. depth problems

2. health problems: the estuary muck has lots of nasties that get on foils. then when one gets cut by the foil by some mishap, infections follow.

3. more nuts and bolts to maintain: read more techy pain in the ass crap.

4. similar dead feeling i got from double luff sails now coming from the board instead

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

I agree with you, John. Add the short remaining time in my sailing window, the weeds that virtually eliminate summertime foiling at my end of the Gorge, and you have most of the reasons I'm selling my foil gear. It was getting in the way of windsurfing for me, which has never been boring except when the water goes flat.

I'm really disappointed to hear Morgan has gone to hell, mmclimbhigh. It was a great place to sail in the winter despite having to cross the Continental Divide in January to get there. Midnight sailing or swims by the power plant lights, literally a thousand times more stars (and satellites and meteors) in the sky than any urban, coastal, or low altitude venue, and clean beaches. I hope it wasn't us ostensibly civilized visitors that destroyed the place, rather than the group or two that wouldn't surprise me.