The 2015/16 Boardcrazy Australian Raceboard Titles will be hosted by RQYS Manly, Queensland.

When: November 27th to 29th 2015.

The organising body is Windsurfing Queensland.

The Notice of Race and Entry Details will be up soon on the RQYS website.

The usual age and weight divisions will apply plus the following new divisions:

RETRO BOARD: Competitor entering with a board manufactured 1995 or earlier;
HYBRID CLASS ONE: Allows boards up to 3m in length with a maximum sail size of 7.8m. (Includes: Techno 293, RSOne, RSX, Phantom 295)
HYBRID CLASS TWO: Allows boards over 3m in length with a maximum sail size of 7.8m. (Includes: Phantom 320, Kona One, WOD) Both Hyrid Classes will have a shorter course.

Thanks again to Boardcrazy and Windsurfing Queensland for their continued support of this event.

Ozi Nationals November 2015 is exactly one year prior to the 2016 BNE Raceboard Worlds both to be held at RQYS.

Hi there, where would I get information on the Retro board class sail size etc.

Retro sail size max 9.5 men and 8.5 women's and youth

Thanks for the info,appreciated.

You can sail a retro board in the hybrid two division with a 7.8 maximum sail.

perhaps someone can explain why 7.8 and not 8.0 m² ??

The 7.8 is the standard size for youth Techno 293 and RSOne.
So people with that one design gear can compete in that division.
Also pretty close to the old standard 7.4 IMCO. and the 7.5 sail of the phantom 295.

I have some RS-One kits that I would consider Chartering for the Nationals.

Suitable for entries in Hybrid Class One.

Anyone interested can contact me.

Hey there, so if you have a Retro board and don't fancy carrying 9.5m you can race in Hybrid two? How do the speeds compare between say a Phantom 320 and an old Equipe, I guess it depends on the wind.

Retro div is up to 9.5 so you can go smaller just not bigger. If you want to enter hybrid 2 then 7.8 max. I would think an equipe or similar vintage Raceboard would be very competitive in that division in fact they are very competitive in the open division and I think an older lightning won the worlds in 2014.

I have new gear as I sail every week and my old equipe was falling apart with the constant use so I ordered a new phantom and started saving and I expect that's why a lot of the guys that race regularly have new gear. But then I think wearing out gear is a pretty good outcome in the windsurfing world it means you got your monies worth from the equipment and it didn't sit in a garage or under a house.

So how does the new Phantom compare to your old Equip? Should I give up searching for a good old board and buy new, you tell me Cammd you have sailed on both. I have read a few comparisons but first hand knowledge is way better and more accurate.

Regards Steve

No I wouldn't say you should give up searching for an equipe i have had two and think they are great boards i also had a silver speed 250 and thought it was a great board as well.

I did decide on a new one due mainly to problems related to age on all three i dont think the new phantom has improved my results in any substantial way as i believe the sailor is the biggest variable when it comes to racing. Those gear failures were never a problem in a gentle breeze when just going for a cruise they always waited for 25knts in a race to present themselves. In the end i decided the kids were spolit enough and it wouldn't hurt them to eat baked beans for a while so i ordered the Phantom

Since having it I find the extra volume or rocker helps in keeping the nose above the chop upwind i dont know if board speed or height is much different. Downwind it planes earlier and probably runs a bit deeper due to the wider tail. The extra width of the board makes it more stable and therefore easier to gybe and tack and I just find it generally easier to sail which is important for me as a race i dont fall off is a fast race.

Do i miss the equipe or speed, the answer is no if I still had them they would be sitting in the shed as the phantom would be my first choice which is why I sold them to keep them in circulation for guys looking to get in longboards. Then again I didnt go out and buy a phantom straight up I bought some older boards and raced them for a while before i decided to outlay on the phantom. If you can find a good equipe i would say buy it if you cant i dont think you would regret buying a phantom I know i dont.

Hope that helps and i hope we get to meet at the nationals because the main thing is not what gear you have its being a part great class meeting great people and having a great time

Cheers

Cameron

Thanks Cam, very informative.

Sounds like it'll be a great RB Nationals, with all the new people and boards.
We'll keep reminding Wally sailors about the special Hybrid Division. Brilliant you included those divisions, da vecta and cammd! Cheers. (wcaa committee)

The phantom 377 has to be the best choice if you want to spend the money. The phantom 320 is also a nice board. Having sailed both 320 and equipe, I would say the equipe would be faster in light wind but not as early planing. The 320 is much easier board to handle in all conditions.

Notice of Race and On-Line Entry is available on the RQYS website. Cost if entry is $150 or only $75 for juniors.

Here are the links so please enter so we can get an idea of entrant numbers:

Notice of Race www.rqys.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/15-Nov-Nationals-NoR.pdf

Entry https://www.topyacht.com.au/ent/enter.php?e=102.2.157

Looking forward to it. A good sized team coming up from DAC. See you all soon.

Just over two weeks to the Raceboard Nationals its shaping up to be great regatta with numbers expected to be up over 50% on last year.

Hi all,

I hear mention of Equipes and Lightnings in the retro division, are there any Eliminators racing, they where really competitive as I remember particularly for big guys. There are still a few around my area like this one that I use to own, that has been refinished by its current owner.

Another retro class challenger.

Did some googling and found this info, I had forgotten it all

ASTRO SURF ELIMINATOR was an Australian Raceboard made in Queensland in the late 80s. 3-8 long, 250 litres, 14kg. made by Polytrend Pty Ltd.

The Eliminator wasn't the fastest raceboard I ever sailed, the fastest was an Overboard, they where pretty much custom made in South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne (near the bay), ultralight carbon sandwich over superlight core, with less volume than the Eliminator. I never owned one but did borrow one to race in my final years of racing, I think (about 1990). Awesomely fast off the breeze, with few vices and easier to control in breeze as they weren't as big.

Now I just have a old Jim French raceboard, custom made for Arthur Brett to take O.S. to the World Cup. It was made to heavy and is fairly narrow, but it comes out of the trailer once every couple of years .

link to the results

results.rqys.com.au/boards15/SGrp1.htm

Thanks to our international visitors who attended.
Congratulation to Bruce Trotter from NZ who won on points.

Australian Mens Champion - Leo Sharp
Australian Womens Champion - Joanna Sterling
Australian Youth Champion - Lara O'Brien

Get ready for the World Championships coming here this time next year.

I am happy to report that we had 3 days of solid racing. Friday we kicked off with 3 races in winds approaching 20 knots. On Saturday morning we had a couple of lighter wind races in the morning before heading out for 2 more longer races in a bit more wind in the afternoon. Sunday saw a northerly change with 3 more races and the last getting gusts up around 30 knots. So a total of 10 races were sailed.

James Grunfelder lead Max Wojcik after the first day and many people thought an upset was on the cards. In the end, Bruce Trotter from NZ won the event on points however, Leo Sharpe claimed the National Title by only ONE point over James. Jo Sterling came in a startling 7th overall and in doing so won the Womens.

Lara O'brien won the youths with Jacob Whitford second and showing heaps of potential in the Raceboard class.

I would like to make a special mention of the youth that joined the event in the Hybid class. Well done to Courtney S and Courtney L, Taine, Josh and Alex.