Went to the Gold Coast a few weeks back and there was a 16-18 knot ESE'r that was just begging to be ridden all the way down the beach as a down-winder (it's a damn long beach). I'm kinda disappointed I never did it when I lived there actually.

I'm thinking to do this the best gear would be not quite slalom gear, but something more like FreeRace gear and a camless FreeRace sail. This is because of small surf and long distance comfort.

That said max speed and pointing ability might be nice, but surely slalom is a bit much for sailing just beyond the break?

...I was also thinking of throwing a big fin on a 105 litre FSW board and setting straps to outboard:
http://www.mauifin.com/windsurf/fins/freeride/liquid-pro/

What's your open ocean setup?

Ezzy and Exocet for Me.

I sail at the top end of Moreton Bay; it's rough and punishing and very exposed so you need need strength and reliability.

I use:
Ezzy RDM masts
Ezzy Cheetah Camless freeridride sails
Chinook Pro 1 carbon boom and Chinook alloy extension with the all-metal single piece forged Europin base.
Exocet Scross 116 (freeride) and Exocet Cross 104 (FSW) boards
A lifejacket

You can use a slalom boards in open water, but I like things to be a bit more forgiving so use these freeride and FSW boards. I fit Black project Type R fins to both which are forgiving, grippy, slippery and good upwind and down.

I'm currently working out how to carry a spare fin because of all the turtles and rays in the bay (ask me how I know ).

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ikw777 said..

I'm currently working out how to carry a spare fin because of all the turtles and rays in the bay (ask me how I know ).

Get your hands on an old camel back and remove the bladder. can be used to carry rope, flares, fins screwdriver etc...

I've been pleasantly surprised by my SB Rio. It gives absolutely effortless sailing, OK speed (25+ knots with centreboard up), good upwind angles when dogging (with centreboard down), has high volume stability, a serious V to handle chop and as pictured with a Gator 6.5 and powerex 80% mast has a huge wind range (0 - 25+ knots). Not got the alive feeling of my iSonic though.

I've never sailed on any really open waters, only on Swan Bay (where you can stand up everywhere). I've been wanting to get into sailing on the bay though and i'm just wondering what sized kit one would need for 12-20 knots of wind on port phillip bay?
I weigh 75kg and sail slalom gear currently: cammed and camless <6.5 sails on an 80L board.
Any help?

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ikw777 said..
Ezzy and Exocet for Me.

I sail at the top end of Moreton Bay; it's rough and punishing and very exposed so you need need strength and reliability.

I use:
Ezzy RDM masts
Ezzy Cheetah Camless freeridride sails
Chinook Pro 1 carbon boom and Chinook alloy extension with the all-metal single piece forged Europin base.
Exocet Scross 116 (freeride) and Exocet Cross 104 (FSW) boards
A lifejacket

I'm currently working out how to carry a spare fin because of all the turtles and rays in the bay (ask me how I know ).

Yep. Tis what I thought might be perfect. Fast and forgiving.

ive seen these turtles, in gold coast Broadwater. Once.
it was Boxing Day and a rare 18 knit ESE which meant you could sail in the channel alongside the boats, instead of 90 degrees across them.
Also it was a super high tide, so the water was crystal.

Anyway, about 30m in front of me, luckily I guess, a turtle the size of a lounge chair launched itself into the air. And came down with a mighty splash.
Never seen one before or since.
Huge though. Maybe a tonne.

That was a day I remember. Fricken awesome.

There's nothin wrong with being a Freeriding Girlieman!

Ha ha, hope to join you on my F2 Style 250 perfect such moments.

I've been searching for a board/sail combination for a long time that will allow me to sail down-wind fast yet comfortably, and am currently very pleased with my recent acquisitions:

Tabou 3S (a free-ride board) with a non-cambered sail.You can't go fast unless you're comfortable... and this set-up is comfortable and I'm starting to catch people I couldn't before.I have two 3S's... a 96 litre and a 106 litre. Yesterday I remounted the footstraps on the 106 litre to their out-board (slalom) positions and took off with a MauiSails 6.8 m Global in 18-22 knots (with my 90 kg body) and went very deep downwind in serious chop and clocked 29 knots (my best is 35 knots on flat water in the past).Am I the fastest on the water? No... maybe being 63 has something to do with it... but I'm up there with most of them.

In lighter winds I use my Tabou Rocket 125 litre with either my full-on MauiSails TR race sails (4 cams), or the non cambered MauiSails Globals.I haven't been this comfortable (or fast) on the water for years.Life is good!

^^^ totally agree

I would also add a 115L tabou Rocket with a 6.5 - 7.5 no cam free race rig........ I should have done it years ago because it's just so comfortable and easy to sail quick in the ocean with no drama

Last season we were getting some pretty hectic winds which made the water messy and kept me on edge with slalom gear.

i bought a used futura 93 ( 2012 I think). Coupled with my loft 7m racing blade the combo has a great range, 15-25 knots and reasonably smooth.

on my slalom board(100l) its usually the board that challenges my limits. With the futura I can max out the sail with less fear

The winds pretty much stopped after I got the Futura :(

I usually only sail in the open ocean (on the Sunshine Coast Qld). I use a number of different boards depending on the sea state and wind conditions. In light winds up to about 16/17 knots I use either a large slalom board (Tabou Manta 125) or freeride/freerace board (Tabou Thunder 110). I like the Tabous because they have a strong double concave shape upfront & seem to handle the rough water really well. Both these boards are fairly wide (79 & 70cm) - good for early planing, tacking & non planing (& uphauling if the wind drops) but they can be a handfull when it gets rough. They are light & get knocked around more easily by waves. They also like to get airbourne but being large boards they are hard to control in the air & fragile - so landings are important. I also have used my 100 litre Tabou Manta offshore but it is very fast & so light that I spend most of my time trying to keep in down - it likes to get airbourne & being so light it is easy to break.

When the wind picks up to 18-22 knots I will use my freeride Naish Hybrids (109 or 90 litres) These boards are very short at 214mm but because they have nothing up front they are great in rough water. They are also solidly built so I can jump them with pleasure. I use slalom fins on all these boards so that I can sail upwind with ease and then have great fun sailing home off the breeze at high speed. A board with a lot of nose rocker can be a problem in the ocean - I have found that the nose of board can hit a steep wave/ swell which stops you suddenly & throws you over the front. The Naish boards are fairly flat & often the nose just punches through the wave without effecting your speed at all.

When things get too rough (usually over 20/22knots) I have to resort to wave boards - slower, don't point upwind as well but controllable & good on the wave faces & jumping.

The size and bottom shape of the boards is critical and often only by trial & error will you be able to tell which board suits you & the conditions the best.
Hope this helps.

real surprised no one has mentioned the mistral boards