Hey guys, maybe nobody cares but does any one know what the fastest speed anyone has ever done on a formula board. I remember quite a few years ago an international sailor Dennis someone did around 34 knots. I think I did 31 or 32 about 10 years ago.

But if it's got a 30cm fin is it still a formula board? Maybe specify the speed with the minimum sail and fin sizes appropriate to a formula board.

yeah interested to know in formlula set up , none of thise big board small fin and sail then claim as something stuff

Spotty did 40 something on a 137 litre mistral.

At least 35.2 knots.

www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=48479&uid=207

Yeah I vaguely remember being blown out in a Formula race in Melbourne maybe?? around that 10 year ago time frame. I sat out that race and just watched the the Polish world champ at the time blast downwind in I thought pretty ugly conditions. His GPS clocked him 32 odd knots in 1-2 meter swell. Was super impressed and still am to this day!!

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Simon100 said..
yeah interested to know in formlula set up , none of thise big board small fin and sail then claim as something stuff

I reckon a 1m wide board, 11m sail (min) and 70cm fin.

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terminal said..
At least 35.2 knots.

www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=48479&uid=207

Yep thats it. Impressive.

On my HWR with a reflex 3 10.7m and VMG 70cm fin i have got lots of high 20knt peaks
My PB for this comb is a 30.something peak. I posted it to the GTC site if anyone can bothered looking its there somewhere

I was actually sailing with Dennis that day at Oostvoornse in Holland. The setup was actually the gear Dennis was racing on at the Formula World Cups at the time; rather than using cut down versions of everything. My average was around 31-32 knots but I snapped a mast before I could finish enough runs to get a good 10-sec average!

Would be interesting to see someone do a run on more modern fins (the Deboichet R13's are quite stiff in comparison to today's fins), although today's FW boards would be too wide to get a decent speed downwind I would think.

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SeanAUS120 said..
I was actually sailing with Dennis that day at Oostvoornse in Holland. The setup was actually the gear Dennis was racing on at the Formula World Cups at the time; rather than using cut down versions of everything. My average was around 31-32 knots but I snapped a must before I could finish enough runs to get a good 10-sec average!

Would be interesting to see someone do a run on more modern fins (the Deboichet R13's are quite stiff in comparison to today's fins), although today's FW boards would be too wide to get a decent speed downwind I would think.

I noticed them saying that Formula boards have a higher speed in small chop. Maybe it reduces the wetted area?

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terminal said..

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I noticed them saying that Formula boards have a higher speed in small chop. Maybe it reduces the wetted area?

Yes, in the really flat water it's hard to get the rail of your board to lift... with small, close together chop the board lifts more but the FW board is wide enough to just skim over the chop without too much worry, so you reduce the wetted area and go faster, yep.

Wouter de Vries has by far the fastest Formula session on GP3S.

www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=170914&uid=930

34,62 kn avg with a 36,72 kn max

Did an "experiment" last weekend "against" a pair of high level formula racers training together on latest gear. The wind was about 15 knots and I was planing easily on 8.4 and slalom board in the open ocean.

I tried using an extra large fin - 54 cm - to see how I would compare speed and angle wise.

On reach I was clearly faster. They had to sail a reach briefly to get past a kelp bed so it was interesting to compare. Once they started grinding upwind and downwing, their board speed was slow but their vmg was ridiculous. Very clearly I found myself "behind" - even though I was going faster and due to my extra large fin I was getting very good angle to what I'm used to - they were able to get away from me rather quickly.

Still the gear they were using did not seem that much fun to sail - it's too bad that formula is only upwind/downwind. I think if they were sailing a triangle course that required some reaches than the equipment would be more relevant to the average sailor like me.

Very impressive to see them sailing at extreme angles and being able to travel up and down the coastline at will but did not seem very fast or enjoyable.

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TheTank said..
Wouter de Vries has by far the fastest Formula session on GP3S.

www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=170914&uid=930

34,62 kn avg with a 36,72 kn max

The board seems to be a slalom board 120 litres 74cm wide originally and he says he re-shaped it?

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terminal said..

TheTank said..
Wouter de Vries has by far the fastest Formula session on GP3S.

www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=170914&uid=930

34,62 kn avg with a 36,72 kn max

The board seems to be a slalom board 120 litres 74cm wide originally and he says he re-shaped it?

Where did you get that information? I've sailed with Wouter quite a few times the past couple of years and he told me that it's a regular Falcon TT '05 with a reshaped bottom. If you take a look at his equipment stats you will see he has it listed as a normal 100 cm wide Formula board.

Wouter has been doing the Formula Speed thing since 2007. He's been battling with Dennis Littel for the top spot ever since.

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TheTank said..

terminal said..

TheTank said..
Wouter de Vries has by far the fastest Formula session on GP3S.

www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=170914&uid=930

34,62 kn avg with a 36,72 kn max

The board seems to be a slalom board 120 litres 74cm wide originally and he says he re-shaped it?

Where did you get that information? I've sailed with Wouter quite a few times the past couple of years and he told me that it's a regular Falcon TT '05 with a reshaped bottom. If you take a look at his equipment stats you will see he has it listed as a normal 100 cm wide Formula board.

Wouter has been doing the Formula Speed thing since 2007. He's been battling with Dennis Littel for the top spot ever since.

I tried looking up what a Falcon TT 05 was and picked out the wrong info from this page.
www.surftribe.it/windsurf/catalogo_prodotto.php?id_prodotto=2209

Fanatic Foruma TT seemed to be referring to the slalom board.

Thanks for clearing that up.

Don't know about my fastest speed on a formula board but I think I may have come close to 30 coming off one.

Yesterday Wouter improved his own formula record with more than 1 kn to 35,73 knots avg!

www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=198098&uid=930

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TheTank said..
Yesterday Wouter improved his own formula record with more than 1 kn to 35,73 knots avg!

www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=198098&uid=930

And averaged 36.58 knots for 100m using a 10m sail - amazing!

Well worth seeing what is possible - I'd never have thought it would be that fast.

Wow & OMG, 36knots for 100mt, that is incredible. Mind you at 96kg & 183cm, the guy is a monster!
On Fibersnaps point though, I'd have to disagree. Formula kit is specifically designed to go up wind and down wind & indeed that's how you control the power you have in the rig. In the gusts, you just head higher or deeper. The thing about Formula and I guess any windsurfing discipline, is that you get use to the conditions you sail in. I'm a committed Formula sailer & although not particularly fast, in recent years have learnt to sail comfortably in windier conditions than I ever thought possible. I sail a lot on Sydney's Middle Harbour and it can be a challenge out there as it gets quite lumpy and the wind is often quite fluky in certain directions. But the satisfaction and fun of being able to blast all over the harbour, in a wide range of conditions, beats any flat water slalom sailing that I've ever done hands down.

First two races of the season yesterday up here in brissy was going to use the Raceboard but my son turned up so we both went formula, so good to kick off the season on the plane

Yes Cam we kick off next wk out of Balmoral ourselves. Can't wait! Looks like you guys have some great things going on up there, I hope we can match it with you down here this season also

Not sure about that only two people racing formula up here , me and my son and we line up against rsx techno and race boards. We can't seem to get anyone else interested. You guys in nsw are very lucky to have such a good fleet in both formula and Raceboard

I think what u guys are doing with youth development will pay big dividends in a few years. I hope we can follow suit in the seasons ahead also.
But yep you're right, we are lucky to have a good fleet. One that i hope we can continue to grow.

In Tassie about 10 years ago we used to have a really strong formula fleet. Probably a bit like everywhere else in Australia. Then people started buying bigger volumed slalom boards and it kinda died a slow death. Most of the guys I know have kept there formula gear. My 15 year old son has just purchased some formula gear and is going to start racing. I found an old Starboard 160 (classic board) and borrowed a formula rig from a mate. So now there are also 2 of us who will race this summer. A few of the guys with formula gear also said they will join in a few races. Hopefully formula will make a come back down here. Its a lot fun racing around a course.

Well Steve & Cam, if you get some racing in this summer it would be great to see you guys join us for the Nationals, 'Downunder Pro', planned for Botany in January next year(Thursday 28th - Sunday 31st January).
We also have a NSW Formula State Titles - Feb 13th - 14th (2 day event) on Husskison, Jervis Bay, which is also a combined event with Raceboards. You'd be very welcome.
All the details at www.windsurfingnsw.com/ & www.stormriderswindsurfingclub.com/nsw-formula-windsurfing-series-201516.html

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cammd said..
Not sure about that only two people racing formula up here , me and my son and we line up against rsx techno and race boards. We can't seem to get anyone else interested. You guys in nsw are very lucky to have such a good fleet in both formula and Raceboard

Cam,

Rumor has it that the formula ranks on Morton Bay will be swelled by at least 2 more this season

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Ads72 said..
Well Steve & Cam, if you get some racing in this summer it would be great to see you guys join us for the Nationals, 'Downunder Pro', planned for Botany in January next year(Thursday 28th - Sunday 31st January).
We also have a NSW Formula State Titles - Feb 13th - 14th (2 day event) on Husskison, Jervis Bay, which is also a combined event with Raceboards. You'd be very welcome.
All the details at www.windsurfingnsw.com/ & www.stormriderswindsurfingclub.com/nsw-formula-windsurfing-series-201516.html

Yep we are going to the Downunder Pro and cannot wait

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Steve Charles said...

Ads72 said..
Well Steve & Cam, if you get some racing in this summer it would be great to see you guys join us for the Nationals, 'Downunder Pro', planned for Botany in January next year(Thursday 28th - Sunday 31st January).
We also have a NSW Formula State Titles - Feb 13th - 14th (2 day event) on Husskison, Jervis Bay, which is also a combined event with Raceboards. You'd be very welcome.
All the details at www.windsurfingnsw.com/ & www.stormriderswindsurfingclub.com/nsw-formula-windsurfing-series-201516.html

Yep we are going to the Downunder Pro and cannot wait

My son was saying on the weekend he was keen to do another windsurfing trip so count us in as well