Folks.
Im after advice.

Im a fit 57 yo who weighs 80kg. I'm an experienced waterman (sailing/SUP/spearfishing/wakeboarding) who is now living in a place (Whitsundays) where the wind seems to always be between 15 and 25 knts from the south east. I windsurfed as a kid and recently borrowed a SUP with an inflatable sail for a few days and enjoyed it. I can turn, balance and even got it planing.I need better gear. I will not race/ wave jump or foil to start with. Just want a board sails and harness combo to have fun, and maybe ride around the island I live on. Thinking a longboard style board with a retractable daggerboard or a design that can make good ground at 50-60 degress to the wind. There is loads of tidal movement and the beach I will launch from the south easters are directly cross shore, meaning ill need the ability to make some ground otherwise Ill end up off Townsville!

My budget is flexible within reason but I certainly dont want to spend more than I need to.Any advice tips or pointers gratefully received, especially on what members think would be the best set up for me

I learnt on a Neil Pryde RSOne board and still love riding it.

3m long, dagger board.
Kinda like an LT with foot straps maybe?

There has been one for sale in Carina qld on here for awhile for $800.
You'll be hooked in, in the foot straps in no time on one of those beasts.

Do it! Windsurfing is good!

The dinghy club at Bowen has an active windsurfing programme so it would be worth getting in touch. Port Denison Sailing Club.
Quite a few Windsurfer Class sailors in your area. The LT would be quite a good option- can learn and progress on it then consider adding a short board.

Go for it you'll enjoy taking on this sport!

G'day mate, I've recently returned to windsurfing after a 30 year break and posted about my experience on Seabreeze a few weeks ago.

It's also worth adding, I found a relatively large volume board of 170 litres (90cm wide and 2.5m long) is working very well for me at 50 years old and 75 kgs. Despite the large volume it gets on the plane early and is really great fun to ride!

I'm sure the same could be said for longer boards with a retractable daggerboard, but I found the windsurf one-design board I've also got is only being used by the kids to learn on.

Cheers Robbo

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SailboardGinga said..
G'day mate, I've recently returned to windsurfing after a 30 year break and posted about my experience on Seabreeze a few weeks ago.

It's also worth adding, I found a relatively large volume board of 170 litres (90cm wide and 2.5m long) is working very well for me at 50 years old and 75 kgs. Despite the large volume it gets on the plane early and is really great fun to ride!

I'm sure the same could be said for longer boards with a retractable daggerboard, but I found the windsurf one-design board I've also got is only being used by the kids to learn on.

Cheers Robbo

Thanlks so what are you riding now? And do the modern boards with big /long fins go upwind well without a daggerboard?

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snorkel962 said..
The dinghy club at Bowen has an active windsurfing programme so it would be worth getting in touch. Port Denison Sailing Club.
Quite a few Windsurfer Class sailors in your area. The LT would be quite a good option- can learn and progress on it then consider adding a short board.

Go for it you'll enjoy taking on this sport!

Great info thanks for your help

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MobZ said..
I learnt on a Neil Pryde RSOne board and still love riding it.

3m long, dagger board.
Kinda like an LT with foot straps maybe?

There has been one for sale in Carina qld on here for awhile for $800.
You'll be hooked in, in the foot straps in no time on one of those beasts.

Do it! Windsurfing is good!

Thanks for the encouragment what board are you riding there?

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docsaulgef said..

SailboardGinga said..
G'day mate, I've recently returned to windsurfing after a 30 year break and posted about my experience on Seabreeze a few weeks ago.

It's also worth adding, I found a relatively large volume board of 170 litres (90cm wide and 2.5m long) is working very well for me at 50 years old and 75 kgs. Despite the large volume it gets on the plane early and is really great fun to ride!

I'm sure the same could be said for longer boards with a retractable daggerboard, but I found the windsurf one-design board I've also got is only being used by the kids to learn on.

Cheers Robbo

Thanlks so what are you riding now? And do the modern boards with big /long fins go upwind well without a daggerboard?

The 170 litre board is a Starboard Go (an older version without a daggerboard). I also have a 110 litre JP X-Cite I've ridden a few times, but the Starboard Go definitely seems to suit my current abilities better at the moment.

I've had no issues going upwind with the Starboard Go (and relatively large fin obviously), but I also don't have any substantial tidal influence where I live, so cannot comment on that.

"wind seems to always be between 15 and 25 knts".

Ditch the dagger. Way more fun!

I'm about 68kgs and my 125ltre Tabou Bullit is my lightwind board. I find it's hard to get upwind subplaning. I have to work at it constantly. Planing it's ok.
My Windtechs truck upwind subplaning or planing but they are long , narrow with a good upwind design.
I suppose what I'm saying is if you're not likely to be powered up a dagger board will help.
Sounds like you have enough wind for that not to be an issue.

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Icelake said..
"wind seems to always be between 15 and 25 knts".

Ditch the dagger. Way more fun!

It depends on what you like. Windsurfing is like cycling - some people like full suspension downhill bikes, some like gravel, some like roadbikes. Or like anything else, in fact - some people like living in the inner city, some like a farm, some like Kombis, some like fast motorbikes, some like beer, some like wine.

There is a good group of LT sailors in Bowen, which says something in itself.

For those conditions and use I'd be looking at a raceboard from the mid 90s or possible a Kona one-design but get different sails.

Whitsundays are a windsurfing paradise if you have the right type of board for the conditions. I'm same age, and a couple of kgs lighter, if I were living there I'd have a raceboard as part of my quiver to safely explore the islands and waterways. Raceboards allow you to go upwind and get into sheltered bays while still able to blast along at 25kns. Best to get a board that can take modern fins (eg power or tuttle box) and use appropriate longboard sails. I've been having fun on an old 80's board I restored this winter, at 3.1m long it's shorter than the typical 3.7m long raceboard, but it fits in my car and carve gybes like a short board, but still performs well sailing upwind and downwind .

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docsaulgef said..
Thanks for the encouragment what board are you riding there?

Riding the RSOne there.
It works well at my local spot as it's flat, has wind shadows to glide through and it's often not very strong.

Just rode it again today. It's a Cadillac. Smooth joy.

After riding short boards for a season now, i wouldn't say they are more fun. Just different. Faster, can gybe better, if the skills are up to it and it's honking. And a whole different sensation of flying over chop. But i find the days where that happens for me are less than epic Cadillac cruising days are.

Big boards wont work everywhere, but if you are in a spot where they do it's a treat i reckon. Especially while learning, for max TOW

There is a lot of advice in those comments to go down the longboard route - my first thought would have been something along a 130-150l freeride board (no dagger board). So, best advice is possibly to go somewhere where you can rent and try a few different styles (longboard, LT, gunboats,..) and then decide for yourself rather than taking advice from people who don't know what style you like. As Chris 249 said: there are a lot of different flavors of windsurfing out there...

Have fun whatever you decide on and post a picture here when you're up and running!

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MobZ said..

docsaulgef said..
Thanks for the encouragment what board are you riding there?

Riding the RSOne there.
It works well at my local spot as it's flat, has wind shadows to glide through and it's often not very strong.

Just rode it again today. It's a Cadillac. Smooth joy.

After riding short boards for a season now, i wouldn't say they are more fun. Just different. Faster, can gybe better, if the skills are up to it and it's honking. And a whole different sensation of flying over chop. But i find the days where that happens for me are less than epic Cadillac cruising days are.

Big boards wont work everywhere, but if you are in a spot where they do it's a treat i reckon. Especially while learning, for max TOW

Such a great video. Better to blast consistently than rip periodically