Hi guys,

I'm looking to buy a new board for high-wind conditions. I'm only 62Kg. I'm not a wave sailor and basically sail for bump and jump. I have a 86L Goya One that works great for my sails 4.7 - 5.3, but it feels sluggish and uncontrollable in more windy/ choppy conditions (21 - 26 kts) where I rig 3.7 - 4.2. I tried smaller fins but it didn't work. It may be due to my technique but I hope a smaller board solve the problem. I'm looking for a FSW board less than 75L but I don't find any. It looks like the only option is to go with a wave board like Goya Custom3. I have no experience with full-on wave boards and I'm not sure if that's a good idea. Can anyone give me any advice on what type of board I should go after?

Thanks!

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A single fin onshore wave board around 70-75 litres, 53-55cm wide and 20cm fin should work well. Used.
I have a F2 Rebel 75 and a Tabou 3S 76 for this kind of application, just 10kg heavier.

I'm confused by sluggish (slow to get going) and uncontrollable (too big and too fast)
They are at odds with one another ....
if you're 62kg getting on a 86L Freewave in 20-25 knots and its sluggish its definitely technique.
if you're doing that and its fast and hard to hold down, then yes smaller of course.

What's your bigger boards?

Zack. My recommendation is try to find locals that are willing to let you try their smaller wave boards. Some boards can be very quick (or configured for that). The modern manufacturing techniques make them very easy to ride over chop compared to the boards of the past (particularally the old carbon boards that were flighty and hard to control IMO). Now boards can be sailed in much higher winds compared to the past. Failing that, try to find a team rider with your dimensions and style and ask them for advice (ie contact the manufacturers). In a sport that is designed for 80-90kg riders, you are an outliner. Unfortunately, that is life. But you will find a way to make it work with persistence and experimentation, and eventually sail really well. Good luck

Nb/ The sluggish and uncontrollable description sounds like your over boarded for the conditions.

PS/ A local may be able to spot any bad techniques with your existing board.

Smallest fsw are around 75 78l and 56 cm wide. That's still pretty big for 60kg in salty water. It could actually be your board for your 4.7 and 5.3.

For 4.2 and 3.7, and blasting on choppy saltwater, I would suggest a waveboard (65 to 75l / 53 to 55cm wide) with little tail rocker and double concave with v. Waveboard with excessive tail rocker and concave bottom might be too technical to sail, especially upwind.

People here in the Gorge sail mostly fast waveboards in our Bump & Jump conditions. The Goya Custom 3 is very popular even the Custom 4 as well as Fanatic Grip & JP Ultimate. They are mostly all very good with a few boards not being that suitable. I would try to locate some prospects then post what you find for more advice.

I'm about 65kg (maybe around 63kg currently) and I have always struggled to find a low-volume, high rocker, waveboard suitable for my weight. It seems most boards are designed for heavier people, so while larger boards are turning well, the smaller boards are their high-wind fast designs. So not very good as a float and ride board for lightweights. So any of the older single fin boards of around 70-75 liters will do very nice for bump and jump. I once had an 72 liter AHD power wave that was a real speed machine, great for high jumps in waves, but not so good on the way in.

The first non-custom board that I found which was really made for lightweights, was the EVO 62 liter board, I loved it on 4.7 sails and down, it turned on dime. I still have the board. :)

The modern tri-fin boards are great for bump and jump to, they sit a little lower in water (compared to single fin boards) and you can use a little larger volume without any negative issues. I've rented a Goya Custom pro thruster, 75 liter, in Pozo, it was very fast and felt like more a bump and jump board than a wave board to me. I used it with 3.4 and 3.1 sails without any problems. Great for straight line speed and high jumps. :)

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Mark _australia said..
I'm confused by sluggish (slow to get going) and uncontrollable (too big and too fast)
They are at odds with one another ....
if you're 62kg getting on a 86L Freewave in 20-25 knots and its sluggish its definitely technique.
if you're doing that and its fast and hard to hold down, then yes smaller of course.

What's your bigger boards?

Mark,

The problem I described as sluggish and uncontrollable is that it's slow though I feel enough power in my hands and, at the same time, hard to hold down. I think it's because I don't sheet in enough but it's hard for me to keep sheeting in when it's windy and choppy. I use 95L Severne Dyno for lighter winds (5.2 - 6.5 conditions) and have no problem.

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Zack222 said..
I think it's because I don't sheet in enough but it's hard for me to keep sheeting in when it's windy and choppy.

That does sound like a tuning issue, you shouldn't have any problems with staying sheeted in. When the balance is right you should be flying of the chop with the weight in harness and very little "push" on the feet.

One thing that I have found (compared to larger built guys) is that in general I need to place the mast-foot further back. Don't go too much by the recommendations or the settings advise of other people, you need to find what is right for you and your sails. I also feel that I like a little larger fin (again compared to larger built people), this is likely because us lightweight will use the same board in much lighter wind-conditions.

For sails of 4.2 and 3.7, I would not use anything above 80 liters myself, it just doesn't work well (for me). There is simply not enough pressure (from sail and sailor) to hold down the board. In terms of board width it helps to get down to around 52-54cm, i.e. around a 70 litre traditional board.

I am 62kg too, i was looking for a small fsw board fot my local conditions (onshore sea waves, mostly b&j), i got goya custom3 75, its a great board in general and it excells on ocean waves but not ideal for blasting around on chop, especially with powered up 4.7.
As far as i know, there is no new fsw board smaller than 75lt, only Fanatic freewave, Severne dyno and Patrik f-wave at 75lt, if you want smaller you can get a custom. Old Exocet x-wave has 73lt, they are olso fsw boards.
I use dyno 85 and f-wave 75 at my local spots, custom 3 pro 75 for ocean wave spots.

Not an FSW but known for being efficient you could look at a Simmer Flywave 72L.

78 RRD Freestyle wave!!!

^^^
Always trust a man with a wealth of knowledge,l think this board has narrowed down your choice or is the one for you.78 rrd.

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Mark _australia said..
I'm confused by sluggish (slow to get going) and uncontrollable (too big and too fast)
They are at odds with one another ....
if you're 62kg getting on a 86L Freewave in 20-25 knots and its sluggish its definitely technique.
if you're doing that and its fast and hard to hold down, then yes smaller of course.

What's your bigger boards?

No offence meant, but this^^^
coming from another lightweight that only weighs a few more kg than you, it very much sounds like a technique issue. By all means, buy that smaller board, it'll be good to have when the wind is really up. but a smaller board won't make the problems you're having disappear. In 20-25 knots, if anything it will exaggerate them. if i've read up correctly, your goya one is already around, maybe just under 60cm wide, which for the weight we are, is perfectly functional in 20-25knts of breeze. With a little bit of tuning and learning to stay sheeted in, you won't need a smaller board for that wind strength.


I would hazard a guess some of the troubles you're having in higher winds might in part be coming from the smaller sails too. I own a 4.2 (the smallest sail i own) and trying to use it for bump n jump really doesn't work out too well. It actually feels just as you've described. I'm quite sure those sizes are mean't completely for a wave face in nuclear conditions. The smallest i'd do bump n jump on now is a 4.7, even over 25 knots.

Get the 62 liter slow wave board, rig .5 bigger than you think you need.

It's a bit of an issue, similar to kids' and women's needs. A friend of mine who is about 60kg buys old skinny 60L-ish boards.

That said 86L is huge for your size. 75 will be more appropriate with 3.7 so long as you're not overpowered 25 knots should be good. 30+ and you need smaller for sure.

Zack222

Have you contacted any locals for tips ?

If not, are you able to video yourself ?, and post the video on here ? (BTW, where abouts are you in the world ?)


A video will tell us a million things. Posting for help on a Windsurfing forum is a bit like the three blind men and the elephant.

can someone elaborate on the three blind men and elephant story, I've never heard of it.

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Zack222 said..
Hi guys,

I'm looking to buy a new board for high-wind conditions. I'm only 62Kg. I'm not a wave sailor and basically sail for bump and jump. I have a 86L Goya One that works great for my sails 4.7 - 5.3, but it feels sluggish and uncontrollable in more windy/ choppy conditions (21 - 26 kts) where I rig 3.7 - 4.2. I tried smaller fins but it didn't work. It may be due to my technique but I hope a smaller board solve the problem. I'm looking for a FSW board less than 75L but I don't find any. It looks like the only option is to go with a wave board like Goya Custom3. I have no experience with full-on wave boards and I'm not sure if that's a good idea. Can anyone give me any advice on what type of board I should go after?

Thanks!

Severne offers the Dyno in 75L now. It is 3cm narrower than your Goya, and has quite a pronounced V which makes it great for choppy bump and jump conditions. It feels smaller than it is. If you don't want to go towards a wave board, the Dyno is probably your best candidate. I weigh 82kg and have the Dyno 95L, so that would be around equivalent. I easily use it up to 35kn wind with a 4.2 sail (I even used my 95L with a 3.7 in 40kn wind).
A 75L Dyno for sure works great with your 4.2 and 3.7 up to 30kn.

If you really want to go smaller, a fast waveboard like the Severne Pyro might be good (but I never tried it that board myself). But my recommendation for the conditions you mention is clearly the Dyno 75 (and to eat a bit more )

best,
mariachi76

Adding weight is actually a good advice for slalom sailing, I haven't tried it for bump and jump though. But even just 2-3kg in the right place (in a flotation vest near the waist ) will help to calm down the board a lot. For speed I've gone up to about 7kg, but that puts some extra strain on the body and it can feel a bit odd in water-starts.