The other issue is that with course racing you can set up at a club, be that RQYS or RPYC etc and race every weekend no matter conditions.
Wave and slalom events not run at a club suffer from people not willing to commit due to forecasts and poor sailing conditions. This then adds extra pressure and work for these committees to the Re run events.
I agree with Kato that we need a national response to ensure a proper national event.
Green Island and NSWWS have done pretty good jobs as it seems no one else wanted to do it.
I however would like to run a slalom nationals series in WA though.
I think we have the facilities, team members and conditions to have a good crack at it anyway.

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Stuthepirate said..
The other issue is that with course racing you can set up at a club, be that RQYS or RPYC etc and race every weekend no matter conditions.
Wave and slalom events not run at a club suffer from people not willing to commit due to forecasts and poor sailing conditions. This then adds extra pressure and work for these committees to the Re run events.
I agree with Kato that we need a national response to ensure a proper national event.
Green Island and NSWWS have done pretty good jobs as it seems no one else wanted to do it.
I however would like to run a slalom nationals series in WA though.
I think we have the facilities, team members and conditions to have a good crack at it anyway.

Definitely. A slalom nationals in WA would be awesome. Ive raced in national championships for different classes in skiff racing and WA always puts on a good event. :)

I think if you want to run events that attract big participation numbers, they need to be based on how 90% of windsurfers sail...that is blasting as fast as they can in some general ish sort of direction, and in decent winds so you don't require massive specialized gear.

So events like Defi Wind (insane participation rates) LOC even with its lets race in no wind policy are super popular, Rotto/leighton kite race etc
These are also probably the hardest to run and organize due to logistics, insurances and safety...but they are probably more representative how most weekend warriors windsurf.

If these events are held where public can watch (not miles out to sea!) then you can attracts media/public and maybe some newcomer interest.

I think Slalom is a great entry category for sailors looking to compete.
The Simmer Style WA Slalom we held this season attracted over 50 competitors from 5 different nations including PWA sailors
Sailing is off the beach, its fast downhill racing but the most important thing is that it remains competitive and inclusive to all abilities and rewards consistency as well as outright speed.
It's great to see new comers to slalom come down and try and realise it's not that daunting and you don't need a van of gear to race.
If you can blast back and forth and drag your mates then you can slalom race and still have fun.

the stuff that was done in WA this season looked awesome, especially those weekends of lots of long races up at Cervantes etc..pretty much looked like nice long distance blasting , definitely looked the goods.
Helps when its windy enough to a race even on your wave gear! :)

More info on the Windsurfer LT program, pricing etc.
us17.campaign-archive.com/?u=25aa8f4b5fd3655eaaa1b4d3c&id=e6436534a1

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Stuthepirate said..
I think Slalom is a great entry category for sailors looking to compete.
The Simmer Style WA Slalom we held this season attracted over 50 competitors from 5 different nations including PWA sailors
Sailing is off the beach, its fast downhill racing but the most important thing is that it remains competitive and inclusive to all abilities and rewards consistency as well as outright speed.
It's great to see new comers to slalom come down and try and realise it's not that daunting and you don't need a van of gear to race.
If you can blast back and forth and drag your mates then you can slalom race and still have fun.

The Simmer Series was great! Nice long legs so plenty of room and really good mix of abilities from first-time racers to near-enough pros. This kept it interesting for everyone.

The facilities and Safety Bay are spot on too.

One thing that people who are hesitant to try racing may not appreciate is that it really improves your skills far more quickly than if you just blast around at your leisure.

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AUS1111 said..

Stuthepirate said..
I think Slalom is a great entry category for sailors looking to compete.
The Simmer Style WA Slalom we held this season attracted over 50 competitors from 5 different nations including PWA sailors
Sailing is off the beach, its fast downhill racing but the most important thing is that it remains competitive and inclusive to all abilities and rewards consistency as well as outright speed.
It's great to see new comers to slalom come down and try and realise it's not that daunting and you don't need a van of gear to race.
If you can blast back and forth and drag your mates then you can slalom race and still have fun.

The Simmer Series was great! Nice long legs so plenty of room and really good mix of abilities from first-time racers to near-enough pros. This kept it interesting for everyone.

The facilities and Safety Bay are spot on too.

One thing that people who are hesitant to try racing may not appreciate is that it really improves your skills far more quickly than if you just blast around at your leisure.

Exactly, i would never have improved as much as i had to this point without the Simmer Style Slalom Series. I started on freeride gear last year for my first race series and moved up to race gear this year. The best part is racing your mates. :D

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saltyheaven said..

KA360 said..
OK ,here are my definitions!

WINDSURFING =WIND and requires actual wind and plenty of it ideally. SURFING requires you to be planing and allows you to footsteer the board. Windsurfers love the sensation of planing,speed and air.It's sooo much fun that WINDSURFERS will beg borrow or steal for gear and lie to get out of work on a windy day.SAILBOARDERS usually only sail in their preorganised afternoon race.
WINDSURFERS outnumber SAILBOARD SAILORS by about 100 to 1.Discilines of WINDSURFING include waves ,slalom,freestyle,speed and GPS WINDSURFERS have their fin at the tail of the board,

SAILBOARDING=STAND UP SAILING ,the smallest form of sailboat.Usually done in a more placid environment. Like boats,sailboard SAILORS mainly participate in (triangle)racing and like boats they generally don't plane thought with a skilled WINDSURFER (see above) it is possible,
Sometimes WINDSURFERS go SAILBOARDING for the tranquility or the challenge of the tactical side of racing.
SAILORS often are not skilled enough yet to go WINDSURFING or they would be referred to as a WINDSURFER.
SAILBOARDS include Wally's ,Raceboards ,Dufours,Whalers and all that other plastic stuff from the 80's. There are some hybrid or modern SAILBOARDS that could nearly be called WINDSURFERS(because the are designed to plane) like the Bic Techno,RSX and Formula (still a SAILBOARD because it goes around triangles though has its Daggerboard mounted in the tail).

WINDSUP- Good for Beginners or people with low ability who want a SAILBOARD and a SUP but for whatever reason can;t have both,Generally not a very good SAILBOARD and not a great for SUPPING either but cheaper than buying a proper one of each.
For between $20 to $50 from a garage sale or the TIP the WALLY is a ultimate WINDSUP for old scrooges.

Well, hmmmm. Definitions laced with slander and dogma. Nevermind, I still can understand your definitions. I don't agree with them, and nor do I see a Windsurfer One Design fitting into your WINDSUP category.

Well it is a SUP ! It looks like a SUP. it sails like a WINDSUP and WALLY inc market it as a SUP. So it's a SUP






For 150 more you can get yourself a true OneDesign racer that planes and has footstraps for the speed. The fin alone is worth the extra.
Or if speed 's not your thing, save 150 and get a SUP-WINDSUP board.





Or for $1000 more than a Wally board and 10 years newer design than a Techno you could buy this!

Windsurfer LT (made in Thailand) less volume than a Mistral IMCO One Design, sounds about the same hull weight (no footstraps, fin or centreboard) but design/construction is almost 30 years after the IMCO MOD (made in Germany).

Where is the progress ?

Not sure I understand also why the race sail is 5.7 m2 even smaller than the original Windsurfer sail (6.0 m2).

It is wide so perhaps it is more of a WINDSUP than a raceboard.

Also most raceboard sailors use 7.5 m2 - 9.5 m2 these days.

Unless I am mistaken, I thought the original proposal was to supply the board only for around $750. What has happened ?

LOL
its Coming !!!!
i don't think you guys can stop it

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RichardG said..
Windsurfer LT (made in Thailand) less volume than a Mistral IMCO One Design, sounds about the same hull weight (no footstraps, fin or centreboard) but design/construction is almost 30 years after the IMCO MOD (made in Germany).

Where is the progress ?

Not sure I understand also why the race sail is 5.7 m2 even smaller than the original Windsurfer sail (6.0 m2).

It is wide so perhaps it is more of a WINDSUP than a raceboard.

Also most raceboard sailors use 7.5 m2 - 9.5 m2 these days.

Unless I am mistaken, I thought the original proposal was to supply the board only for around $750. What has happened ?

It's not a "progression" from an IMCO - it's a different style of board. It's not "progressing" from an IMCO any more than a WRX is "progressing" from a Ford GT40, or any more than a Laser is "progressing" from a scow Moth.

The IMCOs and Raceboards are great boards that are more complex in design, more complex to sail in many ways, often much slower to turn and carrying a much bigger and heavier rig that is designed to be used when pumping. The Windsurfer LT is meant to be very simple, to tack fast for close tactical racing, and to carry a very light and simple rig that performs well even when not pumping. Sure it's not as fast in a breeze - that's not what it's about. If top speed is what counts then a Raceboard (or a Techno) is a joke compared to a kitefoiler or to a Formula or Slalom board too.

The sail is basically the same size as the old one, but measured in a different way. Yes, Raceboard sailors use bigger rigs these days - that's not relevant since many of us choose the Windsurfer because we prefer a light, small sail for our sailing. It's a bit like choosing a hatch rather than a Land Cruiser to drive - the fact that the Land Cruiser has more size is irrelevant. Many of us who race Windsurfers have also raced and loved Raceboards, but the small, light Windsurfer rig and very different sailing style of the Windsurfer is just as much fun.

The board is being supplied for $750 to early purchasers, then the price will increase but it will still be dramatically cheaper than a Raceboard.

Comparing the Windsurfer LT to other boards and complaining that it's older and slower is like saying that an acoustic guitar is older and quieter than an electric bass. Neither is inferior, all of them are great, it's just that they are very different things.

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Chris 249 said..

RichardG said..
Windsurfer LT (made in Thailand) less volume than a Mistral IMCO One Design, sounds about the same hull weight (no footstraps, fin or centreboard) but design/construction is almost 30 years after the IMCO MOD (made in Germany).

Where is the progress ?

Not sure I understand also why the race sail is 5.7 m2 even smaller than the original Windsurfer sail (6.0 m2).

It is wide so perhaps it is more of a WINDSUP than a raceboard.

Also most raceboard sailors use 7.5 m2 - 9.5 m2 these days.

Unless I am mistaken, I thought the original proposal was to supply the board only for around $750. What has happened ?

It's not a "progression" from an IMCO - it's a different style of board. It's not "progressing" from an IMCO any more than a WRX is "progressing" from a Ford GT40, or any more than a Laser is "progressing" from a scow Moth.

The IMCOs and Raceboards are great boards that are more complex in design, more complex to sail in many ways, often much slower to turn and carrying a much bigger and heavier rig that is designed to be used when pumping. The Windsurfer LT is meant to be very simple, to tack fast for close tactical racing, and to carry a very light and simple rig that performs well even when not pumping. Sure it's not as fast in a breeze - that's not what it's about. If top speed is what counts then a Raceboard (or a Techno) is a joke compared to a kitefoiler or to a Formula or Slalom board too.

The sail is basically the same size as the old one, but measured in a different way. Yes, Raceboard sailors use bigger rigs these days - that's not relevant since many of us choose the Windsurfer because we prefer a light, small sail for our sailing. It's a bit like choosing a hatch rather than a Land Cruiser to drive - the fact that the Land Cruiser has more size is irrelevant. Many of us who race Windsurfers have also raced and loved Raceboards, but the small, light Windsurfer rig and very different sailing style of the Windsurfer is just as much fun.

The board is being supplied for $750 to early purchasers, then the price will increase but it will still be dramatically cheaper than a Raceboard.

Comparing the Windsurfer LT to other boards and complaining that it's older and slower is like saying that an acoustic guitar is older and quieter than an electric bass. Neither is inferior, all of them are great, it's just that they are very different things.

Chris, I agree they are different things. I just am a bit surprised the weight is higher than I would have thought. I guess it is a durable construction. On sail size it is a different type of board so I don't take issue with your comments. I think comparison is a good thing, and only by comparing and contrasting can one really understand what is on offer. Thanks for your comments.

Only one more sleep.

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hardie said..
"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." - Mark Twain

and who cares if you're the only person on the planet doing something that makes you feel good, imagine all the cheap gear around, uncrowded waters, getting fit doing what you love

Indeed.

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Dag said..
Only one more sleep.

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Sambo # said..

hardie said..
"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." - Mark Twain

and who cares if you're the only person on the planet doing something that makes you feel good, imagine all the cheap gear around, uncrowded waters, getting fit doing what you love

Indeed.

To my surprise mine was at the front door when I got home.


YIPPEE.

That won't fit me. I'm fat too!!

Can I have tight arse brown one
as I'm going to start a Go Fund Me account
LOL

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KA360 said..

Dag said..
Only one more sleep.

Sambo # said..

hardie said..
"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." - Mark Twain

and who cares if you're the only person on the planet doing something that makes you feel good, imagine all the cheap gear around, uncrowded waters, getting fit doing what you love

Indeed.

To my surprise mine was at the front door when I got home.


YIPPEE.

What the hell has got into you to make you so sad, hate-filled and vicious?

The Techno, FW, RB, Slalom, GPS, wave and freestyle areas of our sport are all great. Why do you have to pour so much **** on the fact that some of us like other types?

If speed turns you on, what are you doing on a windsurfer when a kitefoil goes so much faster? If you are happier going slower than the fastest sailing craft, then it's obvious that speed is not all that counts. And by the way, we spent quite a bit of time racing T293s against RSXs, RBs and WODs and normally the 293s were the slowest of them all on average.

Why keep on hating and insulting when you could simply either ignore other sailors or allow them to like what they like?

Or!!!!,,,,, Jump in the the ring!!! There's a lot of people on here now who have listened to what you're obviously passionate about.
You're obviously on a "Vendetta". Did someone up-sett you on a bad call, or is it as simple as "Difference of Opinion" that drive's "Simple Minded People's Insecurity's" to act like "Twelve Year Old School Girl's" ? I'll bet there's lot's of people, including myself willing to loan you a board to see how you go at tactical sailing"? I Dare You! Come on!!! Do it!! Come on! You've expelled way too much "Hot Air" to be able to not have a go? Dare You!!!! Dare You!!!! Dare You!!!
If this post gets deleted, I will be questioning why it didn't get sorted out way before this.
I'm 46 years old, and I haven't raced since 1990, but I'd bet everyone want's to know how you come out against an "Old, Fat, Gay, Wally Sailor".
Bet you don't!!!! Come On!!!!

I can't believe it has already been 5 years since we lost the great Jim Drake. Drake was an amazing aeronautical engineer and inventor .The board he designed was spot on perfect first go, which is a testament to how brilliant an engineer he was. 50 years later some people are still using it even. His WindSUP invention (he named windsurfer) evolved into the sport of windsurfing that I love so much and I am forever grateful to him.

But unfortunately Drake ended up crossing paths with a failed buisinessman and conman Hoyle Scheister. Scheister swindled Drake of his patent, licence and trademark. They were also best friends which makes Scheister a special kind of POS.
Greedy Scheister went on to blackmail and sue anyone who tried to develop windsurfing. Drake would have been happy for others to organically evolve the sport as he had other fish to fry.

Drake went on to be a very successful aeronautical engineer/pilot specialising in rocket development and the X-15.

Mr. Drake remained a passionate designer and windsurfer. He most recently designed innovative boards, including wide models for increased stability and long, narrow models for greater speed, for Starboard, a company based in Thailand.

So Chris, out of respect of Jim Drake and remaining true to my good principles ,I am doing my little bit to protest against the scummy WALLY inc company.

I'm guessing they have spent their ill gained millions so they are back for a top up. The way I see it is they are going to fleece the few remaining Wally riders. Sell a few lighter boards at a heavily discounted price. The old boards won't be competitive against lighter/wider new
"one designs". Then the remaining Wally sailors will get slugged E1745 =$2777 to become competitive again. Thats big $ for a basic WindSUP and a nice little earner for Wally inc.
To sweeten the deal just add a normal modern boom and a (cheap) 2 piece mast and your average pensioner will think it's as flash as a rat with a gold tooth.
Now just need a designer with a name all the people from WallyWorld will recognise. Doesn't matter that he hasn't windsurfed in a long,long time. He'll be fine, he did however have a go on a SUP a few years ago.







WindSUPer LT
You have got to be kidding me !

WHAT A SCAM

Come on Dag,,you have to admit that the shirt and the hat are funny and creative.

The proper saying is "A Sh1thouse rat with a gold tooth".
Or: More front than a sh1thouse rat with a gold tooth.
He's the one ignoring what has just been put in front of him and a pretty big audience!!!!
Come on!!!!! I dare you!!!!!

Yes, I'm still buying both!
But throw down!!!!!

Come race with you Dag hey. Your getting a heavily discounted LT delivered tomorrow and the Wallys I have ,has the daggerboard that you wear like a handbag when going downwind. That wouldn't be very fair.

Been there, done it! Come on mate! I'm not hearing anything but blah,blah,blah, white noise.
Come on! Do it!

You're explaining to me that you're used to sailing an original Windsurfer with the "Over the Shoulder" centreboard?
Anyone who can relate to that, would not be carrying on with that rubbish.
Who has upset you? What has made you turn "The Best Sport In The World " into a "Bitch Fight"????
Fair suck'a the sav!!!! Come on!!! The offer is still there!!!
Dare You!!! Dare You!!! Dare You!!!!
More Front than a Rat with a Gold Tooth!!!!!!

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Dag said..
Been there, done it! Come on mate! I'm not hearing anything but blah,blah,blah, white noise.
Come on! Do it!

OK. Where do you windsurf?
I was up your way 2 weeks ago at RQ.
Not sure when I'm back up that way, but possibly soon.I'll PM you.
I'm not dragging a wally all that way though. I'll have to use one of yours if thats OK.
hmm I guess you will be riding the new one and I get the 70's model .
No worries ,that should work out nicely for me in the freestyle/rail riding section of the challenge
My board will also be 7kg heavier, but the Tightass brown t=shirt is lose on me,I should have the edge there too

The next day we go proper windsurfing- no daggerboards

Deal ?

EDIT
If you let me have a little go on the new one I could do review to post here on Seabreeze

Bribie Island.
I can't believe that you're talking like you already have a Wally?????
That's p1sssss funny!!!
Yeah mate, I have six of them. I love how you talk about your freestyle prowess?
Bring it on!!!!!
You have just told everybody that you have a Windsurfer that you hate, and despise!!
Well Done!!!

It was a pity KA 360 didn't come to the Wally nationals to voice he's concerns
how the Wally class was progressing.
Hes insight would have been funny.