Joking aside, I have got to a point where my windsurfing is getting a bit boring. So I turned to the dark side, which I will call knitting. Its good to have that same challenge again that I did at the beginning of learning to windsurf. Its nice having to be a beginner again as it makes it more interesting.

There are kiters at Melville, and it seems like a pretty safe place to learn. I have to say its is awesome to have much less equipment and be able to cover a better wind range than I can sail with.

On a completely different point, I want to learn to duck gybe, but my size means that I need a big sail in light winds, and I just can't figure out how to do it. That's a long boom when you are trying to get it around. On the other hand, when I use small sails, the wind is nuking and I don't feel like trying to duck gybe. Is this normal for a fatso, or does the same feeling of fear exist for lightweights as well?

i sugest you talk to one design classes and ask them what one design is

Windsurfering, lots of one designs allow different equipment within limits. A one design Farr 40 can have lots of different sails, from different sailmakers. Same with a one design Star or 505.

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FormulaNova said..
Joking aside, I have got to a point where my windsurfing is getting a bit boring. So I turned to the dark side, which I will call knitting. Its good to have that same challenge again that I did at the beginning of learning to windsurf. Its nice having to be a beginner again as it makes it more interesting.

There are kiters at Melville, and it seems like a pretty safe place to learn. I have to say its is awesome to have much less equipment and be able to cover a better wind range than I can sail with.

On a completely different point, I want to learn to duck gybe, but my size means that I need a big sail in light winds, and I just can't figure out how to do it. That's a long boom when you are trying to get it around. On the other hand, when I use small sails, the wind is nuking and I don't feel like trying to duck gybe. Is this normal for a fatso, or does the same feeling of fear exist for lightweights as well?

You can duck gybe an 8.5 pretty easily. The main thing is that when your front hand crosses over and moves to the back of the boom, it has to then reach back past your ear and really throw the sail clew-first back into the wind. The sail should be facing dead in line with the wind, clew first. That gets the sail well back, which means that your "new" front hand can reach far enough forward to balance the rig when you come onto the new gybe.

When you flick the rig back you have to be going downwind, rather than doing the flick early or late like you can do with smaller sails. You may also want to be leaning towards the nose to keep the board planing fast and keep the apparent wind low.

All just my own experience, others may well have different views. I've got an ancient sequence of me doing a ducky like this with a stone age 8.5 somewhere, so I know it can be done.

I've got no fear of duck gybing, but after coming fairly close to wiping myself out for good I've got an incurable fear of front loops so you're not the only one who gets worried out there!

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windsufering said..
i sugest you talk to one design classes and ask them what one design is

So you think a 10 year old kid should use the same size sail as an 18 year old with a wind range 1 to 25 knots.

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Chris 249 said..

FormulaNova said..
Joking aside, I have got to a point where my windsurfing is getting a bit boring. So I turned to the dark side, which I will call knitting. Its good to have that same challenge again that I did at the beginning of learning to windsurf. Its nice having to be a beginner again as it makes it more interesting.

There are kiters at Melville, and it seems like a pretty safe place to learn. I have to say its is awesome to have much less equipment and be able to cover a better wind range than I can sail with.

On a completely different point, I want to learn to duck gybe, but my size means that I need a big sail in light winds, and I just can't figure out how to do it. That's a long boom when you are trying to get it around. On the other hand, when I use small sails, the wind is nuking and I don't feel like trying to duck gybe. Is this normal for a fatso, or does the same feeling of fear exist for lightweights as well?

You can duck gybe an 8.5 pretty easily. The main thing is that when your front hand crosses over and moves to the back of the boom, it has to then reach back past your ear and really throw the sail clew-first back into the wind. The sail should be facing dead in line with the wind, clew first. That gets the sail well back, which means that your "new" front hand can reach far enough forward to balance the rig when you come onto the new gybe.

When you flick the rig back you have to be going downwind, rather than doing the flick early or late like you can do with smaller sails. You may also want to be leaning towards the nose to keep the board planing fast and keep the apparent wind low.

All just my own experience, others may well have different views. I've got an ancient sequence of me doing a ducky like this with a stone age 8.5 somewhere, so I know it can be done.

I've got no fear of duck gybing, but after coming fairly close to wiping myself out for good I've got an incurable fear of front loops so you're not the only one who gets worried out there!

I have a friend that duck jibes 90% of the time. He is about 6'2" (108cm) and weighs 190 (86kg) and has no problem with a 10.0 sail. While I do a few duck jibes, the key is to have your speed in the downwind portion of the jibe equal to the wind speed. In other words, the wind/air has no influence on flipping the sail, it's neutral. BUT, don't forget to continue the carve. If you stay straight downwind then things get messy and you won't be able to complete the jibe.

Make that 188cm (6foot 2) or is it a hobbit ?

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windsufering said..

KA360 said..

windsufering said..
Do you want to tell that to the kids who were informed that they didn't qualify for the bic techno plus because
they didn't have the right equipment when clearly they did ?

I don't know what your issue is.
But by kids you just mean your son ,right .
Everyone I spoke to knew the rules. I guess they gained an advantage by reading the NOR !

People call it one design when clearly as I pointed out it's not !
classes cross over
a bic techno can race in the same division as a bic techno plus even thou one has a extra meter of sail and a bigger finn
A bic techno can win the bic techno plus title
who decides who goes in what class is difficult to work out
BTW the notice of race from the aust youth tiitles states the bic techno results counts to the youth Olympics
not easy being a race officer

Windsufering your killing us!
Start a new topic , call it 'my bitch with one design techno and the world'

This topic Is a about windsurfing and it's populaity and or non popularity, those that open up the thread are looking to read about that topic, not your issues, which I'm pretty sure you would have more success with dealing direct with those involved rather than airing your dirty undies in a public forum....

* FWIW there is a still small but slow trickle of old sailors that have been away coming back or starting up on the Sunshine Coast , not a lot of juniors.. and not many techno sailors! :)

* FWIW there is a still small but slow trickle of old sailors that have been away coming back or starting up on the Sunshine Coast , not a lot of juniors.. and not many techno sailors! :)

I'll back your statement up Jonesy, that's exactly what's happening in our little part of the world around Bribie. It's 40+yo guys either rediscovering the sport or trying it for the first time. For example, it was a nice weekday afternoon yesterday and we had a half dozen sails on the water where a couple of years ago there would probably be none. The only youth sailor I know of is Jeff's son Max and Jeff takes him to RQ to sail with the other junior/youth sailors so he doesn't have to hang out with old farts in the park and we don't get to see how much better he sails than his dad

i guess i am part of that trickle of old sailors coming back... but not on the gold coast - my son has techno and whilst i am happy to help out in club or race management its good to get on water

New one design looks good for me.....as i stated earlier a lighter weight is perfect for getting the board around off the water.

i am also looking t second hand gear for mucking around - whilst im there it would, be good to try a foiler.

i am gonna need a bigger shed...

Got my Daughter hooked now, and there were five kids in our group at the Pond on Australia Day.
The Rebirth of the One Design look's great, and I'll be getting one for sure. I might need to get two.

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fjdoug said..

Put my name on the list !!!

Is this still a maybe thing or is it just a matter of time?

New Windsurfer one design for the Olympics I say. (yeah right...)

Windsufering, in your case it should be in decline. Just like your whinin. Everyone else enjoys the sport. Move along.....

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saltyheaven said..

fjdoug said..

Put my name on the list !!!

Is this still a maybe thing or is it just a matter of time?

New Windsurfer one design for the Olympics I say. (yeah right...)

WINDSUP in the Olympics again ?

If One-design want a new setup why from Wally inc. . There are brands like Starboard,Bic ect who have 100"s of times more experience in WINDSUP design. They can help out with a decent rig too.

Wally races have weight divisions. Instead have a range of sail sizes to choose from ,cause you can;t choose you weight

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KA360 said..

windsufering said..
i sugest you talk to one design classes and ask them what one design is

So you think a 10 year old kid should use the same size sail as an 18 year old with a wind range 1 to 25 knots.

Honestly
couldn't give a flying fark what a 10 year old uses

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olskool said..
Windsufering, in your case it should be in decline. Just like your whinin. Everyone else enjoys the sport. Move along.....

LOL
the Windsurfer one design class is the biggest class of windsurfer in Aust you fool
and it will only get larger with the new board sorry to inform you
LOL I suggest you take your beanie off it's summer

Doesnt worry me which class is biggest or best. Its about making the sport grow ya muppet! Whinging wont!!! Take it up with the race committee. Im all for the Wally release. Itll certainly appeal to a bigger audience. No beanies here, not even a wetsuit. Just clear water n good winds. Windsurfing is NOT in decline.

Excuse me where did I ever say the bic techno was a bad class
i just pointed out the rules to these so called bic techno exsperts that they didn't know
there are flaws in every class

So how will the new wally fit into the windsurfer one design class.

the Windsurfer one design class is the biggest class of windsurfer in Aust you fool
and it will only get larger with the new board sorry to inform you

A new board in a one design class seems counter intuitive, given the education you just provided on techno I'm keen to here how the new board will increase the biggest one design class

It's a class update
its happened before dagger board to swing board

so its the same equipment just wider and lighter with a bigger daggerboard but still one design

The sizes and final things haven't been worked out yet
biut yes still One design

They have stoped making the old boards

No one is stoping you using your old board
you just won't be as fast so it won't affect the results

I'm finding it hard to distinguish why its not ok to have different divisions of techno one designs but its ok to have a completely new board in the windsurfer "one design" class.

Anyway hope the new board brings more people to the sport, in fact I hope the techno kids develop a love for racing and some of them find their way into the wallies in due course. Youth is what will grow the sport.

Who said it's not ok to have three different divisions in the bic techno

Some have found there way to the Wally class in fact they learnt to windsurf on a wally

the windsurfer one design has had many changes over the years.
wooden booms to alloy, windows in the sail etc etc....

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fjdoug said..
the windsurfer one design has had many changes over the years.
wooden booms to alloy, windows in the sail etc etc....

If a new board is faster because it is fundamentally a different board, not only in construction but also dimensions is that still one design. Seems to me its further away from the one design ideal than allowing different size sails for different ages and weights

The Wally class has some real talented kids coming through
and i do encourage the pathway to Olympic sailing
I see a Olympic gold medal as the holy grail of windsurfing