Howdy folks,

Still new to windsurfing and I'm just in the harness and front footstrap and have ditched the centre fin in the hopes of planing. Got a few little rushes of it but I can't sustain or control yet.

Mostly I'm just trying to stay up-wind so I don't end up halfway to New Zealand and I have 2 boards: a 2006(?) JP New School 180lt and a 2017(?) inflatable JP Explorair 230lt.

The Explorair has a longer rail line but it only has the hard sharp edge at the rear and the New School is shorter but has, obviously, more solid rails.

Without the centre fin, which would be more likely to get up-wind easier?

Both have Ride 44 rear fin, and I'm using a 6m sail on a bumpy bay.

Any advice would be appreciated and, on a separate note, why did JP stop production of the Explorair and the Magic Air? I took the Explorair and an iRig to Thailand in a backpack and it was very convenient!

Thanks!

I don't know much about inflatable boards, but I would think the higher volume inflatable should go upwind slightly better. You kind of have to be planning to get upwind on a short board. To get planning you go downwind tilt the sail forward sheet in , try to get in the footstraps tilt the sail back and head upwind.Hope this helps

No the rails on the inflatable are too round. Like a SUP . will be very hard to get upwind. you really can't do anything much related to real windsurfing on an inflatable it's designed for the very casual once year family trip kinda deal. the new school however is designed for real windsurfing and once you're thinking about planing u step down (180L is big)