So stoked to see my good buddy Neil back on a board.
It's been 3 long years - he's maintained admirable positivity and stoicism through it all

Blasting with his mate Ken on epic boards he designed and built

iPhone12 camera

Original post;
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Neil-Scheltema-hit-by-speed-boat?page=1

Like!

azymuth, a big thanks for posting the old thread, I have to deal with jet-skis a lot, and often cross a channel about halfway across the bay, I recently took to looking for boats and jetskis heading towards the channel and if I saw them heading towards it just sat and waited for them to pass. After reading about all the accidents over in Australia, I will extra careful from now on, especially with gybes foiling or on the water.

WOW that makes my year!!

Neil back on the water is fantastic news - testament to modern surgeons etc, but above all to great "character" - working his way back from an accident that very nearly ended his life, let alone his windsurfing

COVID has created a viral explosion in jet skis over here in the East - be careful out there people

Windtech boards are something special , a genuinely different take, and now collector's items

Congrats Neil!!

Fantastic! Go Neil!!

The WindTech 12ft 6 - a review Where did it start ?Neil Scheltema is a tortured soul who is unable to sleep as he lies awake thinking about how we can resurrect our sport, which has continued to decline. His creations are always the result of a great deal of thought about new concepts rather than a slight tinker with what already exists. This board is another concept that is genuinely new and offers something unique. If there exists another board like this, I have not come across it. Windsurfing is still mainly about boards that get shorter and wider each year and provide a knee jarring and teeth clattering ride for what is an aging group of enthusiasts. The boards on offer are also very wind strength specific hence the van becomes part of the solution. The explosion in interest in the Windsurfer LT represents a strong interest in versatility. The limitation of the Windsurfer LT is that while it may be good for competition and upwind performance it fails to deliver what we are addicted to, which is, blasting across the wind in the straps. Well, the WindTech 12 ft 6 may well be what we all need and may also tick the holy grail box of the one board solution. The design and constructionObviously the length is 12 ft 6. Why so long? Did you ever see a short wide boat win the Sydney to Hobart or a short wave ski? Hull speed is worth a Google. We have been indoctrinated into short and wide boards that deliver a harsh ride that limits time on the water due to fatigue. Long boards like raceboards are quite flat and the clear difference with this long WindTech is the gentle continuous rocker, which makes it gybe like a slalom board. It is wider than a raceboard at 76cm with a pintail that also helps the gybe. The rails are sharp at the back, becoming softer and with lots of tuck moving forward. The bottom is flat. Footstraps are for reaching and the are no beating straps, as this would be pointless without a centerboard. The construction is foam sandwich with divinycell and full carbon fiber. This is all hand laid up so is a labour of love. It weighs 11-12Kg. PerformanceSo, can this be a one-board solution? I have used sails from 6.5m to 9.2m (all Severne Turbo) and if I were to use that range of sails on short boards I would have used 3! I can plane at 13-14knots and the board is comfortable in 22 knots. In fact I recently was sailing a short board in 22knots and it was jumping around so much I thought of challenging conventional wisdom and tried the WindTech. I wont be bothering with the short board in these conditions again. Is it fast? Well this is no speed board but it is no slouch. I regularly get it to 22 knots and another sailor has got it to 32 knots. Sailors are starting to take note as the WindTech has passed some free race boards. Short boards 'jump' on the plane once hull speed is reached. The WindTech has a higher hull speed so firstly you are happy to cruise around at sub-planing speed but secondly, the board glides to planning rather than the 'jump' to plane. If you like a dry sail this board is great. Many short board sailors of medium ability (like me) spend too much time in the water due to failed gybes. Sailing the WindTech, this has become a thing of the past. Not crashing means you are out in front as short board uses scream past only to drop the next gybe. This is like a beginner's board to sail but squeeze it and you will be rewarded with genuine pace. It goes without saying that his board has excellent upwind performance and tacking is easy. Fins are a work in progress. Pointers of 39-45cm have been used but Neil thinks a fin needs to be developed with a different chord to optimize performance. I have used a 24 cm stealth (speed weed), which was too small, but 24 knots was achieved. ConclusionsIf you want pure unadulterated fun the WindTech 12 ft 6 is wonderful. It also achieves the 'one board' holy grail. The Windsurfer LT also archives this but is competition orientated and is not for blasting and fast carve gybes. Now, the bad news. There have been 5 of these boards made only as there is so much work being hand made that it has been a 'friends only' project to date.

Great kind of the Windsurfing equivalent of Skip Frye's Glider "Eagle" section connector-well done to Neil Scheltema."The Eagle was a design born of Frye's G&S signature model in 1967; incredibly long with full pin tails, they are trim-machines designed to glide and cover vast distances at speed, both on waves and when paddling. His Eagles led Skip to develop his infamous "cross-country" style sessions when surfing his local reefs around San Diego, riding a wave as far as possible on one of his 12 foot Eagles before paddling out to the next peak or break along and doing the same there. In this manner he's been known to frequently connect seven or so different surf breaks, sometimes more, in a single session."

Please take this as an invitation for owners of these new wonderful boards to come down to Mounts Bay Sailing Club for twilight racing on Friday evenings over the approximately 15 km twilight course which includes blistering downwind and reaching legs as well as a small amount of upwind work but should be childs play for the new Windtech Glider. Provide your emails and we can formally invite you with course details. Meals after racing $20 per head plus beers and camaraderie. We could even create a Glider class. We would love to see you out there.

Select to expand quote

Windfun said..
The WindTech 12ft 6 - a review Where did it start ?Neil Scheltema is a tortured soul who is unable to sleep as he lies awake thinking about how we can resurrect our sport, which has continued to decline. His creations are always the result of a great deal of thought about new concepts rather than a slight tinker with what already exists. This board is another concept that is genuinely new and offers something unique. If there exists another board like this, I have not come across it. Windsurfing is still mainly about boards that get shorter and wider each year and provide a knee jarring and teeth clattering ride for what is an aging group of enthusiasts. The boards on offer are also very wind strength specific hence the van becomes part of the solution. The explosion in interest in the Windsurfer LT represents a strong interest in versatility. The limitation of the Windsurfer LT is that while it may be good for competition and upwind performance it fails to deliver what we are addicted to, which is, blasting across the wind in the straps. Well, the WindTech 12 ft 6 may well be what we all need and may also tick the holy grail box of the one board solution. The design and constructionObviously the length is 12 ft 6. Why so long? Did you ever see a short wide boat win the Sydney to Hobart or a short wave ski? Hull speed is worth a Google. We have been indoctrinated into short and wide boards that deliver a harsh ride that limits time on the water due to fatigue. Long boards like raceboards are quite flat and the clear difference with this long WindTech is the gentle continuous rocker, which makes it gybe like a slalom board. It is wider than a raceboard at 76cm with a pintail that also helps the gybe. The rails are sharp at the back, becoming softer and with lots of tuck moving forward. The bottom is flat. Footstraps are for reaching and the are no beating straps, as this would be pointless without a centerboard. The construction is foam sandwich with divinycell and full carbon fiber. This is all hand laid up so is a labour of love. It weighs 11-12Kg. PerformanceSo, can this be a one-board solution? I have used sails from 6.5m to 9.2m (all Severne Turbo) and if I were to use that range of sails on short boards I would have used 3! I can plane at 13-14knots and the board is comfortable in 22 knots. In fact I recently was sailing a short board in 22knots and it was jumping around so much I thought of challenging conventional wisdom and tried the WindTech. I wont be bothering with the short board in these conditions again. Is it fast? Well this is no speed board but it is no slouch. I regularly get it to 22 knots and another sailor has got it to 32 knots. Sailors are starting to take note as the WindTech has passed some free race boards. Short boards 'jump' on the plane once hull speed is reached. The WindTech has a higher hull speed so firstly you are happy to cruise around at sub-planing speed but secondly, the board glides to planning rather than the 'jump' to plane. If you like a dry sail this board is great. Many short board sailors of medium ability (like me) spend too much time in the water due to failed gybes. Sailing the WindTech, this has become a thing of the past. Not crashing means you are out in front as short board uses scream past only to drop the next gybe. This is like a beginner's board to sail but squeeze it and you will be rewarded with genuine pace. It goes without saying that his board has excellent upwind performance and tacking is easy. Fins are a work in progress. Pointers of 39-45cm have been used but Neil thinks a fin needs to be developed with a different chord to optimize performance. I have used a 24 cm stealth (speed weed), which was too small, but 24 knots was achieved. ConclusionsIf you want pure unadulterated fun the WindTech 12 ft 6 is wonderful. It also achieves the 'one board' holy grail. The Windsurfer LT also archives this but is competition orientated and is not for blasting and fast carve gybes. Now, the bad news. There have been 5 of these boards made only as there is so much work being hand made that it has been a 'friends only' project to date.

Cruise Missile 9'4" is an absolute gem - really hope to try out the 12'6" one day

Great news about Neil

Old school,New school, the man is a legendStoked his back on the water

I feel much more comfortable on Old School type boards and a little over 4 years ago I asked a shaper with great experience of Old School boards (Peter Thommen) to make me a custom light wind (for my 100kg...) and the gusty conditions in my region. (Belgium)
Perfect from (7)-7,5 to 9.5m and keeps very good control on the chop even with good speeds for this volume.
GpsSpeedsurfing profile
Brandname : T1
Type : Gun 150 Custom
Length : 280
Width : 66
Volume : 150
Production Year : 2018
Max 2 sec : 33.65 knots
Max AVG : 31.28 knots
(this is my first post on this forum so impossible to put pictures or links...)

I find the WindTech CruiseMissile superb ! :0)

That's great about Neil, and the board is a really interesting concept. Well done, Neil.

Just one point - you certainly CAN do fast carve gybes (including one handed duck gybes etc) on an LT.

on the gold coast, rsea gave a free jet ski with every high-viz purchase

great to hear someone's back from injury!

Great work on the video - it is awesome to see Neil back on the water.I had a go of the "ultra glider" and it does indeed have the most smooth and easy transition on to the plane. A long board that rides like a short board! - Magic. And indeed it can be carve gybed..