I went for a spin on my old man's board (hasn't been touched in a few years) and felt a buzz I haven't felt in a while. I'm looking my advice on what sort of gear to hunt down so that I get on the water more often. I'm 75kg, 175cm.

I have 430 and 460 masts, an '03ish Hot 5.5 and an '04ish NP Expression 6.5 and a super old 3.3 wavesail. The board is a JP Xcite 120L with a 35cm 'Carve' fin.

I'm in the harness and straps. I can tack but basic gybing seem to elude me. The board seems perfect at the moment. So what's next should I get a 4.5ish sail to round out the quiver, or are the gaps too big? What about fins? Also, what can I do to make my hands tougher?

I don't go back to uni for another 8 weeks (and I don't have kids haha), so heaps of time to get on the water after work this summer.

7tim said..

I went for a spin on my old man's board (hasn't been touched in a few years) and felt a buzz I haven't felt in a while. I'm looking my advice on what sort of gear to hunt down so that I get on the water more often. I'm 75kg, 175cm.

I have 430 and 460 masts, an '03ish Hot 5.5 and an '04ish NP Expression 6.5 and a super old 3.3 wavesail. The board is a JP Xcite 120L with a 35cm 'Carve' fin.

I'm in the harness and straps. I can tack but basic gybing seem to elude me. The board seems perfect at the moment. So what's next should I get a 4.5ish sail to round out the quiver, or are the gaps too big? What about fins? Also, what can I do to make my hands tougher?

I don't go back to uni for another 8 weeks (and I don't have kids haha), so heaps of time to get on the water after work this summer.

I suppose that the question needed to be asked is about what sort of wind range you want to sail in. The JP board is made for sails between 5.5m and 8.5 m. This info I found on their website...albeit for a later model 122, but probably reasonably close to your board. Larger sails are heavier, especially if they have cams, but are good for lighter winds. Smaller sails are user friendly but no fun if they can't get you on the plane. Learning how to tune a sail is a bonus because you can make it work in a wider wind range. Their are some good articles on the web for this. Good luck with your sailing.

IMO, if you're in harness and straps, tacking and almost gybing. Don't worry about extra sails at this point. Get a 100ltr board as you'll out grow the 120 quickly and then you can really enjoy the bay waves on the sea breezes!! 6.5 and 5.5 are prime sizes for PPB breezes...
.
...Then next season, update everything!!!

to get hands tougher... Keep sailing!!!

sboardcrazy said..

7tim said..

I went for a spin on my old man's board (hasn't been touched in a few years) and felt a buzz I haven't felt in a while. I'm looking my advice on what sort of gear to hunt down so that I get on the water more often. I'm 75kg, 175cm.

I have 430 and 460 masts, an '03ish Hot 5.5 and an '04ish NP Expression 6.5 and a super old 3.3 wavesail. The board is a JP Xcite 120L with a 35cm 'Carve' fin.

I'm in the harness and straps. I can tack but basic gybing seem to elude me. The board seems perfect at the moment. So what's next should I get a 4.5ish sail to round out the quiver, or are the gaps too big? What about fins? Also, what can I do to make my hands tougher?

I don't go back to uni for another 8 weeks (and I don't have kids haha), so heaps of time to get on the water after work this summer.

Get sailing gloves..The boys will howl me down but I find them great! Still get a bit calloused if overpowered a lot.

Same, get gloves and you will sail longer. Take the ones with open fingers! As light as possible, not heavy boat sailing gloves, pryde and Ion are doing some good ones. I am using this since 25years and it keeps my sailing time a pleasure and long days after days...your skin might rip off some times anyhow, use compeed or else second skin plasters, it helps.
for the rest....get some advice to rig the sails to their best and sail sail sail...

enjoy!

I've become somewhat of an expert on blisters and hand care.

Use rubbing alcohol 3 times a day.

Don't moisturise.

If you are sailing three days in a row use fingerless gloves, strapping tape and new skin.

Hang from a bar for a couple minutes every day

It depends on the conditions you get, how much sailing you do and what type of sailing you prefer to do, as to where your windsurfing should go eventually.

The 6.5 sail should work best with that board and the 5.5 could do with a smaller fin about 25 to 27cm.

Make use of the board to improve your waterstarts, gybes and fast tacks. That will make the transition to a smaller board easier. Once you can do all those well, you will have a better idea of what type of windsurfing you want to do.