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Forums > Windsurfing General

improvements in board design.

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Created by kpb > 9 months ago, 24 Oct 2012
kpb
QLD, 239 posts
24 Oct 2012 7:05PM
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I'm fairly new at windsurfing and am just starting to plain in short bursts.My question is how much better to ride are the modern boards compared to those made in the early 2000's.

ikw777
QLD, 2995 posts
24 Oct 2012 7:39PM
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That's a matter of taste, though, in general modern boards being wider, plane sooner, have a wider wind range, are a bit easier to sail and more forgiving. Contrary to this though is that some older boards from around 2000 just have a better feel in the water.

legless
SA, 852 posts
24 Oct 2012 8:48PM
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ikw777 said...
That's a matter of taste, though, in general modern boards being wider, plane sooner, have a wider wind range, are a bit easier to sail and more forgiving. Contrary to this though is that some older boards from around 2000 just have a better feel in the water.



I would say older boards have a bigger wind range a narrower longer board can be sailed from 10-40 knots just need a smaller sail a wider shorter board will quickly be overpowered as the chop picks up as the wind increases.

Mobydisc
NSW, 9029 posts
24 Oct 2012 9:33PM
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When I got back into windsurfing in 2007 I went straight from an older style Bombora 270 to a new style Tabou Rocket 140. The 270 refers to length. 140 refers to volume. The Tabou was much much easier to ride than the Bombora. The shorter length was immediately apparent with the Tabou, with a short and stubby nose.

To be fair the Tabou is much bigger in volume. However I think generally newer style boards are easier and friendlier to use. There would be times when the longer thinner styles are good, like in very choppy and windy conditions.

Macroscien
QLD, 6808 posts
24 Oct 2012 9:30PM
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I am not sure if it always works this way, but if you start learning on modern board your learning curve could be much shorter - means that you need to learn to ride modern board anyway.
Like you need to learn water start and gybing.
The older board could be easier to start with but I don't think that eventually save any time to reach this confidence level.
I did start with oldest crappy boards to progress to modern over years and I think from perspective that all this time was wasted.
If I did start on modern board I will do everything much quicker.
Save your time and learn on as modern 130L board as you could afford, IMO

Mark _australia
WA, 23526 posts
24 Oct 2012 7:44PM
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legless said...
ikw777 said...
That's a matter of taste, though, in general modern boards being wider, plane sooner, have a wider wind range, are a bit easier to sail and more forgiving. Contrary to this though is that some older boards from around 2000 just have a better feel in the water.



I would say older boards have a bigger wind range a narrower longer board can be sailed from 10-40 knots just need a smaller sail a wider shorter board will quickly be overpowered as the chop picks up as the wind increases.


Red thumbs

I think some people have not used an old school shortboard. They do have much wider wind range, a waveboard or slalom from the 90's may take a bit more to get planing but they have way more top end.
New school boards (generally) are more forgiving, earlier planing and easy to gybe but you need to change down to a smaller board way earlier.
A slalom board of about 100L from the early 1990's was a 15kn to 40kn proposition, nowadays you'd have a 120L freeride and a 90L slalom board for that same range.

kpb
QLD, 239 posts
24 Oct 2012 9:46PM
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Thanx heaps for the replies.Sounds like the shape of my board is ok then@ 270 long 87 wide and 150l.... Might concentrate on getting some more modern sails then

FormulaNova
WA, 15090 posts
24 Oct 2012 7:58PM
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Yeah, that size sounds good for learning on. The width and volume seem fine, and the length is typical for that size board.

Just out of interest, what is it?

kpb
QLD, 239 posts
24 Oct 2012 10:32PM
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FormulaNova said...
Yeah, that size sounds good for learning on. The width and volume seem fine, and the length is typical for that size board.

Just out of interest, what is it?




Hi mate,its a 2003 exocet cruiser.

sboardcrazy
NSW, 8292 posts
25 Oct 2012 1:00PM
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Mark _australia said...
legless said...
ikw777 said...
That's a matter of taste, though, in general modern boards being wider, plane sooner, have a wider wind range, are a bit easier to sail and more forgiving. Contrary to this though is that some older boards from around 2000 just have a better feel in the water.



I would say older boards have a bigger wind range a narrower longer board can be sailed from 10-40 knots just need a smaller sail a wider shorter board will quickly be overpowered as the chop picks up as the wind increases.


Red thumbs

I think some people have not used an old school shortboard. They do have much wider wind range, a waveboard or slalom from the 90's may take a bit more to get planing but they have way more top end.
New school boards (generally) are more forgiving, earlier planing and easy to gybe but you need to change down to a smaller board way earlier.
A slalom board of about 100L from the early 1990's was a 15kn to 40kn proposition, nowadays you'd have a 120L freeride and a 90L slalom board for that same range.


So it's not me..?



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