Last year was the first online speed comp for the old speed guns. This year I hope will maintain the fantastic interest of last years comp and be global again in 2012.

Ok let's face it our old speed guns are a year older, but who among us will bring them back to life,

and give them back their respect they deserve on the beach for one more day! they were hot in the day, but can the still be????

New high tech materials, new shapes are against us. BUT as a mate said yesterday, "when the results drop the b.ll sh.t stops". Lets show the world that old speed boards on new rigs are fast as well

Who is up for a challange (happy to lend the Bic Allegro to Tassie Speed Seekers who seek the holy grail) To go fast on new boards is easy but can you do it on an old speed gun????

Who is willing to put up a prize?? Come on get behind the most fun speed comp in the world

Don't hang up and old speed gun give it one more run just for fun.

Cheers Russwww.speedsurfingblog.com/2011/02/bic-allegro-retro-speed-gun-competition.html


If you want to be in the comp tell us your board and some history about it

Hmmm
Very interesting. I've always thought it would be good as a challenge to try break the Aus or World record for the year the board and and sail combo were made...
ie; on 1986 gear try to break Pascal Maka's 33 knot 500m or on 1984 gear try to smash Fred Haywards famous 30 knot milestone work beating record. Sad to say I can remember these happening and both were huuuuge occasions. Mal Wrights 41.? at Sandy point in 1988 ish in 55 knots of wind is another possibilty. (gotta find the Wild Winds (PRE KA sails) 4.8 for that one....
Trouble is trying to find gear that old that hasn't been turned into coffee tables or drop sheets.
I'm sure the year by year records would be on the net somewhere????
Off course record speeds will get harder as the years get more recent but the gear will be easier to find and it will be in better condition....
whattayareckon??
Tony

Tony I am with you, love your idea as well.

I will need to find an old speed sail. I will have to clean out the shed and see what I can find

How will we find out the old records and who knows the target for my old Allegro

I remember in the day a french speed sailor gave us in Tassie a speed clinic and he has these fantastic LOOK sails they were Monofilm!!!

I have another custom speed board over 25 years old the rails are so sharp

That will take some balls to go fast off the wind. I will post a picture soon.

Cheers Russ

Geeze, I have a shed full of historic old speed needle boards and even a few good fins for them. I even have a few old Wild Winds speed sails (I know I still have that one on the back in the pic too the left) but after using modern sails I don't think I could STAND trying to use one of the old bags.
I am quite keen to give the old boards a run with modern sails though!
The trouble is, whenever a good blow comes through and there is a chance of some good speeds, all I want to do is go as fast as possible for the rankings and the Team Challenge. It is a big sacrifice to potentially waste a good session on the old stuff.

That said, if I get a chance to sail Lake George again soon in those really good conditions I would definitely take an old speed stick or two for a run. I even have some old US box speed fins that might have enough rake to lose the weed!

My other thought is, I gotta find a 26-28 cm speed weed fin in US base for the speed tandem. That place would be unreal for that thing. I recon it is just the place to crack the Tandem 40 knots barrier! (Mat and Craig take note! )

Sailquick,

Would a hall of fame for old boards do the trick? You would register your board for the hall of fame listed in decades of construction and we start ranking results of top 5 x 10 speeds for boards moving forward. I think this could also serve as a construction champions for current boards as well? Everyone around the world could join in.

I am thinking this would be on the GPS Team Challenge site but I do not want to make more work for Hardie and Events.

I think most keen guys have real speed and can identify their Speed Gun Runs if they do not want to sail the old gun all day. it will be an honour system for posting speeds.

Russ

hey Russ,
Guess what? Yesterday I called into an Ex winsurfing shop I used to work at and they said "hey we still have one of your old boards out the back".It is the 8'3" x 14" watercooled speed board I used in 1990 at Sandy Point Speed Trials!! Apart from 4 holes from self tappers where they had it hanging from the ceiling on display (Bit of resin will fix) it all good. Just need a set of straps and a US box speed fin (Daffy??) and we're all good!! Its VVVVVeeerrryyy flat rocker and there's way too much board in front of the mast track........ perfect. The mission begins
I'll get a pic of it and post
Cheers Tony

Hey tony l"ve got one of Mals old speed fins that would suit the board think its a 23cm

Did Wild Winds become KA? I had a 7m Wild Winds where the top two battens crossed over near the mast. It was a HUGE sail back in the day. A bit of a pain to roll up though...

Yep certainly were! I was using them waaaay back. Designed by the one and only A. Mc Dougall. The 4.8 speed 1987 i think was a favourite and the 5.3 slalom. Even back then feirce competition for Pride and Gaastra. Nice tiiiiiight leach and went on a wave mast nicely. The bigger ones went on Serfiac alloy masts. You've never seen a luff pocket tear until you've seen an alloy mast "explode" a foot above the boom. Looks like a grenade went off up there. Hmmm getting emotional now
cheers Tony
Hey choco if we ever meet at Lake George I might hit you up for a deal on the fin.....

i've still got my vintage needle in the garage. i'll check if it has a date on it. am thinking early - mid eighties. have a HiTech 30cm fin for it.

used it with a north prisma.

later on i got a wild winds world cup slalom or maybe wave slalom. was mono and had 2 removable cams depending on what you wanted to use it for. it was probably an early 90's sail.

can also get my hands on an 80's tandem. sailed it a few times. once or twice in the surf.

Hi Tony & Gestalt

Fantastic news on the board, how much fun is the old gear

here is a old video for everyone to enjoy the old guns in action.



God this video takes me back when it came out I could not believe how fast Laird looked off the wind. He was a god of speed to me in the day. interesting discussion on the video about the future of speed sailing , they did not know about GPS but they must smile looking back now. Look how cool speedsailing always was then as is again.

I will get a photo of my allegro and other speed gun and post as well.
the highest peak speed for allegro I have found is 33 knots has anyone found faster otherwise thats my target

I had a Neil Pryde RAF Sprint 6.0 I think that was the only sail i used for 3 years loved it. Wish I could find one again. I then got my first ka race sail then a GSX Byron Marsh and Tom ludeckie were doing so well on KA then.

cheers Russ

Here are my guns

Look how sharp the rails are

this is from the 09 burrum windfest. Tim is one of the nicest guys you'll meet. kites mainly and busts out his speed gear when the winds up.

his sail is a super high aspect job he might have even made it himself... not sure.

Tony, I've got your old Gaastra 5.2 slalom foil pro ( 1990 ?? ) if you want it back...

Still in really good usable condition,

My yellow board in the photo is a board built in tassie by a custom shaper, it's a work of art, from start to the finish.It has a timber top and the best epoxy vacuum bagging jobs I have ever seen. it's still under 5kg with the fin

Russ

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TASSIEROCKS said...

My yellow board in the photo is a board built in tassie by a custom shaper, it's a work of art, from start to the finish.It has a timber top and the best epoxy vacuum bagging jobs I have ever seen. it's still under 5kg with the fin

Russ

How old, is old enough...Is year 1999 enough??

hey Russ,
That vid is Fred Hayward. First man to break 30 knots. Had the pleasure of hanging out and sailing with him at the 1986 Swan Premium Speed classic in Perth. V cool guy. We shared a shark sighting off Woodmans Point. We had the then World record holder Pascal Make and Eric Beal there too. Got pics somewhere.......
Hey batterredfish gled to see the old speedfoil is still going! I had a stint on Gaastra before getting onto Wild winds/KA (and haven't anything else since )
cheers tony

Izaak,

1999 is fine, What is it ? it's all about fun and let face it how old were you in 1999.
Remember you can have a run on my allegro as well. I would let you use the yellow but just watch the rails

Cheers Russ

Hi Tony,

Fantastic to hear about your speed board Fred Haywood, what a legend of the game. I must admit the fastest guy I have sailed with is Dave Morehead in Tassie he can do 40 in super rough water and to see him do it is impressive, top bloke as well.

I would love to have a sail with you Tony at some stage and share our passion for speed. Stanley, Henty or Sandy point one day.

I would love to give my new KA race's a run down the pit

Here it is in action back in 2004. It is a 1999 RRD, Anders Bridgdal design, slalom speed 99L, 54cm wide as new still. I will post some close ups tomorrow. Looking at trying it first on my 5.8 RSR EVO4 and either a C3 Sting2 28 or Slingshot 23cm. The board has done 38knots numerous time back from 2003-2006 with many 35's as well before 2003

Izaak, RRD

RRed Dog board looks so nice that will fly on your new Pryde's. The old north sail iq, that was such a nice sail in the day as well.

Will you take it over 40?????? That is the question give it hell.


Cheers Russ

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TASSIEROCKS said...

Izaak, RRD

RRed Dog board looks so nice that will fly on your new Pryde's. The old north sail iq, that was such a nice sail in the day as well.

Will you take it over 40?????? That is the question give it hell.


Cheers Russ

Im keen to take it over 40, then straight back onto the JP to do a 45

Cool concept. I will have to dig around in the mess and see if I can find my 270 F2 Sputnik (The home builders version). I used a Gun 7.0 Speed sail on it in the day and a variety of home made fins. Was certainly fast at the time (compared to the 3m dagger boards that seemed to be everywhere) .. late 80's early 90's

2012 Old Gun Speed Comp is again; generating interest around Australia.
Top speed sailors are about to polish up the old guns for one more run.

I think it's fantastic to look back on our old gear and benchmark our own personal improvement over the years. I have seen the GPS change the way we sail for the better. This knowledge and confidence on the old gear I reckon most will improve their old board PB's easily Make no mistake, the old boards were fast 20 years ago guy's raced for big $ in the day and were looking for the speed edge.

How will the comp work
1. Tell us about your or borrowed old gun. Tell us a bit of history about how you came to own it and please post a picture for us all to enjoy

2. What do you need to do to get it and you ready for the big day.

3. Set your target ie Bic Allegro for me is 33 knots that I can find for board record.

4. Go for it and tell us about what has changed from your current equipment

6. The big question needs to be answered. Will you sail it again???? Was it fun???

5. Winner will be voted by entrants based on the fun, story and results about their Old Gun and one more run!!!

Windgenuity are putting up a prize for the top places. Many Thanks to Greg Johns
who I am going to get to strap on a GPS and see what his Wally Windsurfer can do.

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izaak said...

Here it is in action back in 2004. It is a 1999 RRD, Anders Bridgdal design, slalom speed 99L, 54cm wide as new still. I will post some close ups tomorrow. Looking at trying it first on my 5.8 RSR EVO4 and either a C3 Sting2 28 or Slingshot 23cm. The board has done 38knots numerous time back from 2003-2006 with many 35's as well before 2003

Hey Izaac, where can I get a C3 in US box???

Oh, if your board has a cavity box type, it is sort of a different era.

One of the challenges with the old boards is finding a US box speed fin!

My classics: Shaped by Peter Smith and Myself, glassed by Pro-Glass around 1988 to 1990.
Left to Right:

14" x 8'8" Cracked 40 knots peak with 3.7m KA KAOS wave sail at first Sandy Point Speedweek in 2004. Fin SOS 10" elliptical.

10'8" Speed Tandem. Craig Hollins and I have done 36 knots peak at Sandy Point in about 25 knots of wind. KA Koncept 5.8m sails and HT 12" slalom fin. see it on You tube below.

8'8" x 18" speed slalom board. Cracked 40 knots peak (just!) with this board just before switching to the 14" board at the first Sandy Pt Speedweek in 2004. 11" Torquay swept slalom fin and KA KAOS 3.7m wave sail.



side view:



youtube:

Daffy,

That speed tandem is amazing I am guessing it was Kato who came adrift at the end of the second clip. Is that Speed Tandem still about?

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Old Salty said...

Daffy,

That speed tandem is amazing I am guessing it was Kato who came adrift at the end of the second clip. Is that Speed Tandem still about?

Nope. Kato was still just a lad when that video was shot.

The sailor on the front is Peter Smith who co-designed and built the beast with me.
Sails in that shot were 2.9m and 3.2m and it was blowin' about 40 knots. we had no GPS's in those days but we later went through gates in a lot less wind and clocked 35 knots. The run in video felt waaay faster!

That tandem is very much alive and well. There is a plot afoot to smuggle it into SA to a certain weedy lake...........

Here is another run from the same day:

Thanks for sharing those vids Mr Quick

that would have been great fun making that board sailquick, just nutting it all out and the the grand finnarly and sticking the two sails on it and getting it going, what great memories
it looks like you have a windrush mast track, how great were they and so basic