Hi,
ive recently been windsurfing on my dads huge old hifly longboard. I can tack on it, sometimes gybe in lightwind and handle fairly strong winds in a harness with it. However its big, heavy, outdated and doesnt have footstraps. When i bought my rig i also got a 107litre bic vivace, which ive tried to use a number of time but found it difficult. I can get going on it (kind of) but find it very unforgiving.
I am a uni student implying very low budget, and am wondering if i should just stick with the bic vivace and progress, or is it better to just buy a new board. I found these two which i thought may be suitable and are reasonabley affordable:

2009 STARBOARD GO 155 LITRES
www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing/Boards/~b08bg/2006-Starboard-Go-255-cm-155-litres.aspx?search=%2bSHmAHcV5fImek6LDbKl%2bQ%3d%3d
2004 BIC TECHNO @- 148 LITRES
www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing/Boards/~bif7e/2004-Bic-Techno-2-148-litres.aspx?search=%2bSHmAHcV5fImek6LDbKl%2bQ%3d%3d&t=0

Wat do you think?
Thanks in advance
james

Hi Barri. I learnt on a Starboard Kombat 96L. Its a "Freestyle-wave" board and is now just about dead after 2 years. It's been an awesome board. I'm also a uni student. Whilst the board and rig was really dauntingly expensive at the time, considering the near-daily use I got out of it and the fact that windsurfing its more orientated to sports like motocross than surfing, it actually turns out a bit cheaper.

You may find that its harder to learn initially on a ~100L board but you'll find that later on you'll be stoked you didn't get a "pure-learner" board such as the Go. You can already gybe and tack! You're pretty much already there! To be honest, if your getting out practicing few times a week you'll quickly outgrow such a big board. The Go and boards like it are targeted to kids and training schools. Your little money would be better spent on something that you can grow into.

If I had the board choice again I'd do it the same. I've taken my Kombat out in waves, raced it in the Lano Classic, and freestyled it nearly to death. It has been awesome. A modernish freestyle wave board (of any brand) will give you a taste of everything and let you specialise from there. Get something that's atleast 15L bigger than your weight.

Again, it may seem like alot of money, but if your really frothing on windsurfing the modern gear is just so much easier to learn on it really does reward you with a much easier learning curve.

In terms of what to prioritise this is how I see your money best spent:
1. Harness
2. Board
3. Boom
4. Sail (close tie with boom)
5. Mast + Hardware

You can save some money along the track by shaping your own fins and learning how to repair your own board. Sail repair is pretty specialised.

I hope I don't come across as buy-buy-buy, but it sounds like you're already on the way with your tacks and gybes. Watch a few videos (freestyle/slalom) and think about the direction you'd like to go. From there sus a wellpriced cheap 2nd hand Fstyle/wave or slalom board (as modern as your can find) and take it from there. All the best!

THanks alot!! I Better start saving!!

hey Barri,

first up welcome to the best sport EVER! glad you could join us.

good to cut your teeth on a big board like the hi-fly - teaches you basic rig handling skills. going to any smaller board will be tough initially to get your footwork right - any messy tacks or gybes will get you bucked off - but you gotta do your time to progress...and once you get into those footstraps, yeehaw! you'll never look back (except when you back-loop! )

so key questions - how much do you weigh? can you up-haul the vivace? where do you sail?

hey,
yeh the longboard has been good for me for an old girl. I got close to a couple forward loops on it, but no back loops... ha

i can uphaul the vivace (with difficulty) but i generally dont as i mainly sail at parham as i live near mallala in summer which is at most neck depth. I have sailed at north haven on northelies and been to boggy lake once which was good.

I weigh 82kg.

Were do you mainly sail?