A few of us went for a light wind sesh at Elwood on Sunday. Great day out, bit of fun in the light wind, some lessons to friends, and one of the guys brought out his 11m sail on his formula board. This 11m sail had us planning in hardly any wind at all....... you can actually get some good speeds on it. Here's some pics so I don't get banned.

So next time you are sitting there, thinking it would be nice to be out on the water, think big gear

What time were you there K Dog? We must have only just missed you. Looks good though but not sure I'd like to be using gear quite so big. Still, I was struggling to plane in the 13 ish knots we had in the afternoon and was thinking bigger board and sail would be nice :)

I was there, sitting on the beach watching with envy... I could barely get moving on a 7.5 :(

Pretty remarkable how little wind you can get planning in.

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ejmack said...

What time were you there K Dog? We must have only just missed you. Looks good though but not sure I'd like to be using gear quite so big. Still, I was struggling to plane in the 13 ish knots we had in the afternoon and was thinking bigger board and sail would be nice :)

Was there from about 11 AM till about 3 or 4 I think. We were having a BBQ on the beach and having a couple of frosties..... windsurfing sustenance :D

I saw a few people go out further down the beach, we were hanging around the fishing club area.

@ Jez - yeah surprised me, at one point I could just feel wind and the thing wanted to plane with a couple of squeezes..... I sorted of see why dudes get into formula gear....

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jermaldan said...

I was there, sitting on the beach watching with envy... I could barely get moving on a 7.5 :(

Pretty remarkable how little wind you can get planning in.

Hey Jerzy you should of stayed at home beach I sailed for about an hour more with the 7m and 111l

Yeah yeah yeah... hindsight...

It,s always baffled me why people seem to be scared off by bigger gear. You don't neccessarily need a Formula board and an 11.0 meter sail to plane in light winds, there are some great freeride/freerace options around now for light wind planning. Starboard/Jp now doing specialist lightwind boards and the big slalom boards are great, plane in almost as little wind as a Formula board and much easier to blast around on. I have an F2 SX 82 and matched to a 9.5 Koncept I am planing in 10-11 knots. It,s easy as pie to sail and man does it shift!!!!!
There is something really cool about blasting around at over double the wind speed when there are no whitecaps.

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jermaldan said...

Yeah yeah yeah... hindsight...

As a rule the seabreeze is stronger at the north end of the bay 9 times out of 10 and lasts for longer too. I was at elwood on the weekend, saturday was the pick of the days.

Totally agree Mr Love....Modern bigger sails in the 7.5+ sizes have such a wide wind range, largely due to all the R&D and improvements made at World Cup level. If a 7m is your biggest sail, you weigh 75kg and use a 110-125 litre board you'll probably need around 15 knots to get planing. By going up to say a 8.2 twin cam, you should be planing in around 12 knots and enjoying the relatively smooth water. My favourite combination in 12-15knots is a NP H2 8.2 on the JP Superlight Wind 154 litre with a 56cm fin. It allows me to plane easily without having to pump too much and allows much greater upwind and downwind sailing angles.

Cheers,
Luke

Planing in twelve knots. It's just not right..

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ginger pom said...

Planing in twelve knots. It's just not right..

Windsurfing in any wind is great, planning in 12 or less knots is very achievable. Martin and Luke are so correct you don't need full on formula gear.

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WindRider said...

ginger pom said...

Planing in twelve knots. It's just not right..

Windsurfing in any wind is great, planning in 12 or less knots is very achievable. Martin and Luke are so correct you don't need full on formula gear.

Saying that though, there are some cheap formula boards that go on here, and seems to be plenty of large sails for sale as well. If I could store it I would definitely have one in my kit. My unit looks like a second hand windsurfing shop as it is .

I really rate the feeling though, and second Martin's comments, its VERY cool planning along with no whitecaps and little wind.... you feel like you are defying nature, and those formula boards feel like they are on tracks, this very cool fin pressure feeling, you can squeeze more onto it and can feel it coming back in more speed

If only I had a garage - AND a van

I'm sure we'll be revisiting this later into autumn

i liked planing on Sat whilst all kites were waiting on the beach,
but hoping for something better this eve @GP

Although the Formula gear can be challenging (Downwind in 25knts to just terrifying!) it's actually not as bad as everyone makes out. In winds from 8 - 15knts it's awesome and feels like you could sail for ever. I used to use it for cruising around the islands in Auckland, it's awesome!

I'm sure I'll see some more envious looks on the beach during the autumn doldrums......

Agree with Mr Love though, some of the lightwind gear coming out from the manufacturers is awesome.

For me it's just about maximizing your time on the water, if you limit yourself to small gear you miss out on some awesome sessions when the suns shining and the chicks are out.......

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jimieleuk said...

For me it's just about maximizing your time on the water, if you limit yourself to small gear you miss out on some awesome sessions when the suns shining and the chicks are out.......

I agree. Take head Ginger Pom.

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jimieleuk said...
For me it's just about maximizing your time on the water, if you limit yourself to small gear you miss out on some awesome sessions when the suns shining and the chicks are out.......

Let's face it, they aren't sexy to look at, but they are fun to ride.

The formula boards I mean, not the Elwood girls

It would be nice to have something in the 8m range and a big light wide board for the days when there is just not that muh wind about.

The sup in light wind is fun, but nothing beats the feeling of planning.

I'd rather race a longboard to be honest.

Longboard sailing is fitness, tactics and skill. Big kit blasting is just proper windsurfing slowed down.

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WindRider said...

jimieleuk said...

For me it's just about maximizing your time on the water, if you limit yourself to small gear you miss out on some awesome sessions when the suns shining and the chicks are out.......

I agree. Take head Ginger Pom.

You mean "take heed". Taking head is a different kettle of fish.

Mmmm, real windsurfing slowed down , right.
Thommen 84 wide slalom board, 50cm fin, KA Koncept 8.5, 15 knots of wind max on Lake Wellington. 28.5 knots on the GPS. Doesn't seem slowed down to me!!!!!
When was the last time you did 28 knots on your Wave board in 30knots of wind???

But the moral of the story really is that I was out there blasting around and having a ball while the small board purests would have been sitting on the beach grumbling about what a crap summer for wind it has been.

Big gear rocks!!!!

Have updated my "to purchase for 2012" list..... 155 ltr Formula board.... maybe if there is enough of them we can start racing in light winds

Agree Martin - for me its about time on the water.

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K Dog said...

Have updated my "to purchase for 2012" list..... 155 ltr Formula board.... maybe if there is enough of them we can start racing in light winds

Agree Martin - for me its about time on the water.

You should join the WV course racing series. Our summer series is nearly over, but the winter one will start in Aug from MSC.
Plus the WV Classic.

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mr love said...

Mmmm, real windsurfing slowed down , right.
Thommen 84 wide slalom board, 50cm fin, KA Koncept 8.5, 15 knots of wind max on Lake Wellington. 28.5 knots on the GPS. Doesn't seem slowed down to me!!!!!
When was the last time you did 28 knots on your Wave board in 30knots of wind???

But the moral of the story really is that I was out there blasting around and having a ball while the small board purests would have been sitting on the beach grumbling about what a crap summer for wind it has been.

Big gear rocks!!!!

Big gear can get some good speeds. I have done over 26knots on the RS:One on the bay in about 15knots of wind.

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WindRider said...

mr love said...

Mmmm, real windsurfing slowed down , right.
Thommen 84 wide slalom board, 50cm fin, KA Koncept 8.5, 15 knots of wind max on Lake Wellington. 28.5 knots on the GPS. Doesn't seem slowed down to me!!!!!
When was the last time you did 28 knots on your Wave board in 30knots of wind???

But the moral of the story really is that I was out there blasting around and having a ball while the small board purests would have been sitting on the beach grumbling about what a crap summer for wind it has been.

Big gear rocks!!!!

Big gear can get some good speeds. I have done over 26knots on the RS:One on the bay in about 15knots of wind.

I'm a bit cr@p at the RS1...(remember passing me on the breakwater race )... perhaps my techique could improve, but the formula board seems to work for me for some reason... maybe more forgiving.... Do you allow the formulas to race at Parkdale? I noticed Flip is in your race list, does he race his formula in it?

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Big kit blasting is just proper windsurfing slowed down.

Maybe slower in response to foot steering and thru gybes, etc and not slower top speed?

In light wind as well as bigkit planing & longboard(the best part being railing the board!) of course you've got bigboard / small sail simple rig-flipping freestyle (I know you've metioned Flowstyle before ginger pom).

Plenty of choice there, I'd go for any of those 3, not fussed, but probably prefer the freestyle thing.

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K Dog said...

WindRider said...

mr love said...

Mmmm, real windsurfing slowed down , right.
Thommen 84 wide slalom board, 50cm fin, KA Koncept 8.5, 15 knots of wind max on Lake Wellington. 28.5 knots on the GPS. Doesn't seem slowed down to me!!!!!
When was the last time you did 28 knots on your Wave board in 30knots of wind???

But the moral of the story really is that I was out there blasting around and having a ball while the small board purests would have been sitting on the beach grumbling about what a crap summer for wind it has been.

Big gear rocks!!!!

Big gear can get some good speeds. I have done over 26knots on the RS:One on the bay in about 15knots of wind.

I'm a bit cr@p at the RS1...(remember passing me on the breakwater race )... perhaps my techique could improve, but the formula board seems to work for me for some reason... maybe more forgiving.... Do you allow the formulas to race at Parkdale? I noticed Flip is in your race list, does he race his formula in it?

Josh was on a RS:One, but yes Formulas are allowed for sure. We had a FreeFormula at the first couple of races. But the wind was sub 5knots then.
Our races are set on triangle course (i.e. the first mark is a beat and two broad reaches).

Didn't realise that the formula gear was welcome at the longboard races..... If it's a lightwind day I'll try and join in next time.

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jimieleuk said...

Didn't realise that the formula gear was welcome at the longboard races..... If it's a lightwind day I'll try and join in next time.

Having second thoughts on selling that 11m sail?

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jimieleuk said...

Didn't realise that the formula gear was welcome at the longboard races..... If it's a lightwind day I'll try and join in next time.

The WV Course Racing series was for all type of windsurfers or Wind SUPs that can sail the course. The races were never marketed as long board only. If you can make it next time it would be great.

This is one of great things about our sport, is there are so many types of sailing we can do with different types of gear. Having old style long boards, dedicated race boards, hybrids, formula, course slalom and Wind SUPs racing at once. It's all about having fun.

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mr love said...

Mmmm, real windsurfing slowed down , right.
Thommen 84 wide slalom board, 50cm fin, KA Koncept 8.5, 15 knots of wind max on Lake Wellington. 28.5 knots on the GPS. Doesn't seem slowed down to me!!!!!
When was the last time you did 28 knots on your Wave board in 30knots of wind???

But the moral of the story really is that I was out there blasting around and having a ball while the small board purests would have been sitting on the beach grumbling about what a crap summer for wind it has been.

Big gear rocks!!!!

Not really.

You're telling me it's fast cos your gps told you so. This is different. A jumbo goes faster than a tiger moth but you can sleep on a jumbo..... I can tell you that I've gone 35 knots on my wave board at sandy. It certainly didn't feel fast

My point is that if you're sailing in light winds then you should take advantage of something

eg

Sailing a longer waterline board and being able to fly upwind on the rail
Practicing freestyle or flow style - duck gybes, duck tacks or long board stuff like rail rides. On a sup board even.
Competing (because competing is much harder when it's windy)

Planing on a 9m in 12 knots doesn't really allow you to do much. The boom is 3m long so you can't duck under it. The rig sounds like an earthquake when you flip it. It pulls in all sorts of horrible ways when the wind gets up.
Sailing upwind is ok on a formula board... I suppose.

I'm not saying I'd rather sit on the beach. I'd just rather not invest 7 grand in kit (at least - new boom 900, new mast 1000, new sail 1500 , new board 3000, new fin 300) to sail in exactly the same way as you sail when it's windy ie in the footstraps and in the harness. And then have that kit half in value over the next year... or break.

Racing is fun, but it's fun because of the relative speeds and making the most of the kit, the gusts, the shifts etc. Cheque book racing is bull****. Once you've decided that one design is the way to go then why would you do one design on fragile kit? Unless you were sponsored and promoting one design on fragile kit....

There's enough people out there that can't tack or flare gybe. How is formula sailing going to solve that? Most of the people that can't carve gybe don't have the rig and footwork skills - how is an 11m going to get them there? You can carve a formula board but it's actually harder than carving a small board.

Each to their own. I just don't think promoting formula boards is particularly good for the sport.

Both are fun.

Both are better than sitting on the beach but who is going to get better faster? Who can lend their kit to a beginner? Who can sell their kit to a beginner? Who spent most?