How much does your enjoyment of a board depend on your skill level?

I recently sailed a board again that I previously sailed 3 years ago. Back then I hated it and found it difficult to get nice turns on, even in good conditions. This time I sailed it in ****ty cross onshore conditions but I was getting really good turns out of it (it was marketed as a dtl board).

Skill makes everything work.
Lack of skill needs equipment makeup.
I once watched a out of shape former pro wavesailor, at 185 lbs., struggle into a way too tight medium wetsuit, grab his too small 72 liter x 52cm wide waveboard, huff to the beach with a 5 meter sail in 10-22 gusty holey dying breeze.....and hit a forward, a back, and a 15' tabletop heading out on his first run....with stretching and a 300 yard carry to the surf.

Me, 1997, after spending the entire previous year river kayaking...
Humped the 70 liter wave board down the cliff to PaloMarin, rigged the 5.0 in 24 mph gusts and 5' long period S swell, head out and proceed to get caught in every wind lull, not make it out in 3 tries, finally get a lull and find myself falling in on the outside jibe to find my inhaul rope had snapped, spend 20 minutes jury rigging using my outhaul and switching in for out, find another lull trying to waterstart and drift down to way kelpy Boneyards with less breeze for a 45 minute kelpbulb crawl with the rig to a boulder infested shoreline dinging my board, and cutting my hands.
The crew enjoyed my water time, but did help me carry my rig up the cliff to the car.
Entertainment comes at a price.

Select to expand quote

philn said..
How much does your enjoyment of a board depend on your skill level?

I recently sailed a board again that I previously sailed 3 years ago. Back then I hated it and found it difficult to get nice turns on, even in good conditions. This time I sailed it in ****ty cross onshore conditions but I was getting really good turns out of it (it was marketed as a dtl board).

3 years experience is a lot. conditions can vary the result, many factors .

In 2008, I bought a '07 JP Pro Slalom 84.
At 150 lbs., I could sail it very well with a 5.7 in winds around 17-28.
The problem was, in the lighter wind range, I had faster boards.
In the higher wind range, I had equal speed boards that turned better and jumped easier.
I still have that board, ridden once a year to remind me what a bad purchase this was.

Select to expand quote

LeeD said..
In 2008, I bought a '07 JP Pro Slalom 84.
At 150 lbs., I could sail it very well with a 5.7 in winds around 17-28.
The problem was, in the lighter wind range, I had faster boards.
In the higher wind range, I had equal speed boards that turned better and jumped easier.
I still have that board, ridden once a year to remind me what a bad purchase this was.

Reminds me of a 3Stooges line, Why hit yourself in the head with a hammer, Because it feels so good when I stop.

Board I still struggle with is the 2010 Starboard Quad 76.
Seems too wide for West Coast USA waves, hard to rail to rail....bottom turn OTL combos, and sometimes spins out heading for jumps.
But I do like it in tiny slow waves.
My other wave boards are all 52-54 cm widths.
Surf here is mostly head high to big, so the wide width and tail is harder to bank and drive.
Good as one board of a wave quiver.