Hi All

I recently returned to the sport after some 20 year break and have been loving getting back into it. I currently have a Quatro Tetra (89L) with a 5.4 and 4.7 sails. I weigh about 70kg. Sailing mostly at Dutch Inn.

I am thinking about getting a bigger volume freeride type board with some bigger sail(s) for lighter wind conditions.

Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts/recommendations about type of board and size sail that would be suitable. I expect I probably would still mostly be sailing at the ocean, but maybe sometimes on the river as well. I was think maybe something around 110L with a 6.5m sail or so.

cheers
Dave

Tabou 3S
Fanatic Blast
Goya One.
Starboard Kode

cheers

Chuck the JP Freestyle Wave on that list as well.
Pro edition comes with thruster fin options.

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Stuthepirate said..
Tabou 3S
Fanatic Blast
Goya One.
Starboard Kode

As far as FSW goes for blasting, definitely agree with that list.

If after a freeride but still a nice feel for those people used to wave boards or FSW - Tabou Rocket.

thanks all - hey does anyone know if there are any windsurfing shops in perth that allow you to try a board out?

All of them have demo boards I'm pretty sure.
No fanatic in WA but.

A few Starboard carves appears on wa gumtree. Often they are near mint condition.

Thanks guys
lastly any thoughts on good volume? I'm around 70kg ...was thinking around 110L. Something I could even uphaul in lighter winds...
cheers

Fanatic Freewave 115, JP Freestyle wave 113, Severne Dyno 115, Kode Freewave 109 are all good options. You can test the Severne boards if you go and see them in Osborne Park. Windsurfing Perth might have a Freestyle wave on trial, Fanatic is a bit more tricky. If you are in Sydney Windsurf and Snow has a 99 liter on demo.

Overall though I think 110 to 115 might be a bit big. Maybe see if you can test a 105. I think at 70 kgs weight that might more suitable.

^^ sounds like he wants more for blasting in open ocean so maybe not Dyno ?
Fox way better, or Rocket

free-ride blasting then definitely go for a rocket or similar
Tabou Rocket
JP Magic Ride
Starboard AtomIQ
Goya Carrera
Severne Fox
RRD Firemove
All boards are available in size for sails up to 7m

https://www.bigwinds.com/windsurfing-blog/Showdown-Starboard-Atom-IQ-100-vs-JP-Magic-Ride-104

there seem to be so many categories of windsurfing these days when I started it was just windsurfing

I think 'free-ride blasting' is probably close to it though. no sure I'd be doing much 'free-style' from the little I've seen of that on youtube (other than unintentionally )

I'm thinking then maybe 105 - 110L with maybe a 6 or even 6.5m sail which will hopefully mean I can get out there and get planing in the sort of 13 - 18 knot range, which there seems to be a fair bit of in Perth at the moment

You could also look at the Windtech SilverBullet 64 112L. They're available for sale locally.

It's faster than the other boards on the lists above - with the Active Trim Tech tail it can be tuned to be highly maneuverable and forgiving in the chop - a super fun blasting weapon. It even does nice long floaty jumps

I had an awesome session on mine yesterday at Dutchies - you're welcome to give it a try. Ask for JJ.

Windsurfer LT I just ordered one. You can also use it as SUP and race it when the racing starts here in WA. There are at least 7 people in WA who have ordered so the fleet is already on its way and growing. Also if you have retro slalom boards (mast track further forward) as I do you can possibly use the Windsurfer Sail on them with good results.

Richard Whyte gybeing at Kahala Beach Park, Oahu; Hawaii. Neil Pryde Windsurfing photoshoot. Circa 1983. Photo by Darrell Wong. Looks remarkably like the Windsurfer LT Sail. I have always assumed the Windsurfer LT Sail (and its predecessor for the One Design [not to be confused with the Windsurfer Class original]) was somehow based on the Neil Pryde Stratos range used by Ken Winner in the 1983 and 1984 World Cup to second place.

Thanks for the offer azymuth - I was actually down at Dutchies yesterday too! but rather late...was dark by the time I came in

aside from the freeride blasting thing in lighter winds I was thinking a bit more about freestyle - watched a video of Jem Hall doing freestyle stuff on a bigger board (like a SUP board really and a bit like the one RichardG is talking about above) and was also talking about how that can be really useful practice

I guess you could do something like that on a board around 110L and still go for a blast when you felt like it...

to that end I was looking at a Starboard Flare 106L or JP Freestyle Pro 106L as possible options...

wow that WIndsurfer LT1 reminds me of my old HiFly...[nostalgic sigh]

^^ give dedicated freestyle boards a miss unless you are going to do all the 90% airtime modern spinny stuff.

Trust me, from your original question you want FSW or a freeride that leans toward FSW (Fox, Rocket)

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Mark _australia said..
^^ give dedicated freestyle boards a miss unless you are going to do all the 90% airtime modern spinny stuff.

Trust me, from your original question you want FSW or a freeride that leans toward FSW (Fox, Rocket)

I agree and not. I think you are right, he leans toward Freeride board.

However, for FSW when used mostly on flat and sometime on mushy smallish wave, a dedicated freestyle board is probably something to consider(To my opinion better, but that's just me), unless you are buying a 2017, 2018. Now they are very different and are not for everyday windsurfers. 2010-2016 freestyle board are super fast to get up and go(better than FSW), very easy to jibe, compact, fun to ride, jump super easy, volume is super nice distribute for those who learn tack. In waves they can usually handle what most of the FSW can do, except maybe FSW like Goya One and a small portion of them who are more wave oriented than flat water oriented.

Only think that is a bummer is the fragility of Freestyle board. If you jump them hard, land flat, the deck will become soft compare to FSW. I made my freestyle board available to test by a lot of fsw owner and none of them told me they liked better their FSW. All were blown away how fast the board was, how easy to ride. Maybe the didn't want to tell me my board suck...but they were doing great. 3 of them bought my boards later(I swap them every years).

Noob question - FSW = Free Style Wave?

So there 's Freestyle, Freeride and Free Style Wave?

In terms of what I was looking at I was looking at older boards (budget wise as a second board)

In terms of 2nd hand stuff I've found:

- Tabou Rocket 108L (Freeride I think) 2015
- Starboard Flare 106L (Freestyle) 2011 (not sure about a wood board that old?)
- JP Freestyle Pro 106L maybe 2012 (Freestyle)

In terms of my freestyle ambitions - ok probably not that extensive. just would like a board with enough float to 'play around' with some stuff. but I guess main thing is ability to get up and planing in the lighter winds.

But I'm a bit confused now about 'FSW" vs Freeride vs Freestyle...

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Mark _australia said..
^^ sounds like he wants more for blasting in open ocean so maybe not Dyno ?
Fox way better, or Rocket

I tried a 115 Dyno about a month ago. It certainly leans a bit more towards wave conditions but without the thrusters, a biggger center fin and the foot straps in position closer to the rails I think it's a very capable Freeride board. Probably not the fastest out there but still fun.

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Kalerider said..
Noob question - FSW = Free Style Wave?

So there 's Freestyle, Freeride and Free Style Wave?

In terms of what I was looking at I was looking at older boards (budget wise as a second board)

In terms of 2nd hand stuff I've found:

- Tabou Rocket 108L (Freeride I think) 2015
- Starboard Flare 106L (Freestyle) 2011 (not sure about a wood board that old?)
- JP Freestyle Pro 106L maybe 2012 (Freestyle)

In terms of my freestyle ambitions - ok probably not that extensive. just would like a board with enough float to 'play around' with some stuff. but I guess main thing is ability to get up and planing in the lighter winds.

But I'm a bit confused now about 'FSW" vs Freeride vs Freestyle...

Depends what "play around" means?
Are you going to be trying Spocks and Vulcans? Sliding, spinnny moves? Freestyle board.
Or are helitacks, carving 360s or forward loops more likely? FSW
Or, if like you say this is most likely for lighter wind days with 6.5m sail etc then neither would be suited.
If these are the conditions you're targeting to go for a sail, then a freeride board is probably the answer.

I was in the same position as yourself a few years ago. I'm 72kg. My suggestion would be FSW about 95-105L. These are very versatile as they can be either finned up or finned down. Fin it up for flat water freeride and fin it down for waves. Otherwise stock fin for blasting and jumps. Once you get on it and you and get your mojo back you'll start to play with the fins (stock, wave or freeride) and figure out what you like best. But personally, I found the FSW my most best ever favourite for all conditions. I later wanted to get into more wave sailing for when it was honking a bit so I picked up a Tabou Pocket 80L (2014). Took a little to get used to it, but now love it. Then when the wind was quite light I got myself a RRD Firemove 100L (2012). That thing flies on flat water. But the RRD Firemove can also be finned to whatever the conditions present and just move the footstraps accordingly. I haven't tried that myself but it's what the write-up says.

Summing it up go FSW

Stu based on what you've said yeah prob freeride...

Vince - I was looking at the RRD firemove yesterday...how does it go in the ocean? ie not on totally flat water? And you found 100L enough for lighter winds? I was looking at a 111L...what size sail do you use on it?

cheers

I haven't used it in the ocean, only on the river using a 6.5 T4 (tushingham freeride) from about 16kt but i'm keen to try it out. 100L is floaty enough for me and it flies. Look up some reviews on it.

Ok cheers

It's a wide board so if the chop picks up it might be a bit uncomfortable, but saying that for light winds it should not be an issue. Here's a short vid on it.

Since you weigh 70kg as you have a Tetra 89 how about the Tetra 99 FSW which is on sale at a bargain price new:

www.surfsailaustralia.com.au/shop

Simeon Glasson (top sailor) appears to have this even cheaper secondhand model: www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing-Boards/~---z7/2016-Quatro-Tetra-237-cm-99-litres.aspx?_page=1&search=MsVd7Fn%2F%2FIqFZu3RJMnvRCUMgkSC5OGx
He describes it: "Brilliant light wind and / or beginner board! Perfect condition. Comes with MFC thruster fin set. Excellent."
At your weight this would be a light wind board. If you want to sail as a single fin use a 25 cm fin or bigger to carry even bigger sails. I expect it will take sails up to 6.5 m2 or bigger with bigger fins.

105 tabou rocket ...it eats chop .great ocean going and has speed .
at 70 kg easy uphaul for you .
i have the 115 as well & @ 97 kgs I can uphaul not probs .

I was looking at
Tabou Rocket 108
Jp Magic Ride 111
Starboard Isonic 124

the first two have been recommended above as good freeride boards. Any thoughts as between them?

Also any thoughts on the Starboard Isonic 124L? I understand this is more Speed/Slalom board than freeride, so what would that mean in terms of handling? Also for someone 70kg is better to go for more 110L say than 120L + . Not sure what the extra volume would mean?