Heya,

I'm just packing up my windsurf gear for my flight next week from Germany (Munich) to Perth.
It will be my first holiday in Australia and also the first time taking my equipment with me.I just watched plenty of postings here and was so impressed by so many great pictures here.

I will bring my Starboard Kode 94 Liters and I need a good advice which sails to bring.
Having 4,2 - 4,7 and 5.5 - fitting with only one mast.
My weight is about 55 kg (more or less ;- ) and I love speedsurfing on flat water but a chicken even with small waves ...What can you recommend? Should I bring all 3 Sails or will it be useless to bring the smallest 4,2m² ?
Hang Loose,
Andrea

need more info?

How long will u stay?
where will you being staying?
r u travelling?
do you intend to sail on the indian ocean where it is windier?
Will you be sailing in enclosed waters like the swan river of peel estuary?
will u be hiring a car?
do you have enough money to buy a sail here if you left your smallest behind and we get 4 or 5 days of strong winds? (which used to happen but not so much in last couple of years)

the wind here varies, it is not the same wind direction or strength everyday

Wow, thanks for the fast reply ... :-)
Hmmm ... no fixed plans yet...

I will travel with a small camper - and can go where the wind blows.Maybe I will drive till Exmouth and back - maybe to Albany after... having 5 weeks time.I guess I feel more safe at enclosed waters and swan river looks really beautiful! Which sails will be most used there?

But I plan to go to Lancelin as well ...The packed stuff is already heavy as hell ... quite a challenge for me at both airports.
I'm considering leaving my smallest sail back home if I will only use it for one day on my trip ...

You may appreciate your smallest sail at Exmouth or even Geraldton, but south of there you can probably get away without it. Certainly around here in Mandurah, the chance of you needing it in the next 5 weeks is very slim.
And we have some great flat water venues around here.

Andrea I'm 84Kg so maybe a little heavier than you you On the Swan River and Peel inlet my most used sail is a 6.6 Slalom, make of that as you will

I hope you get up to Cape Range National Park Exmouth, awesome place, crystal clear water, great sailing at Sandy Bay or as I did some very long runs along the coast from our camp site. Lancelin is a no brainer on way up or back, check out Sharks Bay also. I'm parked up with our caravan in Mandurah (Miami Caravan Park), had some very good sails here on very flat water with some speed PB's thrown in, very nice helpful crew here, chalk it in.

Hopefully Hards or another local will chime back in, long time local experts not a blow in like me

Cheers, Uncle Bob

Your also fast on a keyboard Mike

Bring all three sails, In holiday in Lancelin at the moment, my girlfriend and i are sharing those sizes plus a 3.7.

You won't want to go over your luggage allowance as it cost the price of the sail. If your over on weight loose the 4.2 and rent at Lancelin and make do else where

I am a 58 kg lady. I sail in Perth, at Safety Bay and Mandurah. Flat water. I aim to be planing all the time and I like speedsailing so I like to be powered up. My most often used sails are 5.7 and 6.4. Our best wind seems to be over for the season so big gear will be useful more often.
My 4m sail gets used about once or twice per year.
My 4.9 maybe half a dozen times per year.
I'd leave the small sail home.

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Windxtasy said..

I am a 58 kg lady. I sail in Perth, at Safety Bay and Mandurah. Flat water. I aim to be planing all the time and I like speedsailing so I like to be powered up. My most often used sails are 5.7 and 6.4. Our best wind seems to be over for the season so big gear will be useful more often.
My 4m sail gets used about once or twice per year.
My 4.9 maybe half a dozen times per year.
I'd leave the small sail home.

I just checked my data for last year. In Feb and March I sailed 13 times. Perth, Mandurah and Safety Bay.
I used the 6.4 or 6.5 8 times
the 5.7 3 times
4.9 once
7.5 once

Thanks a lot for your ideas!

I've seen at windguru that the wind will come and go in February...
Your information make me more and more optimistic and I'm getting quite exited for my adventure.
I will buy lashing straps and try to wrap my board bag more handy - the luggage allowance will finally decide the rest.

Some more questions
How is it with sun protection on the water, jelly fish or urchins - do I need a bodyglove or/and surf shoes?
(In: Perth Swan River, Mandurah ;-), Lancelin, Geraldton, Shark Bay, Augusta River?)
Can anyone recommend a good discounter in Perth for filling up my first food and hygiene supply.
Looking forward finding the great flat water venues ;-)

Oh, wonderful a Lady's answer
Thank you for your estimation and statistics. Combined with the mens considerations I try to keep the small sail for Lancelin till Sharks Bay - and prepare for more "relaxed" sessions in Perth and South.
I appreciate your help a lot! Thaaanks again

Hey Andrea, wind will hang around till end of April. Don't need booties unless you head to places like Gnaraloo. Sail wise, I'm 75kg and have a 76l and 92l board' my sails are 4.2, 4.5 and 5. 5 and 4.5 get most use. Being 55kg and having a biggish board you will use your 4.2 sail, so bring it!

Sun protection - most people wear rashies or wetsuit tops (1 mm) you need sun cream or zinc though, the sun is harsh out here. No problem with sea urchins or jellyfish unless you head far north.

Lancelin is a great place for you to start with, shallow flat water on the inside and if u want to try out some wave sailing, main break is an easy break to learn how to wave sail.

I haven't seen anybody this side of the continent wearing body gloves, we do have stinging jelly fish at some places, but I don't think they are lethal.

Sun screen is fairly cheap here, and available at all supermarkets, highly recommended to avoid turning into a bright red blob.

Around Mandurah, I wear booties, (but I'm an old softy, the tougher guys go bare foot), the crabs can give a bit of a nip, and the cobblers a very painful sting.

Our flattest spots are produced by weed in shallow water, so a good weed fin is a big advantage, the same goes for Albany, and Safety Bay, but most of the other spots should be OK with conventional fins.

Hmmm, you'll notice the different advice from Zed and windxtacy, I think this is basically comes from a speed versus wave sailing difference.
I'm 65kg, My biggest wave sail is a 5.3, smallest I use is a 4.5, if it's blowing too strong for that in the waves I go to the estuary and use a 5.4m speed sail
My biggest speed sail is a 7.0m and like Firiebob and windxtacy say, my most used is a 5.8m I get the 5.0 out vary rarely in Summer.
So as you said you prefer speed sailing I'm assuming you have speed/slalom sails not wave/freeride sails.

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decrepit said...
Hmmm, you'll notice the different advice from Zed and windxtacy, I think this is basically comes from a speed versus wave sailing difference.
I'm 65kg, My biggest wave sail is a 5.3, smallest I use is a 4.5, if it's blowing too strong for that in the waves I go to the estuary and use a 5.4m speed sail
My biggest speed sail is a 7.0m and like Firiebob and windxtacy say, my most used is a 5.8m I get the 5.0 out vary rarely in Summer.
So as you said you prefer speed sailing I'm assuming you have speed/slalom sails not wave/freeride sails.

Yeah sorry I don't know much about speed sailing, my sail/board advice is for wave sailing. So you might need to ignore what I'm saying!

I would not leave that small sail at home.
Especially if ocean sailing (enclosed bay of course) at Gero or north like Exmouth....... yes the wind has been bad lately but guys were on 3.5 - 4m not that long ago. Ladies are often very overpowered in the midwest as they bring 4.5-6m
Jeez I am fat and I have used 4.2 once and 4.5 three times in this crappy season.

Bring everything, or be prepared to buy something at the small end (or big end) when here and sell it when leaving.

Yess - that was my guess, too .

Have Gaastra lightweight poison and manic.
I'm not so ambitious in windsurfing anymore - for smaller than 4,2 I will make a brake, enjoy watching and make pictures.

Makes me frightened to hear that Australian windsurfing ladies are often overpowered - I can't compete with them :-) ...don't have to (in my age)

If I need bigger than 5,5 I might rent one - can't bring back the extra weight of 6,x
I will be the happiest woman if I can ride my 4,7 and try power jibes thousand times on flat water .

Pretty much what everyone else has said.

If I were in your position, and one sail was going to make a massive difference to luggage costs etc, I'd bring your biggest sail and your smallest. You'll probably need your biggest for sailing around in Perth, your smallest sail will definitely be handy if you plan on going north.

If you end up sailing at pelican point in Perth, you may also be able to hire other size rigs from the windforce hire/school. All the local sailors are pretty friendly/ helpful people. Don't be afraid to say hi at the beach.

Feel free to pm me on here if you want more info on where to head to around Perth etc, I'd write it all up here, but it'll take 2hrs on the iPhone.

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AndreaMunich said..

I'm not so ambitious in windsurfing anymore - for smaller than 4,2 I will make a brake, enjoy watching and make pictures.

Makes me frightened to hear that Australian windsurfing ladies are often overpowered -

Don't get me wrong, nice constant strong wind is much more managable than gusty stuff. You may find you want to sail the strong days.....
So then it is no good having your smallest as 4.5 and can't go out in more than 20kn.

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Mark _australia said..

AndreaMunich said..

I'm not so ambitious in windsurfing anymore - for smaller than 4,2 I will make a brake, enjoy watching and make pictures.

Makes me frightened to hear that Australian windsurfing ladies are often overpowered -

Don't get me wrong, nice constant strong wind is much more managable than gusty stuff. You may find you want to sail the strong days.....
So then it is no good having your smallest as 4.5 and can't go out in more than 20kn.

Yup I'm with Mark. The wind in WA is very consistent and stable, not gusty. So even an average sailor can sail in 25kts+ provided they have the right sail rigged. Anyway Andrea we all have lots of spare gear, so if you need to borrow sails I'm sure someone here can help out. I have a 3.7 and 4.5 Severne S1 you can borrow if you need to, I don't use them anymore.

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decrepit said..
Hmmm, you'll notice the different advice from Zed and windxtacy, I think this is basically comes from a speed versus wave sailing difference.
I'm 65kg, My biggest wave sail is a 5.3, smallest I use is a 4.5, if it's blowing too strong for that in the waves I go to the estuary and use a 5.4m speed sail
My biggest speed sail is a 7.0m and like Firiebob and windxtacy say, my most used is a 5.8m I get the 5.0 out vary rarely in Summer.
So as you said you prefer speed sailing I'm assuming you have speed/slalom sails not wave/freeride sails.

The difference between the two recommendations is that wave sailors want to be barely planing and speedsailors want to be planing all the time, as fast as possible.
As you said you prefer flat water speed sailing that is what I made recommendations for. If you are wanting to practice thousands of planing gybes on flat water you will want good speed. Most of the time around Perth you will need that 5.5 for sure.

If you want to go to Geraldton and Lancelin and try the waves then the smaller sails will be better so the speed does not scare you and launch you in the lumpy water.

Regarding age, I am a few years older than you, and not especially athletic or fit.

I thought that bringing the bare minimum and buy(sell back) or hire the rest. Plenty of small sails on buy and sell. Line up the sails/mast/boom from a shop and sell back when finished. Would also help going through airports.
Good luck

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Windxtasy said..


...........wave sailors want to be barely planing ..........

Seems to be the go for this season, like it or not!

I've got a NP 40th 4.5 and 370 rdm mast you can use if it gets that windy.
Just email me if you want to.

Andrea,

Bring all 3 sails. See if you can roll all of them together (saves volume and a bit of weight). I don't think you will be over the limit with one mast, one boom and one board. I am 70 kgs and been using my 4.2 around Safety Bay at least once a week (ok I am been fussy and avoiding going out when I could be at least planning in a 5.6...).

Contact in advance the airliner (days before you go to airport) to confirm what you can bring. Arriving very early is appreciated by them for travellers with oversized baggage. Hopefully you got a Ticket from Germany to Perth so you only need to worry about carrying your gear when you arrive here.

Maybe you might bring some wind luck change to all of us here because this season is been the weakest so far I remember for a long time. The ''normal'' for the season is at least 4 good sailable days out of 7 days....we are seem to be getting only one or two from the 7 days this season so far....hopefully the wind improves.

Aloha

Julio

Tons of gear here to use if ya want to use it. We can't windsurf at all but all the gear is top stuff. I'm sure Dale won't mind

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saltiest1 said..
Tons of gear here to use if ya want to use it. We can't windsurf at all but all the gear is top stuff. I'm sure Dale won't mind

Perhaps Dale's gear might be a tad big for a 55kg lady?

Yeah I'd say so but mine is fine.
Plenty of boards too!

Sorry, I had to attend a two days conference at my job and couldn't answer.

My countdown is running...

Unfortunately I will miss Lancelin Oceanics.

I still need to organize my equipment new.
Please keep your fingers crossed for me and my stuff arriving healthy...
Here is the latest packing attempt:

Next I will unpack the sails like suggested – and try an extra board bag with my board.

I called already the airline to announce my bulky luggage. Thx Julio :-)

And I'll do my best to bring a wind improvement, too.
I'm sure you also know this site: www.windy.com/?2016-01-28-12,-31.756,118.427,7

When I have managed to drive on the wrong side ;-) I will see how I can get on the water.

Till then I may have tried to contact you with PM (Thx Subsonic ;- ) – or maybe some of you will recognize me as soon as I arrive at your surf spot asking stupid questions....

I'm so happy I found this forum and had so many nice consultants - I hope to meet some of you soon :-)


CU Andrea

Yep, if you're coming to Mandurah, don't hesitate to pm me, depending on conditions we sail at different spots, and it's a big estuary.

And FirieBob is right the Miami caravan park is right on the water, and if the wind's somewhere between east and north you can sail from there if the tide is high enough to clear the rocks.

Hi from Munich,

wow, I'm still deeply moved of all impressions I had during my stay arond Perth.
5 weeks was surely not enough and my equipment I brought was often way too big.

Most of all I enjoyed meeting most of you at some spots having a nice chat and sail. I would like to thank you again for all – the sweet welcome, cheering me up, taking care, borrow me a smaller board and modify the footstraps, waving and smiling to me on the water.
That all was a great gift for me! It's your own fault that I plan to come back next summer :-)

I'm back now, still with a joyful heart because of all touching expeariences I had on my trip.
When I arrived back, 10 cm snow welcomed me at the airport – but spring is already waiting here for me :-)

Wish you all a great time!
C U next year.

Andrea

Good to hear all went well.

What was your favorite spot? Or where did you had the most enjoyable sailing?

Cheers