I am posting to solicit advice and suggestions for purchasing a mountainboard for windsurf practice / land fun. Steve Bonham recommended the Outback 3 wheeled mountainboard for jibes over a four wheeled board. I think Randy is using a four wheeled MTS board, which model is recommended? I think Outback either pulled out of the North America market or went out of business. Anybody have any suggestions on where to get my hands on one (doesn't matter if it is used), or if another company is offering 3 wheeled boards? I found an Exit 3 styler on a UK auction site.
Thanks,
Brian
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I got a Terraboard from Murrays Marine. It works great.
cv
Do a google search on landsailing, windskating, etc. There are a zillion sites.
I also use a Teraboard. I think Murrays still has them, and had cut the price. It is good with or w/o a sail, though I am not very good w/o the sail. The big fat inflatable tires are good for surfaces other than smooth asphalt or concrete, so it makes the board more versitile. If you have a very smooth place to sail then a lot of peeps use a regular longboard skateboard. I've tried it but didn't like it as well for the surfaces I've used.
I've never tried the 3 wheel units. I don't see how 3 would be an advantage over 4, but hard to say.
I don't think there is a whole lot of difference on the various mountain boards. You need something with good trucks on it that can turn easily and like I said, inflatable tires. If you are thinking of sailing on sand, then perhaps something with thinner tires works better. There was a sand oriented board popular in the UK (and France) I beleive that is probably still available. The name escapes me now, unfortunately.
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
Brian, Hey bud hope all is well. I have a Tera board as well and love it. Chuck bought himslef a the three wheeled version really cheap somewhere so get with him he can help you out. It will take a little tinkering though, it doesn't come out of the box ready to sail like the Teraboard.
All the Best,
Danny
Re: Terraboard. Take the brakes off. You don't need no stinkin' brakes. I have the smaller (& cheaper) wheels on mine and it works fine on hard packed sand.
cv
What Chris said - your sail is your brake.
Randy
given the difference in stability between 3 and 4 wheeled ATVs (basically, no one sells 3 wheeled versions anymore), I wonder if the same would go for landsailors? Just a thought....
Thanks for the help guys (Randy, Danny, and Chris, et al). I was thinking of trying the 3 wheeled version based on Steve Bonham's frustration with turning his four wheeled board (also by Outback). I don't know how great these things can jibe, (3 or 4 wheeled versions alike). Can you carve jibe it like a windsurf board? The Terraboard looks like it is ready to go right out of the box, and I would need to modify the 3 wheeler Outback. If somebody with a four wheeled version could answer on the jibing question, it would be greatly appreciated.
Brian
Jibing is 100 times easier on a land board. I could do jibes in either direction and keep moving all the way around several years ago. I still don't plane all the way through a water jibe. Duck jibes, helitacks, etc are way easier too. In fact, everything is easier on land, except the ground.
I don't know about Steve's situation. He has a pretty nice web site. Perhaps he'll post something. I sort of recall he was using soccer fields and other rough surfaces. That would tend to take a lot more wind, so perhaps that the issue - the board probably won't coast through a turn as well.
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
I had tried duck jibes on the water, but I really 'learned' the sail work part on land by doing it over & over. It made it easy. (But I still have to get wet a few times each new session before it starts to come back to me).
The trucks are adjustable on the Terra, though I haven't fiddled with that much. The middle setting seems plenty turny.
cv
I'm taking my 3 -wheel Mountainboard to St Simons Island, GA next week and will put it through the paces in perfect hard-packed sand conditions. The sand distribution has changed dramatically at the public beach there and created a huge sand flat at mid-to-low tide. It will be the first time I've really ridden that thing. It's been fitted out with the extended tounge according to Steve Bonham's design; I'll let you know how it goes.
Chuck Hardin
Whitecap Windsurfing, Inc.
c:706-833-WIND (9463)
What size sails are ya'll using with these land boards in say 10-15mph winds?
6.5 for me in 10-15, depending on the terrain. Hard packed sand like Chuck described is ideal and easier to survive a fall on. In grass you may need more power to get planing (LOL) One thing I noticed as the wind picks up traction gets less.
Danny
Ended up doing 4 people for windsurfing lessons yesterday, but low-tide is 3:30 today and I'll get the Mountainboard out there. It's like the hugest expanse of flat, hard sand this side of ...well, it's large. Anyway, I'll try to get a pic or two also showing the detail of how we set up th e extended tounge.