one board survey ?????

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speedsailor44
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Joined: 10/23/2003 - 11:51
Posts: 4
one board survey ?????

if you were to be limited to one board for use on lake lanier (god forbid) what would it be?

just curious.

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Randy's picture
Randy
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Joined: 05/05/2002 - 10:38
Posts: 4656

I think the answer to this depends on what type of sailing, and how often one want to go out. If one wanted to jump and jibe, the answer is different than If one is (like me) satisfied with "baffing" and staying dry in jibes.

If one wants to sail as often as possible, one of the wide "formula-like" boards would work pretty well. The are lots out there. (True formula boards may be too delicate to sail in really big winds and don't like to reach as well - the like to go up and downwind). I sail my Techno Formula in everthing from 9.6 in 7-8 kt, to 5.2 in 20kt plus. It is not as much fun as a longboard in subplanning (less than 7) but still fun. For the past year and a half, I've never seen a day I couldn't sail it no matter how windy, and I've used the board far more than all the other boards I have put together. The ability to use the really big sails for me is a plus, as big sail days may equal the number of smaller sail days in the year.

However, this kind of board does not excite everyone. There are lots of boards out there (smaller Techno's, some of the big Starboard Carves, the bigger JPs) etc that seem to work pretty well in say 6.0-8.5 conditions. I've not sailed these so I'm not sure, but they seem to work pretty well. With such board one might give up the very big sail days (many don't consdier this to be a big loss) and a few of the really big wind days.

Finally, there is the good old longboard. I used to sail my Equipe 2 in whatever came along, though I usually had to head for Galts when it got really windy. So there are plenty of choices.

Randy

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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webguy
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Joined: 12/31/2000 - 22:01
Posts: 13784

Randy got it right- depending upon what spins your wheels:
1) Formula type board (Techno 283 up to Nova/Start, etc to true Formula boards) All planing all the time. Well, not really. But if planing is your thing and you don't mind sitting out those 20-35 mph days (rare that they are), this is it.
2) Long board (Equpe II, One Design, etc) - go anywhere all the time. Not the earliest planing, a bit hard to handle in really big blows, not as snappy in the jibes. Goes upwind and downwind well and great for cruising, exploring or long distance sails.
3) 105 liter board (adjust up and down according to weight) Will carry everything from 7.5 to 4.5. Takes a bit of wind to plane; will stay on the water in 4.5 conditions. Fun to jumb and jibe in 6.5 to 5.0 conditions. Use at the ends of the spectrum not for the learning intermediate. Needs 2-3 fins to work across wind range. Needs whitecaps to really work but you can dink around with freestyle in light winds.

Of course, all this points to the reasons why a board quiver does make sense. No board does it all well. The thrills and delights of an 80 liter board can't be found on a long/formula board and vice-versa (or are darn difficult). Windsurfing is actually a number of sports using similar looking equipment.

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webguy
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Joined: 12/31/2000 - 22:01
Posts: 13784

Ditto what them boyz said.

But, if I could could only keep one of the boards I have now (Equipe II, Explosion 288 and old-style Naish waveboard ~85liters), it would without doubt be the Explosion. I weigh 175 lbs it is 130 liters and works great with a 7.5. With a 6.5 down to 5.0 I'm livin' large. It even jumps pretty good. When it gets down to 4.5 wind, it's a tad big. So for most days I am thinking of going windsurfing I only put one board on the car. It's the best money I ever spent on windsurfing gear.

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Chuck_Hardin's picture
Chuck_Hardin
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Joined: 02/18/2002 - 05:27
Posts: 275

My choice would be a recent model all-rounder in the 110 - 120 liter range, like the Starboard CARVE 111 which I have now. (my '03 replacement for the 3 successive models of F2's "Max-2-Air" 115 liter boards I've owned and LOVED.) Now, the qualifiers: I weigh 158 lbs. I sail the lake 20 minutes from my house -- Lake Thurmond near Augusta -- whever there is a solid 15+ forecast. (I'm not a true blue wind-snob, but I chose not to stress my other commitments by cashing in my water time chips on any questionable sub 15 kt. days.) I sail the ocean often enough for it to effect my board choice. I sail in open ocean, preetty big waves at Station 29 near Charleston and St Simons Island, and in sandbar-protected areas as well and travel to Outer Banks once a year. But, I'm also a dealer and pull a big enclosed trailer behind me -- the point being, I can get any board I want and space/convenience is not an issue at all.
The CARVE 111 is a very high-performance freeride, freestylish-type model that I think incorporates everything that has been learned about "all-round" board design in past few years. It won't jibe on a dime like my 86 liter wave-board, but jibes just the way the vast majority of windsurfers want a board to jibe -- stable and not too sharp. What amazes me is how stable they can make a board no bigger than 111 liters and 260cm, i'e., can carry sails dang near 8.0 and in any transition manuver all you have to do is get one foot somewhere near the center line of the board and you stay on. It bump-n-jumps like crazy on 5.0 day without beating you to death too badly. Yet, it can ride you back in to the launch very comfortably while you hold up a sail when the wind disappears on you out in mid-lake. And, when I travel, it works great for me on any days > or = 5.8 in the ocean.

Chuck Hardin
Whitecap Windsurfing, Inc.

c:706-833-WIND (9463)

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