I need some advice on buying Windsurfing gear

[JeffGerke]

I started windsurfing a few years ago and got to the point that I could do water starts and sail hooked into my harness. I was working on getting in the straps but hadn't even had the start of a jibe down. It has been a few years since I've been on a board and would like to get back into Windsurfing. I've forgotten most of what I learned about gear. What should I look for in a board? I don't think I need one with a dagger board but would like something that has some substantial volume. What volume do you think I should look for? As for sails I thought I would look for a 5.5, 6.5 and 7.5 for starters. I can't remember what size mast and booms I would need with these sails. I guess my best bet would to look for a complete setup that already fits. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Craig Goudie]

Hi Jeff,

You didn't mention how much you weigh, but probably something in the
140-150l range, that's about 80 cms wide, would be a good choice from your description.
Something like a Starboard Go 139, or Carve 144. Eventually you'll
want something smaller, but these boards will cover about 70% of
Utah winds. Sail wise, you'd get more use from a 5.5, 6.5, 8.0.

Are you casting about for used gear or new?

Welcome back!

-Craig

I started windsurfing a few years ago and got to the point that I could do water starts and sail hooked into my harness. I was working on getting in the straps but hadn't even had the start of a jibe down. It has been a few years since I've been on a board and would like to get back into Windsurfing. I've forgotten most of what I learned about gear. What should I look for in a board? I don't think I need one with a dagger board but would like something that has some substantial volume. What volume do you think I should look for? As for sails I thought I would look for a 5.5, 6.5 and 7.5 for starters. I can't remember what size mast and booms I would need with these sails. I guess my best bet would to look for a complete setup that already fits. Any advice would be appreciated.

[JeffGerke]

Craig, thanks for the advice. I will be looking for some fairly cheap used gear. There is no way I can afford new stuff. If anyone has some good deals I would be interested. I'll keep my eye on the Windsurf Buy/Sell forum.

I weigh around 167.

[Patrick McEwen]

Jeff,
Cost to benefit, the best thing to do is take a week off work, and drive straight to hood river. Go to Windance to the consignment sections with one of the young guns, and they will have you set up for a nice session that afternoon at the events site.

Patrick McEwen

[JeffGerke]

I was in the Gorge last week and tried to find a used board but no luck. Went to Windance, Big Winds, 2nd Wind and Storm Warning. No one had a boad like I need unless I wanted to spend at least $750 on one. It's easy to find a cheap small board but seems like the size board I am looking for is next to impossible to find at a reasonable price. Why are boards in the 130 - 160 L range so hard to find?

Rented some gear from Windance and sailed at the Events site for three days. The 135 L Bic Techno I rented worked well for me. Hopefully I can find a similar board someday. Maybe kite boarding equipment is easier to find and cheaper, hmmm.....

[Craig Goudie]

Hi Jeff,

You might want to check out this thread http://www.utahwindriders.org/phpBB2/vi ... php?t=1439
from last week. Your best bet for a beginner board in the Gorge
might be a swap. The next CGWA swap meet is Sept 3
http://windsurf.gorge.net/cgwa/swap.htm.
Much as you discovered, small used boards
are cheap and easy to find, but huge boards are more rare there.
I think probably someplace where there's not much wind (like
Florida or even Utah) might have a more concentrated number of large used boards.

The thing is, people rarely part with the newer wide boards
because they're good for both learning and then usable for
light wind performance sailing.

Windance and Big Winds will typically get rid of their rental fleet
in October, but you might still be looking at $600 or $700.

Used Kite boarding equipment is very easy to find right now, because
the Kites have recently gone through a revolution in safety. Much
like the windsurfing gear though, you can get something that's 5 or 6
years old quite inexpensively, but is that really what you want?

-Craig

I was in the Gorge last week and tried to find a used board but no luck. Went to Windance, Big Winds, 2nd Wind and Storm Warning. No one had a boad like I need unless I wanted to spend at least $750 on one. It's easy to find a cheap small board but seems like the size board I am looking for is next to impossible to find at a reasonable price. Why are boards in the 130 - 160 L range so hard to find?

Rented some gear from Windance and sailed at the Events site for three days. The 135 L Bic Techno I rented worked well for me. Hopefully I can find a similar board someday. Maybe kite boarding equipment is easier to find and cheaper, hmmm.....

[JeffGerke]

Thanks for the info Craig. I might have to suck it up and shell out $700 for a good board. Probably be worth it in the long run anyway.

[Craig Goudie]

Check these adds on the Iwindsurf page, might be something you could
tollerate

http://www.iwindsurf.com/buysell/classi ... =retrieval

http://www.iwindsurf.com/buysell/classi ... =retrieval

http://www.iwindsurf.com/buysell/classi ... =retrieval


-Craig

Thanks for the info Craig. I might have to suck it up and shell out $700 for a good board. Probably be worth it in the long run anyway.

[Emmanuel Pons]

Maybe kite boarding equipment is easier to find and cheaper, hmmm.....

kite boarding is the last sport where I would dare buying previous gen equipment. Life is meant to be long.