Hi all,
Going thro' mid life crisis! Did windsurfing 20 years age on Bic Astro Rock (125L) with Serfiac aluminium mast and 6.5 Gaastra sail. Was probably 65Kg then! Able to beach start and use a harness. Can't water start.
Questions?
--> Starting all over again. I now weigh 76Kg. Thinking of purchasing used Starboard Futura 133L OR new Starboard GO 155L. Have bought rig second hand (75% carbon mast and 5.8m North Sale). Would the futura be stable enough to learn with and buoyant enough to uphaul ( surly the weight of "new" rig this days is much lighter than the old).
-->The Go would be great to learn with but limited for later use. Any
one out there using the 155L GO happily "forever".
Thanks in advance.
MidAge Crisis
hey 4x
i know what what xxx is and a buddy explained 5x = yuck
so, what is 4x then ?? {scared to ask
}
using james' windcalculator - for your weight
a 129 liter sailboard will be fine
a 5.8 will be ideal in 17 knots/20 mph/ 32 kph winds
i call those mid winds cuz i go out in light winds with longboards
so, it all depends on where you go and you already have some experience
i always hear the GO 155 is good starter and then more for heavyweights
you seem to be neither
so, since i hear only good things about the Futura 133 and based on some discussion above, i would deduce the Futura sounds like the right choice for you
{based on available info here}
hope others with more SB experience and in your weight range chime in
for me any TOW = good times
a bad day on the water is still better than a good day at work 
I'm about 20 kg lighter than you and uphaul a 20L smaller Futura with ease. (68 kg 111 Futura)
You'd quickly outgrow a Go I think. The Futuras are lovely boards, comfortable with a good turn of speed, and while they are stable they don't feel like a beginner's board to ride.
If you can get the Go for a eeasonable price you should consider getting it for the following reasons.
Firstly it will be more stable and easier for you to sail. The Go should help get past the hump where you are falling off more than you are windsurfing.
Secondly once you have improved and can for example complete most of your gybes without falling off and water starting.
Thirdly the Go could be your lighter wind board once you are looking for a smaller board for stronger winds.
Fourthly if you want to sell the Go, they are a popular board so there should not be too much trouble selling it.
4xxxx:
As you're not an absolute beginner - I'd recommend the Futura. It is a wide stable board that you won't grow out of. It'll be an ideal light wind board.
If you're gear happy (like me), you could add a 111 & 93 litre down the track to cover pretty much the whole wind range.
Joe Windsurf:
XXXX is a Queensland beer...
Thank you all,
Joe Windsurf: Firstly as I am going thro' mid life crisis, figure that I need an easy nick name to remember before dementia sets in; lol.
Windxtasy: is you weight 58Kg or 68Kg? (68Kg Futura 111L)!
Mobydisc: thanks for your input.
Shear tip: I think what you are trying to say is that I can probably look for a GO board that will be a good compromise for my experience and weight AND NOT drink and windsurf at the same time
Will think on all your inputs.
Many Many thanks for all your speedy replies.
Cheers all,
4xxxx
I've had a Go 144 and now have a Futura 133.
The Go has footstrap positions which are more inboard and will make things a lot easier whilst you build up your confidence.
Even though it's a similar shape to the Go, the Futura is much lighter, faster and because of the footstrap positions a fair bit more advanced. That was the most noticeable difference for me.
My Go also seemed pretty bullet proof and took plenty of punishment whilst I was progressing (had a nose protectior which got a bit of a workout). The Futura (being lighter) probably wouldn't take the hammering as well.
I reckon Mobydisc is on the money - go for the Go. When you're ready to move on, the transition will be easier and you shouldn't have trouble selling it.
I have sailed both boards a lot and if you can beachstart, use a harness and footstraps then I'd go for the 133. Its a great board and I wish I had one - I have a 144 futura. Its easily uphaulable and stable and I am a 85kgs intermediate.
The 155 Go I sailed a lot and its a great board too on flat water but its a big old unit and I think you'll quickly grow out of it given your previous experience....
I reckon the Futura. I was the same as you except had only sailed an original windsurfer, no experience with footstraps or harness. I bought a 130 litre Xcite Ride as my first board and learnt to ride it no worries and Im 90kg.
You will be wobbly and spend some time in the water but as you progress the Futura will still be the go to board as you be looking to offload the Go. NEw boards are heaps easier to ride given the width.
When you do get competent again the Futura will be a great light wind board for you SO DONT SELL IT (like I did - idiot)
Get out there!!!!!!
Don't be conservative,
futura only choice. Even less than 133 if you've had experience.
I got back into it on a 105 freewave board with no dramas. I couldn't water start or gybe previously either, Weighing 85kgs. 12 months later was doing both.
I agree with the Futura. You will outgrow the Go in about 30mins.
Reasons I say that:
- you were doing VERY difficult sailing on an Astro Rock if you were uphauling. Newer gear is so much more stable and you will nail it on the Futura which is more then big enough for the first wobbly session but very useable for 20knot planing, which the Go is not so good at.
Why get a pure beginner board if not a pure beginner?
- I had 5yrs off and agonised over whether to get same gear as before or a bit bigger. I bit the bullet and bought a tiny waveboard and in my first session I stuffed two gybes then nailed the next few.
My sailing was pretty much the same after 2 -3 good sessions. Fair enough not 20yrs.... but it is like riding a bike I reckon, as others have reported similar experiences
Perhaps the deciding factor is the prevailing wind and water conditions that are expected to be windsurfed in. If the water is usually rough along with stronger winds then the smaller board will be better. Also as we get older we need gear that is a bit easier to ride which modern boards deliver in spades. I remember the first time I rode my Tabou Rocket at Narrabeen Lake. I could not believe how easy the thing was to sail.
Whatever board you get 4xxxx, after a short period of time you'll be right into it and enjoying it
Anyway its good to hear that another windsurfer is getting back into the sport. Its really encouraging to hear about people taking up windsurfing after a long break. I did it myself. Also recently I sold a sail to a bloke who is getting back into it. We shared some stories. He told me about speed trials at Kurnell back in the 80s before the groynes were built. He said he clocked around 28 knots over 500 meters. Still a very respectable speed that I could not match.
Hey 4xxxx,
I've also made a come back in the last year after a 12 year break. I picked up a 2006 Go155 and a 2009 Naish 7.8 Redline to get me started again, I'm 90kgs. I do most of my sailing on a lake in flat to choppy conditions and found the Go pretty good to get me going again. First couple of sessions where a bit sketchy and i was punished on a couple of heavier days but i soon got comfortable again.
The kit has kind of snowballed since then to include a few more sails etc. and I actually picked up a 2010 101 Futura for the stronger days which I'm really happy with. I still use the Go in 15-25 kts and find it nice for just cruising but i am getting a little bored with it now. I'm already starting to thinks about something more high performance that will only just float me, maybe around 120lts. In saying that I'm glad i went with the Go as I think it made the first couple of months a lot easier then they would have been if I'd gone with a smaller more high performance board.
