Hi
I'm looking at learning how to windsurf,
I am planning on taking some lessons to start with but as I live in bunbury I would also like to half teach my self; been sailing for years so know a resonable amount of the theory.
What sort of gear would you recommend for someone who is 117kgs?
Leigh
Wide board 80cm or more, with Centre board.
having a nice stable platform allows you to concentrate on learning to manage the sail. The wide boards are also usually good for early planing.
The centre board gives you the versatility to sail in light wind which is the best conditions for learning. Any board without a centre board will not go upwind easily, so you will get blown a long way down wind and have to walk back all the time.
see my Starboard Z-class listed on Buy & sell.
www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing/Boards/~ey09/2005-Starboard-ZClass-270-cm-170-litres.aspx
What ever you learn on you will probably progress to something different later on but a good learning platform will help you to get where you want to be sooner.
Yachty Boy,
I was 110kg when started, and learned on a mate's 165lt Starboard Go, then got my own 165lt JP excite, both excellent boards, and more than big enough for someone like me with no sailing, or surfing experience, I'm now generally on a 135lt board, but lately having a blast on a board that matches my weight in litres...
The fact that you have that experience with balance, and rig handling, means you could prob go a tad smaller than I did (150lt ish?) A mate of mine has recently taken it up, he's also a yachty, and races 'Cats', and although he's only a lightweight (80kgs) he's progressed from a 111lt 'carve' to a 99lt, and is keen to go smaller. My point being, once hooked (and in the harness/footstraps), you'll be wanting to get on the smallest board possible, but a big board is a good investment in getting through and enjoying the learning period, and also comes in very handy later on for those light-wind days. 
Thanks for the advice so far,
Unfortunatly there doesn't seem to be alot of cheap boards around that size. or though theres an old mistral one design listed in the for sale section, probably abit much power for a beginer but they seem to have a lot of volume. Would something like this be suitable if a beginer board can't be found?
Leigh
Volume is not the only issue. The mistral one design will be narrow 63 cm and much less stable for learning.
The power is a matter of sail size. Start with as small a sail as you can find e.g 4m and work up as your skill and confidence improves.
The modern wide boards are not cheap because there are not so many around but they are good value for moeny because they do make learning so much easier and they will plane much more easily than the Old style longboards such as the mistral one design.
Yeah good point, didn't realise they where so narrow. Does any rig fit on any board or is there a compatablity issue with different types etc?
these days, almost any rig can be made to fit to any board with a suitable adaptor.
started 10 months ago around your weight i got myself a bic nova 240d 308cm long and 80 ish wide with centre board perfect board for learing and the windy days, i have just started to move onto my mistral one design, and it is so much easyier having those few months on the nova, the only thing is you will need a big sail (around 8 meter or bigger) to get going
all the best
