Looking to get into sum windsurfing over summer and have been offered complete kit for $500, what if anything do I need to look out for? And what would I need as an absolute beginner? Im 6ft tall 80kgs is there a starter type deal like in surfing?
sure is .. being 80kg id be looking for a board 150l .. with a board that sive means it would be easy as to uphaul and learn all kinds of beginer thingos ..also as u progrees u can also use that saixe board as an expert sailer ... for now id guss annt thing around 5m sails ... freeride/wave sails ... wave sails are highly durable .. meaning u can fall time after time onto them with very little change of going thru them ... also invest in some lessons .. lessons will speed up your time from bgginer to intimediae like thier no tomoroo
Doggie for that price I doubt it will be measured in litres, which is a new concept. I suspect it will be a long skinny board about 12-14ft long.
Those old style boards are hard to learn on (but plenty of us did it) ..... if you are committed and will get lessons as well it is an acceptable proposition.
However, a newer style wide and short board around 150L is a much better idea if you can afford it.
Don't be put off by people who tell you that you have to learn on the new stuff .....you can if you are committed .............. but likewise don't believe the seller of an old style board if he tells you it is all easy.
Have a look at it and post here what it is and we can advise further
Hey Doggie, plenty of used gear on Gumtree (and perhaps Craigslist and other free posts, not sure). IMO gumtree is good for that.
Not saying they're all bargains of the century, but if you're strapped for $$, then make sure you cover all possibilities...
Other than that, pretty much like Mark said. You'd rather learn on modern, wide-ish boards, but if you can't afford, don't let anyone tell you that it can't be done on 10yo gear either. You would greatly benefit from lessons, but again if it eats too much of the original budget, then plenty of people learned quite well the hard way too. The key will be to ask for advice at the local beach, perhaps read up relevant beginners' Tubes, etc.
Do ask around on how to rig up properly when you finally purchase - all board-rig combos are a little different. Make sure you learn in on-shore winds, never go off-shore. Wait for the right conditions, not too strong, not too wavy, etc. etc. etc.
All the best.
I work with the guy whos brother has this gear, he has heaps of gear and said I can pick and choose through it. What would the basic sail, boom, mast & board would I need? Would I need more than one sail ect? As far as lessons go I have a mate who is a good windsurfer and has offered many times so I will give him a try first then go do a few lessons as well.
Cheers fellas
beware doggie - brucie / sailingjoe /rubby whatever he likes to call himself is a troll and shouldnt be fed
As most said, get a board shorter and wider instead of the old long and relatively narrow. Newer learner boards are less than 3 meters, and 80 cm + wide, and measured in litres and you want 150-250 litres. Old boards were generally just measured in length. and you will see 3m to 3.80 being stated. Its definately worth the extra coin if you can to get one of these newer types of boards, as they are so much more stable to learn on. As far as sails. I would say as long as its a wave or free ride design, and probably within the last 15 years, it should be ok for your few months of non planning. Like anything, it really depends on how much you want to get into it and your budget. Newer, as long as its right for you, is generally much easier to learn on. Sails and equipments have become more forgiving, better handling and much stronger and lighter. Sails within the last 10-5 years will be much better. These sails you will end up keeping for a few years instead of trying to re-sell on again at the end of the season.
The best thing would be to take your mate who is a good windsurfer along. He will tell straight away on whether the gear is ok.
If the board isn't much good. The next best thing to do is contact some of the places on here which give lessons. They may have beginner boards for sale which are new in design, but well used. They may be in your budget.
The other thing to remember, is that if you are keen to progress, all the stuff you get now, will end up being replaced eventually. Maybe a couple of times before you start to get to the type of gear you want to end up riding. So as long as it does the job, don't worry about it too much. Its just like surfing, you need a few mals and fat boards before you end up on your small shortboard.
Thanks for the info guys NR great advice, have been wanting to get into it for years and knowing me once I get into I will start spending as I am hopless like that. I have 6 surfboards atm and I recon I could spend a motza on it.
Saying that Im going to check this gear out then make a decision to for it ect.
I love Seabreeze forums
I did my first lessons in safety bay this year. If your'e an ABSOLUTE beginner, (and especially since your a surfer already) I would not but any gear. I would rent and get a few lessons if at all possible. With the right gear for the conditions you can rapidly progress if thats your goal. After a few sessions you have a much better idea of what your aspirations are and what sort of equipment works best for the sort of conditions you want to sail in.
How about -
1 x RRD Z-Ride 146Ltr Board with 46" fin and Aerotech board cover, light-weight fast board, good up wind
1 x 4.7m Ezzy wave sail
1 x 5.25m Aerotech wave sail
1 x 5.7m Simmer Crossover sail
1 x 430cm Hypersonic mast with Dakine cover
1 x Chinook wave boom with Dakine boom bra
1 x Naish seat harness - has never been wet
1 x base and extension
$1800 for everything
Doggie,
I would get a wide board to learn on (more than 80cm) as it make a huge difference in progressing in teh sport quickly.
I started with some cheap old slalom gear and after a year had not progressed very far at all . I then bought a Starboard Go (huge board) and was hooked in and planing on my first session with it.
Th ebenefit of buying awide board is that it can still be used as a light wind board once you are proficient, something like a Bic Formula board would be ideal.
As a slightly different consideration you could opt to get a Standup paddle board with a mast track installed, you might find that you would get more use out of this if you already surf.
Yea thought about the stand up option but I have this real need for speed, I just want to go FAST. I saw some footage of Laird Hamilton going flat out and that realy apeals to me I know I need to start some where tho
I could ride 144 Futura on flat water after about 10 sessions, not very well, but It wasn't something impossible, and for me the learning curve was about right. But before that I was using proper modern begginers board ~200L etc. For me the 144 Futura/Go would have been a very difficult if not impossible from the start.
It real depends on your commitment to learning and some people and just naturally have better balance and it will come quicker. So a 146L board could be a good option, as has been said its not wasted cash because you will use it later in light winds. with a background of surfing you are most likely going to pick it up easier than someone who has only ever played tennis.
Like you i surfed then started windsurfing and started on a 115l flow, far from ideal but after about 5 sessions it was comming together.
Of courese a pure learning board is ideal, but not for very long, if you really are keen for speed, or even better waves.
