Ok what are freerides etc..I come from the wave/race or slalom era.(80,s on wards)
Freeride - exactly what it sounds like - something that's not race / slalom / wave / freestyle orientated, and is generally good for most people who like blasting back and forwards. Lots of fun for most intermediate sailors.
Freewave / FreestyleWave - a nice easy board that can be used in waves, bump n jump, or a bit of freestyle. Usually pretty quick too.
Freestyle - look up "Simon Hurrey windsurf" on youtube - that'll give you a good idea of what freestyle boards are about.
thought i'd try and give the nerdy response.
freeride
i think it used to be a slalom board but with the changes below.
usually longer than other styles to make gybing easier. also a little wider for extra stability and softer rails throughout for a comfortable ride. also have a little more V than slalom boards making them an easier board to sail.
freeride is now kinda blurred with slalom type freeride like above and now a hybrid, bump and jump melting pot of slalom/wave/freestyle.
freeride are typically an allround board which is meant to be easier to sail.
freestyle boards
slalom rocker line for good speed, extra thickness to keep the board siting high on the water for slides and tucked rails up front for slides. also a chamfer on the tail for sliding backwards. usually have good width for earlier planing and not a lot of rocker.
can be used as freeride boards as they have good speed but can suffer from chatter and bounce in really choppy water. higher volume freestyle boards can be good for heavier sailors looking for early planing bump and jump boards.
freestyle/wave
a freestyle board with a thinner outline for easier carving plus thinner rails and a smaller tail width for waves. slightly more rocker than a freestyle board and not as early planing
freestyle/wave can also be used as a freeride board for lighter sailors or for bump and jump conditions and small wave sailing. a lot of people also use them as lightwind wave boards.
Cripes..The nerdy reply helped but still info overload..everything is so complex these days.
I think the Freeride or Freestyle/wave would suit me for the lake. I want something that will get me out on the water & plane in say 8-10kts with a 5.6m sail & sail through the lulls in gusty conditions.Be nice if it was fast & could do planing gybes & maybe a jump but in those winds maybe not...?I only weigh 66kgs & my current board planes in say consisitent 12- 15kts but goes off the plane easily & is a pain with gusty conditions..Ive got to watch the nose & concentrate to keep it moving so it doesnt sink which is very tiring & no fun.
I have an hours trip to get to the water so it would be nice to be able to enjoy a sail if the wind isnt ideal when I get there. What sort of cost for say a 115 - 120 ltre 2nd hand board of these types?
You're after a freeride board - freestyle waves are generally smaller than 100 litres, although I think you can get them up to 110.
Either way, I think you might be dreaming about planing with a 5.6 in 8-10 knots. The only bokes I know who can do this are the guys on the massive formula race boards with 9m sails... although I'm sure someone is going to come along and tell me that they can plane in 10 knots on their waveboard or something...
What is your current board? Perhaps you need a new sail rather than a new board - 5.6 isn't that big for light wind lake sailing.
Either way, a decent board for you sounds like it would be JP Funster, Fanatic Shark, Fanatic Eagle... check out the buy and sell sections on this site - there's loads of boards for sale.
Here's an idea - first one I can across in the buy&sell...
www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing/Boards/~ra5_i/2008-Fanatic-Hawk-249-cm-123-litres.aspx?search=iVVAl2umBXmHLC7VP1FIeA%3d%3d
yep, re-reading, I definitely think you need a bigger sail to add to the quiver. Most people have at least 3 different sails for different wind strengths...
Here's an idea - first one I can across in the buy&sell...
www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing/Boards/~ra5_i/2008-Fanatic-Hawk-249-cm-123-litres.aspx?search=iVVAl2umBXmHLC7VP1FIeA%3d%3dLooks terific! Want to donate the funds..?..
My budget is more like $3-500 
re bigger sail..I used to use a 7.5m in the 80's but have decided that even a 5.6m is getting too heavy to waterstart.Ive got a neck & shoulder problem so I have to look after myself.Maybe my expectations are too unrealistic?.I have 4 sails.. 5.6m ( dead 1990 model that i try & avoid using) 5m , 4.2m & 3.3m..
As I said, it's the first one I came across.
As for your weight problem with the sail, I suspect it's down to your waterstart technique mate - you shouldn't be requiring much in the way of strength to get a 5.6 out of the water...
Swim to the top of the mast, manouvre the board and rig so it's in approximately the right position. Hold on to the top of the mast and slide it out of the water (sideways and upwards).
Don't lift! If it's got water on it and you're trying to lift it, you're doing it wrong.
After you've slid the top of the sail out of the water hold it up to get the wind under the top of the sail and then work your way down the mast holding it out of the water - especially on flat water, the wind will fly the sail and it will require virtually no strength to hold it up if you're doing it properly. Get hold of the boom, waterstart... no effort apart from the swimming bit.
You'll be lucky to get a half-decent board for $300-$500, but it could happen. Try the used boards section on windsurfnsnow's website - they're in Sydney but ship Australia-wide. Either way mate, I still think you're dreaming about planing in 8-10 knots on a 5.6.
A rig from the 90's will most likely be a bit heavier than nowadays - in particular, a modern mast and boom will really help.
I would agree with others that you really need a bigger sail. Sounds like your 5.6 is pretty old so will be very heavy. A freestyle 6 to 7m sail around 5 yrs old and high carbon mast is probably around your budget and the same weight if not lighter than your 5.6 and will make a lot of difference, get you planing much earlier. I'm 68kg and can get planing in 11-12 knots on 104L freeride (2000) and 6.3 freestyle sail. My wife at 53kg also has no problem with this rig which is much lighter than our previous 1998 6.5 with old 20% carbon mast.
As for your weight problem with the sail, I suspect it's down to your waterstart technique mate - you shouldn't be requiring much in the way of strength to get a 5.6 out of the water...
Partly that..The main time i have the problem is when the wind isnt strong enough to hold the rig up & your trying to hold it deadupright to catch the breeze.I know the technique but i get a bit impatient.Im not very fit sailing wise ..by the time i tread water to keep myself above the water Im stuffed..so Ive have gone to wearing a buoyancy vest to keep me up in the water while I waterstart & that helps. Ill have to remember to walk down the mast more often. The problem is that the 5.6m has to be rigged on my old fibreglass mast that weighs 3 x the weight of the modern one.Its so much easier with the 2003 rig & 55% carbon mast which is why I have been avoiding the old rig.
I probably am a bit unrealistic thinking of planing in under 10kts although when i had my 9 ft slalom board in the 90's Id be up & planing in 10 -15kts with my 5.6m so i thought modern boards would be better. Ive probably put on 5kgs since then but I still only weigh 66kgs.. which is pretty light by sailboarding standards.
Grr..........
more b $..pain in the bum trying to do things on the cheap..ski season is coming soon & my XC gear is 15years out of date too!Maybe I should take up knitting...
To be planning in 8-10 knots you'll need a big sail and an early planing board. It's alot easier to plan in 15knts than 10. Maybe look at a newer 7mtr sail to be your main sail. Will give abit more lift when water starting too.
I agree a freeride board would be the way to go.
I used to feel that a big sail & waveboard dont mix?Maybe it was my technique but i used to find it hard to go upwind with a big sail..that was back in the 90's though...
Ive been thinking & I think what i want is a board that floats ( mine is a sinker / semisinker)so I can go out in gusty conditions & plane in the gusts & just enjoy the scenery in the lulls without having to worry about getting stuck out there if the wind dies.Something a bit wider & stable than mine.
Mines a 95 model Caveman waveboard c 50.9cms wide ( 23 inches ) & 255cm long ( 8ft 4 or 5 inches ..? ) thats rough as I measured it while it was in its bag. I dont know its volume but someone guessed 90 -100ltres?
I started to wonder if I could use my new lightweight mast with the old 5.6m to reduce the weight but the luff is too long , even with the extension.
i didn't read all the other ****,,
if you want freeride, get a jp supersport board, or something similar, i'm sure starboard has something like it, wave boards are for waves, real world wave boards are for kooks or freestylers, and all the others are what they say they are
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hi sbc,
it's a guess but i really don't think your board is 90-100 ltres. at those dims it's more like 80lt.
your board is definately not an early planing board. too much rocker and no width.
i don't agree with you needing a 7m sail. you are only light. yes a 7m will get you going but so will a freestyle board (with width) and a 5.6 sail. guys in SEQ can plane the things in very light wind and small sail and they are 10kg more than you.
all of the girls i sail with tend to use wave boards. their weight means that big freeride boards are to much to handle and big sails also don't do them much favours. biggest i know of is one lady with a 6.6m KA koyote.
i think you should look at 99lt freestyle boards for 8-15 knots with a 5.6m sail and decent fin.
i think that's more the type of sailing you want to do (guess from your posts and images). freeride are more for blasting back and forth and that's about it.
there are lots around but try and get one with a modern wide shape.
Gestalt you sound right on the $.Looking at it from a female perspective I dont need the wind the guys do & dont have the strength.I think a floatier board sounds the way to go. I think your right & my board is probably around the 80ltre mark..Being older & narrower would make it less stable too so I think a modern board (200's on ) would make a hell of a difference.
Thanks -I had a look at the link & saved it in case $ appears .
No dont have kids but too many interests & all my gear was bought in the 80's so it's all dying at once! Can relate to the weight issue..I could still get into my wetsuit but hunched over like the incredible hulk so I had to buy another..lucky the weight hasnt caused too many issues with floating . Although Ive noticed that back in the 90's I used to go to the beach & get out & plane around which would suck in all the guys who'd go out & dog around & curse..Now the tables have turned & im the one on the land cursing or out dogging around..In the last few years they have designed big floaty boards & big rigs to get the guys out planing earlier & im still on my sinking old fashioned wavegear! Grr.....
It was more fun when the tables were turned!Be nice to win lotto wouldnt it?
hey.. you want some cheap, used for an hour, X country gear, send a message
have to get rid of it this year !
