Do some people overcomplicate their sport? For me, I have only 3 sails, the biggest being 5.8, so I use that 90% of the time. I have only 1 board and I can rig up an be on the water in less than 10 mins (a bit longer in winter coz of the wettie)
But I see guys turn up to sail with enough gear to start a windsurfing shop and spend the next half hour choosing and setting up. Assuming they just sail for fun like I do, wouldn't it be benificial to spend the time sailing instead of selecting. I admit there are marginal days when they can pull out a 9.5 and a small pontoon and get planing and I have to go home but I still believe I get more sailing. I am not judging anyone, just curious.
when i was 15kg lighter I had one board and two sails, since packing on the pounds I had to buy bigger gear for when it's not blowing 20knts...
My sentiments exactly Krisis.
2 boards and 4 sails will give me anything from 16-45kts (wind range that is, not speed).
But then, those who buy a trailer full of gear every year keep the industry alive, as well as providing some good season old second hand bargains when they upgrade.
2 boards, 3 sails. 13-35 knots. All fits in my wagon*
*Except for my jammed 2 piece mast
A truck load of gear to cover everything the ocean has got to offer would make it more simple for me
alas i have a cash flow problem
Doesn't the amount of gear needed depend upon the variability of conditions? Some places get regular winds of a regular strength. Other places have much more variable and gusty winds, requiring more gear. Over in WA you can probably get away with one board and a few sails and be able to sail a reasonable amount of time. If I limited my largest sail to 5.8 then I probably would have sailed around twice this summer.
If you want to sail in winds from 5 to 40 knots then a few sails and one board are not going to cut it. However I hope to rationalise my gear this year if funds permit with a 7.5, 6.5 and 5.5. Hardly ever use sails smaller than this so they are all still in good nick.
If we really want to keep it simple we could go back to one board and one sail like they did 30 years ago.
Very easy for someone from WA to come up with this one,and if I lived there I would not have as much gear as I need for NQ.Our conditions can be very marginal for weeks even months on end so big gear is required if you want to get out for a fix and as we have had this week with a Cyclone hanging around out comes the small gear but for normal conditions one medium size gets used probably more than most.It has been a dream to sell up and move west but the minister for war and finance has declared that is not happening.
> doesn't the amount of gear depend upon the variability of conditions?
It's a factor, of course.
Here inland North America, there are way more trailer types than those guys landing at Wanda beach. This is ironic since here it is flaky, boring (flat water) and not that great wind-wise.
In them's parts, the very multiple gear is not there to cater for the range of conditions, it's used to cover rather average skills, and it's a way to sail constantly somewhat underpowered IMO. I'm not criticising, but yes, am laughing at this. Ironic too that the more gear, the more restricted the range they take, since they're too good for sub-20 and actually scorn at others sailing in say 18 knots.
I've seen people de-rig and re-rig all day and never end up sailing. Takes them sooooo much time too, as if the Tupperware thing was the end and not the means.
Anyhow, I'm 2 boards - one long for freestyle, which I stretch to about 15 knots. Then one short for freestyle, with 2 sails on the latter. Usually bring only one to the beach at a time.
As a rule i wont sail with anymore than 2 sails and one board. i think with the way the boards and sails are designed now, you should get away with most of the time 2 sails, 1 board. Like my 120 freeride is shorter than most wave boards.
a great simple rig
jp excite 120 or starboard funtura 120
light wind sail no cam 6.5 m. most fit 430 masts now so you only need one mast
wave sail 5.5m for higher wind
430 mast, least over 50% carbon
1 160-200 size boom is all ya need to fit both sails
1 universal
2 fins
1 harness
1 set of harness lines
and i think thats the best rig that will get you on the water 90% of the time without having to try and work out a way to fit all ya gear in ya car.
why pay a 1000 bucks for another 4.0 wavesail so you can sail that one of storm? not me
why pay 1000 bucks for another 9 m sail so you can sail 6 knots?
tell em his dreaming 
complicated? its not much different than trying to play a round of golf with 1 club..
1 board - Kona One
1 sail - 7.5m 2 cam
1 fin - 46cm
Aim for 15-25 knots. Usually gusty as on Sydney Harbour.
Not planning on changing or getting new gear any time soon. I've got other things in life to spend money on.
I find we have to much gear, trying to cut it down really. But it's harder (or better, whatever way you see it) because i have to cater for myself and my old man. He sort of leaves me to make all the decisions with gear and for some reason he always like rigging very close to what ever i rig... sometimes even smaller - when his 20-30kg heavier!!! but we get around it, 3 boards (ones for my brother who doesn't sail all that often and i'm trying to get my dad onto it because it's smaller. maybe replace it with something around 120-130L mark and a bit wider like a carve... anyone have a spare lol??? - currently got a 114L Naish supercross.) and a range of sails (5) which i'm trying to cut down to 4 for the both of us. i feel were doing all right. smallest sail a 5.0 and at the moment the largest is a 7.0. All fits in the ute easy obviously.
Bubs
P.S: i live off one board... 93L S-type, but looking for something a bit smaller now. I love windsurfing shopping though ha ha.
I reckon i could pretty easily live on my S-type 93 with the 6.6 koncept. not many troubles, just sometimes be hugely overpowered, but their a very easy sail to control anwyay i found. trust me guys you've won me over, bought two more already (5.0 and 5.8) ha ha. thinking of a 7.5. achieved your goal!!!
Bubs
In NSW so 2 boards and 2 sails- 6.2 and 7.4 rarely gets too windy here, and I'm a tight @rse.
living in WA I have 2 wave boards (80 and 90l) and 4 sails ranging from 4.0 to 5.7. The 4.0 doesn't come out much except when up north or during the odd winter storm.
On this lot I can sail anything from 15kt upwards
I'd add the Tabou Rocket 64 (115 l) to Windwarning's list of one-does-it-all boards. I've had no problems (80 kg) fully powered on a 5.2 yet in light wind it pumps onto and holds the plane well with a 7.2. Seems to go best with a 36 cm fin regardless of the sail size.
It's the one board I took to Fiji last year but over here in Aus I tend to over complicate things.
5 Boards (3 Slalom, 2 FS/Wave), 9 sails, 5 masts, 3 booms, many accessories
Boards: Slalom 80L, 90L, 111L, FSW: 78L, 92L
Sails Wave: 4.1, 4.7, 5.2, 5.8 *** Sails Slalom: 5.2, 6.2, 6.7, 7.8, 9m
Forgot the learner gear for the girl: Futura 133, Ezzy WaveSE 3.5m
2 cars, one for NE Wind and one for Southerlies
Life is Simple...I'm usually on the water within 10 mins of arrival unloading.
2 sails, 2 boards, 2 booms, 2 masts......(on big gear most of time, but it's handy to have a small setup for the good days)
Oh, and.....
2 broken masts
3 broken booms
2 ripped sails
I too believe a Kona could be a one-board quiver for the various formats of flat water sailing. If I can sail an old one-design on a regular basis up to 15-18 knots, I think a Kona could be useful up to 22+ easily.
Unfortunately, Kona is not well represented in North America. The re-rig-de-rig sailors scorns at these boards here.
One of several strategies Universities teach you is the KISS strategy...
Keep
It
Simple
Stupid
HAH!
Last year I was reducing my gear, figured I could get by in 12-30 knots with 7.5m race sail, 105L board and 5.3 wavesail and 85L board (me at 95kg).
Then somehow I got carried away again...
Formula board
105L slalom board
80L slalom board
60L speed board
86L wide waveboard
85L narrow waveboard
4 race sails
1 wavesail
It's all about what you focus your sailing on, if I was freeriding I would get the 1st option. 2 sails, 2 boards- laughing.
