Try a longboard day and Kona demo. 4/9/10 Sydney

Dobroyd Aquatic Club on Iron Cove is running a demo day to give people a chance to try a longboard - Raceboard, Windsurfer One Design, Junior One and Kona One.

When? - Saturday 4th September, from 10 am to 1pm.

Where? - Dobroyd Aquatic Club, Rodd Point (inner west Sydney).

Who? - Anyone who wants to try a longboard.

What? - Kona One Design - the Kona is a long "hybrid" board with a ducktail that lets it plane like a slalom board in strong winds and go like a longboard in light winds. It's tough, simple and cheap (about $3600 fully rigged with RAF sail). For more info, go to



Raceboard - high performance in all winds! Raceboards are the ultimate in all-round speed; the quickest thing on the water in 5 knots but able to hit 30 knots in the big stuff. Fly first class - all the time!


Windsurfer One Design - the most popular and widespread racing class in Australia, now selling in the USA and Europe once more. Super cheap, super tough, super manoeuvrable, super racing and mucking around.



Junior One - the Windsurfer One Design with a 4.5m Barracouta sail. Still the most popular junior racing board in Australia and the perfect springboard to other classes.

It's the One Design, the 1984(?) update of the original.

It's not really "ever evolving", because there's only been two significant changes in the board or rig - the interim mylar pinhead on the stiffer mast, and then the current board. There are some very minor changes (better booms, mast bases etc) that don't make any difference to the speed but are important - we don't want to still be using tie-on booms because they are a hassle, but you can still use tie-on booms and you'll go just as well.

In anything over about 8 knots, it's a MUCH better board because of the far better centreboard and rig, and they still last. Over the last five years, at least, the nationals have been won three times by a brand-new or demo board, and twice by a board from the first (1984-ish) batch with a sail about 7 years old, so there's no doubt that all the One Designs can be competitive.

What did you mean willy, "ever evolving" for Windsurfer?

1 sail change format since the 70s, and 1 daggerboard change (both 1985).

Even with the minor changes in materials Chris mentioned, you could still be competitive with a 5yo board in that class. Or as a recreational longboarder, most wouldn't even know if they're on a 1990 or a 2008 OD.

Whoops, good call W4w- it's the 4th. Change coming up!

Hell yeah, come and borrow a board anytime. Just don't make us look too bad!

Another bump. Hope to see you there.

It's the best direction for Dobroyd - the NE comes straight down the bay and past the clubhouse. It's the best NE spot in the Upper Harbour.

Sounds like it will be wet, but the wind will be good.

At the car park at Rodd Point - it's the bit that sticks out from Henley Marine Drive.

Sorry about the poor directions, I'm having an issue with the map.