Can someone tell me what would be the smallest litre board I could uphaul on,I'm not confident with deep starts but want to get s feel for smaller wave board.I'm 85kgs and rigging 5.3 in 20knots cheers
Depends on your uphauling ability. I'm 110kgs and have uphauled a 105lt board... although it's not something I'd like to do often.
At 70kg and intermediate level, I uphaul on my 122 l easily. I just tried uphauling on a 105 l and only just managed it. The good thing is that smaller boards are easier to waterstart with and you will learn to waterstart much faster.
My personal key tip for waterstart - always get the rig to the back of the board and hang there to rest.
I'm 87kg and I can up haul my 110lit board. I think I could up haul a 100lit board
Has a lot to do with width and rail shape as well. 100L wave board is going to be harder than a 100L slalom.
I think anyone can uphaul comfortably a board 30 lt more than his weight. +20 is also not too hard, but will need a bit more fiddling and learning the best sail orientation. It also depends on the sail, a cammed sail is a lot heavier on the water, a race sail even more. And if you have full carbon mast and boom it will make it easier....
Select to expand quotemort69 said..
Can someone tell me what would be the smallest litre board I could uphaul on,I'm not confident with deep starts but want to get s feel for smaller wave board.I'm 85kgs and rigging 5.3 in 20knots cheers
Well the smaller you go the harder it becomes, but you could uphaul a 90l board, it will wobble though.
depends how good your balance is, how wide the board is, and how choppy the water is.
I am 57kg and can uphaul my 85L (moderately wide) on flat water, but if there is any chop it is a real challenge.
Select to expand quoteeyeMhardcor said...
I weigh 147kg and I can up haul my 73litre waveboard easy
It has to be said - URhardor! 
At 65kg, when I first stepped down from 105L Icould uphaul an old narrow (54cm I think) 87L OK in most conditions. My next step down is a newer (same width) 78L, which took some learning to uphaul - you more or less walk up the submerged board - near impossible in the chop produced by stronger wind I normally sail that size in, but piece of mind that it is possible if the wind dies and you can't waterstart.
BUT
It's far easier to learn to waterstart and practice in lighter winds - you'd be surprised how little it takes. Stick with a larger board until you are comfortable with waterstarting I would suggest - as above suggestions 20L or more.
Select to expand quoteGrumpySmurf said..
At 70kg and intermediate level, I uphaul on my 122 l easily. I just tried uphauling on a 105 l and only just managed it. The good thing is that smaller boards are easier to waterstart with and you will learn to waterstart much faster.
yep - 122 is easy to uphaul and still get it smashing along in lighter winds. I am 75kg.
can uphaul my 106, but its a pain in the ass, so i only waterstart
just learn to waterstart, its not that hard
5.3 at 85 kilos sounds like a sail to use in about 20 knots + smaller, narrower board
here that means chop , at least slight
practice beach and water starts with on-shore winds = ideal
as stated your weight in kilos + 30 = liters that you should be able to uphaul in less choppy waters
just practice your waterstarts more its really easier than uphauling , at 100kgs i can up haul a 97l board but if there is to little wind to water start i normally fall off not long after anyway its time to stat swimming .
Select to expand quotemort69 said...
So can you sink a board and still get going if you had to
I've been in the water to my nuts (no old man = saggy nuts jokes pls) and managed to get up and going (just). As Simon mentioned though - with a sinker, unless you have enough wind to at least move you forward, you might as well lay there... even if you get to your feet, you're gonna sink.
With practice, about 20-30lts above your weight should be no probs.
Personally... it's a last resort if the wind drops and waterstarts are the shiz.
Select to expand quoteeyeMhardcor said..
I weigh 147kg and I can up haul my 73litre waveboard easy
But you loook quite thin in you avatar??
Select to expand quoteeyeMhardcor said..
Here I am hanging on my 73l board to prove it for you red thumbers
Lol, for that pic my red thumb is withdrawn. :)
Select to expand quoteeyeMhardcor said..
# hanging on my 73l board to prove it for you red thumbers
ok, now let's see you get it planing!!
It's nice to know you can uphaul the board you are on. I assume you want to know in case the wind drops to save a swim in.
Learn to waterstart by all means but nice to have an extra layer of safety.
I can upahul my board +30 of my weight in flatwater with wavesails..
In chop with them its harder and with cammed sails in slop would be a real pain..Still if you know you can do it in a pinch you can go out and try larger sails to get going earlier ( next on my list is to try and get my 6.6m cammed sail and see how I go..
Your-mass + board-mass + rig-mass = minimum-volume needed for floatation... assuming no forward (or backward) momentum.
You probably want a bit more volume so as to make the whole thing a lot more stable.
Robbin Naish always has an up haul rope. I wonder if he ever uses it?
I also wonder why bother going in surf if you can't water start.
The time between waves probably doesn't allow for an up haul.
But with practice you can up haul your wave board and even without an up haul rope. That's lots of practice.
You can be boom deep and sail away!
Robbie at Mamas fish house beach, jumps on from rocks one hand on boom belly deep and uses other hand to paddle out to wind line. That's standing on board I mean.
I found learning to wavesail that I started to use the uphaul again. It gives you something easier to grap hold off for whatever reason.
e.g. if you drop the rig, you can attempt the uphaul and even if it goes wrong just make sure you fall to windward and bring the rig with you and your good for a waterstart. Its quicker to get into waterstart position that way than swimming rig around.
Speed is of the essence when there's another set bearing down on you!
