Hi all - I'm interested in people's opinions/experience on how better to enjoy 12 to 18 knots.

I am an aging 90 kg intermediate windsurfer who still aspires to wavesailing (dream on baby...). I enjoy any winds above 18 knots when my 6.4m sail cranks my 92 litre wave board up to the plane.

However... I am in a quandary. I'd like to extend my sailing days down to 12 knots plus, which seems to be becoming more common here in Perth.

Should I invest in a 110 litre plus board, plus big sail and mast etc etc, or should I go out and learn to kitesurf?

It seems like there are lots of kites out in 12 knots plus - often with people on strapped surfboards. Looks like more fun than windsurfing at these low wind speeds. Or is it?

big freestyle boards are good. they plane early but are still very maneuverable and fun to use. with a 6.4 you should be going easy.

Thanks Windwarning - that vid is very impressive. Looks more frightening than fun though. 31 knots! Yikes. Where's my Gath.

elizabethb said...

....its a lot to go through to learn to kite....

Seriously

I'm planing by the time it hits 10 knots; 12 knots is the edge of the white-knuckle crazy zone where you're more cannonball than human...what are you talking about again?

I'm not advocating the use of big sails. I think 10m is plenty.

We bought a 12m Airush kite and board with the intention of kiting when the winds were too light for windsurfing.

However, we discovered that our 12m kite needed as much wind as my Neil Pryde 6.1m RX-1 to get going. The only kiters who were doing well on light wind days had ginourmous 20m kites (talk about a handful)

As a result of that (and a near-death experience driving home just how quickly a dream kiting session can turn into a kitemare), we've gone back to windsurfing. My advice is to just get a bigger sail for light wind days. :-)

-Mart

The charts say perth has 20 knot + every day

rbglee - I love windsurfing on the Swan River when it's lighter. I have a 122 Futura (~70cm wide) on which I use an 8.5m and 44cm fin when it's light. 12 knots? Need to pump but a steady 14 is fantastic - very relaxing. Can't comment on kiting as I've never done it.

Kiting more fun in 12knot I doubt it there mostly just kiting back and forth like us but at lest we are doing it at speed . Kiting is prob lest active than windsurfing where you need to pump abit to get on the plane but hey i dont mind the exercise.

A full set of formula gear can be had for under 1000, just take your time and look around.

The earlier formula boards, which weren't as big as the new ones, must be getting pretty cheap now as they have been around almost a decade.

You can get a carbon mast extender instead of a whole new mast, and an oldish sail with a bit of tape on it; who cares, you're not going to catapault through it at 35 knots.

$2000!!??? You'll get it easy.

What was the biggest Carve that Starboard did.. a 135L? Secondhand for $500.
Mast $200, boom same, sail spend a bit more so it may last a while those race sails are hell dodgy after 3 yrs maybe 400. All up $1200 - $1400.

to the original question if you wish to sail in lighter winds then get bigger board, infact one with at least 20 litres above your body weight if your bodyweight was measured in litres not kilos (get it!)

or.......


take up a new sport!

you have to really want to do it!

you have to commit to lessons and new kit.

your next year will be dragging and falling and swimming.

it is not an easy task to do both,

a new skill or maximising your windsurfing?

both are rewarding.

for me, its SUP in under 12knots (subkiting), paddling on the lower end, then stick a sail on it at around 6-7knots, either catch some waves, or pratice some old freestyle, then in the 12-18 knot range its a kite and a surfboard, which imo is great fun until i can get going solidly on my 105l board. i still dont like bigger sails than around 6.2 or so.

i did go full on kiting for quite a few years, but i did miss the windsurfing, and now im back wondering why i ever left it.
btw, kiting is much easier to learn than windsurfing, but potentially much more dangerous, know your safety systems.

anyway its all good, and good to try new things.
have fun.

I strongly recommend at least trying a bigger board. Drop in on one of the hire places and go out on one of the 120L, or 150L boards and see if it does what you want.

I did this one afternoon when there was only ~12kt at Pelican point. 130L board and a 6.0 sail. It made my afternoon, as I spent the time working on my technique - light winds really make you work the breeze!

Grab yourself the smallest sail you can find and go out on your big board and practise light wind freestyle stuff. You know, stuff like helitacks, back to sail, 360s, ducking the sail, push tacks, etc. This can be awesome fun especially when you pull off the trick for the first time. Try them on both tacks and I guarantee you will never be bored again in 12 knots. This stuff helps your strong wind sailing!