I use a 92L board with a 5.3 and 5.9m sails from between 13-20kts+. I reckon anything around 85-100L would be the go. But if you want to use it with the the 6.5m you probably want something closer to 100L.

I am making a few assumptions here about you current skill level, I apologise if i have it wrong.
- you can get into the straps on a 150L but you may or maynot be fully planing?
- you cannot yet get into the straps on the 130L so you are unlikely to have fully planed yet?
- you cannot yet waterstart?

I'm thinking below 100litres would be a massive learning curve. Most likely you got into the straps on the large board because they are closer to the mast which would be the case with a starting board. Unless you're super comfortable planning on the 130, then jumping down to say 95litres will be a horrible wobling experience. It is not just a simple size difference, the board will act completely differently. It might be possible to uphaul it at your weight but will be hard to balance, so you would want to master water-starting and you won't be non-plane cruising anymore. Unlike the larger boards you are used to, something like a 95L would wobble a lot when low on wind and stop moving a lot earlier. The smaller the board, the more wind you need to get planing.

At your level of experience I suggest no smaller than a 110L, optimal around 120L. This will allow you to experience the greater freedom of a smaller board, give you a fairly stable platform for uphauling and learning to waterstart, while still being able to cruise in low winds. Just like Ellobuddha suggested a JP x-cite or Starboard carve are excellent all round boards. Anything considered (freeride) would be ideal. Perhaps 2 sails around 5.2-5.5 and 6.5.

I agree with swoosh that anything above 100L tends to get pretty lame (for carving and jumping).

Unless it's 15knots and you've got a really nice slalom board ~110L with a 7.5m sail.

It really depends on what type of windsurfing you're into: wave, freestyle, slalom/speed. But for bay blasting and occasional waves I've got 95L wave board with 6.0 and 5.2. I'm 80kg, if wind is under 15knots I stay home :(

Katapult said...

I agree, either a 110 or 120 with a 6.5, 5.5/

Me too. I was where you are at not so long ago and I'm 75-80Kg, 175cm, dark hair, dark complexion, Scorpio and I like long walks in the park and a good pat.

- You want a 110-120 litre freeride board like the JP you were using.

- You want 5.5 and 6.5 freeride sails that have no cams, like the NeilPryde Zen.

I only recommend the Zen because you will only need one mast.
There are certainly other makes and models where you can put such a gap in sails sizes on a single mast, but it is not as easy as you might think.

I'm not too familiar with Botany Bay, if it gets very choppy you may even want a large FreeStyleWave board that can handle a lot of chop to make it easier and more fun for you.

I wish I'd bought something this sensible when I was at your stage.

swoosh said...

RacerX said he has access to bigger boards and doesn't mind the steep learning curve. In my opinion something sub 100L is a lot better for him down the line with the sail sizes he is intending on using. I am 70kg, anything over 100L unless its an older narrower style board is not much fun when it gets choppy (over 18kts, anything above 6.0m weather), usually if its 5.3 weather (20kts+) i'm on a 75L board, thou i'm not suggesting that for him. The little lack in stability just makes you concentrate a bit harder, and improves your balance . Anything above 100L I think would be outgrown after a few decent sessions.

I guess my biggest concern was going from potentially zero planing to a small board. That is a massive learning curve! Doable, sure but painful. Learning to waterstart could take him a season without lessons. Eventually he will want a smaller board but a 110-120 would always be great on low wind days, and his current smallest accessable board is 130L. Certainly meant no disrespect for your advice. Guess it's just a matter of how big a learning curve he really wants.

I'd say a 95L board. I'm a similar weight and dropped from a 125L board to 95 when i could only just get in the straps and waterstart. It definatly was a bit harder at the start but I sail in pretty shallow water so if anything it sped up my learning as i had to waterstart but could beachstart if i just moved to a sandbank. I ended up replacing my 125 with a 115 and I can barely tell the difference apart from being stacks easier to fit in the car and carry around. So in my opinion replacing a big board with a pretty big board isnt that worthwhile. If I were you assuming u can waterstart I would get a 95L board 5.3m and 6.4. I have a 95L board that would be perfect that I am considering selling...

Thanks for all the help, definitely planning, so far the technique for me getting in the straps has been been to be overpowered on 7.8m cam or 8.5m freeride on a sailing club's lake, put the feet in, hook in ,hold on...

I sailed in botany bay on the the same afternoon as this www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=51372

With the 130 xcite I just had my feet next to the foot straps, practising getting catapulted... did my first water starts that week, even managed a few catapults from that position

Still haven't figured out to how to move my feet around on the smaller board when it planning with out falling off... but it will come

I am thinking I should settle on 6.5 and 5.3 sails, initially I was thinking a 6 and 7.5, which is smaller than I normaly use on the inland lake, but the prevailing conditions are quite different.

Now need to narrow it down to between at 110 xcite/futura/zride or a 95-100litre JP FSW/RRD FSW.

RacerX, I'm just a bit heavier then you and i ride a 120l excite-ride pro edition(awesome board) and my main sails are 6.2 Alpha and 5.4 Alpha. These 2 cover me pretty much from 15-30 knots, though i do have a 6.7 that i would rig for 15 knots...just for a bit more power and a 5.0 i would rig for 30 knots for more comfort. I started on a 145l and have been sailing for a season and this board and sail combo were the key for me...doors have opened.

cheers...

Spot on Sharkbiscuit! Get the skills going first on something 110-120L. Once you have your gybes and waterstarts sorted, keep that board for light winds and get something under 90L for high winds a little later, when finances allow. Don't go too small too soon .....it can be a real set back in your learning curve.

jh2703 said...

RacerX, I'm just a bit heavier then you and i ride a 120l excite-ride pro edition(awesome board) and my main sails are 6.2 Alpha and 5.4 Alpha. These 2 cover me pretty much from 15-30 knots...

A good example of two sails, across a decent range, that will rig on one mast. Take note.
Save some/many dollars, less kit to carry/better kit etc.

Thanks for the guidance, I have decided on a 430 mast and a 6.3M rig Ezzy rig. I will get a 5.2 which I understand can squeeze on the same mast. So I can tick two boxes, just need the board...

I got to take a 100L board on a recent trip away, it was marginal planning conditions, I could uphaul it in small waves, with a little patience... My short board tacks, and uphauling are much better than my planning skills from all the lake stuff I have been doing.

I think I can cope with the learning curve of 100L litre board for mastering my strait line blasting.

My question is however once I mastered going fast in a straight line, would a ~100L FWS (more manoverable) help with learning to carve jybe, or does the large (supposedly less manoverable) help? The answer does not seem obvious to me.