Sounds like you are ready for a new board and some expert tuition! See if you can find some tuition through a shop or school that has some more advanced gear on hand as it sounds like with a little guidance you will be ready for something quicker..

Stick at it you are about to evolve!

What they said^^^! A mate has a starboard GO and I struggle with it in strong winds.

Get on a smaller board and you'll be frustrated no more!

goldcoastmoz said..

Tabou Rocket 69 (or similar) and a good fin will fix the problem!

That's a 125ltre rocket..just sold mine - it would have been good for you to progress with.

I think I may have seen you down at manly the other week, and yeah your gear was a bit too big for the conditions, what sail did you have up?

I was honking on a 4.7 wavesail and my freestyleboard that day, and you may have been on a 6m+?

swoosh said...
I think I may have seen you down at manly the other week, and yeah your gear was a bit too big for the conditions, what sail did you have up?

I was honking on a 4.7 wavesail and my freestyleboard that day, and you may have been on a 6m+?

yeah that was probably me...i rigged a 5.8m and found it tough going

Looks like you need to put a new board on your Christmas list.

Get it early so you can test drive it, then hand it back to the better half on Christmas Eve for her to wrap for Christmas Day.

I have a newer starboard Start which I teach friends on. Fantastic board to learn on, but once you have the basics they are not ideal to learn the techniques of planing sailing. The width really works against them for gybing and upwind tracking.

I agree with the previous comments- a board in the 130 litre range will get you progressing a lot quicker as far as gybing, planing and tracking are concerned.

I have sailed my Start on windy days (20+ knots), open ocean, surf etc and can manage it fairly well. The Start is capable of a lot once you learn all the skills, but they are not ideal platform to learn the skills on. This is a board designed principally for getting people with no experience in to windsurfing and to a basic level quickly.

If you want to learn to carve gybe on this board, forget it.

The stock fins on them are budget quality too. A better fin could well improve performance until you get something smaller/narrower.

Clarence

Gestalt said...
Come down to vp next southerly and you are welcome to take my 95lt board for a spin. Vp is perfect for progressing to small gear because it is shallow. The other spot is pebble beach.

You'll be beach starting and gybing within the day.

that would be great......i do weigh about 100kgs tho so dunno if 95l is too small but im always keen to give it a go

Gestalt said..
95lt will be fine. I'm over 100kg. it will give you an idea of what a small board feels like. my board turns on a dime but has good width for stability.

the best place to get into short board sailing is in shallow water. you can focus on beach starts, gybes without needing to worry about water starts. if you fall off you just hop back on and go again.

i'll give you a lesson in the process.

Over 100kg!!!!!!
You been in a good paddock last cupa years by the sounds of things

ah, yes simon, thanks for the private message you sent that was meant for kpb, that's embarrassing

if kpb were looking to buy a board at that volume then I would agree with you. but in this case he has nothing to lose and everything to gain by giving it a go. he's been windsurfing for 2 years on a start and is frustrated so I think it's time to have some fun.

this is exactly how people learn to windsurf. they use big boards for a year or so then jump onto something small in stronger winds and shallow, safe waters and have a blast. that's how I learnt as well. sailed long boards for 2 years then jumped on a small board in shallow water.

jumped on and blasted until I fell off or dropped a gybe then stood up and did it again. couldn't remove my grin.

explain to me what he has to loose from having a go?

bc said..

Gestalt said..

95lt will be fine. I'm over 100kg. it will give you an idea of what a small board feels like. my board turns on a dime but has good width for stability.

the best place to get into short board sailing is in shallow water. you can focus on beach starts, gybes without needing to worry about water starts. if you fall off you just hop back on and go again.

i'll give you a lesson in the process.

Mate I don't think a guy who is having problems on a go is going to move forward hoping onto a 95 litre board

bc said...

kpb said..

thanx heaps for the advice everyone i really appreciate it

Have sent you pm , I have an older shark 145 you can have , so you can progress further. its a bit rough in the nose but is water tight

thats awesome Simon i will get in touch with u....

kpb said..

swoosh said...
I think I may have seen you down at manly the other week, and yeah your gear was a bit too big for the conditions, what sail did you have up?

I was honking on a 4.7 wavesail and my freestyleboard that day, and you may have been on a 6m+?

yeah that was probably me...i rigged a 5.8m and found it tough going

All the guys that sail there are happy to stop for a chat, and it can be pretty tricky to figure out whats wrong over the internet, best to have a chat to some of the more experienced sailors you see out on the day.

Simons board offer sounds good. I got a Starboard Go which is similar to your Start, I break it out when I have friends who want to try windsurfing, and that thing can definitely be tricky to steer especially when you are overpowered.

Tomorrow vp is an outside chance if the rain clears