I would go with a brand like Bic if available since the boards have a plastic shell that protects them, then you will not have to repair the board, and it will have good resale value. Will be heavier than other boards, but they will grow out of it. And for those wind conditions you may want a board with a foil box, because once they get heavier a foil will get them up easier.

Grantmac said..
How old are they? How nimble? Will there be opportunities for high wind use in the future?

Specs are written above. Age, 10. Yes, many windier spots but described the usual summer local conditions

Grantmac said..
I didn't see the age. So they are fairly tall and thin.

I'd consider something like a 115L FSW.

With a FSW, He will sail once a week. If you want him to sail in 6-11 it will be a longboard. 6-11 is not planing conditions so a FSW will not work well IMO. If you want him to just slog around practicing balance etc.. until the wind gets into the low teens, then that will be fine.

gorgesailor said..

Grantmac said..
I didn't see the age. So they are fairly tall and thin.

I'd consider something like a 115L FSW.

With a FSW, He will sail once a week. If you want him to sail in 6-11 it will be a longboard. 6-11 is not planing conditions so a FSW will not work well IMO. If you want him to just slog around practicing balance etc.. until the wind gets into the low teens, then that will be fine.

Once they get more competent you can throw a foil on the FSW and they will be flying half the time.
No real upgrade path with a longboard, and that is coming from someone who has logged many miles on one in the last few years.

Well, more or less I had similar thoughts.

Sailor level and everyday sailing condition would suggest a board plenty of volume to enjoy slogging back and forth, mostly because he still see windsurfing from beginner point of view. No matter if it's planning condition, just enjoy the water time as much as possible.
So yeah, windsurfer, daggerboard, longboard, big volume funboard. But, to me, this is WINDFOIL.
More expert kids usually get frustrated waiting for the wind to funboard. Most of them quit windsurf because nobody get them to windy spots... As i keep saying since last season, windfoil will save our local sailing scene.
No idea if 10+ yo kids, mostly beginners, can have the skills to safely windfoil (expecially because their coaches are just approaching that).

Then there are also "funboard" days (both al local and during club-crew day trips). So far the target is making the kid/s be as much comfy as possible in conditions 5-15 kts of gusts, holes, patches, swinging winds in lavic rocks spot!! Yeah, it may sound a nightmare but we're used to that. Never really a problem.
Early stuff idea was to get something like a freemove board (as most of the kids did).
But then a friend adviced me for a FS board choice. Yeah, boxy tail, straight rocker line, compact shape provide a good platform for a 40- kg kid to place his feets into the centered straps and wait for the gust to easily plane using such little sqm. Doubts come thinking at the kid transition from stable daggerboard to much smaller and unstable FS board?

In my personal experience, I use to slalom both with Mistral and Isonic. Despite the IS 72 is much bigger than the M 112, I feel the 112 more longitudinal boyancy and easier to get in planning mode. This comes from longer scoop recker line. For the same reason I ask myself if, at the kid current level, a longer board would be the nicer choice?

w100 said..
Well, more or less I had similar thoughts.

Sailor level and everyday sailing condition would suggest a board plenty of volume to enjoy slogging back and forth, mostly because he still see windsurfing from beginner point of view. No matter if it's planning condition, just enjoy the water time as much as possible.
So yeah, windsurfer, daggerboard, longboard, big volume funboard. But, to me, this is WINDFOIL.
More expert kids usually get frustrated waiting for the wind to funboard. Most of them quit windsurf because nobody get them to windy spots... As i keep saying since last season, windfoil will save our local sailing scene.
No idea if 10+ yo kids, mostly beginners, can have the skills to safely windfoil (expecially because their coaches are just approaching that).

Then there are also "funboard" days (both al local and during club-crew day trips). So far the target is making the kid/s be as much comfy as possible in conditions 5-15 kts of gusts, holes, patches, swinging winds in lavic rocks spot!! Yeah, it may sound a nightmare but we're used to that. Never really a problem.
Early stuff idea was to get something like a freemove board (as most of the kids did).
But then a friend adviced me for a FS board choice. Yeah, boxy tail, straight rocker line, compact shape provide a good platform for a 40- kg kid to place his feets into the centered straps and wait for the gust to easily plane using such little sqm. Doubts come thinking at the kid transition from stable daggerboard to much smaller and unstable FS board?

In my personal experience, I use to slalom both with Mistral and Isonic. Despite the IS 72 is much bigger than the M 112, I feel the 112 more longitudinal boyancy and easier to get in planning mode. This comes from longer scoop recker line. For the same reason I ask myself if, at the kid current level, a longer board would be the nicer choice?

kids are very resilient and seem to have far better balance than adults. it's important to teach them the basics correctly. then they can progress very rapidly from there if given enough time on the water. one of the issues with overly big boards is they slow down progression because they allow bad habits to form.

sure use the longboards in light winds but don;t hold them back from small gear and higher winds. if a child can uphaul correctly, find the start position and go position correctly and sail back and forth then they can handle a 110lt fs board. doesn't need to be a freestyle board. any board with flat rocker, width and inboard straps will do the job.

i can only say what worked for me. if i can offer you any advice it's the bit below.

try them on the smaller board in shallow flat water and light winds. once they are comfortable. teach them how to beach start. (beach starts are key to progressing). once they can beach start try them in 15-20 knots. the biggest issue will be how to stop. they'll be planing in no time. just make sure the sail is suitable. if they do get frustrated let them know it's windy and go back to lighter winds for a bit.

initially, forget the footstraps and harness. (that leads to frustration.) just beach start and go. they will plane in very short time. the straps and harness come later down the track. first step is the board and sail and 15-20 knots in shallow water where they feel safe.

let them sail a range of gear. if you can't find a fs board get any board with a flattish rocker and some width and let them try. some days on the longboard and some days on the small board.

if they are on the small board and the winds light teach them heli tacks and duck gybes or try a foil and see what happens.

Those are some lucky kids! I would make sure they knew how to do an "Easy Beach Start" when stating out, eliminates all the work up-hauling requires. Guy Cribb had a instruction PDF on it, saved me a lot of energy, and still does since I use it for foiling too.