Hi,

I've recently got back into windsurfing after a break and kitesurfing for a few years.

I've been using a fanatic gecko 112l freeride board for the last few months. I'm now confident planing, gybing and water starting.

Windsurfing in waves is where I want to be. I'm looking to buy a new board to start wavesailing. My question is: Is it easier to learn to wavesail on a dedicated wave board or a FSW first?

I live in on the coast in south west England (what happened to UK forums btw?). My local spot picks up any Atlantic swell. It's mostly cross on, but cross off is not that unusual. There is lots of current and the waves break quite far downwind from where you launch (When cross on). Also I'm within a couple hours drive from some well regarded dtl cross off wave spots (Cornwall).

Also if anyone could help with sizing/boards it'd be appreciated. I weigh 71kg and intend to use sails upto 5.3. I plan on keeping the 112l gecko to use with a 6.6 sail for summer light wind days. I've been looking at the Goya boards as I've got Goya sails, like the style, they seem well regarded and Francisco has a kind face.

Cheers

Travis

Hi Manuel,

Thanks. The two boards I've been looking at are the goya one 86 and the custom 3 86. Is this sizing right for my first smaller board in waves at 71kg? The Goya one seems to be well regarded, I can't seem to find much real world experiences of the Custom 3. The custom 4 seems to have really good reviews but this I'm guessing this is beyond my ability and perhaps not the best if I need upwind and onshore ability?

As I understand the fsw board will make it easier to get out through whitewater/being amongst the waves, while the wave board will make it easier to learn riding the waves? As a beginner will I notice the fsw board is not as turny as a wave board?

I'm thinking to go for the goya one, from what I've read it's a wave oriented fsw. However, the custom 3 seems to also have crossover potential? I'm clueless I'm just regurgitating what I've read.

I guess a fsw board makes the most sense, however if it's something that I'm going to want to change soon then I'm thinking about skipping it and going in at the deep end with a full on wave board. I'm happy to have several ropey sessions on flat water until it clicks, if this can be done.

Makes sense, thanks. I just wasn't sure if actually makes it easier to turn/cut back etc.

Most likely going to go FSW, thanks for your help.

Hanstholm said..
Hey Dave, when you getting more into wave sailing a wave board around 80l is a good choice. The custom4 for example. At your current status i would definitely give you the advice to take some kind of freewave shaped board maybe with a bit extra volume (85l) This helps you to plane quicker to keep the speed through turns longer, to concentrate on your sailing and wave riding more instead of having trouble to cross the white water or heading out through big waves. Hopping from a freeride board to a wave board is a big step because on your freeride board you pushing hard onto the fin with your backfoot, a wave board will be driven over your front foot and the rails. This often creates spin outs and people choose huge fin sizes (for a wave board) to prevent that effect. At the end you learn yourselves a bad wave riding tecnique by standing to far backwards. I would also suggest to take a board which is not the fastest of his group and floats deeper in the water (feeling wise) because especially at stormy days you want to have control over the board.

Great thanks Hanstholm, it's what I needed to here. Was probably getting a bit ahead of myself, I'm going to go for the One 86. Cheers!

Also, any onshore direction of wind favors faster, early planing boards.
If you mainly find sideshore or side/off winds, you can ride a dedicated wave board.
So predominant wind direction is a determining factor, besides frequency of waves and how filled in the winds tend to be.

BenKirk said..

LeeD said..
Also, any onshore direction of wind favors faster, early planing boards.
If you mainly find sideshore or side/off winds, you can ride a dedicated wave board.
So predominant wind direction is a determining factor, besides frequency of waves and how filled in the winds tend to be.

Agree, if you experience a lot of onshore/cross on then I'd suggest you look for an onshore wave or euro wave board. Having sailed in SE England many times, and know what it's like with the shallow beaches (eg Saunton) I wouldn't bother with a pure DTL waveboard. You need quick acceleration and upwind ability.

That onshore wave board will still be a better wave rider than a FSW (IMO). I started with a FSW and didn't do proper wave riding until I had a proper waveboard - not through choice, it just didn't do proper front foot bottom turns.

Enjoy the challenge and buzz of learning to waveride!

Hi,

thanks guys.

Would I be able to learn to front foot bottom turn on the Goya One for instance? The goya Custom 3 seems to be their onshore orientated wave board.

I'm a beginner, but young and keen, i've been reading all articles and watching dvds for wavesailing. I highly recommend Peter Harts dvd's for anyone in a similar position, it answered a lot of really basic questions that I couldn't find info for anywhere else.

I'm not set in my ways at the moment regarding back foot pressure. I just wonder if i'm learning on a FSW which was more back foot orientated it might make the transition to front foot turning harder than if i just got the wave board and persevered? I appreciate I'm going to get mullered more often this way, but i'm ok with that, I do surf so am used to it.

Would getting an oversized waveboard be an option? Then using it on flat water until i feel comfortable gybing/turning before heading put into waves? Also I live 10 minutes away from Bigbury, south devon. We do get powerful waves here as it's an estuary with sand bars so the swell meets an outgoing tide from the estuary combined with the sandbars to create decent for england waves. I also have a very flexible job so can pick and choose the days to go out.

I'm a 2 hour drive from Gwithian, Cornwall, which is cross off in our prevailing south westerly winds. So I'll be heading over there when I'm comfortable in waves, on the good forecasts.

AlexF said..
You have to consider that there a freeWAVE and FREEwave boards.
Meaning there are some with shapes and rockerlines more like freeride booards and some that are more like fast waveboards.
The Goya One is more of a fast waveboard, several tests in the magazines confirm that.
I'm using / have used myself Goya One models as my lightwind waveboards and none has disappointed me yet when used in the waves.
For sure a dedicated waveboard will turn tighter but your first lesson in waveriding is keeping your speed in the bottomturn and for this a turny freeWAVE like the One will be for sure helpful with its planing power.

Ok thanks. I need to calm down with the wave board idea, it's just so tempting to go for something more radical. Back to reality, will get the one!

cheers

AlexF said..
Yes, and if you get better, you can keep the 85l One as your lightwind or onshore board and get yourself a proper waveboard around 75 - 80 liters

Sound's good to me. I was hoping to try to make a one board set up work for the waves. I'll just have to break it to the wife gently that all alternative options have been completely exhausted and, when that fateful day arrives, I can prove it by redirecting her to this thread. Cheers fellas.

Dcharlton said..
Wave board. If you want waves, if you want to progress and get the most out of riding waves, I'd get a wave board. I really enjoyed my freestyle wave boards but it hurt my progress as a wave rider. In my experience (and I'm no pro, just getting to intermediate wave sailing), I'd not waste time and I'd get a dedicated wave board. Either way, have fun!

DC

I think that is not a good idea. He is coming from a really wide freerider. Buying a proper waveboard will result in spinouts and a lot of frustration, which is (in my opinion) the enemy of windsurfing and is one of the reasons why there are so many waveboards on the used market.

Nr 1 rule for buying gear is: Dont buy a board for the skill/conditions that you want to ride but for the skill/conditions that you'll actually ride

Nobody goes from free ride to proper wave sailing
You have to learn to sail the little board first - so FSW
proper wave board much later

Same here,

Very early on in my wavesailing I got on a real world wave 92litre and could finally turn. Don't see a need for a bridging board myself.
if you've got a background in surfing, you'll want a wave board ASAP.

Also being from the UK, and living in West Cornwall, having surfed for 40 years, and returned to windsurfing mainly due to the crowds. You might find as i have that a fsw will get way more use than a pure wave board. The waves in the Uk are generally weak, with some exceptions, and when the wind is cross off, or even cross) with a decent swell, the breaks you would want to sail will be rammed with surfers and flotsam, so most of your sailing will likely be done in onshore but uncrowded conditions.
If you get a decent wave oriented fsw, if you want to sell it, you'll get your money back, but probably not with a wave board. I do doubt you would want to sell a decent fsw though.

I ride cross-on windswell mostly. Jumped onto a flat rockered Quad and no regrets. Yes it was harder to sail but it made me a better sailor.

HotDave77 said..
Thanks for the help guys.

Based on the general replies I got on here, I've picked up a second hand 2010 JP FSW 92 litre. It came up for sale for a good price close to where I live, so seemed like a good purchase as a cheap board to build confidence. So my plan is to get confidant riding this board in waves asap before splashing the cash and buying a new dedicated wave board.

Quick question if any of you fine gentleman can assist. Would I be able to use a 6.6m sail on this board and keep it as both a general blasting and light wind board to use in a two board quiver with a smaller wave board? Or is this too small? If possible I assume i'd need a larger freeride fin. The fin it came with is a free wave 26cm fin.

Was thinking if I could put the 6.6 freeride sail on it I would sell the 110l freeride board that I have.

Thanks again.

Travis

I have a similar era 102L that I got used. It will hold a 6.6 that I have with the stock fin, but I'm not sure about the slightly smaller version. Worth trying maybe.

HotDave77 said..
Thanks for the help guys.

Based on the general replies I got on here, I've picked up a second hand 2010 JP FSW 92 litre. It came up for sale for a good price close to where I live, so seemed like a good purchase as a cheap board to build confidence. So my plan is to get confidant riding this board in waves asap before splashing the cash and buying a new dedicated wave board.

Quick question if any of you fine gentleman can assist. Would I be able to use a 6.6m sail on this board and keep it as both a general blasting and light wind board to use in a two board quiver with a smaller wave board? Or is this too small? If possible I assume i'd need a larger freeride fin. The fin it came with is a free wave 26cm fin.

Was thinking if I could put the 6.6 freeride sail on it I would sell the 110l freeride board that I have.

Thanks again.

Travis

Sounds like a good compromise. Should be a fun board. The 6.6 may be a bit much for the 92ltr board but I'd try it out, if you find you spin out, you may want to try a bigger fin. Have a good time.

DC

HotDave77 said..
Thanks for the help guys.

Based on the general replies I got on here, I've picked up a second hand 2010 JP FSW 92 litre. It came up for sale for a good price close to where I live, so seemed like a good purchase as a cheap board to build confidence. So my plan is to get confidant riding this board in waves asap before splashing the cash and buying a new dedicated wave board.

Quick question if any of you fine gentleman can assist. Would I be able to use a 6.6m sail on this board and keep it as both a general blasting and light wind board to use in a two board quiver with a smaller wave board? Or is this too small? If possible I assume i'd need a larger freeride fin. The fin it came with is a free wave 26cm fin.

Was thinking if I could put the 6.6 freeride sail on it I would sell the 110l freeride board that I have.

Thanks again.

Travis

I have a 104 wave board and a 116 FSW. I am 90kg and use the latter for the 6.6 cond on the UK South Coast for some blasting on light wind days. 92l sounds way too small for the 6.6, even on a FSW board, to be honest, but you could try for yourself, of course. I had a similar dilemma back in the day when choosing my second board (the 104) and I went for a recreational wave shape instead of a smaller FSW. It is a radically different feeling and you learn to enjoy the quick turns, even in B&J conditions (we rarely have good waves for DTL sailing). However, the loose sailing and sharp turns come at the cost of speed and good jumps. I jump higher with the 116, imagine that. So. the sailing style is radically different but I am starting to think that B&J conditions are best used for Bs&Js, and the shape should be chosen according to the conditions at your spot and not necessarily to your skills. I don't quite agree with the folks saying that jumping too hastily onto a wave board would make you applying the wrong (freeride) stance and you will get frustrated over the spin outs, At least in my experience, the first couple of spin outs instantly make you realise that you need to sail rail to rail. But once you learned it, with no real waves to ride, that is the moment you start thinking of selling the wave board for a smaller FSW.....