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Forums > Windsurfing General

Board Volume/Widths for heavyweight windsurfer.

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Created by eckas > 9 months ago, 10 Jul 2009
eckas
NSW, 323 posts
10 Jul 2009 2:26PM
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Hi All.

Here's an interesting question to ponder while you're waiting for wind.

I'm 105kg and an experienced, waterstarting flatwater windsurfer.

I am retiring my 138 l, 276cm long, 76cm wide free ride board - its condition is terminal.

I am replacing it with a 105 l, 225cm long 76cm freeride board.

As you can see, the bulk of the lost volume is in the nose, which by my logic, doesn't contribute to buoyancy unless you're virtually static in the water with no wind.

How am I going to find the new board in comparison to the old? Will it slog the same? Will it plane at similar speeds? How will the lack of a nose feel on the plane? At what windspeed will slogging become impossible?

If we get some wind thisweekend, I'll tell you on monday, but I'm interested in opinions because of the unique way in with the volume difference between my old and new board manifests itself without any loss of planing surface.

Eckas

stehsegler
WA, 3485 posts
10 Jul 2009 2:33PM
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I find with the new generation boards volume alone doesn't mean much (unless the wind completely dies).

I am currently in the cough cough 110 kg range but use a '08 92 JP Freestyle Wave as my all round board. The board gets quickly on the plane and has a top speed that can only be beaten by a dedicated slalom board in combo with a large race sail. All the while it's a lot of fun in small waves and turns on a dime. As you can tell I looooove this board.

I believe the early planning stems from a very good volume distribution and rocker line.

You should be fine on a modern 105L board but be aware that you will need a bit more skill to stay on the board once the wind drops to nothing. Take a look at the '09 107 JP FSW in pro edition. I think you'd have a lot of fun with that board. If you can play around with different fins. It makes a big difference on these boards. Not sure what the '10 JP FSW will be like but you might want to talk to Sam from Windsurf and Snow in Sydney. I believe he has recently been to the JP distributors meet and got the full low down on the coming JP range.

Sailhack
VIC, 5000 posts
10 Jul 2009 4:57PM
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eckas, I'm about @ the same stage (& weight) as you, I currently use a 135lt cross board and over the next few months hope to get a smaller board. I've tried 111 & 99lt carves with no probs at all (although sinkers when the wind drops), but I believe to get the most out of going smaller, I'll be looking at around 90-95lts, and keeping my bigger boards for those lighter days. First thing I noticed going to a board with volume less than my weight was how easy it was to manoevre! You'll pick up the jist of the 105lt board in no time at all! It's a shame that your 137lt is terminal though, it's good to keep a bigger board for cruising. Have fun!

eckas
NSW, 323 posts
10 Jul 2009 5:50PM
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Thanks and never fear sailhack. I failed to mention that I have my Starboard Freeformula for those lightwind. I can definitely afford to go smaller for those moderate-heavy wind days when I have a lightwind solution like that.

Gestalt
QLD, 14476 posts
10 Jul 2009 5:52PM
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i'm 104kg and find 2 boards at 120lt and 95lt are perfect for 12 knots to 40knots.

i also find the short length boards not much fun to sail and very difficult to tack.

for me 235mm is about the minimum i'd go.

hinch
NSW, 45 posts
10 Jul 2009 6:40PM
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As a matter of interest what size sails are you using on the 135 lt boards and when dropping down in volume how does it affect sail size for weight over 100kg in the different wind ranges.

Sailhack
VIC, 5000 posts
10 Jul 2009 7:03PM
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hinch said...

As a matter of interest what size sails are you using on the 135 lt boards and when dropping down in volume how does it affect sail size for weight over 100kg in the different wind ranges.


I use all my sails (5.2 - 7.5) on the 135lt depending on the conditions, although when it's light, I prefer my 165lt to get through the lulls. I tend to rig nearly a metre bigger than other guys I sail with (bloody lightweights around 80-90kgs!). My main sail size for local conditions is a 6.5 - mates I sail with are generally using 5.7 sails. The times I've been on the small boards around 100-110lts I've just used the rigs that the other guys had setup on them with no probs (gets like a swap-meet when it's on!). For some reason when the wind's cranking, technique also plays a fair part IMHO.

jasonk
QLD, 23 posts
10 Jul 2009 8:42PM
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Heavy weight sailing is a 'new science' that requires a different point of view from the stock literature you read in my magazine and from what you hear from someone who is under 100kg. For starters the sail reacts differently to weight of the sailor which is why we men of greater stature suffer in less than perfect conditions. The sail doesn't understand the weight of the rider piloting it. With more weight to push, the sail doesn't load up but twists off thinking it has to spill wind in lighter conditions which is why I am constantly using a sail 1m to 0.5 larger than my mates who are flying around at 20 kg less in real world wave conditions.

In my opinion the golden rule for heavyweights (who live in less than perfect conditions ) is not to buy a board of less volume than the kg of the pilot. If I live where it was nuking then an 86 litre board with a 5.8, 5.0 and 4.5 would be the go. So if you are 107kg and live in less than ideal conditions then my advice is don't get a board lss than 107 litres. Nowadays with the advent of 'virtual volume' I move more toward width of the board as a general guide and find that a board less than 58 wide is a waste of money for my weight in every day conditions.

I'm a 100kg and my board quiver consists of a 122 Futura for flat water with a 7.5 6.5 Naish combination to hit the sweet spot of the board and and a 107 Kombat for waves which is 65 wide on which I will carry a quiver from 6.9, 5.8 to 5.4. On the rare days when east coast Qld has good wind then I will grab a 4.7 and my wife's 80L board and grin but those days are few and far between. This works for me in the conditions I normally have to sail in but things will be different depending on your predominant conditions.

Hate to say it but a 13 m Bandit kite is getting me out on the water about 3 times more often than sailing in the surf. There are pros and cons to both kiting and windsurfing so I will simply continue just do both.

FormulaNova
WA, 14914 posts
10 Jul 2009 6:48PM
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Gestalt said...

i'm 104kg and find 2 boards at 120lt and 95lt are perfect for 12 knots to 40knots.

i also find the short length boards not much fun to sail and very difficult to tack.

for me 235mm is about the minimum i'd go.


I'm just over the wrong side of 100 kgs at the moment, and I really need the 135L for the light/barely planing days. With a consistent wind strong enough to plane all the time, 115L is fine, and 98/99L is good too.

When the wind dropped, the 99L was a good submarine and did a good job in keeping my knees wet.

With a decent/constant 20/25 knots or so I was surprised to find that I could even sail a 76L board okay.

Unlike Gesty above, I think 235mm is far too short

Gestalt
QLD, 14476 posts
10 Jul 2009 10:45PM
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^^

a couple of other "heavier" guys i know also find boards less than 235 are too short. for me 240 is about right.

FormulaNova
WA, 14914 posts
10 Jul 2009 8:52PM
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Gestalt said...

^^

a couple of other "heavier" guys i know also find boards less than 235 are too short. for me 240 is about right.


235mm or 235cm?

Gestalt
QLD, 14476 posts
10 Jul 2009 10:56PM
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lol, i didn't get it.

235cm

eckas
NSW, 323 posts
11 Jul 2009 12:23AM
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The sweet spot on my 138l board is my 7.4 nocam NP Diablo. My 6.4 3 cam arrows is also not bad. Moving away from the sweet spot, I have also used a 9.5 Ezzy Infiniti and a 5.8 aerotech charge, but the 9.5 Ezzy is really hitting the sweet spot of my freeformula so it doesn't get much use on the freeride board.

When I'm out on my 7.4, a fellow sailor who would be 65 - 70kg is out on a 5.4

I have sailed an old-style 105l - only 55cm wide but quite long. (Naish Enduro). It was a dog to get planing due to the narrow width.

mathew
QLD, 2067 posts
11 Jul 2009 12:54AM
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Also... bigger guys dont need as much downhaul -> they have a bigger leverage moment, which causes the mast to flex more.



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"Board Volume/Widths for heavyweight windsurfer." started by eckas