Hey:
I keep reading here about heavyweights over 100 kilos using 130 liter boards and 6.5 sails in 16 to 20 knot winds
At about the same weight, i use 160 liter/79 cm board with 8.x sail in those conditions...
What is the difference
Salt Water vs Fresh ??
Skills ? i am only junior intermediate - beach start, harness , planing, but no foot straps nor carve jibes - use rail rather than footstraps = phobia :(
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thanx in advance !!
110-115kg at moment, 16-20 I'd be on 7.2 Racesail and 105L Slalom or 6.2 Power wavesail on 113L Waveboard.
Has lots to do with all you mentioned, fresh water sink more = harder to get going.
Wind density (16-20 isn't always equal depending on where you are/wind direction etc).
Cold, takes your energy really quick & wetsuits weigh a lot when wet.
In our winter or colder southerlies I always take a board size bigger than I think as because it is colder it feels windier (plus here it's a little more gusty).
Effort- gotta pump to get going, even if it's only a little bit.
Not using footstraps is just plain dangerous, they are there for a reason- they give you control over board but also give you leverage against rig so you can use harness properly. Start by putting them in board and as far forward as possible. Open them up so can easily get feet in and out, the slowly close them up a bit and move them first back and then outboard.
6.5 on 130 is bordering unbalanced rig/board combo. Alot of big guys plateau because they fear using small gear- a sinker is a sinker whether you are 60kg or 160kg. You need to take it in steps but using a 110L board in 20 knots is far more fun and easier than using a 130L board. My smallest board is 63L, I can get it going from around 24 knots but it's not something I do. Dave White at 130 odd kg could probably use that size board all day every day in 20 plus.
Planing on different gear is about finding the right balance- yes big boards with lots of float plane early because they can carry lots of sail, provide lots of lift and have small wetted surface (by not sinking rails/deck). But once it's windy you can induce small gear to get going just as early as it is very efficient- you just have to get it up on top of the water first.
Joe, keep doing what you're doing - at 110kgs I enjoyed a sail yesterday on my 116 with a 7.2 (but could've gotten away with my 6.5). A few years back I would've needed much bigger gear. It's all about technique in my opinion, and that will come with more TOW!
A 160 with an 8m sail should get a heavyweight going in less than 16-20kts? Footstraps sound like your next step (which generally come before/during harness stage). Also check your sail rigging, fin size etc. Once you're in your straps, rake your sail back & hang on!
Do you have an anometer or some other way to accurately measure the wind? A 15 knot wind is suprisingly strong and before I bought a windmeter I thought a 15 knot wind was something like 20 knots or more.
hey, good luck with it all big joe,,ha, some sweet tips/points from the other posts,,, in my experience as ive got better the sail size has dropped, ha, im about 70kg, so i probably face different challenges on a windsurfer, from what ive seen theres some sweet advantages in being heavier, great potiental for speed,ha, good luck, and start getting those feet in the straps, just the front one for a while, trying working it in there man, youll be stoked!!!!!!!!!!!!,, the gear youve said you use sounds about right,
Nothing like being in the harness, both feet in the straps and leaned out over the water.
You can use the footstraps to push down with the toes to help get the board flat on the water so it's just skimming perfectly, the board and rig feels so light.
When you are sailing like this it seems that more of one's bodyweight is not directly on the board.
yes it is fresh water
will try some experiments with my Fanatic BEE LTD 124 this season
older fun board that i got for a song ...
have tried it with 8.x, 7-oh and 6.3 :-)
foot straps are there for a reason - yes ...
i still manage to pass people and NOT catapault
my footstraps are NOT out far enough
seems to be a known problem with the AHD FF
and yes , i use a windmeter, trees, whitecaps, internet, etc 4 windspeed
my gadget is on the left:
and YES - will get in those footstraps and develop technique to use smaller stuff 
The other thing to remember is some people talk a lot of rot about how light a wind they can get going in, or fail to mention they are barely planing, instead giving the impression they are powered up.
must be me 
at 16 knots i use 8.x
at 20 knots i use 7-oh
perhaps it is just the range throwing me off ??
and yes barn - we should all have our lumps checked out regularly 
even with footstraps all the way out on my AHD 160 FF, my feet are still further down the rail - i have read about this and spoke to a local sailor who has the 130 - he has same comment
it's because you are using race sails.
if you want to use smaller sails then use power wave sails.
15-20 knots for me is an 8.5 race sail. on a wave sail i'm at 6.4m and thinking of changing down to 5.8m. 25 knots and i'm on a 5.3m wave sail.
yes i use race sails - knew they have big range, but wow ...
at 25 knots i am on a much smaller board with a wave 6.3 and OP 
unfortunately i donut have smaller sail YET
i call that range 40 to 60 kph - and usually practice - since my sails are not small enuff
well you just gotta decide what type of sailng you enjoy and aim your gear at that. i haven't used my 8.5 in 4 years. my 10.5 in 8 years.
my 6.4 was great in 15-20 (actually used it mostly in 12-18 knots) but i broke the head of my boom so the biggest sail i use now is my 5.8, that means i dredge a bit in 15-20 knots.
my sail quiver is - 5.8, 5.3, 4.7
my board quiver - 120lt freestyle
prevailing winds 10-30 knots
i recently picked up a sup for when the wind is less than 15 knots and i use a 5.8 or 5.3 on that.
if the wind is over 35 knots i have a couple of old wave boards i pull out of the garage. one being a 95lt fish and the other an 85lt onshore wave shape. i use those boards maybe once or twice a year.
20 knots is a lot stronger than most people actually realise.
Im heavy and a 7.8 and 125 ltr board is enough to get me going and then hold on in about 18 -20 knots. The very good guys like Slowey, 25 (lots Ive left out) etc can get more out of same size or bigger gear. From above 20 knots I change down to a 7.0/112 slalom board and then after that its down to a 6.4/99 ltr board.
Sails have a huge amount of tunability and their wind range is massive compared to even a few years ago.
Millsy and I sail together a bit and our weight difference is what makes the difference in gear choice. its horses for courses and ask around and go with your instincts if in doubt. No point in gettting belted and not enjoy your sesh!!
These threads can get so pointless because everyone has a different idea of what 15 - 20 kts is. Unless strength is confirmed with an anemometer on the spot. . . .
lol,
what's that old windsurfing saying
lightweights sail waves,
heavyweights sail slalom
the rest go to michelle bridges. 
not meant to be insulting.
you can't possibly expect to go from running race sails and being completely loaded up to getting the most out of a small sail in the same wind. i know this because that's what i did myself.
it does take time. it's not just about bearing away.
don't get me wrong, i'm not saying you shouldn't be running bigger sails. not at all.
what i am saying is.
people who say a heavy weight on a 6.5m sail in 15-20 knots cant be planning around sailing upwind and down with ease are wrong. a really good sailor would have a 5.8 planning in those winds
lets talk about fin sizes...
my main fin is 24cm. if it's really light i use a 32cm freewave.
when using slalom gear. i used 48cm and 42cm fins for the same wind strength.
those bigger much heavier rigs with all of the power also need much bigger heavier fins to keep them in check.
go figure.
edit** hmm, maybe my smallest is a 26cm. honestly can't remember, it's been so long since i bought it.
