Is there an ideal weight for windsurfing?

68 - 70 is probably a pretty much ideal weight for windsurfing.

I'm 78kg and use: 3.7, 4.2, 5.0, 5.7. You'll be able to get going earlier than me on the same quiver. If you get overpowered, do what the rest of us do - apply more downhaul, more outhaul, and if that doesn't work, change down.

You can sail smaller kit - this is a good thing. Smaller kit takes up less space!

The only real downside is that on a proper windy day you might be down to needing a 3.3 when I'd be on a 3.7... at that size sails become really twitchy (although they're a lot better than they used to be).

Hi Greg,

I am around the 70-72 kgs mark. I have found that when on slalom gear I am one of the first to get planning and usually am fairly quick, but when it gets a bit overpowering the heavier sailors come into their own, as they seem to be able to hold the rig down just that bit easier. I know a lot of this has to do with technique and have tried some of this myself and it does work in keeping the board on the water and not lifting off when overpowered. But it still hard work.

Most good speed or slalom/speed sailors are heavier than you or I. Olympic sailors are usually between 65-80 kgs in the sailboard class (men). No real heavyweights there.

If in the waves, your weight seems less important as you are not worried about terminal speed or point to point sailing. It more about the ride.

As I am near your age I can sympathise. I too have had trouble gaining weight, but that is not a bad thing as your health is so important as you age gracefully/disgracefully.

Here's to sailing for many more days.

I'm the same weight as you Greg and I can't put on weight either, although I've put on about a kilo in the last 12 months because I'm doing more swimming. (Pure muscle of course- I haven't otherwise changed weight in the last 25 years).

I think it's a very good weight to be. I'm usually the or one of the first planing at 15kts+ on an 86 l freeride board with a 5.4. My smallest is a 3.7 which I've used in up to 45kts on a 74 l waveboard. Also have 4.2 and 4.7, the latter being the sweetest size for low 20's to 30kts.

We're not so heavy that we're hard on gear, and not just windsurfing gear at that. Doing the occasional triathlon the big guys aren't all that quick on their feet or often on the ride.

I think it comes down to knowing your gear and what works for you. Whenever I rig up, I tend to ignore what everyone else is doing and go with what I feel should work. I don't care if I'm rigging smaller than someone else- I might choose a smaller sail with bigger (86 l) board because that combo will get me through gusty offshore conditions, be managable in the gusts but safe if (usually when) the wind drops out (I'm talking Melbourne northerlies).

I'll never crack 40kts as a relative lightweight but I'm happy being the weight I am.

On more stable race and freerace/freeride sails it is less critical but I've found higher weight to be a disadvantage on less stable wave sails. At > 90kg you are using these sails out of the wind range they were designed for and I've noticed the trailing edge of the mid leech flapping wildly, almost buzzing.

I'm a 100kg+ (I'm not fat, just big-boned )and the only time being heavy is really an advantage is when it's nuking, i.e. not that often

I reckon aroundd 80-85kg is probably the ideal weight in WA, but I've got buckleys of getting anywhere near that weight.

Having said that modern gear makes a big difference, I just need more kit. I'm on a 135L board and a 9.6 to plane in 15K, while the lightweights will be up and going on a 110L board and a 7.8 in those conditions.

At the other end of the spectrum I can smoke the lightweights if it kicks in and I can hold down the power while the little guys go sideways.

I'm 70-75 kgs and can plane in 15knots+ with a 5.7m2 on an 83L board.
Then when the wind hits 20-25knots I use a 5.0m2 with the same board.
When it's 25-40 knots, I use a 4.2m2 with the same board.
(Yes, I only have one board).

I don't think there is an ideal weight. It's all about power-to-weight ratio, in addition to matching with the appropriate rig/board combination.

Just check out Dave White - 110kgs+ and can speed sail at 45knots+ as well as loop and DTL wave sail.

Cheers

Also important to use a small enough fin and to sail upwind using the rails as well as the fin...

Bottom end wind range is a property of the sailor's skill, not just their weight - ie a light sailor who sails like a lump needs loads of power and overpowers soon too, and a fat sailor who is light on their feet can use a smaller sail sooner (and muscle it in when it gets up too)

I'm going to suggest that 70-75 kg is a better weight.
I'm coming down from a bit over 80, and currently 77-78 and everything is working better already.
When I was 30ish and seriously sailing many, many, lots, I was 72-74 and everything worked so well.
My goal weight is now 72kg, at which I'll be nice and lean, but expect to get planing in seabreeezes on 80-90 litre boards with a 5.8 or so and get more use from a 5.4 and 5.0.
I'll enjoy that more than man-handling a 6.2.
Weight is useful in speed sailing and over-powered conditions, but marginal conditions are a lot more common.

Talking as an "older" windsurfer, there's long term benefits to being light.
The joints don't wear out as quick!

Getting back to Neb's point, I'm also 70kg and the one big disadvantage I've found, is sail design, especially in sails I want for light winds.
There's a lot of these around, both cambered and uncambered, that are designed for a higher wind range than I want to use them in.
They don't achieve their full shape until they're either out of, or at the top end of my wind range.
But there are sails around that need less wind to fully turn on in light winds, you just have to be aware of the problem.

wearing weight is a possibility for stronger days, just make sure you have +ve buoyancy!

Watto I think he just means technique. Heavy guys hang more weight off the boom and pump better, and have more finesse regarding weighting of the feet during lulls - cos they have to.

I reckon if you got bigger dudes and immediately took 20kg off them they would plane way earlier than the guys the same weight who have alwasy been light
If that makes sense

I think the question is actually intended to be what is the ideal mass? Since weight is variable and relies on gravitational force which will vary throughout a session, during a loop or turn your weight will increase and decrease significantly through out the maneuver where as you mass remains constant.

Sorry I forgot to mention the ideal mass is about 15kg less than my current mass of being a fat bastard, that is to say my target mass is simply 'not a fat bastard'

70 kg is a sensational weight, gets me planing before many of my more generously proportioned friends