1. I am 72kg and have a Starboard Kode 122l, am feeling that maybe I should have gone for a bigger volume board to progress on. I would also like to consider a board that could be used for "cruising". Say cruise from South Perth to Fremantle and back in any wind. What sort of board could I consider? Should I get one with a daggerboard?
2. I can't tack or gybe. Which should I try to learn first?
3. In rigging, say the Luff is 428, and I'm using a 400 mast, I assume I set the extension to the 30 mark? And similarly for boom length? Is that right?
4. I always thought I have to rinse all the gear and dry them before storing (even if storing for a couple days). But I read (in Ezzy sail's website) that it is not necessary to rinse or dry their sail??
Thanks
My first recommendations is to get your self some lessons, this will assist you in learning how to set up your gear correctly and also to learn the basics of tacking and gybing. I would say a 122l board should be sufficient for yourself to learn on. If not look for something around the 140l with a daggerboard as with will help a lot especially if you want to just cruise around.
I find Tacking easier than gybing but others have said the opposite, it's what you feel comfortable with but practice both as this will help in the end.
The more water time you have the easier it will be. I'm still on the very basics as I have supported a few injuries over the last 6 months so I haven't had much water time this year as I would have hoped and still learning the harness and straps..
The best advice I can give is go and have fun, go out in the strongest wind you feel confident in and get in the harness and straps. I found the stronger the winds the faster you will learn, especially water and beach starts.
Hey Grumpy,
if you want to 'cruise' from south perth to freo, in any breeeze - you're probably after a longboard, ie around the 380cm long with a centreboard. might be difficult to sail in strong breeze, but then your Kode might be more fun. you could get other options but doing treks like that would be tedious and slow on anything else.
the longboard will be pretty easy to learn on as well
if you weren't locked into such big cruises, a bigger slalom style board would be the go like a 140l Go or Carve - but the upwind ability would be limited so you wouldn't be getting up-river too far, and the lower wind limit would be less than the LB.
tacks are often easier to learn as the board comes to a stop which can make it easier to control - but once you get past the beginner stage gybing becomes easier than tacking
you're bang on with the dimensions
washin comes down to how lazy you are or how much time you have - sand and grit is abrasive so over time will help to deteriorate quicker - dont need to do it all the time but once a season, or if you know a sail won't be used for a while, its not a bad idea
the lesson suggestion is a brilliant one - plus it will give you an oppurtunity to ask questions, get feedback and be exposed to some different gear
forgot to mention about washing the gear. I used to do it, but found out through this forum that if you sail in salt water you are better off not washing the sails as they will not go mouldy if you store them for a short time. If you do wash your sails after use make sure you sun dry them thoroughly before storing them. I give my board a wash down more often as I hate the look of the dried salt foam on the board.
Would agree with much of the above.
Cruising from South Perth to Fremantle is a pretty unusual form of windsurfing these days - you definitely want something BIG, ideally with a daggerboard for that. Longboard or maybe something wide from Starboard.
Kode 122 - at 72kg, if you get a load of time on the water early on in the season you'll probably be ok. I'm assuming that you can already plane and are trying to beachstart. If not the 122 will be more challenging but still achievable.
>>>>2. I can't tack or gybe. Which should I try to learn first?
Beach start and water start. Then I'd suggest trying both tacking and gybing. Videos, lessons, Trickionary, etc will make the process less frustrating and faster. Time on the water (lots of it - as much as possible) is the key to progression.
>>>>3. In rigging, say the Luff is 428, and I'm using a 400 mast, I assume I set the extension to the 30 mark? And similarly for boom length? Is that right?
Ummm... as a very very general rule, that's probably around right. However.... a couple of cm difference in the downhaul will make a massive difference the the characteristics of the sail.
Rigging purely by numbers will get you into the ballpark, but the difference between a "numbers" rigged sail and a properly rigged sail can be pretty significant. I'd strongly recommend getting someone to show you how to rig it - I'm often at Pelican Point when the seabreeze is in and more than happy to help out (look for the black and purple sails or the 70's kombi van). If I'm not there everyone down there is very friendly. Just rig up and ask someone to take a look over it.
>>>>4. I always thought I have to rinse all the gear and dry them before storing (even if storing for a couple days). But I read (in Ezzy sail's website) that it is not necessary to rinse or dry their sail??
Nope. Try and put everything away as clean as possible (and with no sand on it) and you'll be good.
Thanks for the responses!
I am trying to get lessons, but the 2 shops I asked said they won't start till November. I bought the whole kit before winter and have been out half a dozen times (Lucky Bay) and is just impatient to improve I guess :)
I can beach start if it's knee deep. Anything deeper (and I'm short!) is uphaul. At the moment, I'm far too scared to hook in the harness or attempt footstraps. The couple times I tried did not end well.
When I try to tack, I always find the front of the board sinks too much and I fall off. So, the next time, I will try to gybe even if it means I have to walk the board back upwind. Have been watching Youtubes and trying to get it in my head.
For now, I think I will keep trying on the Kode 122l and wait for the lessons in November to try larger boards.
I am very curious why don't people "cruise" on their sailboards anymore?! I realise blasting up and down at 30+ knots or hitting the waves is great fun, but why not have a cruise?
Hey!
Forget about cruising and concentrate on just plain windsurfing in most comfortable place you could find.
If you could find access to shallow water on both sides that is the best.
Cruise then in one direction 200 -500 m, try to gybe or tack on that shallow and go back. If fall into water try beach start or water start every time ( not uphaul !)
That is receipt for fastest progress and fun,
Find a place where you could meet other windsurfers, as sailing alone on long trips alone is danger is receipt for disaster.
Any gear malfunction and you are in big problems. With your existing gear you should do fast progress and don't need to
spend money on any long board - which will be only hassle to transport, carry to the water and storage.
Once you learn windsurfing , you could go back to the idea of long board cruising - but then it will be conscious , informed decision.
Now it could be only waste of time on the road to learn proper windsurfing.
Watching that video on how to tack, I couldn't help but consider how useful the tip was... Go up wind then jump to the otherside, don't muck around. Reminded me of some advice that I got on how to fwd loop: "just go for it." awesome. Good luck.
I think you guys have me convinced to wait out the cruising part for now. I had considered buying a Starboard Start for this but will persevere with my Kode 122 for now.
I had an absolute blast this morning at Melville. The winds started around 15-18kn and dropped to 10-15kn. With a 5.2m sail (me being 72kg). First time I was hooked in the harness on just about every run. Had about 20-30 runs and about 8 major catapults - OUCH!
I had changed the large Drake fin to a wave/freestyle 23(?) fin and found that was an improvement I think. The rear of the board did not lift so much and jump around so much.
I do still have problems waterstarting, but improved on beach starts. Also big hassles getting into the footstraps. The one time I managed the foot straps, I found that my back foot could get in first. This is wrong I think it should be front foot first?
Also, I found that coming back to shore (starboard tack), I was heading downwind more than the port tack - what could I be doing wrong here?
You with the red 4x4? down there?
If so yell out next time down there. There are a stack of us that will help you out.
If its who I think it is, you were talking to me about my trailer a day or so ago.
Mike
Hi Mike, I was in a Blue Pajero - short asian guy doing catapults for the entertainment of those on shore
Shawn
Mine is Tuttle 2009 Starboard Kode 122l). About fins, I find it quite hard to remove and insert them. Are they supposed to be such a tight fit? Lucky I keep the fin on the board all the time unless trying out between the 2 I have.
Also, about the weather... I went to Pelican Point today between 10am and 12pm and found it difficult. With the showers coming and going, the breeze was on and off. I guess the fact that I was the only one out should have warned me not to bother?? Is that right? If it's raining, forget it?
Hey Grumpy,
Yup... it can be pretty frustrating sailing the storm-fronts / bad weather. With the rain squalls the wind comes and goes.
That's not to say don't go out - it'll be frustrating but it'll also really help build skills for when you've got a beautiful solid seabreeze day.
FYI - most of the pom windsurfers living in Perth learned in those conditions - myself included - because rain/wind frontal systems are the main windsurfing conditions in the UK. We don't really get seabreezes strong enough.
I am pleased to say I am quite happy about my own progress. I can now plane in the harness and straps quite reliably if the rig and wind is right. But have only managed 10 out of 100 attempts at slow speed gybe. I still can remember the grin I had from that first one :)
I am after a couple more opinions please:
1. at 72kg on 122 litre board, what would be the largest sail I should have in my quiver? I currently have a 4.7, 5.25 & 6.2. On the weekend, I found that 6.2 to not always get me planing. And which largest sail would fit on a 430 RDM with 40cm extension and a 200 boom?
2. Like I said, I'd be lucky to gybe (slow) 10% of the time. Should I keep practicing slow gybes with a small sail (4.7 in 10-15kn) or grow some courage and try it with the large sail (which I have not been able to handle a single gybe yet)?