Select to expand quoteRichardG said..Belly25 said..Reaping what you sow Richard, .........Cheers and best wishesRichardG said..gorgesailor said..Chris 249 said..gorgesailor said..Chris 249 said..Belly25 said..Chris 249 said..snides8 said..
Sharpie nationals at mounts bay in 8 days
has just ticked over 50 boats entered= 150 sailors.... think we are going to need more bar staff
that's my idea of a big nationals!
"and both are far more popular than the trendy classes that some people keep on insisting (against all evidence) to be the future of sailing".
Still trolling for a bite hey Chris249.
Not at all - just stating facts and in particular to the fact that despite the huge hype of earlier years that claimed that skiffs were the future of dinghy sailing, the Sharpie is still more popular in Oz than any similar skiff.
I'm not trolling or slinging **** at any class; to repeat myself again, I've said the following things about windfoiling;
"it's the best for some people"
Windfoiling is "Good stuff, and I'd like to get into windfoiling"
windfoiling is "it's a great thing and may be the best thing for lots of people"
"We're not trying to say that windfoiling isn't great"
"NO ONE has said that speed doesn't matter to a lot of people or that they shouldn't sail foils."
"windfoiling is "the best thing ever" for you and the OP and others - fantastic!"
No one can claim that anyone who is so positive about windfoiling is trolling about it. You're doing great stuff down at WSC and I've always been positive about the type of windsurfing you like; I just wish you could respect the choices other people make.
BS. ....You are starting to sound like RichardG who has turned into a troll since the LT. It's become hard to read some of the posts even though I am following the LT with interest.
BS??? Oh come on - how the hell can anyone who is so positive about windfoiling be trolling windfoilers?
It is a fact that lots of people have been calling skiffs and foilers "the future of the sport". No one can deny that - just google the term and you'll see how popular it is. It is also a fact that such classes are still far less popular than other types. That is surely very relevant when it comes to the real future of the sport.
Dunno how anyone can refer to undeniable truths and be extremely positive about windfoiling and be called a "troll". And I don't know why people assumed that a reference to 19 foot long 3-person dinghies had to be referring to foiling windsurfers.
Perhaps I was projecting a bit of RichardG & Windsuferings tone onto your posts, the patronizing dribble - asking how many entrants in windfoil races etc...etc ... bla blah... We live in a different world here in the US. The board will have to stand on it's own here. IMO the reason the LT is so popular in Australia is the Promotion from Windsurfer class organization there & Sailing club infrastructure. Without that, it would be just another windsup. Here it has to appeal on it's own merits & value $$. Right now, I don't see it. That's why I am watching the growth down under
Hi Gorge, Please advise why you refer to the LT as a glorified Windsup ? Have you ever sailed one ? Please do not use terms like "BS" and "troll" or similar missives in this or other threads as you underline the weakness of your argument and debase this forum. I certainly object to your personal attack on me which is without merit. Cheers and best wishes Richard
Reaping what you sow Richard, .........Cheers and best wishes
Dear Belly25, the questions are not posed to you but rather to Gorgey. I nevertheless find there is no justification for the comments made by Gorgey insofar as my posts are concerned. Your comment above hardly makes sense at least to me. How can one reap personal attacks simply by debating issues dispassionately and politely on this forum ? Please refrain from interrupting this thread with your personal ambushes and unfair attacks which have nothing to do with the merits under debate. Your intelligent input is welcome but anything else hardly warrants a look. Foiling is great and I love it. I just love racing and sailing the LT in the large course race fleets we are getting run professionally under sailing clubs. Apologies for any sense of grievance you feel. Loads of best wishes.
Fair call. I too apologise. Have a great festive season.
Select to expand quoteRichardG said..gorgesailor said..Chris 249 said..gorgesailor said..Chris 249 said..Belly25 said..Chris 249 said..snides8 said..
Sharpie nationals at mounts bay in 8 days
has just ticked over 50 boats entered= 150 sailors.... think we are going to need more bar staff that's my idea of a big nationals!
"and both are far more popular than the trendy classes that some people keep on insisting (against all evidence) to be the future of sailing".
Still trolling for a bite hey Chris249.
Not at all - just stating facts and in particular to the fact that despite the huge hype of earlier years that claimed that skiffs were the future of dinghy sailing, the Sharpie is still more popular in Oz than any similar skiff.
I'm not trolling or slinging **** at any class; to repeat myself again, I've said the following things about windfoiling;
"it's the best for some people"
Windfoiling is "Good stuff, and I'd like to get into windfoiling"
windfoiling is "it's a great thing and may be the best thing for lots of people"
"We're not trying to say that windfoiling isn't great"
"NO ONE has said that speed doesn't matter to a lot of people or that they shouldn't sail foils."
"windfoiling is "the best thing ever" for you and the OP and others - fantastic!"
No one can claim that anyone who is so positive about windfoiling is trolling about it. You're doing great stuff down at WSC and I've always been positive about the type of windsurfing you like; I just wish you could respect the choices other people make.
BS. ....You are starting to sound like RichardG who has turned into a troll since the LT. It's become hard to read some of the posts even though I am following the LT with interest.
BS??? Oh come on - how the hell can anyone who is so positive about windfoiling be trolling windfoilers?
It is a fact that lots of people have been calling skiffs and foilers "the future of the sport". No one can deny that - just google the term and you'll see how popular it is. It is also a fact that such classes are still far less popular than other types. That is surely very relevant when it comes to the real future of the sport.
Dunno how anyone can refer to undeniable truths and be extremely positive about windfoiling and be called a "troll". And I don't know why people assumed that a reference to 19 foot long 3-person dinghies had to be referring to foiling windsurfers.
Perhaps I was projecting a bit of RichardG & Windsuferings tone onto your posts, the patronizing dribble - asking how many entrants in windfoil races etc...etc ... bla blah... We live in a different world here in the US. The board will have to stand on it's own here. IMO the reason the LT is so popular in Australia is the Promotion from Windsurfer class organization there & Sailing club infrastructure. Without that, it would be just another windsup. Here it has to appeal on it's own merits & value $$. Right now, I don't see it. That's why I am watching the growth down under
Hi Gorge, Please advise why you refer to the LT as a glorified Windsup ? Have you ever sailed one ? Please do not use terms like "BS" and "troll" or similar missives in this or other threads as you underline the weakness of your argument and debase this forum. I certainly object to your personal attack on me which is without merit. Cheers and best wishes Richard
Richard, In saying the LT is a Glorified WindSUP I was not denigrating it at all. In fact that is part of the beauty of it. In fact, I would say it is essential to it's success outside of Australia. It is "Glorified" in that it is slightly more geared to Windsurfing performance than many past WindSUPs with daggerboards. I have actually enjoyed sailing Windsups & even SUP's with sails. I do believe you were "trolling". You were/are trying to stir up debate by your comments in other topics, having a generally confrontational tone, as well as what I would characterize as "laying it on a little thick" in praise of the LT. I called BS when someone says they are not "trolling" when I feel they are. Could be wrong but I know I'm not the only one. I don't feel my "attack" was very harsh either, but I apologize if I was offensive.
You & Chris, & perhaps Windsufering are coming from the Regatta/Sailing club perspective - in your own little bubble IMO. A totally foreign perspective for me... I, on the other hand am coming from a Windsurfing Industry insider perspective & the US market mostly - so yes my own bubble. From my perspective it's not the LT but the Windsurfer class & club infrastructure in Australia that is responsible for the apparent success of the board. I am trying to determine if the board can stand on it's own merits. I do believe that its good for the sport in Australia & the sport in general. However in the US there is one thing that has been opening wallets of windsurfing consumers - Foils. Foil related products are the number one demand right now & the first product development priority. So Foiling is good for the Industry. Is foiling good for the sport? Well Windsurfers who are tired of mowing the lawn & want a new challenge have been reinvigorated. Even some who have gone to kiting have returned for Windfoiling. If I wanted to race on the West coast USA I would absolutely have to take up foiling. I would say it has reinvigorated the Racing scene for sure as many were tiring of Formula & Slalom only. So yes, I think it IS good for the sport as well. I think they are both great for the Sport but I think the LT is uniquely positioned in Australia & unfortunately I don't believe it will have the same impact in the rest of the world.
honestly, the LT doesnt sail anything like a windsup. you really should sail one before making comments on how it performs.
Select to expand quoteGestalt said..
honestly, the LT doesnt sail anything like a windsup. you really should sail one before making comments on how it performs.
That's too bad then. Because I have sailed some nice ones. In any case, I wasn't disparaging the performance either.
The LT : "The aim was to produce a board so simple it could be picked up off the beach and enjoyed by a first-time sailor as well as offering superb tactical fleet racing to a more advanced sailor. Always intended to be a strict one design package of a single board and soft sail rig, performance would be down to the skill of the sailor and not decided by an expensive equipment arms race or the ability to hold down the biggest sail. In late 2016, Bruce Wylie, a Cobra exec. (also top ex pro PBA sailor, Olympian, former shaper & windsurfing world champion and ex Mistral board designer) and the COBRA team started work on their first prototypes. Looking for inspiration from classic race boards of the past, as well as the latest design ideas, they produced the first pair of boards. Extensive on the water testing followed with prototype boards #3 and #4 arriving in early 2017, but still, something was missing. Test board #5 arrived in mid-2017 and was an immediate favorite with everyone that sailed it. This perfect combination of board shape, rocker and underwater profile was something the designers couldn't improve on, coming back to this design even after they tried to develop the design further. Prototype design #5 became the new White Board."
Select to expand quoteRichardG said..
The LT : "The aim was to produce a board so simple it could be picked up off the beach and enjoyed by a first-time sailor as well as offering superb tactical fleet racing to a more advanced sailor. Always intended to be a strict one design package of a single board and soft sail rig, performance would be down to the skill of the sailor and not decided by an expensive equipment arms race or the ability to hold down the biggest sail. In late 2016, Bruce Wylie, a Cobra exec. (also top ex pro PBA sailor, Olympian, former shaper & windsurfing world champion and ex Mistral board designer) and the COBRA team started work on their first prototypes. Looking for inspiration from classic race boards of the past, as well as the latest design ideas, they produced the first pair of boards. Extensive on the water testing followed with prototype boards #3 and #4 arriving in early 2017, but still, something was missing. Test board #5 arrived in mid-2017 and was an immediate favorite with everyone that sailed it. This perfect combination of board shape, rocker and underwater profile was something the designers couldn't improve on, coming back to this design even after they tried to develop the design further. Prototype design #5 became the new White Board."
The O.D racing aspect is not going to sell boards here. It just seems to me outside of the Class the board is wholly unremarkable. I have sailed a lot of longboards, past & present & am eager to give the board a try. Now just have to find one & wait for spring.
Select to expand quotegorgesailor said..RichardG said..
The LT : "The aim was to produce a board so simple it could be picked up off the beach and enjoyed by a first-time sailor as well as offering superb tactical fleet racing to a more advanced sailor. Always intended to be a strict one design package of a single board and soft sail rig, performance would be down to the skill of the sailor and not decided by an expensive equipment arms race or the ability to hold down the biggest sail. In late 2016, Bruce Wylie, a Cobra exec. (also top ex pro PBA sailor, Olympian, former shaper & windsurfing world champion and ex Mistral board designer) and the COBRA team started work on their first prototypes. Looking for inspiration from classic race boards of the past, as well as the latest design ideas, they produced the first pair of boards. Extensive on the water testing followed with prototype boards #3 and #4 arriving in early 2017, but still, something was missing. Test board #5 arrived in mid-2017 and was an immediate favorite with everyone that sailed it. This perfect combination of board shape, rocker and underwater profile was something the designers couldn't improve on, coming back to this design even after they tried to develop the design further. Prototype design #5 became the new White Board."
The O.D racing aspect is not going to sell boards here. It just seems to me outside of the Class the board is wholly unremarkable. I have sailed a lot of longboards, past & present & am eager to give the board a try. Now just have to find one & wait for spring.
whilst there has been a lot of talk about racing on the forum that's how the minority in my state use them.
id guess only about 30% of the lt's in qld actually get raced. the rest use them for cruising and recreation only.
whilst ive competed at state and national level on WOD and raceboard and sail with multiple national champions and international level windsurfers. It's not racing that drives the majority of us and none of us are associated with sailing clubs.
there are a lot assertions made from people whom have not used the boards.
we sail them because the people that sail LT are generally awesome and the board is a huge amount of fun to cruise on, sail out to an island on, do some freestyle on or just go blast on. theres not much that it can't do. lakes, oceans, rivers, anywhere. flat water and small surf. we have ages from 10-75 all joining in. the board and sail is every bit capable of being sailed like a raceboard or used at entry level. seeing experts in 20 knots in the ocean lit up out on the rail tracking to windward throigh waves and completing fully powered carve gybes downwind leaves no doubt the boards are exciting to sail if youve got the skill to achieve overdrive.
Yes I agree, the LT is just as much fun for mucking around in light stuff with the family or a few mates as it is for racing. That's why it is popular! Haven't raced and had no real drive to be a competitive sailor and for a few years mainly cruised around on an old Superlight in light breezes exploring and chilling out. Used a big slalom board with 8.5 sail for windier footstraps stuff. ALSO TRIED A LITTLE RACING ON AN OLD LIGHTNING WITH CARBON CENTREBOARD. GREAT BOARD AND ALL but for me, I had more fun rigging an old Dacron sail with tie on boom and hitting the water five minutes after arriving. Since I've had the LT I don't seem to get the time or urge really to use the other boards so much. Between the occasional recreational sail, the odd lesson given to friends etc and racing with a great bunch of enthusiasts who all love the freedom and ease of sailing such a simple board I'm quite satisfied with the LT AFTER 18 months continuous use.
each to their own but zipping back and forth on a slalom was getting boring for me and I was fed up with taking two or three sails every time I went out, a few fins booms masts etc to suit the conditions for the RB OR SLALOM. now I just throw on the one board and rig and know I will get some action on the water. Handles much better than the older wallys in rough and windy conditions.
even though I'm over 115kg at present, and knowing I was so much faster 30 years ago at 65 kg makes you think those days were the best. They were good and there were always plenty of sailors around to talk to. But the last few decades have been pretty lonely on the water for all but hard core windsurfing with small pockets here and there but no large crowds. This past 18 months has seen the nsw state champs fleet double to 50 sailors. Our January national on Lake Macquarie attracted 107 competitors and heaps of spectators and the buzz is back around the country and around the world. I'm sure the yanks will catch on eventually, after all they pretty well invented and developed the Windsurfer as an international sport that helped us all get started. A strong association is what got the sport off the ground and in Aus we still have a strong association led by a few hard working volunteers who get what it means to sail on a cool all rounder board that ticks plenty but not all of the boxes. Without some hard work from a few, not much would happen. If you want your sport to grow - whatever the discipline or variety, you need dedicated volunteers working together and retailers helping with providing a reasonably priced product that is affordable. That's what is happening and that's why the LT is this surprise success! A few visionaries got it right for the Windsurfer brand, something that BIC, MISTRAL, STARBOARD KONA ETC ALL TRIED BUT DIDNT QUITE GET THERE WITH THE RIGHT ALLROUNDER. The LT is a creation that continues the fine tradition of the original Windsurfer and that's something I'm proud to be a small part of!
Al Haynes Windsurfer Class NSW LT#1
Check out my last post on my original review thread
Windsurfer LT REVIEWED IN Detail...
Select to expand quoteGestalt said..gorgesailor said..RichardG said..
The LT : "The aim was to produce a board so simple it could be picked up off the beach and enjoyed by a first-time sailor as well as offering superb tactical fleet racing to a more advanced sailor. Always intended to be a strict one design package of a single board and soft sail rig, performance would be down to the skill of the sailor and not decided by an expensive equipment arms race or the ability to hold down the biggest sail. In late 2016, Bruce Wylie, a Cobra exec. (also top ex pro PBA sailor, Olympian, former shaper & windsurfing world champion and ex Mistral board designer) and the COBRA team started work on their first prototypes. Looking for inspiration from classic race boards of the past, as well as the latest design ideas, they produced the first pair of boards. Extensive on the water testing followed with prototype boards #3 and #4 arriving in early 2017, but still, something was missing. Test board #5 arrived in mid-2017 and was an immediate favorite with everyone that sailed it. This perfect combination of board shape, rocker and underwater profile was something the designers couldn't improve on, coming back to this design even after they tried to develop the design further. Prototype design #5 became the new White Board."
The O.D racing aspect is not going to sell boards here. It just seems to me outside of the Class the board is wholly unremarkable. I have sailed a lot of longboards, past & present & am eager to give the board a try. Now just have to find one & wait for spring.
whilst there has been a lot of talk about racing on the forum that's how the minority in my state use them.
id guess only about 30% of the lt's in qld actually get raced. the rest use them for cruising and recreation only.
whilst ive competed at state and national level on WOD and raceboard and sail with multiple national champions and international level windsurfers. It's not racing that drives the majority of us and none of us are associated with sailing clubs.
there are a lot assertions made from people whom have not used the boards.
we sail them because the people that sail LT are generally awesome and the board is a huge amount of fun to cruise on, sail out to an island on, do some freestyle on or just go blast on. theres not much that it can't do. lakes, oceans, rivers, anywhere. flat water and small surf. we have ages from 10-75 all joining in. the board and sail is every bit capable of being sailed like a raceboard or used at entry level. seeing experts in 20 knots in the ocean lit up out on the rail tracking to windward throigh waves and completing fully powered carve gybes downwind leaves no doubt the boards are exciting to sail if youve got the skill to achieve overdrive.
I agree totally, racing is good for those that enjoy it and that's great but I just like the simplicity of the LT and the fact that no matter what the conditions are you just rock up at the beach and just go. Put a few coins in my pocket and I can sail across to Redcliffe for a coffee and then sail back over to Sandgate for lunch. Look at the rays and turtles along the way and let my brain turn to jelly and just enjoy the noise of the wind and water. Drop the sail and just sit floating along to have a bit of a rest trying to work out the next place to glide across to. I can do this every day and it never gets old, if the wind gets up I get a chance for some fun and if the winds drops off its a bit of a pump on the sail for home but no matter the LT handles it and that's what I like about it.
It's not bad sailing with a average fleet size of 25 Wally LT's at club racing , would be more but the club is being rebuilt.
Australia Sailing is very impressed with what we are doing and are very happy with the increase of funds !
hopefully they may treat windsurfing more kindly . This has come about because of the increased numbers of
participants racing windsurfers at club Level.
Vic sailing is even thinking about showing some interest.
This increase has happened because of a lot of hard work by many people to create a fantastic environment wnere every one of all levels can Windsurf in a non judgemental envoirement !
Its created a huge wave that's only going to get bigger.
www.facebook.com/windsurferclassaus/videos/1599205080164982/
Since board #1 bounced out of the factory sometime in mid 2018 we have seen phenomenal changes in the windsurfing participation in course racing and just greater all around fun for people to sail in light winds. That is great.
Select to expand quoteRichardG said..
That might be perfect light wind trim but it's terrible number placement! Please give him a ruler and straight edge!
I have an LT. In 12 knots and under, I much prefer a larger cammed sail. Quicker and much more fun. My LT hull is quite fragile. I had a port starboard clash with a one design at a regatta and my port rail was crushed for 30cm. I think the board is delicate. When the decks soften, it will be the devils work to remove the eva and fix it up. At least I can see the cracks on my Starboard phantom raceboard when they develop.
Select to expand quoteregal1 said..
I have an LT. In 12 knots and under, I much prefer a larger cammed sail. Quicker and much more fun. My LT hull is quite fragile. I had a port starboard clash with a one design at a regatta and my port rail was crushed for 30cm. I think the board is delicate. When the decks soften, it will be the devils work to remove the eva and fix it up. At least I can see the cracks on my Starboard phantom raceboard when they develop.
Ah well, maybe just deal with it when it happens, don't worry too much about the devil.
Select to expand quoteregal1 said..
I have an LT. In 12 knots and under, I much prefer a larger cammed sail. Quicker and much more fun. My LT hull is quite fragile. I had a port starboard clash with a one design at a regatta and my port rail was crushed for 30cm. I think the board is delicate. When the decks soften, it will be the devils work to remove the eva and fix it up. At least I can see the cracks on my Starboard phantom raceboard when they develop.
Never used a larger cammed sail on the LT so can't comment. Definitely not as strong as the rotomoulded PE boards of the 1980s. The EVA complete deck pad, is at least $50 - $100 retail. To get a repairer to take the old one off and replace it will take about 3 hours to just get it off properly. Then you have the repairs for the soft deck if that ever happens, which I have never experienced. I have been hit by a LW Sharpie, been tailended by a foiling Moth and also by a Flying Ant and hit other LTs without more than just cosmetic damage so your stacks sound much more serious. Any such serious damage should be fixed immediately. You do have a point but damage to the rails along the lines you encountered should be repaired and nothing lasts forever.
Standard outhaul settings have the extreme back end of the leach 4cm from the inside face of the boom with the boom set at an extension of 40, if I recall correctly. If you ease it more than 1cm you lose too much upper leach tension.
The 95kg guys tend to use a very similar setup. At the worlds some of the Australians Ls and LMs were using very light luff tension to try to compensate for the newer stiffer masts but the Italians were going very fast with settings that meant the luff wrinkles extended about 30cm back from the luff, which is the same as with our old settings. I went to the "Italian setting" in the light wind last race and was faster upwind than I had been earlier although a lot of that may be due to the very restricted training I had due to the drought and frost.
I've never seen anyone use anything but a mid-track mast foot position with success, but new techniques may be developing, and I'm trying a different style for strong-wind upwind sailing. If you are struggling then a forward mast foot works upwind but can be a bit slower downwind and significantly slower in light patches. A lot of it gets down to one's individual style and strengths and weaknesses.
I think the Heavies use similar settings; Nick and Dennis did when we have raced against each other.
Thanks for the outhaul confirmation Chris. I started sailing with the boom at 35 and about 25mm of ease and I've slowly been bringing it to where I'm now just kissing at 35. Sounds like I'm still maybe 10mm shy of where I should be. I've been sailing in predominately light winds so far.
Luff tension at 4 as a base setting, but someone has commented that the mast stickers aren't in a consistent place. I'm sailing at 98kg's.
Select to expand quoteChris 249 said..
Standard outhaul settings have the extreme back end of the leach 4cm from the inside face of the boom with the boom set at an extension of 40, if I recall correctly. If you ease it more than 1cm you lose too much upper leach tension.
The 95kg guys tend to use a very similar setup. At the worlds some of the Australians Ls and LMs were using very light luff tension to try to compensate for the newer stiffer masts but the Italians were going very fast with settings that meant the luff wrinkles extended about 30cm back from the luff, which is the same as with our old settings. I went to the "Italian setting" in the light wind last race and was faster upwind than I had been earlier although a lot of that may be due to the very restricted training I had due to the drought and frost.
I've never seen anyone use anything but a mid-track mast foot position with success, but new techniques may be developing, and I'm trying a different style for strong-wind upwind sailing. If you are struggling then a forward mast foot works upwind but can be a bit slower downwind and significantly slower in light patches. A lot of it gets down to one's individual style and strengths and weaknesses.
I think the Heavies use similar settings; Nick and Dennis did when we have raced against each other.
Thanks Chris. I think Tim Gourlay (68 kg) uses the forward mast position all the time. In strong winds 18 knots plus it is best from my experience making control easier but I think 10 mm back from the front might be optimal for me.
The stickers aren't all in the same place.
For the first time I wished I was on a different board yesterday. Tried sailing alongside 6th place Syd to Hobart yacht in 20+ knot sea breeze about 10km south of Hobart. I was doing 15 to 20 knots but felt a little vulnerable in openish water amongst a few large power boats. A raceboard and footstraps would have been nice.
That said I was cruising along the beach prior to the sea breeze coming in and got the usual comments from people interested in the gear. Think I've probably already taken 10-15 kids for a sail on the board.
I'm convinced no board will do more for windsurfing in terms of participation than the LT.
Foil, as exciting as it looks will be the latest high end fraction of our sport that suits the fit and already converted.
Mat
Select to expand quoteGestalt said..gorgesailor said..RichardG said..
The LT : "The aim was to produce a board so simple it could be picked up off the beach and enjoyed by a first-time sailor as well as offering superb tactical fleet racing to a more advanced sailor. Always intended to be a strict one design package of a single board and soft sail rig, performance would be down to the skill of the sailor and not decided by an expensive equipment arms race or the ability to hold down the biggest sail. In late 2016, Bruce Wylie, a Cobra exec. (also top ex pro PBA sailor, Olympian, former shaper & windsurfing world champion and ex Mistral board designer) and the COBRA team started work on their first prototypes. Looking for inspiration from classic race boards of the past, as well as the latest design ideas, they produced the first pair of boards. Extensive on the water testing followed with prototype boards #3 and #4 arriving in early 2017, but still, something was missing. Test board #5 arrived in mid-2017 and was an immediate favorite with everyone that sailed it. This perfect combination of board shape, rocker and underwater profile was something the designers couldn't improve on, coming back to this design even after they tried to develop the design further. Prototype design #5 became the new White Board."
The O.D racing aspect is not going to sell boards here. It just seems to me outside of the Class the board is wholly unremarkable. I have sailed a lot of longboards, past & present & am eager to give the board a try. Now just have to find one & wait for spring.
whilst there has been a lot of talk about racing on the forum that's how the minority in my state use them.
id guess only about 30% of the lt's in qld actually get raced. the rest use them for cruising and recreation only.
whilst ive competed at state and national level on WOD and raceboard and sail with multiple national champions and international level windsurfers. It's not racing that drives the majority of us and none of us are associated with sailing clubs.
there are a lot assertions made from people whom have not used the boards.
we sail them because the people that sail LT are generally awesome and the board is a huge amount of fun to cruise on, sail out to an island on, do some freestyle on or just go blast on. theres not much that it can't do. lakes, oceans, rivers, anywhere. flat water and small surf. we have ages from 10-75 all joining in. the board and sail is every bit capable of being sailed like a raceboard or used at entry level. seeing experts in 20 knots in the ocean lit up out on the rail tracking to windward throigh waves and completing fully powered carve gybes downwind leaves no doubt the boards are exciting to sail if youve got the skill to achieve overdrive.
Thanks Decrepit & Al for the clear honest reply - this is the type of info that is useful. My beef was that I have sailed many boards that tick those boxes including some WindSUP's & guess that some Raceboards & longboards of the past would not be great to surf orThough I think I will sailing the LT on a non O.D rig if/when I see one to test.
LT has saved windsurfing, not killed it. Think of how many people left windsurfing because they got tired of waiting for wind required for high performance gear and because they did not want to buy a van and look like a serial killer. Those days are gone, we don't even need the 9.0 sails anymore save for raceboards and foil racing which are great too if you can access the racing in your local fleet and can afford the gear. Now I can LT on 5.7 m2 on any given Sunday and race in any conditions and be challenged when other windsurfers are mowing the lawn or doing gardening.
