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Is the LT the best thing that ever happened to windsurfing? Or has it ruined it?

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Created by Ant-man > 9 months ago, 22 Nov 2019
Hardcarve1
QLD, 548 posts
27 Aug 2020 3:57PM
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I'm looking from my phone so I must not be picking up on it. I notice the screw slots look as if the plates could be slightly pushed away from the sides of the recess, have you looked at undoing them to see if they can push back on the side as the edge could be unsupported. It could also be the machine slot in the side brackets is not machined correctly and allowing the centre board to be located incorrectly.

brynoz
QLD, 177 posts
29 Aug 2020 8:23PM
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Im advised the new centreboard Im using has changed at the top knob at the rear. These are a hard plastic fin to help with retracting the centreboard. The tip I have been given is to cover top with a tennis ball so it doesnt apply so much pressure to the plate when located all the way down on the plate.

RichardG
WA, 3749 posts
30 Aug 2020 1:37PM
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brynoz said..
Im advised the new centreboard Im using has changed at the top knob at the rear. These are a hard plastic fin to help with retracting the centreboard. The tip I have been given is to cover top with a tennis ball so it doesnt apply so much pressure to the plate when located all the way down on the plate.



Watch this video for all tips from the current overall world champion Nick Bez. Yes some people use tennis balls, also you can also use tape over the top of foam wrapped around the top knob, as you call it ! Nick Bez just wears booties.

2019 World Champ Nick Bez provides tips and tricks to get the most out of the LT. Covers preparation and board setup through to technique and tuning. Advice and ideas for all LT sailors looking to get the most out of their gear and have maximum fun.



Nick Bez is interviewed by the famous photographer, windsurfer and writer from the USA Jonathan Weston:

www.amazon.com.au/Maui-Glory-Days-Return-Impact-ebook/dp/B07TSLBM9J

www.mauiglorydays.com

windsufering
VIC, 1124 posts
3 Sep 2020 11:10AM
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RichardG
WA, 3749 posts
3 Sep 2020 11:16AM
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Baratti Beach Park (Piombino, Tuscany, Italy): highlights of the 3rd italian national race. winds 20-35knots. Its not Hawaii, its Tuscany, Italy but nice waves outside around the gybe mark. This is the thrill of one design racing but nevertheless hearkening back to the sensations, excitement and drama of the days of the Pan Am Cup style racing.


www.facebook.com/windsurferclass/videos/315349423134241

Gestalt
QLD, 14393 posts
3 Sep 2020 3:24PM
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RichardG said..
Baratti Beach Park (Piombino, Tuscany, Italy): highlights of the 3rd italian national race. winds 20-35knots. Its not Hawaii, its Tuscany, Italy but nice waves outside around the gybe mark. This is the thrill of one design racing but nevertheless hearkening back to the sensations, excitement and drama of the days of the Pan Am Cup style racing.


www.facebook.com/windsurferclass/videos/315349423134241


if that doesn't sell a few LT's i don't know what will.

Chris 249
NSW, 3333 posts
4 Sep 2020 8:07PM
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Ok guys, what about we buy all the Decathlon 3.1 kids rigs for $99 (see the thread). If we get half a dozen of them at the Nats I'll donate trophies for a class. We've bought two of them for our grandkids.

windsufering
VIC, 1124 posts
6 Sep 2020 6:14PM
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Hopefully we can have a Nationals !

John340
QLD, 3116 posts
6 Sep 2020 6:31PM
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windsufering said..
Hopefully we can have a Nationals !


Not likely, Nationals require open boarders

windsufering
VIC, 1124 posts
6 Sep 2020 8:02PM
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John340 said..

windsufering said..
Hopefully we can have a Nationals !



Not likely, Nationals require open boarders


Not just the Wally class !

Gestalt
QLD, 14393 posts
9 Sep 2020 3:50AM
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Chris 249 said..
Ok guys, what about we buy all the Decathlon 3.1 kids rigs for $99 (see the thread). If we get half a dozen of them at the Nats I'll donate trophies for a class. We've bought two of them for our grandkids.




ok, so you are a 10-12 yo kid. which rig do you choose. the sail that looks like it was designed during an episode of playschool and offers nothing in the way of performance or a sail that looks like the sail Jaeger uses and has performance.




windsufering
VIC, 1124 posts
16 Sep 2020 1:57PM
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Shipmate
47 posts
16 Sep 2020 3:44PM
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But does it plane?

As an advanced beginner, 65 yo and over 100 kg, what appeals to me are comments about lightweight rigs. Is this a possible next step for someone who has yet to actually plane but really wants to? If a heavy, aging rider wanted to plane this thing, what rig would be best? My current "goto" board is a Starboard Rio M and although the marketing info suggests early planning, I have yet to achieve this holy grail of windsurfing. I put the blame primarily on myself - weight and lack of technique. In spite of that, I keep watching the YouTube videos and reading web content that gives pointers on planing. With COVID, the closest windsurfing school - 40 miles away is closed.

Chris 249
NSW, 3333 posts
16 Sep 2020 8:02PM
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Gestalt said..



Chris 249 said..
Ok guys, what about we buy all the Decathlon 3.1 kids rigs for $99 (see the thread). If we get half a dozen of them at the Nats I'll donate trophies for a class. We've bought two of them for our grandkids.







ok, so you are a 10-12 yo kid. which rig do you choose. the sail that looks like it was designed during an episode of playschool and offers nothing in the way of performance or a sail that looks like the sail Jaeger uses and has performance.







For a start, why assume that you know so much more about what appeals to 9 year olds than the people who run one of the world's most successful sports retailers do? I used to work with graphic artists and marketers; they are not all morons, so why assume they chose the wrong graphics for the Decathlon rig?

Secondly, what proportion of kids who could get into LTs etc know who Jaeger Stone is, and how many of them care? How many of them know enough about sails to think that the transparent one is (allegedly) less cool than the one with black lines all over it? How many of them may think that a monofilm sail looks less like the Opti and the Laser 4.7 sails and is therefore more interesting?

Thirdly, where is your evidence that the Redback is more efficient? It's close to 40% heavier. Is that "more efficient"? It appears to have a much more open leach and less draft, with the draft further forward. All that may be great in a shortboard, but an LT or OD is not a shortboard and is often sailed in conditions which leave a shortboard on the beach or schlogging. The LT or OD need a tighter leach, more draft, and draft further back. So there is no evidence that the Redback is more efficient. You said it's like a wavesail, but the LT and OD go better with other sail styles.

Fourthly, is the Redback actually worth about three times the Decathlon's standard price? To who?

Finally, WTF? All I've done is offer to spend some more of my own time and cash on kid's windsurfing, and you complain about the idea. Jeezers......

Gestalt
QLD, 14393 posts
16 Sep 2020 9:44PM
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God you guys argue over the most inane stuff.

peterowensbabs
NSW, 463 posts
16 Sep 2020 9:47PM
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Gestalt said..

Chris 249 said..
Ok guys, what about we buy all the Decathlon 3.1 kids rigs for $99 (see the thread). If we get half a dozen of them at the Nats I'll donate trophies for a class. We've bought two of them for our grandkids.





ok, so you are a 10-12 yo kid. which rig do you choose. the sail that looks like it was designed during an episode of playschool and offers nothing in the way of performance or a sail that looks like the sail Jaeger uses and has performance.





As an exercise i asked my daughters which one they would prefer and they would like th pretty one with the butterflies thanks not the one that looks like a running shoe design! Make of that what you will.

Gestalt
QLD, 14393 posts
16 Sep 2020 10:17PM
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peterowensbabs said..

Gestalt said..


Chris 249 said..
Ok guys, what about we buy all the Decathlon 3.1 kids rigs for $99 (see the thread). If we get half a dozen of them at the Nats I'll donate trophies for a class. We've bought two of them for our grandkids.






ok, so you are a 10-12 yo kid. which rig do you choose. the sail that looks like it was designed during an episode of playschool and offers nothing in the way of performance or a sail that looks like the sail Jaeger uses and has performance.






As an exercise i asked my daughters which one they would prefer and they would like th pretty one with the butterflies thanks not the one that looks like a running shoe design! Make of that what you will.


And my 10-12 year-old laughed at the butterflies and said he wants what jaeger uses including an ultrakode.

How old are your daughters.





lotofwind
NSW, 6451 posts
16 Sep 2020 11:01PM
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Maybe they should bring out one with a USB port on the mast to charge an iphone, then maybe the kids would be interested, would bring a bit of modern tech to windsurfing.

RichardG
WA, 3749 posts
16 Sep 2020 10:37PM
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I think the kids would love this just as much if not more. She and the pink sail has a universal (USB) appeal.




tbwonder
NSW, 649 posts
17 Sep 2020 7:46AM
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lotofwind said..
Maybe they should bring out one with a USB port on the mast to charge an iphone, then maybe the kids would be interested, would bring a bit of modern tech to windsurfing.


USB! That's a bit 1990's, It's all wireless charging these days. It would modernize an LT though

Chris 249
NSW, 3333 posts
17 Sep 2020 10:43AM
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Gestalt said..
God you guys argue over the most inane stuff.



You're the one who has been criticising things the whole way through and rejecting just about everything anyone else says, such as Peter Owen Bab's input which seems to confirm my point that what you and your son like is not what everyone likes.

There's nothing "inane" about discussing the aerodynamics of longboard sails versus wave sails, nor is there anything "inane" about pointing out that one rig is about $800 cheaper than another, or pointing out that the fact that one kid wants to look like Stone does not mean that all kids, or most kids, do.

Gestalt
QLD, 14393 posts
17 Sep 2020 12:06PM
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Chris 249 said..

Gestalt said..
God you guys argue over the most inane stuff.




You're the one who has been criticising things the whole way through and rejecting just about everything anyone else says, such as Peter Owen Bab's input which seems to confirm my point that what you and your son like is not what everyone likes.

There's nothing "inane" about discussing the aerodynamics of longboard sails versus wave sails, nor is there anything "inane" about pointing out that one rig is about $800 cheaper than another, or pointing out that the fact that one kid wants to look like Stone does not mean that all kids, or most kids, do.


Ok. Yes what you said.

windsufering
VIC, 1124 posts
17 Sep 2020 4:51PM
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The junior division in the cruiser class isn't a bad thing !

MatStirl
TAS, 136 posts
20 Sep 2020 9:06PM
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Zzz.
If we spent as much time as we do bitching amongst ourselves about trivial stuff as teaching someone to windsurf windsurfing would be better off.

All that matters is windsurfing is a cool sport even if the average participant is over 50 and Richie has got on the TDF podium!

Gestalt
QLD, 14393 posts
21 Sep 2020 11:44AM
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MatStirl said..
Zzz.
If we spent as much time as we do bitching amongst ourselves about trivial stuff as teaching someone to windsurf windsurfing would be better off.

All that matters is windsurfing is a cool sport even if the average participant is over 50 and Richie has got on the TDF podium!







there are a lot of kids that think windsurfing is for old guys. that's been the view from some of my sons mates. i suggested he should show them some shortboard freestyle clips or jaegers latest video or some foiling.

yesterday during our social LT session the boys enjoyed WOD match racing. winds were very light allowing them to use the 4m aerotech sail with lightweight 370 rdm mast and kids boom. great setup in less than 10 knots. they were faster than some of the adults.

one boy managed a reverse clew first rail ride during the freestyle session. pretty impressive stuff.

John340
QLD, 3116 posts
21 Sep 2020 1:12PM
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The OP's question is facile. The LT has neither saved or ruined the sport. It appeals to those sailors who are interested in one design racing and or low wind cruising. I am not one of those sailors.

I purchased an original windsurfer in 1983. I learnt to sail on Lake Macquarie. I raced locally and in various state and national titles. I sailed a OD because that's what my mates sailed and there were limited alternatives at the time. However, once I began wave sailing in 1985, the OD felt pedestrian in comparison and I gradually gave it away. I continued to wave sail for the next 10 years before increasing family and work commitments got in the way.

I came back to the sport in 2010. I joined a couple of friends competing the the OD national titles on Nelson Bay (Chris 249 provided the board and rig) and caught the bug again. Initially, for a couple of years, I sailed and competed locally on a raceboard on Moreton Bay, but again quickly progressed to the thrills for short boards sailing on slalom / speed boards and GPS sailing. Seven years and 350 plus sailing sessions I'm still hooked.

If anything saved windsurfing, its GPS sailing. Going fast is not only challenging but also fun. Being team based, it also provides a conduit for friendship and competitive rivalry. That the LT, and for that matter foiling, have been able to build on the momentum that began with Hardie and Nebian's creation in 2009 is great.

windsufering
VIC, 1124 posts
11 Oct 2020 6:18PM
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The Windsurfer is still the fastest growing sailing class in Australia !
Those that don't promote it in Yacht Clubs are doing their prospective yacht clubs a disservice !

AUS 814
NSW, 452 posts
11 Oct 2020 7:07PM
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windsufering said..
The Windsurfer is still the fastest growing sailing class in Australia !
Those that don't promote it in Yacht Clubs are doing their prospective yacht clubs a disservice !


Outstanding

shoodbegood
VIC, 873 posts
11 Oct 2020 9:27PM
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Are there any on the second hand market yet?



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"Is the LT the best thing that ever happened to windsurfing? Or has it ruined it?" started by Ant-man