Total N00b

I windsurfed a little bit as a kid and then had a taster course a few weeks ago.

I decided I'd like to get into it properly and bought a rig off ebay.

5am this morning at Sandgate I put it all together and had a go. Imagine my horror when I stood on the board and it sank! Like not just a bit, all the way I was about up to my waist and it was on the sand!

Is that supposed to happen or did I buy a lemon? However hard I tried I couldn't get me and the sail up fast enough to get moving before it sank to the bottom.

New board or more practise?

Shopping on ebay is your first mistake...

How many litres in the board(volume)....If you know, And how heavy are you?

The board you've bought is probably and old school slalom or wave board....Not suitable for beginners.

Post some picks so we can have a look.

I don't know the litres but photo's I can do...it's a Wind Action Lite

So I've made two mistakes

1) Ebay without knowing what I was looking for
2) Bough a board that's way to advanced for me?

Hopefully I can still use the masts(2), sails(2), booms(2) etc and just get a more suitable board - would that be right? The whole lot only cost $105 so I guess I was lucky I didn't go for the more expensive auctions only to find out the same thing!!!

Given it all cost you $105 I think you might be able to sell it and get your money back. This looks like an very old fibreglass wave board. Next to your car, I am guessing its something like 70 litres (though they never talked in litres when this was made I think).

Get on the buy and sell forum here. You need a big stable board, so agree 140 litres +, and wide, 75cms or so.

Then I'd get a 5.5 sail, a 430 mast and a boom to fit. You're not going to get anything worthwhile for $105 dollars (except maybe a decent 2nd hand fin). The whole lot might set you back around $1500 and you'd get some decent gear.

Just looking at that board again - its tiny! Maybe take the foot straps off and test it as a surfboard.

Spot on Sputnik.

N00b, what do you weigh? 140L is a minimum for an average ish fella. If you are 120kg you may need to go bigger

Hey Noony,

A 140-150l is perfect for your weight. Look for a beginner board or a similar size free ride board. When you head to Sandgate next, send me a message and I will come down and say Hi. I have a mate who sails there quite often that can help you out. possibly with a board.

Thanks for the awesome responses.

I'll definitely shout next time I'm going to Sandgate (when I get a new board).

I'm not sure what I did the taster course on, just that it was bigger and you could stand on it, get your balance and then pull up the sail without it sinking!!!

So...on the lookout for a board that can be used from beginner to intermediate 140 litres...anyone selling?

^^that would be good to learn on and will suit you to advance on up to the performance stages of windsurfing.

Ah, bitter-sweet memories, it was 4 years ago that I also purchased a full kit on ebay and arrived at Narrabeen lake. Me too sank after uphauling...I was lucky I met Martin, he had a Mistral Maui in his garage and with that I learned the basics....