After a very long time between drinks, and thanks to house building and kid making, I'm seriously considering getting back into it. Whilst I'm enjoying kayak fishing in my Hobie Adventure Island, the strong wind sailing simply doesn't match blasting along on a board.
I still have my old wave and slalom boards and rigs but would hate to think what 'real' condition they're in. Besides, the technology has slightly changed and I'm now 15kg heavier...
Just one big question, where are all the retailers for windsurfing gear these days? I live in Nowra on weekends with my family however commute to Canberra during the week for work. I've had a look at Wetspot in Fyshwick and while they have some gear, there isn't much that really interests me (and their prices are 'up there').
I'm probably looking for a jump / bump / slalom board of some decent volume for my 85kg. Couple that with some newer design rigs (7.0m / 6.0m / 5.0m), I reckon that I'll be set for some JB blasting come this summer.
Any assistance with a decent retailer or seller will be greatly appreciated. Likewise, if anyone knows of some gear that is only a season or two old for sale on the South Coast, I'd be appreciative. In the meantime, I'll continue to check the classifieds on this site.
Cheers and beers!
Tony
wetspot's prices are no different to any other retailer: rrp, most often less.
they make a big effort to get people on the water, have a chat to them.
they certainly have access to anything you may want.
doug.
Freerace/freeride gear and no cam slalom sails. Cheaper, easier and more fun. Tabou boards are my personal favourites but most brands make really nice freerace gear these days.
bump and jump and slalom board are not words I usually use in the same sentence these days but it's your money lol.
I have a freestyle wave board(Tabou 3S) and I also bought a couple of crossover sails(kind of like a hybrid wavesail/no cam slalom with tube battens) for it but I actually prefer to use 5 batten wave sails on it. I find the neutral feel of the wavesail during gybes suits the board better and I can do much sweeter and more enjoyable gybes with the wave sail. The crossover sails seem to need more of a power gybe and it doesn't really suit the feel of my FSW. The crossover sails are definitely faster though and way better for sailing over powered which is brilliant fun on a FSW.
Thanks Champion!
I now feel appropriately 'contemporised' on the terminology these days. Yeah, freeride was what I was thinking about! :-))
Thanks for your time spent in responding mate.
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Thanks for the feedback guys, I picked up some gear that suits my thirst and will be taking advantage of the 20kt NE forecast for Jervis Bay this afternoon. Won't be a big session (need to 'ease' my way back into this) but am quite eager...
Tony why don't you sail at Sanctuary Point today. Quite a few people regularly sail there and the water will be flatter till you get comfortable with the gear. Probably need a weed fin though.
that gear looks sweet tony, Gav and I will be sailing lake wollumbulla today but will catch up with you at sanctuary pt soon
also a friend is getting out of windsurfing and has some really cheap stuff you mite be interested in catch up soon
Let us know how you go... that's a serious race sail you've got yourself there and the luff pocket will prove challenging, but persistence will pay off
Thanks guys. I'll have a look at Husky and if it's not so good, I'll head down to SP boat ramp.
Yep - very glad that I took the SP pill and not the JB one. The race sail, whilst very fast and stable is also very demanding - especially for water starts with a luff filled with water.
Had a great bash although my arms didn't quite agree with me...
Looking forward to another great day today.
Glad to hear you had fun!
And even more glad you decided to buy some new gear. There was some muppet on his very, very old circa late 80s gear yesterday on Botany and the water police had to pick him up. I took at his pile of junk on the beach and his boom had completely disintegrated. He was really lucky that it was such a busy day because most other days he'd have had to ditch the rig (no big loss given the age of it) and paddle back to shore.
Someone told me very early on that it's worth having a good, reliable mast that you can trust, a decent boom and healthy looking uni.
In just over a month, my selection of sails has grown from the single 7.0 to an additional 6.4, 5.8, 5.3 & 4.2. All of the additional sizes are free ride no cam sails.
I've gone from my forearms feeling like they're going to explode after a single run to being able to sail for a whole afternoon without much tiredness or soreness (okay my hands are still burning as I type this!).
The board is what I would best describe as the 'find of the century'. I can remain fully powered up with the 7.0 whilst managing to blast along with the 5.3 in a big gust. It turns beautifully and tracks to windward great. If I was to kill it, I would look for another 101 Futura no doubt.
The best thing is the 'scene' at Sanctuary Point. There's a great bunch of locals there along with many who travel a great distance to share the 'lanes'. Everyone is super friendly and uber supportive to each other. There's growth in the sport thanks to Akim and his great family which is so important it's hard to describe. I've managed to be mentored by Keef with some fantastic second hand gear and tips on how to best harness the newer equipment out there now. He even loaned me his GPS which I wore yesterday afternoon. After finally managing to access the information from the KA72 website, the below information surprised me indeed (especially the Alpha 500).
So you can probably guess where I go from here. Yep, a purchase of a GT-31 (or similar) GPS, some smaller weed fin/s and perhaps one day, some faster gear!
Despite me thinking that 'getting back into it' would involve me windsurfing on my own, feeling like some retro / burnt out old fella trying to relive his youth (99% true), I managed to realise the juxtaposition of an old sport is now new and is just as exciting in 1985 when I first managed to crack my first run on my mate's board.
Cheers Sanctuary Point windsurfing!
Tony
FUTURA's are great boards,but they don't go very well without a rider.
This is what a FUTURA looks like matched up with a great rider
and congratulations on your first post in GPSTC,I'll be hitting you up for some gybing tips since you already matched my alpha PB on your first go 
Hey thanks matey! You even managed to capture my best side! They call it the "Steel Magnum"
But I think there's buckley's that I'll ever be in the field of giving you tips mate!
Hi Tony
I'm really pleased I stumbled on your post.
I live in Sydney and spend a fair bit of time at Bendalong.
I've been doing the dinghy thing for 15 years with the family but have just started sailboarding again. I'm afraid I'm a bit older than you but the gear you bought is along the lines I thought may be good to try. (Maybe I could go a little bit tamer!)
I bought 2 no cam North Naturals 5,4 and 6.2 to get started with a slalom board.
Well the slalom board was a bit too challenging so its gone ..... trying to keep costs down until I fully commit! .... did you get any info on a Starboard S-Type? ... I think they were the model prior to the future. I'm looking at a 115l ..... I'll try and catch up with some of you at Sanctuary Point .... I need some tips as well as gear!!!!
Any ideas welcome!!!!
Allen
Hi Allen,
To avoid everyone reading a conversation between us, I've personally messaged you mate.
Allan be careful at trying to keep the costs down , you need to be very disciplined and try and keep it to one board and one sail if you can , if not sell the dinghy because you wont need it after you get the buzz from windsurfing,
I sail sanctuary point most days there's wind ,
if you ever need advise on gear or tips don't ask me ask Akim , he's the kidd, oop's (typo) he's the big kid of the little kids , the legendary ,mystro, mentor , and extraordinaire and has the ability to get these kids going from there first session , personally I think he's full of it but I guess every one is entitled to the own opinion
if your down here you will find my van on the hill , i'm not hard to find i'm the guy with one ear as result of Arkim chewing the other one off
if you need some advise about fins don't ask tony , he was also a dinghy sailor and thinks a fin is a dagger board
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and congratulations on your first post in GPSTC,I'll be hitting you up for some gybing tips since you already matched my alpha PB on your first go
I gotta say, that is one sweet pic of a gybe, top shot. The Futura's are sweet boards. I certainly enjoyed ridding mine. (I hope Akim you're getting some use out of it). As for your alpha, well done! You matched the best I've ever achieved
Thanks Phil. I'll call it luck for now...
Keefy, if you're ever in need of loaning one of my 98cm speed fins, you only need to ask mate . You just need to be prepared if some strange old man tries to entice you up into the weed beds...
Select to expand quoteTonyPolony said..
Thanks Phil. I'll call it luck for now...
Keefy, if you're ever in need of loaning one of my 98cm speed fins, you only need to ask mate . You just need to be prepared if some strange old man tries to entice you up into the weed beds...
hey Tony the ball was in your court and you got me in the chop with that monster
