How to get back in the sport

windaddiction · Post by **windaddiction** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 3:03 pm

Well hello all. Some of you may remember me , but I am sure most have no clue who I am so I'll start with a brief intro. I started windsurfing at around age 16 at esquimalt lagoon, and progressed and was fairly active sailing the lagoon gordons beach and Nitinat. I ended up selling all my gear about 5 years ago now. Due to my work taking me too far away all the time and well just having too many hobbies. Forward 5 years and I am now 26, married, and have some free time on my hands and want to get back on the water. I have manged to stay connected to the wind by sailing my 25 foot boat as much as I can but it is getting close to time for me to sell her. So I am looking to get back into a sport I love. I feel a little out of the loop gear wise, and I am not looking at getting into the small board big winds and waves sailing anymore. I am trying to find a board and sail set up that I can use to go fast on flat water in any condition, and a board my wife can learn on. I know live 2 blocks from the lagoon so that would be my primary site. Is this asking too much? As well for the kiters out there any arguments as to trying out kiting, or do I stick with windsurfing?

Thanks for any input.

Dave AKA Windaddiction

Geoffy · Post by **Geoffy** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 4:34 pm

Hi Dave;
Nice to see you back - can't speak to safety of kiting in the lagoon area, but elsewhere in Victoria you'll have more than double the days to be on the water (for me that's not a factor). For windsurfing an ideal board is around 90 L and the new free-style wave boards are super fast and do almost everything. I can almost stay with the slalom boards on a FSW and it's way more fun even on flat water. At 150 pounds I use my 84L tons and my 101L for 6.0 and up days. 90 would be a great mid-point (I can sail my 84 in almost zero wind as the extra width provides stability which is more important than flotation).

I much prefer the more powerful (read non-wave) sails as these plane up and sail super easily, but they are harder to learn on. I have Naish Forces which have probably 25% more oomph than the Sessions (their wave equivalent) and I love those Force sails. Nice in waves too once you know how to adjust to them.

As I work part time for the Maui economic council I'll suggest you take your wife there to learn

and you get to try all sorts of gear, boards, sails, etc and choose what suits you best. See you out there again soon.
Geoff

Ed · Post by Ed » Fri Oct 15, 2010 5:31 pm

I've heard that Comox Spit is the place to go,you should check it out

windaddiction · Post by **windaddiction** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 7:05 pm

Geoffy, Thanks for the ideas, my last board was a starboard carve 90 i think, and though I could get back home in low wind, it defiantly was not a light wind board. I know the start and go boards have been out for awhile, and I was thinking one of these may be a fun alternative, and something my wife could learn on. However are they up to the abuse I may put them through being a little more experienced and liking riding hard and going fast?

JL · Post by JL » Fri Oct 15, 2010 7:08 pm

& You will always find me @ I.V. ... CONGRATULATIONS on getting married ... ED is our BWD marriage councilor !!!

nanmoo · Post by **nanmoo** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 10:18 pm

I say keep the boat! Oddly enough we are almost in the exact same place, except I'm 27, ours is 24' and I just started Windsurfing 2 years ago.

Personally I think big board sailing will bore you after your experience with the high wind equipment.

Keep the boat!

Teabag · Post by **Teabag** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 11:18 pm

Any argument about trying kiteboarding instead of WS?

Of all the windsurfer that switch/tried kiteboarding in the past;

1- Is there more of them that got back to windsurfing because they didn't like kiting as much?

2- Or more of them that stayed with kiteboarding because they prefer that over windsurfing?

For all the kiteboarders that switch to windsurfing, is there more.... 1 and 2 again.

I have no clue of the answers but knowing the answer to these questions will give you a good idea of what maybe you should get into?

Esquimalt Lagoon is definitively not a good place to kiteboard due to generally very gusty condition. (teabagging there from 2002 to 2005, can't believe Im still alive!) Not sure how bad/dangerous it is for windsurfing.

nanmoo · Post by **nanmoo** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 11:35 pm

That argument only sort of works. When snowboarding hit the scene everyone under 25 and their dog switched over, for awhile it seemed like skiing was dead and done. Now, its come full circle and I'd almost admit that skiing is cool(er?) again, and I am a snowboarder!!! The numbers are starting to balance out again, so was it because one was better or more fun than the other or because one was the "new" thing. Hard to say. As one who converted I'd say it's the technology that has played the hugest difference, if they had twin tips back when I was a skiier I doubt I would have crossed over. What is my point? Well since I started windsurfing I haven't known of any experienced windsurfer who started kiting and switched over. Windsurfing gear has come a long way in a short while and I suspect many of the former windsurfers crossed over before gear got good, much like how I left skiing.

That said, each sport is going to offer its own advantages and disadvantages. Kiting is probably easier, the gear is obviously smaller, but it is no doubt more dangerous and requires a higher level of competency to just get out and have fun, particularly at more advanced spots (ie. Kook street), I am also going to argue that windsurfing gear is more durable since we can't pop a bladder and our sail material is quite thick. You could rip at both like Winddoc does, but then your 1 month renovation project quickly turns into years also like Winddoc's does.

windaddiction · Post by **windaddiction** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 11:53 pm

@nanmoo I know keeping the boat would be a nice solution but just don't use it enough you know? And I am worried about getting a big board and being bored. Is there a board big enough to float a light women, yet small enough and strong enough for me to rip around on? Besides the amount of good small boards days are few and far between, thrown work in the mix and it's hard to get out. So I am hoping a wider wind range will get me out there more.

nanmoo · Post by **nanmoo** » Sat Oct 16, 2010 12:05 am

To put things in perspective, I got about 40 local days on my small board (I only own a 91L Freestyle wave board that I have used in conditions from Nitinat to CB to the Oregon Coast to Maui - I weigh 185 lbs and my largest sail is 6.0) last year, and that was not including the first 3 or so months of the year where I was learning on the big board, or the last two because I had surgery. In fact, I found myself frustrated at first with the big board because whenever it was windy, it was too windy for it. I wouldn't be surprised if there are just as many "too windy" days then there are "just windy enough for a big board" days that you end up being available to sail. Furthermore, science proves it takes 5 big board days to equal the fun had in one small board day, and you can't argue with science!

Best bet for the misss's is to go somewhere (where or when it is warm) where big boards are available for lend or rent, and get her past that nasty stage. Nitinat, Gorge, Parksville are all great destinations as you probably know. Alternatively, if you are hooked on getting her on the water locally, just buy a cheap old long board off usedvictoria, and that will suffice for the time being, meanwhile you can spend your dough on a short board! Poof, you are both happy!

I hear you on the boat, I force myself to make time for it. We did quite well this summer, partly thanks to the lack of "real" wind, and probably got out on it overnight at least every other week.

mortontoemike · Post by **mortontoemike** » Sat Oct 16, 2010 9:22 am

A few years ago I bought a 2004 Hi Fly 160 L board, 2 sails, a mast, and a boom for $450. I bought it for someone learning but my point is that these deals are around. And they learned very quickly using it because it was wide and floaty and made for that purpose.

I think if you are going to have the spouse learn then there should be no compromises involved. Make it as easy as possible for them and big floaty board is the way to go. I'm sure Ed would approve.

If you can find a deal like the above and keep your eyes peeled for an experienced 105 L board for yourself (they turn up in the $400 range) that would be best IMHO.

downwind dave · Post by **downwind dave** » Sat Oct 16, 2010 10:01 am

hey dave, good to hear from you. you were a regular poster back when i joined up. esq. lagoon sucks for kites but consider you are on the west side of the colwood crawl for gordons missions, a good spot to be.

I too quit windsurfing and sold all my gear for a dark period in the late 90s but got straight back into it once i got my ass out of vancouver. I got myself a kite too and figured i would do both but found i just didn't like it that much. To be fair it was an old Naish AR5 death kite so your experience on modern stuff would probably be a lot different.

once the kiddy arrived in 03, recreation time became a premium so i just stuck with what gave me the most enjoyment. The key is get out there and have fun, enjoy the water and wind by whatever means you can.

Geoffy · Post by **Geoffy** » Sat Oct 16, 2010 12:17 pm

Windaddiction - all depends on your definition of "light winds." For me a 12-14 knot day, (small scattered chop, barely whitecapping) at 150 pounds - I can be always planing on the FSW 101.

However for learning for even a light newbie, a 120L is about the minimum (again for the length/width stability of the platform, not floatation). If she's at all into it then the 120 will get old very, very quickly as I've seen women in your age range progress to planing in under a week on the new gear and be on 90L boards and fully comfortable.

Agree with Nanmoo on the kiting/windsurfing side - but unlike snow sports, kiting WILL give you more days on the water in our area, just not in the lagoon for safety reasons it sounds like. I like the safety/security/ease of windsurfing rigging/launching anywhere practically, kiting only really appeals to me from the compact travel aspect. Try both!!

more force 4 · Post by **more force 4** » Sat Oct 16, 2010 8:24 pm

Windaddiction: I've bought (but not had delivered yet) a 115 litre RRD twinzer for light wind and biggish sails (7 and maybe 8.5). It will get me ripping around on the days when the kites are just starting to have fun. I am happy to get out in conditions others wouldn't bother with and so long as I'm going fast at least some of the time I'm happy. Lagoon itself is too nasty because of birds, but of course the outside is great on a S or SSW; too much west and the gusts are killer, its better to drive to Cook. I doubt you'd find a GO board much fun - I tried one this summer and found it difficult to get into straps in the outboard position and overly floaty once going. You might like a used120-130 slalom board for the light days (you were pretty secure in your windsurfing skill if I remember) to really blast.

If the wife has no experience, she might find learning to kite is easier and progress is quicker (although Nanmoo has shown you can make amazingly fast progress as a windsurfer with the new equipment). Fall/winter Victoria is not the time&place to learn kiting though (although hanging out watching/talking and flying a trainer would keep her amuzed).

Get her a GOOD wetsuit and make sure she keeps warm! Getting cold will turn more people off watersports than anything!

rkwave · Post by **rkwave** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 6:28 pm

A good general rule of thumb is get a board volume that at least equals your body weight plus your wet suit plus the weight of your rig. i.e. if you weigh 150 lbs and your rig weighs 20 lbs thats 170 lbs = 170/2.204 = 77 Kg x 1 litre/ kg of water = 77 litres minimum.
If you weigh 200 lbs plus 20 lbs = 220/2.204 thats about 100 litres minimum. Add another 20 to 30 litres if your a beginner.
All the newer equipment is pretty good. "Way" better than when I started back in '89 of last century. I'm a bit biased toward Starboard because I know Svein and he puts his boards through a lot of testing before going to market. A Starboard Carve 110 to 133 would be a good start for a newby and it will rip with a 6.0 in 20 knots of wind.
Enter the Stand Up Board. This is another take on the Longboard. Starboard makes some models that allow the attachment of a rig and even footstraps. The SUP is stable enough to get the Newby sailing and if it is not windy then you can go for a paddle around the Lagoon. If there is some surf then you can take it surfing or even wave sailing on small surf days that are windy.
see: http://www.islandnet.com/~rkashino/pist ... 10_37b.jpg

RKWAVE