"How fast do you go on that thing?"

[spudbud]

I get this question almost every time someone asks me about windsurfing.

I have no idea and usually I say it feels really fast, or something equally as lame. This does not go over well, these people want numbers. They will usually hound me to agree on a number that they inevitably start throwing around.

Them: "Like 20mph, or how about 25mph, maybe 30mph, does that sound right?"

Me: "I don't know what sounds right buddy."

Them: "So, like 25mph then?"

Me: "Maybe, I honestly couldn't tell you. The sensation of speed is hard for me to accurately judge."

Them: "Ok, so about 20mph"

Me:

I have no desire to buy a gps to find out but I need to tell these people something to get them off my back

This has been bothering me ever since the day I started windsurfing. In my delusions, I think about taking my gps for the car, stuffing it into as many ziplock freezer bags as I can, strapping it onto the back of my pfd with duct tape and wait for the wind to start cranking. Then I'll tell them!

How do you guys answer this question? IF you haven't ever used a gps while sailing.

[noshuzbluz]

I tell em as fast or faster than the apparent wind. That's about right isn't it?

[jingebritsen]

tell em fastest ever was 55mph. tell you feel as though you are going about 2/3 to 3/4 of that. they won't believe you if you tell them much else.

[sergem]

[3-phase]

most go like 25 knots,
30-35 knots takes some good stuff and some skills.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kJO2-HdrPk&feature=channel_video_title
this is around 26-30 knots.
45 knots takes a lot of bravery and ideally a lot of flat water haha
Some of my KA Sail Windsurfing team buddy's go 45-50 knots that's really fast, it feels like going 150 miles an hour on the highway haha.
http://www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=82434&uid=831

Aloha
Jurg

[techno900]

I have carried a GPS on every outing for the last 7 years (over 500 outings).

I record Top speed, average speed, time on the water and distance traveled.

I have hit 35 mph (31 knots) 5 times. I have gone over 30 mph at least 100 times. 35 seems to be a wall for me as lots of folks can go much faster.

Fast = strong wind, flat water, small narrow board, small fin, correct wind direction (sail about 100-130 degrees off the wind) and some body weight (190 - 210 lbs is good). I weigh 167 lbs.

Take a look at: http://www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=rankings

500 sailors here have gone over 35.4 knots (40.7 mph). This is an average of 5 separate runs. Pretty amazing.

Most average (intermediate/advanced) sailors rarely go over 35 mph, but 30 is pretty common if in somewhat flat water with at least a 25 mph wind.

[3-phase]

techno is pretty much right on.
It helps to be 200 to 230 lb
The reason most hit a wall is the sail, the fin and your mind / stand
There are plenty older board like a F2 Sputnick that can hit 40 knots but (my opinion) there is very few sails designed well enough with low drag and fins to actually go over 35 knots with a average guy.
For lighter guys a KA Kaos (wave sail down the line haha) can hit over 40 knots Craig Spottiswood did like 42 knots on a Kaos.
But here is my advise just rig and go for it a couple times. You gone learn and fall and go faster and fall again and break some stuff, get better over time and you will like it. For beginners in speed a KA Koncept / Koyote a Select S07 S09 S10 or so Fin and you gone go 30 knots in a while and from there you can improve up to like 32 to 34 knots with in 6 month or so.
Aloha
Jurg

[spudbud]

Jurg, your first video seems similar to the speed I was going the last time someone asked me but I was in far flatter water.

I was on a reservoir, just downwind of a break wall that had a highway on it. The guy who asked me the fateful question was in a kayak and judging the speed of the cars in relation to me, so basically; a total and utter guess. He reckoned at least 25 - 30 mph.

Conditions: approximately 20-25mph, more in the gusts, the water was very flat for the windspeed. I was on a bic techno 133, small fin, overpowered at times on a 6.5M with a lot of out-haul and down-haul (I forgot my 5.5). I weigh roughly 170 lbs.

It was the fastest I have ever been but because it was not choppy, I felt totally in control. That feeling is addictive.

[dllee]

Berkeley Ca., downwind cove, lots of wierd chop, fastest speeds around 27 back and forth for the best guys on the latest slalom gear. Maybe 26 for the rest of fast guys on older slalom gear. Freeride can get you 24. Freestyle gear with a short fin maybe 20 at best, long fin around 23. Formula can get close reaching with a sub 60 fin, but reaching on the predominante 62's get you out of control fast.
Broad, add 5 mph, chop being the limit no matter your size.
I think fastest speeds here are done on 7 meter sails and sub 20 winds, as chop is less. Low tide helps.

[3-phase]

Florian Feuser has a an App on his I-phone I think that can read speed with the build in GPS function just needs a water tight bag I use the http://www.aquapac.net/ so then the guessing is over haha.
Check in your area there should be a guy with a GPS and then sail with him so you know how fast you go. The cool thing is with the GPS you can try different stands and see how they affect your speed. Also on my 110 liter AHD Slalom board with a 7.5 KA Koncept I use a S7 in 37cm or 35 cm to go fast and can even use a 33 cm, when you go off the wind not so much pressure on the fin so no big fin needed aka less drag. In the Video I was on a 5.9 Koyote the wind was on the low side.
In going fast all that matters is balanced and less drag. Then you go fast in a pretty controlled way. A lot of fin and a lot of drag and you gone do spectacular crashes and hang on for dear live
In the video you see how effortless it looks even with the bumps its because the setup is balanced (the secret word balanced haha) when you are in LA come to Cabrillo Beach you can sail my stuff to check it out.

Aloha
Jurg