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Winter windsurfing
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MattD



Joined: 25 May 2011
Posts: 33

PostPosted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 10:46 pm    Post subject: Winter windsurfing Reply with quote

Following on from the discussion in this thread, I finally finished my winter windsurfer based off the Savo Sledge.

Photos of the board can be found here. The board is a carbon fiber / foam sandwich with custom brackets. My friend built a board with plywood and angled 2x4s which worked just as well so I'd definitely recommend that as a first attempt. The skis are 210cm straight steel edged, though others had smaller skis which worked fine.

I've only sailed it on uneven ice with patchy snow but the board performed great. You need to keep your weight over the board, leaning out can cause spin outs (I didn't have this problem but others did). It takes a little finesse to head downwind, helped by not being too overpowered. Not game to try jibing it yet, though it can be done (might need more snow?). If we get more snow I'll give it a go with my massive 2.5m ski jumping skis, but might have to wait until next season. I'm ready to put footstraps on as it feels a little pitchy particularly when going over snow (more pull on the sail).

Definitely recommend building one of these if you get similar conditions over winter!

Check out a video of it in action here, with a little iceboating thrown in too.
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joethewindsufa



Joined: 10 Oct 2010
Posts: 1190
Location: Montréal

PostPosted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 5:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

i went the simpler, cheaper route and used snowboards, 2x4s and skis.
here is a pic

i built one for snow and the other for ice
still working out some minor details after 3 or 4 years #$%^&*
busted my shoulder the first year on ice - too fast
so, be safe !!!

you are fortunate to have such an expanse of ice
that happens here rarely and as such i use the snow sled more
am considering adding fins and removing the centre ski

as you said it is worth the fun of making and trying it
in my neck o the woods no-one windsurfs on the local river
i do so summer and winter and people freak Smile

are your hinges mobile ?
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w8n4wind



Joined: 12 Nov 2008
Posts: 278
Location: canada

PostPosted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

this could be a good deal for someone, if you get good ice.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/390389885170?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648
no, its not mine.
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inf2003



Joined: 15 Jan 2009
Posts: 148

PostPosted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 10:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
this could be a good deal for someone, if you get good ice.


It didnt really turn out to be such a good deal. It went for over $200. Its probably something that you can only use occasionally as Ice conditions are seldom good enough. If it had went for much cheaper it would have been worth it. I did bid but stopped when it got crazy. Probably posting it here drove up the cost. You did do the seller a good turn.
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mickeboone



Joined: 09 Aug 2001
Posts: 18

PostPosted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
It didnt really turn out to be such a good deal. It went for over $200. Its probably something that you can only use occasionally as Ice conditions are seldom good enough.


$200 certainly is a very good deal for this board. But, if you do not live near an ocean and associated "melt-belts" or mountain ranges that ring out wet weather systems, clear ice might be hard to come by.
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w8n4wind



Joined: 12 Nov 2008
Posts: 278
Location: canada

PostPosted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 6:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i paid a lot more than 200 for mine...
but its been a great winter for it here.
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joethewindsufa



Joined: 10 Oct 2010
Posts: 1190
Location: Montréal

PostPosted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

for me this means this is a demand for stuff like this !!

[youtube]VQuJuwSakX4[/youtube]
likes like youtube ne fonctionne pas - s't

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQuJuwSakX4
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MattD



Joined: 25 May 2011
Posts: 33

PostPosted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 6:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

joethewindsufa wrote:
busted my shoulder the first year on ice - too fast
so, be safe !!!

you are fortunate to have such an expanse of ice
that happens here rarely and as such i use the snow sled more
am considering adding fins and removing the centre ski

as you said it is worth the fun of making and trying it
in my neck o the woods no-one windsurfs on the local river
i do so summer and winter and people freak Smile

are your hinges mobile ?

Yep I'm pretty serious with safety. I wear a helmet, padded pants and an armored shirt. Took a few falls but didn't feel a thing.

The hinges are mobile in that I can change the slant of the skis by changing the number of thick washers used. It sure was a lot of effort just to have this feature.

Previous winters the lake has been covered with snow but this winter has been quite different. I imagine I'll have to wait until next winter before I can try it in deeper snow.
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jingebritsen



Joined: 21 Aug 2002
Posts: 3371

PostPosted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 6:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

hockey suit or motocross armor may be worth everything in this endeavor?

how big of a board would be needed for windsurfing on snow? terrain would make the need for lots of wind, perhaps? maybe after a big dump up in the plains of idaho and montana?of course, there's plenty of ski resorts for snowboarding or skiing there....

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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 10:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jingebritsen wrote:
motocross armor may be worth everything in this endeavor?

Hell, yes. Both my wife and I have suffered many shoulder injuries from desert racing at even very slow speeds, and I separated my shoulder ... again ... surfing my street at a trotting pace on a finless WS board in a fresh foot of snow -- over bare asphalt. It's just plain dumb not to armor up for any sport on a hard surface or around hard objects; the price can be very high that season and may remain significant for the rest of our lives. Remember Craig Stroetzel.
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