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rangerider



Joined: 19 Jul 2009
Posts: 206

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 8:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would consider the short-wide freeride/freemove boards (RRD fire move, JP Magic Ride, Fanatic Gecko, Exocet Xcross). I think the volume distribution is good for up hauling and blasting as long as the chop isn't too bad and apparently these boards turn/gybe well also. I imagine these boards being good for gusty midwest conditions but I haven't actually used any of them so I can't endorse them (my next board will be one of these though). At your weight I'm sure the fun ride is a fine board. I can also second the recommendation of the WindSup 11'8" for predictable and fun freeriding although not as lively as a dedicated freeride board.
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DanWeiss



Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Posts: 2296
Location: Connecticut, USA

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I once did go out in 35-40 Santa Anna. Only after about an hour did I notice the nice LALG trucks in the lot and a LG boat screaming toward me. My sense of guilt grew as I talked to those guys who received a call about a windsurfer being blown out to sea. On the other hand, I was on racing gear and beat the boat back to the beach. So that made me feel a bit better.
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KGB-NP



Joined: 25 Jul 2001
Posts: 2856

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 8:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rangerider wrote:
I would consider the short-wide freeride/freemove boards (RRD fire move, JP Magic Ride, Fanatic Gecko, Exocet Xcross).

I've had the chance to sail the RRD Firemove and the Exocet Xcross and both were great boards. I particularly loved the Firemove.
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techno900



Joined: 28 Mar 2001
Posts: 4161

PostPosted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 10:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dan,

Calif. life guards are overly cautious. Probably 80% of their "rescues" are no more than assisting or communicating with folks that might get into trouble.

in the 70's I was scuba diving off La Jolla, CA with my brother and wife, and was snorkeling back in along the cliffs, but ran into a small "rip" in a little canyon and could make no headway. After a few seconds of frustration, I moved 10 yds. to another non rip location and was face to face with a life guard in the water "rescuing me". The problem was already solved once he arrived. It's just the way the do it.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

techno900 wrote:
Calif. life guards are overly cautious ... It's just the way they do it.

I gotta chuckle at that and veer onto an illustrative tangent. At NM's windiest lake, often ripped by Chinooks averaging in the 30's, 40's, even 50's (mph) some days, the Corps of Engineers watches us very closely ... from their lawn chairs on their grassy slope overlooking the gustiest, windiest, choppiest, gnarliest piece of sailable water in the whole state. That corner of the lake is rimmed by concrete and boulders, reflecting the swell from several miles of fetch back onto itself, beating us to a pulp in the occasional brief and frightening runs we make into it just for giggles despite the spillway just downwind.

"Overly cautious"? Not exactly. We're the closest thing to entertainment the Corps staff gets on days like that, because no sane people are out on the lake those days. We realized early on that they were laughing at our crashes. One day I drove there around Thanksgiving, found the entire lee shore launch park closed for the winter, asked them for the gate key, was given the key with instructions to leave it in the gate when I left that evening, and sailed several hours in raging winds, alone ... except for the intermittent (it was COLD), uniformed, laughing peanut gallery on the lawn.

In all those years, we were told to get off the water just once, for maybe 20 minutes, when the wind was averaging about 50 with many gusts pegging my Dwyer anemometer at 66 mph, so a Navy seaplane could land, refuel, and take off again. Incredible sight!

Different mindsets, due to at least two factors: we threatened no bystanders, and on that lake we were on our own with no expensive rescue services available. On the state's bigger lake, deaths are more common, so rescue (usually body recovery, since the lake is so long) is available all year. Lake Michigan is even bigger than NM's lakes. Sad
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xander.arch



Joined: 23 Apr 2009
Posts: 217

PostPosted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 1:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Against the last line of your topic post, "other than move to S.F. and get a shrink....", I say you should move to SF which will allow you to get on the water so you won't need a shrink at all. I spent 1.5 years in Chicago and never even thought once about windsurfing. Then when I moved to SF I got back into windsurfing after a long time away. The beauty of SF is that during the summer it is pretty much always windy somewhere when you have time to sail. This means I can keep my professional life moving right along and slip a session in here and there as it fits with my schedule. I don't know your personal situation, but if you want to get better fast, a summer in SF will do the trick. You might even be able to find work in your respective field. Or just start the summer with one of the four day ABK clinics in the SF delta. The delta is warm, windy, and extremely safe. Andy's crew will sort you out - worth the price of a flight and admission. Plus hotels out there are cheap.
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J64TWB



Joined: 24 Dec 2013
Posts: 1685

PostPosted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes I need to try some of those short wide freemove/freerides/freerace. Maybe this Summer I can find some or possibly at one of those camps.

Bay Area is awesome. Every time I am there I am envious of the weather and the surfers. Thought about moving there often. We had a pretty warm February March last year, Ice had been off Lake Michigan for while. Still to cold to go out there. Packed all the gear in the truck, went up to an inland lake in Wisconsin. Get there, it's frozen solid with Ice fisherman. 10 days later came back and I was good to go.
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