How do we get longboarding back ??

[joethewindsufa]

okay - now there are inflatables and WindSUPs
how about getting back to longboarding ??
nothing beats the glide of the older longboards in light winds
have discovered nothing turns on a dime better than my BIC Dufour WING
my original/first board sprung a leak

so, i let it all dry out and was gonna fix it
instead found one for 50 bucks
bottom needed major cleaning, which still left stains
okay, put some primer on to hide the stains - needed grey - white not enuff

and then took it out for a spin on a small lake up north
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFdbqzyTvBs
cheap thrills oh yeah

oh yeah - that's my "lake board"
also have a Mistral Equipe II XR that I cherish !!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDAJxD7rm9E
and yes , i am NOT in the footstraps
need to move mast base back even more

modern longboards are typically raceboards and cost way too much

how do we bring them back ??

[GURGLETROUSERS]

I think there will always be a need for longboard versatility as long as windsurfing survives Joe.

The old longboards (Cats, Equipes etc)were, after all, specialised racing boards, as opposed to play about allrounders such as the old Bic you picture. The modern Phantom carries on that tradition, while S.U.P. has taken over most of the casual user market, along with the Kona, for those who still prefer sailing only. They seem to be 'holding the fort' well enough.

My wish is that the Kona design should be 'tweaked', with a proper sliding mast-track, and more efficient daggerboard' while being built to the same lighter, durable, and faster feeling (i.e. Mistral DCS or Bic Ace-Tech etc) type construction as the old boards, but at a more affordable price than the mouth watering Carbone!

I'm sure ther would be a viable market for a great allround longboard, with a not inconsiderable sailing range and performance!

[jingebritsen]

carbone is expensive for all those reasons

[joethewindsufa]

yes , the Exocet/KONA brand is helping A LOT
http://joewindsurfer.blogspot.ca/2015/11/kona-is-one.html

in the WindSurfing NOW magazine there is an article about the ZEN of Longboarding

this summer there is the Canadian Masters in MTL
http://joewindsurfer.blogspot.ca/2016/05/canadian-masters-race-near-montreal-2016.html

just hope the FUN factor windsurfing comes back / families, etc

[coachg]

[joethewindsufa]

NICE
just hope it's not just you, me n boo ??

whoops - and a dog named "boo" ...

[Awalkspoiled]

It’s going to take what it always took - skilled sailors spreading the joy. Back in the day I always traveled with two boards on my car - whatever I was using as a raceboard at the time - Equipe 1, Tiga, AHD - and a big, wide easy to learn on board with a small teaching sail - a Windsurfer Star for a while, a Wayler, a Bic Wing. That way when someone asked “Is that hard to learn?” I could always say “Let’s find out...”. The heavy plastic board came out for freestyle when the winds were really light also.

The wide-tailed logs of yesteryear are still easier to learn on than the Kona One and a lot less scary to lend out than any raceboard, and in really light airs many of them outperform the Kona or raceboard too - I’d be a lot faster working a Superlight or even a Wayler upwind than a Kona in 5knt or less, and your Dufour might be the fastest tacking board ever. I ride a Carbone now as my do-everything board, but I have a Windsurfer One Design under the deck for guests who want to give the sport a try.

[U2U2U2]

If you started a campaign for new longboards...
I would suggest the forums, RX Starboard and Fanatic.

A smaller board company would probably be more receptive however.

Be prepared to pay a hefty price,
IMO I think most would be happy on a wind sup, I certainly am

[gvogelsang]

Here are some longboards that I have considered in the past two years:

Kona Carbone
AHD Tacktic
Pryde RS X

I would enjoy having a longboard to sail in marginal winds, and maybe race a few times a year against other local sailors with the same board. But, there is no consensus as to which longboard we should sail..

I think that if everyone agreed on one longboard, it would be easier to buy one and sail it a lot of the time. But, there are too many choices, and many differences when it comes to choosing one. That's too bad, because longboards are great for beginners and intermediates, and long-time windsurfers who want more time on the water, and sailors who want one-design competition.

[konajoe]