Help deciding if I should downsize freestyle board

[wsmtbskate]

Hi all
Looking for some opinions on whether I should downsize or not. Background - I weigh 72 kg, high wind I'm pretty much dry on most my jibes,planing out of jibes 1/3, duck jibing, completing 1/3 of carve 360's, bump and jump. Looking to transition my light wind freestyle moves to high wind - duck tack, push tack, upwind 360. Would like to gecko, Vulcan and loop next but am likely a long way off.

Since 1/2 my sailing is lake, 1/2 ocean my go to board is a 2010 skate bgs 110 liter (6.8 and 5.8, 5.0 for lwfs) two years ago I bought a 2008 fanatic fsw 104 liter which I was planning to use in waves (haven't gotten to that yet) but mainly use it for bump and jump. It's been a nice board for me, stability has been fine. I also have an 85 liter fsw that rarely gets used.

So the question is whether I should downsize my skate to a 100 liter bgs version.

1. Will a 100 liter versus the 110 hinder or help my progress for the non aerial moves, both high and low wind.
2. What about aerial moves, I'd presume the 100 would be hands down better
3. At my 72 kg, how much less planing will I lose with 10 liter loss going from 110 to 100.
4. Would the 100 skate be that much better for the non aerial high and low wind freestyle than my current freewave 104. I understand there is overlap in sizes if I had a 100 and 104.I'm ok with that as I currently use the skate for inland flat water and the fsw for ocean (where I sail on the ocean is mostly large swell bump and jump and not great for freestyle).
5. Of course the cheapest option would to just keep what I have

Thanks in advance
Jeff

[NOVAAN]

Keep it.

[U2U2U2]

1. The 100 would help in high wind and hinder somewhat in low.
Most would not tell the difference in 5 liters, a little higher percentage would 10 liters. See question 3..answer
2. Yes
3. Eat less, lost a few pounds
4. Yes
5. How deep are your pockets..unless you are in some breakthrough phase it will make minimal difference.
PS
If you sell the 110l keep me in mind.

[wsurfn1426]

Yes, a 100 liter Skate would be better for your weight and I don't think you would give up much at all in the early planing department going down 10 liters, but for your current skill level, I think your money is better spent on clinics/lessons. There you might be able to demo the 100 liter Skate or a similar board and find out the real answer. My guess is when you start getting your aerial moves, you may want a 90 liter TE.

[loonie2]

Yep, what the others said. Of the moves you mentioned, the only one that benefits from a freestyle board is the Vulcan. One could argue that the little bit of extra stability and float in the 110 would make this easier. Plus if a 85l litre is rarely used, you're probably typically seeing light wind (again making the 110l a bit better). I suggest maybe down the road re-consider depending on where you're at.

[coachg]

1. Will a 100 liter versus the 110 hinder or help my progress for the non aerial moves, both high and low wind.

I would guess it would not hinder & may help. I'm 75 kg & the 101 has plenty enough float for me in light wind.


2. What about aerial moves, I'd presume the 100 would be hands down better

Yes, smaller is better for anything aerial.


3. At my 72 kg, how much less planing will I lose with 10 liter loss going from 110 to 100.

You will lose no planing ability going down 10 liters in volume is not the determiner for planing. However, you will lose planing ability with the loss of about 2.5 cm's in width. Expect to lose .5 to 1 meter planing ability for the loss of width.

4. Would the 100 skate be that much better for the non aerial high and low wind freestyle than my current freewave 104. I understand there is overlap in sizes if I had a 100 and 104.

The skate would definitely be better for the low wind freestyle as the volume is more evenly distributed. For high wind carving tricks the free wave is probably better-rocker line-but not by much.


Coachg

[NOVAAN]

Agreed.. Save you money for some free style lessons. Maybe a week windsurfing camp some where warm shallow and windy. ABK at SPI in April is just one of many places to work on your skills. Its drive able with cheap condos to rent.....

[isobars]

First: Excellently posed questions, with solid explanations of skills, background, objectives, and venues.

Second: I fully agree with the advice to go to a freestyle clinic. An aggressive sailor with broad FS interests stands to learn a great deal there.

Third: How small to go is greatly dependent on your venues. If the walk of shame is onerous or outright risky, volume is your friend when the wind quits.

Mike \m/

[wsmtbskate]

Thanks to everyone for their advice. Very helpful.

I've been to 3 or 4 ABK camps in the past 6 years or so, albeit only 3 day camps. I'd love to go for a full week camp but getting spousal approval for that would be a hard sell ! ABK has been awesome. It's where I've learned the lwfs stuff (and high wind too) 👍.

My heart wants to downsize to a 100 liter board as I know from using my 104 FSW that a 100 liter skate would be no problem. I suppose the biggest thing for me to decide is whether the lower planing threshold of the 110 is worth it over the 100, which it probably is given the venues I sail in. Once I get into aerials (or at least trying them) then things might sway the other way.

I'll see how the fall ABK camp goes and hopefully demo a 100 liter skate.

thanks again
Jeff

[boardsurfr]

Jeff, get the 100, and keep the 110 around. You can probably find a place to store it at that little place your mom has on the water . You can always sell it later if you find you don't use it much.

I think you'll see a difference in the early planing with a 6.5, albeit not a huge one. Nina, who is a bit lighter than you, uses her 90 l Skate 90+% of the time. But every now and then when I have to work to get planing on 6.5/110, she'll switch to the 100. For working on Flakas and Vulcans, she's a lot happier if she can use the 90. But when working on old school tricks where she has to move around (Donkey Jibes, planing Sail-Body 360s, Reverse Monkey Jibes), she's happier with the 100.

And start earning cookie points at home so you can get spousal approval for a 5-day ABK camp in Hatteras or Bonaire!