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Light Wind Board Question
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Mgoetz



Joined: 06 Jun 1997
Posts: 53

PostPosted: Wed Aug 09, 2017 10:41 am    Post subject: Light Wind Board Question Reply with quote

My Kona One has been a great board for cruising and light wind planing though there have been times that I think a lighter board would get me onto a plane faster. Because the prevailing summer wind is side-off at my location, the Kona's length and dagger board have been great for pointing back to the beach but it takes a good steady 13-15 knots for me to get it planing, even with a 9.5. I can get my 103 liter Mistral Screamer planing with a 6.2 in nearly the same conditions but getting back to the beach in an off-shore breeze is tricky – last week a dying wind and incoming tide pushed me and my rig into a nearby inlet. A nice guy and his daughter towed me out with their Boston Whaler. I don’t want that to happen again but I sure enjoyed being on lighter, performance oriented gear. Any recommendations for a light wind board that’s a little shorter, lighter, and less volume than the Kona One (CarbOne is still out of my price range)? I was thinking a vintage Fanatic Viper or a Viper 80, though I am wondering whether that EVA deck adds to the weight. Anybody sail these or something similar for light wind conditions? Thanks
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joethewindsufa



Joined: 10 Oct 2010
Posts: 1190
Location: Montréal

PostPosted: Wed Aug 09, 2017 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

xxx

Last edited by joethewindsufa on Thu Aug 10, 2017 5:27 am; edited 1 time in total
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dllee



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 5328
Location: East Bay

PostPosted: Wed Aug 09, 2017 5:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

At least get your waterstarts down, and make a few jibes, before sailing in offshore breezes.
I've been windsurfing in offshore winds since my 7th day, at places like OysterPoint, Flying Tigers, and Candlestick, and I"ve never gotten blown downwind nor stuck in light winds and drifting downwind. Slogging is best done UPwind, so it's usually easy to gain upwind while slogging.
Slogging can be done on any board that floats you, so 85 liters is plenty to slog upwind for my 160 lbs..
Or, better, drive to where it's sideshore winds.
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wynsurfer



Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 940

PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 4:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Best stick with what you have! Offshore winds where tide and current are a factor are serious. I use an old Fanatic Ultra Cat, 1989 model: 275 X 65 @ 210L
https://hitthewave.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/fanatic-1988-range-contribution-by-jan-cas-smit.jpg

I live on Long Island Sound where there is a great deal of current at times, especially during the 3rd and 4th hour of a tide cycle. If winds are light and current is great you may encounter serious problems.

There is a race near where I sail, 5-6 kts. current at times! Without my Ultra cat I would have been in trouble more than once.

I also have owned a Tabou Rocket 145 with 9 meter sail, 50 cm. fin which was not as effective in the race.

Vintage viper is highly inferior to going upwind, Modern Vipers are short and wide about 275 cm. but they are heavy @ 30+ lbs so little no advantage here in my opinion.

Formula maybe.
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jingebritsen



Joined: 21 Aug 2002
Posts: 3371

PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 4:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

viper is a beginner board, right?

what's your weight and height?

get a chance to sail any spots with a group of experienced folks?

at 205 lbs, i need a 79 cm wide slalom board, a 9.0 sail and strategic pumping to plane in 13-15 mph. 13-15 knots? maybe a 7.5. depends on the consistency of the wind: maui trades, or florida puffy swiss cheese winds.

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Mgoetz



Joined: 06 Jun 1997
Posts: 53

PostPosted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 10:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the replies and suggestions.
My weight is 190, height is 6'
I'm not a beginner and prefer to windsurf when it’s blowing over 20. I chose the Kona One for more time on the water. I typically sail it in Delaware Bay which is 10 minutes away. If it's offshore (SW-SE) there, the 7 mile drive to Rehoboth Bay could take an hour is summer traffic. Same for the return trip. I could go on a long soliloquy about how Sussex County’s building practices have made it close to impossible to get to more wind-favorable launch spots.
I appreciate the warnings about sailing off-shore and restrict such activity to warm weather months when there is other boat traffic around. Lots of Hobies and Sunfishes are out there in all wind directions. The Kona One has been great for this, whether sailing to a wind line that enables planing, or just cruising around. If the wind drops and the current gets strong, which can happen near the channel, I can easily up-haul the sail, drop the center board and get back to the beach. But I’m convinced that a slightly lighter, shorter board can get buy me more planing time while still providing some of the safeguards that the long, floaty Kona One provides. I mentioned the Fanatic Viper because spec-wise, it appears their longer and more narrow profiles appear to mimic that of a Kona One, plus I think they have a dagger board for really pointing upwind. I wanted to know if anybody sailed these, or something similar, not necessarily because they are good beginner boards, but as a light wind cruiser with the potential to plane in 13-15 knots should the wind pick up. I suppose kiting would be an option - that's safe in off-shore conditions, right?
Rolling Eyes
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boardsurfr



Joined: 23 Aug 2001
Posts: 1266

PostPosted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have been on a Viper a few times, but do not think it will get you planing a lot sooner than the Kona. That's not the main thing it's designed for. Boards that are designed for early planing, like large slalom boards or race boards like the Starboard Phantom, would get you going a bit sooner, but have their drawbacks. Cost is one, and durability is another one.

Your shortboard planing skills seem decent, but the Kona One should be able to plane or at least semi-plane a couple of knots earlier with your big sail. You may need some techniques that are different from shortboard techniques, and not necessarily intuitive. If the wind is too light to fully plane, you're probably better off with the dagger board down, railing the board on the leeward rail 15-25 degrees. You can place your front foot on the knob of the daggerboard from the side to help the railing, that works quite well. It's easy to copy if you see someone good (like Andy Brandt) doing it. There are ABK camps in New Jersey and Hatteras this fall where you could ask him.
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pete1111



Joined: 16 Apr 2005
Posts: 193
Location: The Dude

PostPosted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe a used RS:X from Neil Pryde could do the trick
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jingebritsen



Joined: 21 Aug 2002
Posts: 3371

PostPosted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 5:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rsx is heavy and not much earlier to plane than a kona one.

big giant slalom board or free rider might be right.

s-5 is a bit longer, might help with slogging:

http://www.exocet-original.com/en/s-line.php

rs-6 bound to be a planing machine. i have the older rs-5.5 it planes in a hummingbird fart. http://www.exocet-original.com/en/rs-slalom.php

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Mgoetz



Joined: 06 Jun 1997
Posts: 53

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 10:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"If the wind is too light to fully plane, you're probably better off with the dagger board down, railing the board on the leeward rail 15-25 degrees. You can place your front foot on the knob of the daggerboard from the side to help the railing, that works quite well. It's easy to copy if you see someone good (like Andy Brandt) doing it. There are ABK camps in New Jersey and Hatteras this fall where you could ask him.[/quote]

I usually only put the dagger board down when I really want to sail close to the wind but will try your suggestion in other conditions. I've been to one of Andy's camps in Bonaire, actually my wife took the course and I watched from a distance, and thought he was a good instructor. Will check out the video.
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