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Looking for a Boom, and Boom advice....
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shreddbob



Joined: 31 Mar 1987
Posts: 361
Location: Hawaii

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 2:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Derik,

You're getting a ton of advice here. All good...for various stages of your learning curve. Craig's advice about those old sails and learning in displacement (slow sailing) mode is perfect. I still have very old sails for teaching as well. In a light breeze the old soft sails are actually the best because they allow you to feel every nuance of the wind, instead of a more rigid "plywood like" feel of a modern many battened sail in 5 mph winds.

There are not many of us who sail in displacement low wind mode any more unfortunately. Windsurfing in planing fast mode is such a kick that most of us are totally addicted to that! However, some/many of us did get our start in low wind mode. We tend to forget that part, but the time on water (TOW) that I had in low winds many years ago makes me a better high wind sailor today. The instincts and body feel gained from all that time has been invaluable to me. Yes, I"m sure you'll get into that rush of planing (with different sails and boards) but don't be so quick to abandon the TOW with the low wind stuff. I sense you are getting real involved in the gear dilemmas now. Don't. Maybe pick up one modern high wind sail like a 6.5 if a good one comes along (with a proper mast for it), but don't go crazy with the gear yet. It'll be obvious when you need to get more gear. Sitting at the computer reading and scheming on gear will empty your wallet faster than necessary. For now, sail more, scheme less. My .02

BTW: It's perfectly possible to plane with an old soft sail. It's more work than with a modern more stable sail, but it's still a blast. You just have to lean back in the harness, during a big gust, like you're intending to fall backwards into the water. This puts enough counter force on that old sail to keep you from getting pulled over onto the sail. (A waist harness is better than a seat harness in this case with the old unstable sail..or you don't even need a harness to try it out a couple times.) You'll take off like a rocket, especially if the water is smooth like on a lake or protected cove. Try aiming somewhat onto a broad reach (120 degrees to the wind or so) to get the feel. If your board has a dagger, kick it into retracted position before you do all this. And having the mast at the back of the track is also important with an old style longboard. If you can plane like this, then it'll be real easy to make the transition to more modern stuff later, because the older stuff demanded you exaggerate all the leaning and leg work necessary in order to get up onto a plane. In other words YOU are sailing that old gear onto a plane. With new light/stiff/responsive gear sometimes the gear is so quick and lively that it's like it tries to sail you instead of you sailing it, if your instincts are not spot on. In other words, by you learning to plane "the hard way" it'll make the "easy way" with more modern gear even easier.

Also, look up when an ABK clinic will be in your area. Great experience. Very Happy

Bob
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rhodes350



Joined: 09 Nov 2004
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 3:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Derik,

ABK clinic is a must. Best investment and a lot of fun. What you will learn in three days at the clinic would take years on your own. See you at Sandy Hook.

Jason
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scargo



Joined: 19 May 2007
Posts: 394

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 4:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shreddbob's post is suitable for framing. I too started on a crappy Obrien, and ended up wasting lots of money on lots of cheap stuff that, taken together, didn't amount to much.

To me, the ideal way to get going today (in jersey conditions) would be to buy a Kona One, one mast, one boom, and a 5.5 and 7.0. That would keep a smile on your face from 2 knots up to about 25, and you'd emerge from the experience as a competent windsurfer.
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Derikthin



Joined: 22 Mar 2016
Posts: 141
Location: Highland Park NJ

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 7:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bob,
Thanks for your input man. Enjoyed reading your .02 =). And thanks for your words of encouragement. Makes me a little more excited to be enduring this older stuff =).

I really just enjoy being out on the water and using the wind to move. I'm almost glad that I haven't yet had the chance to step foot on a new modern super awesome board. It would be like having an old Atari and thinking the graphics are amazing and then your friend lets you see his new Nintendo and you realize yours blows. I've already stepped up from the Obrien... I mean I could not have started any lower I don't think. I'm hoping that I can do just what you mentioned, and get some skills on this older gear that will allow me to really appreciate when I get better gear.

I'll do some research on the ADK clinic, that sounds like a solid idea. Hoping it will work with my predictably unpredictable schedule.

Rhodes! Hope to see you down at Sandy hook sometime in the not so distant future! I'm going to Lakes bay tomorrow with a Kiter friend. Maybe I'll convince him to switch.

Scargo I would love to drop $1600 clams on a Kona One but it's just not in "ye old budget" at the moment.

One thing I have noticed thus far in windsurfing, the community is WAY more friendly and open and willing to help then in skiing. So far I'm enjoying everything about it and it's making me enjoy the seasons that are not winter.
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DelCarpenter



Joined: 06 Nov 2008
Posts: 499
Location: Cedar Falls, IA

PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Derik, eventually you might be using your oldest sails for land sailing parking lots on a mountain board when the water conditions aren't right; or when there is too much darkness at 9:00 pm on the water, but your preferred parking lot is lighted.

I have a friend who loves old O'brien sails and would buy your 6.0 in an instant to replace the one he had that died last season. Unfortunately he lives here in IA.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 1:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Del, you say it's never windy enough to plane there, but it's in the upper 70s and blowing in the low 20s in central IA right now. Quit typing and get out there, Mon!
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Derikthin



Joined: 22 Mar 2016
Posts: 141
Location: Highland Park NJ

PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 9:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I saw some pictures of people land sailing and it looks awesome. I'm giving those Crappy obrien sails all the love a man can, even though everyone that seems them tells me they are not worth the gas it took to drive them down in my truck lol.
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DelCarpenter



Joined: 06 Nov 2008
Posts: 499
Location: Cedar Falls, IA

PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2016 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Isobars, I was out on Friday with the same conditions, good enough to get my new-to-me this year Kona Hula (which weighs about 40-45 lbs) on a plane with a 5.3 Waddell. Saturday I didn't have enough time to get on the water so I enjoyed about an hour of land sailing instead in a junior high parking lot. Iowa is having wonderful wind, temperatures in the 70s, sunshine, & its too early for mosquitos.
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