1 or 2 board quiver?

[J64TWB]

Quite right N.W. but you didn't answer my question. My strong wind board will be 100 freemove for now.

[cgoudie1]

Hey Fred,

It seems to me that at your weight, with your 130 ltr Funride, and 8.0 Retro, and a 50ish cm fin you'd plane off in 10-14 easy. My best sailing buddy weighs in at 145, and he can plane around with similar gear at those wind speeds, though I think the last time he rode stuff like that was
10 years ago (Mistral Vision 130, 8.0 Gaastra as I recall). I doubt you'd
do much better with anything larger, so rid yourself of your current
big sail and get an 8.0 Retro. You already know how sweet those
sails are. For a 2 board quiver, I personally would drop to a 90 ltr
board from 130 ltrs, but you need to make that call on how comfortable
you are with 90 ltrs, and how often you'd ride in winds in the 22-27
MPH range. I think 90 ltrs is a pretty big board for you.

.02

-Craig

[johnl]

I wish I had a 2 board quiver. I've finally gotten down to 4 boards and I live in the Gorge.

[cgoudie1]

Hey John,
There's nothing wrong with having 4 Boards, I have 4 (in the Gorge).
100Ltrs, 79ltrs, 70Ltrs, and an 80 ltr board I use for POV Board cam.

4 Boards is good boards.

-Craig

p.s. I have 3 in Utah also.

[adywind]

[swchandler]

Frederick23, thanks for the words of clarification about your windsurfing. First, I should say that if I was in perfect trim, I would weigh in the 145-150 range. Right now I'm in the 160-165 range, but I can still relate well to what a lighter sailor needs.

I'm with many here thinking that you would be better served with a much smaller volume board. If you want a single board, I would suggest a 100 to 110 liter board. Which size depends on your reliance on uphauling, and your ability doing it comfortably. If your uphauling is done in principally offshore conditions, I'm thinking that the chop tends to be fairly minimal, so you could easily target the 100-105 range. The extra width of a 110 liter could offer a bit more benefit in the lighter winds and through the lulls, but it will weigh more and tend to have a lower high end.

The next issue is what kind of board do you want. In the 100-105 range you've already targeted, you seem to have your heart set on a freemove design. It's my understanding that freemoves are zeroing in on a balance between maneuverability and speed, with the emphasis on the former. My main focus over the 20 years has been slalom boards. In my opinion, many folks give slalom boards a bad rap citing a high strung nature, hard to jibe characteristics and a requirement for expert level experience. Yet, from my experience, this is far from the truth, because I find them to be quite comfortable overall, especially if you have a reasonably sound sailing skills. Without a doubt, slalom boards are significantly lighter and much quicker, and that translates to faster planing and higher top ends. However, if top end slaloms are possibly too much, there are always freerace designs that use the same slalom rockerlines with some refinements that make them more easygoing, particularly in the turns.

One thing that is super important, especially for the one board quiver is the need to have 3 good fins of different sizes that will cover light, medium and high winds. I can't emphasize this enough. While I have a preference for more high aspect slalom designs like the Tectonics Goldwing, many folks want a fin with a bit more sweep at the tip for maneuverability. That said, I would highly recommend that your light wind fin be a full on slalom or course slalom design with a powerful tip and lots of drive.

Regarding your targeted largest sail size, you might want to consider settling on the 7.5 Sailworks Retro. One good reason for this is the fact that the 7.5 sets up on a 460cm mast, which is softer overall, so that it better services a lighter weight sailor, at both the high and low ends of its tuning. An 8.0 requires a stiffer 490cm mast, and if the truth be told, it would only give you a marginally earlier planing ability, but at the cost of more weight and heavier handling. Believe me, the bigger the sail, the more it begins to feel like swinging a heavy barn door in the jibe and coming out of the water. Just as a note, whether it's the 7.5 or 8.0 (no 7.8 right now), Sailworks is offering a great sale price right now on the 2014 models (20% off). I'm sorely tempted right now to pick up a black and orange 7.0 Retro.

Lastly, I would highly recommend going with a new 2 board quiver, and dropping the 130 liter JP. I know you're not really interested in smaller boards right now, but you might want to reconsider and have your smallest board in the 85-90 liter range, with your second board being in the 100-110 liter range (or possibly 112-115 tops). Anything more is going to be more dependent on larger sails and fins. Now, you could potentially go all the way with either of the ultra light wind slalom designs by Starboard or JP, but you have to remember that what you might gain at the starting gate and on the reach will be much much more to tackle in the jibes. Also, for a guy your size, it's arguable whether such a big board would give you that much quicker starts over a 100-110 slalom design. The added extra weight of the big board can't be removed from the picture, and we're probably talking at least 4+kgs or more. Width doesn't always solve all problems.

[J64TWB]

Great advice so far. Thank you.

KMF, I like the idea of using 104 and possibly 132 in same mfg. Great points.

Novaan, you own (did) both atomiq110 and M.R. 104. We are on same page. How much do you weigh?

adywind, I think you more than anyone understands local conditions. Strong N.E. you are on FSW. I won't be out unless its lighter. N.E. are the most consistent and stable winds we have, but bring big waves. S.W. which I go out on, not so much. Very gusty, offshore and painful at times. My guess is, you are on your 110 freemove in S.W. depending on the day. Some S.W. days are 15-30 mph or more. I could see the FSW work then as well. Also, I sail inland and as you do. In fact 50 -60 %.

Swchandler, that is information I needed. Benefits from going 490 mast with 8.0 negate the added weight and stiffness of 460 and 7.5. Also, super light wind boards (ultrasonic) or large slalom may not help an intermediate 145 lb sailer over standard freeride or possibly even a 100 liter with a 7.5.

So... I need to remember, most of my days and average winds here are 6.5 -7.5 for me at 145 lbs. In fact probably 70%. A 100 liter will probably work with 7.5 Retro, but not ideal. It will open up those 5.0 days though. A 110, probably hits the 6.5 -7.5 zone well, but becomes a handful on 5.0. It's like buying clothes! I am always in the middle size.

Seems like I am looking at the 1 board quiver for now (sorry N.W.) based on what I'm hearing. It should work for about 70% of my winds. The other 30%, I am on the fringe at both ends, but since I don't sail the nasty N.E. waves, all should be good except for all those real light wind days when no one can sail. There are a lot of them! Which is why I asked the question.

My guess is go on the smaller end of the middle with the 100 liter, not the larger end with 110.

[gvogelsang]

frederick,

You had a great time on the Magic Ride 104. I think that would be a fine all-around board for you at the stronger end of your comfort "wind zone."

The real question then becomes how to get more light air riding time.

At your weight, I would think that a 130 lt or even a 120 lt Magic Ride would be the ticket. You would gain the ability to plane, and more stability for the larger sails.

I am an old guy and have been windsurfing since 1978 on Lake Erie. At this point, I like easy planing. I weigh 215. I use an old Formula board (only 85 cm wide x 170) and a 122 Firemove with 8.5, 7.5, 6.5 and 5.5 Ezzy's.

At my weight, I think that my Formula, 122 Firemove translates to your weight as a 130 and 104 freemove.

FYI, I am thinking of picking up one more freemove board for 5.5 conditions, which for me is winds up to mid-high 20's. I am not interested in going out in anything bigger at this point in life. Some would say go to 102 lt Firemove or a fsw. but I am leaning for a 112 Firemove for more forgiveness/stability in jibes.

[adywind]

There is one used AtomIQ 100 left at Big Winds, I got the 110. If you are interested ask them for description/ pictures etc. details they rate them A+ but mine had cracks on the nose and don't let them charge you more then 150$ shipping.
Also what forecast apps you are looking at and do you choose your launching spots according what wind direction works best for them or randomly?
I use the IWindsurf app for a detailed forecast up to 48 hrs in advance, but for a week or more ahead I find the Wheather Underground app more accurate . On the WU I mark the days with 20mph or more prediction and start moving my chores around them. The predicted wind speeds are usually what the strongest gust will be, so for a 20mph prediction I expect 15 average wich means planing most of the time with the 7.5. If it's from S or W I go to Wolf Lake IN, if it's N or E I go to Calumet /south of Chicago /. Both spots are nothing to look at-the typical South Side industrial wasteland but they work and parking is free year round, less boat traffic, no swimmers and lifeguards and the coast guard station is just a mile downwind . If you zoom the sat map over Calumet Il you'll see a long break wall sheltering the entrance to the shipping canal . It's low enough for the wind to blow over it unobstructed , but it stops the waves and you have easy access to swell and chop if you desire -it's a beauty. The fat cats have eyeballed it though and we may loose it to a new marina in a few years