Messages

1

Wind Powered / Re: first taste of windsup, seeking advice

« on: July 28, 2014, 11:57:34 AM »

Well you have the perfect board for it. Instead of a new fin just sink the windward rail and the board will cut upwind at a higher angle. As you get better you can start to buy some gear like a bigger sail and a harness. You should be able to buy used sails, just don't buy old stuff. Be very selective when buying used gear. You will need to figure out how to pad the nose of the boom and the mast below it or your nice board could be severely damaged in a catapult. SUP's are long enough that the nose of the boom will not clear the board, I busted the nose clean off a SUP this way.

2

Wind Powered / Re: first taste of windsup, seeking advice

« on: July 28, 2014, 02:02:42 AM »

There are a few things wrong here, you are sailing in a bay in Florida with no waves. Your board is made for SUPing and wind SUPing in light wind with small waves. In a flat water place like yours the goal is to plane, skimming across the surface of the water riding the fin. Your board is not really designed to plane, just swap a small sail for the paddle and wobble out past the breakers and surf back in, sail should be small and light, just big enough to keep you upwind. A bigger fin will only help you sail upwind a bit more but not plane on your board. Forget about planing on that board.
It is however really good to learn the basics of windsurfing on but as you progress and want to go faster and plane you will need a whole bunch of new gear. Windsurfing can be insanely complicated and expensive especially trying to plane in light winds, wind SUPing keeps it simple. 

3

SUP General / Re: What repetative injuries from SUPing?

« on: November 22, 2013, 10:44:40 PM »

I strained my AC joint learning to waterstart windsurfing when the sail pulled me up and over, nothing too serious and it's shown a progression of recovery over the last two years.
I think the worst thing for shoulders is 6 man outrigger paddling, there is no stopping when it hurts, you have to keep up with everyone else. SUP is of course a bit different, I think our hands are going higher over our heads and our stroke is slower but more strenuous so I'm wondering what problems that entail.

4

SUP General / What repetative injuries from SUPing?

« on: November 21, 2013, 04:27:55 PM »

Sup has been around for long enough now, is there a specific upper body injury that has become commonly associated ?

5

Wind Powered / Re: Bic Ace Tec Wind and Exocet Windsup

« on: December 30, 2012, 01:50:56 AM »

I have the windsup, it's a real windsurfing board but not much of a SUP, it's heavy, 33 lbs the same as the Bic.
If I'm looking to sail in small waves and swell ride the windsup is fine but anything bigger than small waves any old SUP with a mast track installed will be better, lighter and more turny.
Look for a board with a domed deck, it makes sailing much easier.
Seriously unless you are made of money just have a ding repair guy put in a mast track for about $100 in any old SUP, worked for me.
Tail rocker equals small sails, waddle out there and use the waves for propulsion, forget about planing.

6

Wind Powered / Re: Exocet WindSUP

« on: August 21, 2012, 12:31:31 AM »

All TBS, since you are not surfing on waves the longer board would give more glide and stability sailing on and off the plane and SUPing.
Here is an idea, get an old raceboard longboard windsurfer, you could get a very nice one for a few hundred bucks then buy a displacement bow flatwater SUP, 14' or 18', the way those things paddle and glide is amazing.

7

Wind Powered / Re: Exocet WindSUP

« on: August 20, 2012, 02:00:20 PM »

I have the 11'8" Windsup, these are my observations;
The step tail does seem to allow the water to release off the back very nicely at any speed. Because the board has a flat tail (no tail rocker) the step tail allows the board to fit into waves. The flat tail is necessary for windsurfing at higher speeds but won't work in waves so the step tail is sort of a compromise.
I would say this board is primarily a windsurfer. It's very heavy, around 32 or 34 Lbs which seems to make it more stable when blasting back and forth.
For SUP surfing a person will be better off with any old SUP board, it will be lighter to turn easier and have tail rocker, trying to make the windsup a do all board is a compromise.
If you use footstraps they will have to come off for SUP surfing, taking them on and off frequently is not workable, it's a PITA and the holes will wear out eventually.
For just paddling around it's ok, the straps can stay on and the daggerboard can go down just a bit to act as a keel to keep you going straight. But paddling on flat water the nose rocker pushes quite a bit of water, a displacement nose board would be so much better for flat water paddling.
The mast track is very long, 14" but it's placed too far forward. I have been having trouble trying to get into the straps and I discovered that everyone puts the mast base at the back of the track. With a two bolt mast base all the way back and the front footstraps in the forward position the distance is correct, to use the outboard strap positions requires a one bolt mast base to get the mast back about another 2" to keep the distance correct.
There is a far forward footstrap position but that's way too far forward, just for learning.
Daggerboard fit's kinda loose and sloppy and I'm afraid to tighten it up any more but I don't use it anyways, it stays in the car.
Powerbox fin box is very important IMO, it allows the use of huge fins, it comes with a giant 44 CM fin which really is too big for surfing or shallow water but great for sailing. All boards should have fin boxes like this, easier to get fins on and off and stronger.
The board sails very well on and off the plane, it's stable and wants to go in a straight line. It eats up chop. Planning jibes apparently are not so easy (I'm not there yet) I use a stomp jibe, stepping on the tail hard turns it very sharply and controllably and sail out clew first, tacks are super easy too. To me it's about the best longboard windsurfer available.
I see the 2013 model has a handle hole, this is very good because it's so heavy, I grab it thru the DB slot but that's not balanced in the middle.
I usually use an 8M sail but others have said up to a 10M works fine.
Really it's just a bigger and better Kona.

8

Wind Powered / Re: how to properly convert your SUP for W/S(windsurfing....no, not watersports)

« on: April 08, 2012, 02:36:41 PM »

If the SUP has any tail rocker it will be useless for flatwater windsurfing, fine at low speed but when you get powered up and in the harness as you rake the rig back and move towards the tail of the board the nose will rear up, the board will slow way down and the whole contraption will become unmanageable. You will only be able to sail from the middle of the board.
Works fine windsurfing in waves however.
And in waves you can even move to the back of the board as the rocker of the board will fit in the wave.

9

Gear Talk / Re: Looking for info on old Mistral windsurfer

« on: April 08, 2012, 02:23:59 PM »

You can scrap that whole uni car track plastic thing if it not working too well, they make a large square brass washer just for that track so you can use a standard mast base and universal joint.

10

SUP General / Re: StandUp 4 GreatBear vid

« on: January 10, 2012, 09:49:43 PM »

So much calm glassy water, who would've known?

11

Wind Powered / Intersting article about windsups

« on: January 10, 2012, 04:45:34 PM »

http://www.boardseekermag.com/equipment_reviews/equipment/wind-SUP-windsurfers-test.htm
Make sure you click on the bottom for the whole article

12

SUP General / Re: shoulder injury?

« on: November 29, 2011, 11:01:43 PM »

Yes getting old sucks AND you will soon discover that your healthcare is in your own hands, your DR. will not be able to cure you, you need to get on the internets and figure out what exactly is the problem, then proceed with treatment and perhaps a visit with your DR.

13

Gear Talk / Re: Do you carry a knife when non-surf SUPing?

« on: November 06, 2011, 11:01:12 PM »

I completely agree, handguns have no place in a civilized society.

14

Gear Talk / Re: Do you carry a knife when non-surf SUPing?

« on: November 02, 2011, 05:47:23 PM »

Well if the wind blows you over to Oakland or down to East Palo Alto you'll wish you had a handgun instead of a knife, seriously.

15

Training, Diet, and Fitness / Re: OC6 shoulder ache

« on: September 29, 2011, 12:17:57 AM »

Starting next season I'll see how much oc6 practice I can handle, but it could be it's just not for me.
I had been using cheap wood club owned paddles and I certainly would like to get one of your paddles Bill, even if it's just for oc1.
Are you aware of the rules RE; oc6 paddles? they need to be all wood but the paddle faces and handle can be covered in carbon.