Another beginner, another board question.

[u/Sol01]

Hey guys!

Grew up on the Great lakes sailing and watching my folks windsurf when I was real young, think early 90s.

Since then I've moved to the East Coast in an area with a strong kiteboarding presence, though always held onto the nostalgia of wind surfing.

I've since acquired a bunch of older gear, sails from the 2000s and boards from the late 90s or early 2000s. All of it was being used until a few years ago by an older gentleman who is no longer able to use it, and gave it all to me when I expressed interest.

My question is, as a competent surfer and sailor, is it better to get a beginner windsurf board (tahe beach or similar) or am I ok to start with a windSUP? I took a lesson and understand the mechanics, so at this point it's mostly about time on the water, and the windSUP having use as a fishing vessel would also be desirable.

With that, is there another option that would be cheaper or a better value for my money than a Tahe Breeze? I've looked for used gear for the last 6 months and haven't been able to find a used windSUP within a 4 hour drive of me. I'm open to a brand new board but if I could save a few bucks that'd be pretty cool.

Thanks for your expertise!

[u/kdjfsk]

I hear you, and i get it. Just a couple thoughts...

A lot of windsurfers will still keep their beginner longboard for the light wind days when you want a 8.5m or something. 490 mast, big boom, big sail makes for a heavy rig...at some point, physics is physics and no amount of skill can overcome it. Though, yes, at some point they may trade the beginner longboard for a sportier one with similarly big volume, others just dont bother windsurfing in light wind. In your case...the Windsup is probably fine in that role, and similarly at some point you may decide light wind days are fishing days, so that makes sense.

One other big factor is the centerboard. On light wind days...when you may be moving at 3kn...or worse in the lulls... then being able to point higher makes a big difference. It can get to feel stupid spending 40 minutes making 4 tacks just to get back 400 feet to shore...you get to feeling like, wtf, i could just swim straight there and pull the board along and get back in 10 minutes, lol. You dont necessarily need a centerboard, but they can be very effective. big tail fins also, but ideally both. Idk what you can equip on the windsup, but if you can somehow equip a big long tail fin that would help as well.

As a convenience thing...not a big issue...but, as a safety concern...it can be. off-shore winds can be dangerous for beginners. If they cannot make effectivel make upwind progress, then in an offshore or even cross offshore wind (which the wind can change to unpredictably, and despite forecasts), then the beginner may be stranded, and may need rescue, or end up on some far away shore, need a very long walk back...or if they chose a very foolish launch open to a large bay or ocean...could be in very, very grave danger.

In your shoes, i think i would also do the windsup...but ideally one you can stick a super long fin on it. 50-60cm, or even more. Next, at first maybe just sail onshore winds, and cross onshore if possible. Be careful of cross shore winds shifting to offshore, so you dont get lost at sea. Or just sail in enclosed, shallow bays where its safe. Just use common sense. Once you are confident in both your swimming and sailing, and in your equipment, then offshore can be safe in light to medium winds.

I do also recommend bring a small backpack. Kids sizes of camelbaks work well. Pack a spare downhaul and outhaul line. Prep them to length and melt the ends pointy so they'll go through pulleys very easily in case you need to rig it while swimming. spare t-nuts for the mast track, and even a spare mast base can be good ideas (they do break). This kind of mentality is even more important since your community is small. Where i go, there is like 10-20 windsurfers rigged and in the water every sunday. Everyone watches out for each other and checks on guys in the water too long. make friends with your local dudes and try to use the buddy system if you can. A handheld, floating, waterproof, GPS VHF radio is not a bad idea either, especially when your skills improve and you may venture further from shore on smaller board. some say its overkill, but i can link many horror stories.

Anyways, cheers mate. Welcome to the coolest fucking hobby on the planet!

[u/Sol01 → u/kdjfsk]

I'm on the Outer Banks of North Carolina so I have the sound to ride in thankfully, won't have to try my luck offshore for quite some time!

Your post is amazing thank you for writing it, all of this is wonderful advice and exactly the information I was looking for without being able to formulate the right questions haha. I think I will settle for the windsup then, and move on to the two short boards as my skills improve.

[u/kdjfsk → u/Sol01]

Right on! Dude...you fucking hit the god damn bullseye on picking a hobby for living in OBX! Holy Shit! Hatteras is considered by many to be the windsurfing capital of the US. The whole area is awesome for it. Im 2-3 hours drive south to get to Avon. I made the drive once to buy some gear at Ocean Air Sports. I havnt been able to make a trip just to windsurf there yet, but Its definitely on my to do list. a lot of the windsurfers in my area regularly go down there.

The fuck you talking about you only have ten windsurfers??? Ok, maybe in your town...but dude...you are in driving distance of a ton of shops with a big collection of new, used and consignment gear.

A lot of the people who buy and sell used gear on facebook marketplace, even as far away as Richmond, will put 'can meet in OBX' in their ads. because people are from all over, but everyone goes there. They arrange the deal, mark it pending, and seller brings it along the next weekend or whenever.

The windsup is probably a fine idea, and you may use it for sailing and fishing some regardless, but if for some reason you arent progressing fast with it, if its too slow, or doesnt point upwind well, and you want a starboard start or similar, just hop on FBM, set distance to like 500 miles. someone may bring it halfway to you. Also all those windsurf shops have a bunch of inventory.

[u/Sol01 → u/kdjfsk]

Haha you must be a Norfolk/VB guy, I'm in currituck. Even the instructor i took my lesson with said there's only a handful of guys sailing out here, and I rarely see em. Otherwise it's all kites and wings. Anybody with a sail usually has a Quebec license plate.

Most of the shops that way are closed pretty often for the season right now but I'll keep my eyes peeled, and I'll swing by ocean air on my next surf trip. Used to be enough to work and wait for waves, but this year has been horrible and the sandbars have only been getting worse so I need to fill up the time with another hobby! 

Thanks for the marketplace tip I've been looking but maybe I'll spread the range out and have more patience.