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LIGHT WIND SECTION

It is high time that I come to the realization that I am a light wind windsurfer !! I stay in the area and do NOT go to Cape Hatteras nor les Isles de Madeleine...(in 2015 went to Hatteras) And so, I am "stuck" with local available winds plus based on work, family, availability. Reminds me of a woman juggling home, family and career. Since windsurfing is more than a hobby - perhaps more of an addiction/fixation... it means one is always trying to get out and get a fix !!

Typically over 80% of my summer outings are on longboards and 8.x sails. This means 20 + kph  = definitely LIGHT wind.

Now before I send you off to other posts that I have done ...
Let me share this gem of a light wind summary that Joe Looby gave me in 2018 ...

Clique to ENLARGE
AND new to 2017/2018 !!!

Clique to ENLARGE

Joe is hoping to get the foiling going in 7-8 knots !!!
 
Discovered in 2021 on iwindsurf that Joe's other boards are: Fanatic Blast 130 and Tabou 3S 116. He was hoping to get a Severne Dyno 125, but they are difficult to get !!

So, what makes up "light wind sailing" - for me ?

1) Early Planing
2) Formula and Longboards
3) Fanatic Ultra Cat aka FUC board <-- longboard
4) Mistral Equipe I LCS-XR aka MEQ board <--longboard
5) BIC Techo Formula aka BTF board <--BIG WIDE freeride / Free Formula
6) JP SLW vs SB US <-- BIG WIDE freeride / Free Formula
7) MY JP SuperLightWind aka SLW92
8) Sailboard-Hydrofoiling.html - added in 2017 - starting to be HOT subject

I know there are other GREAT boards like Tinho Dornellas' Z2, SB Phantoms, RS D2, DIV 2, etc.
However, I speak here from MY experience...

I DO like to plane - otherwise I would have remained a longboarder - MUCH cheaper. However, I want to try and use my lightwind skills or lack thereof to move forward on the lighter and faster stuff. Unfortunately , with my heavyweight carcass, I actually need about 12 knots of wind with a BIG sail to plane - I am just now considering active pumping - after having acquired a JP SLW92 ...

Lately (2016) I have been criticized for my footstrap phobia. It has been said that the footstraps not only help with speed and control, but ALSO with early planing. Once more confident with this, will do updates here ...

 If you have comments or ideas on this subject - THEY are WELCOME.
All advertising WILL be deleted though.

Thanks and hope you find something you like ...

10 comments :

  1. Hi I found your blog a few days ago and have been freebasing it, I have found many similarities between your experiences and mine, I line in the Stockholn region of sweden and the achipelago eats up all the wind, I found your blog by searching for lightwind board alternatives, currently I have a 125L Exocet Nano, usually using a 7.2m2 sail, (the bigger the better) typically we get <10knots :( I was seaching for opinions on the JP super lightwind and have been encouraged by your posts, it looks from the pictures i have seen it seems to be a bit of a beast sizewise, is it as big as it looks? do you have problems with storage/manhandling it?

    I was also interested in your winter sailing that looks to be a great board you have built, it is similar to one of the iceboards we built a couple of years back (but probably much better executed in design and contruction) ours was built from scap raw wood and we used board wax and a clothing iron to protect the wood from water damage, we only had a short pair of carving skis and it just about moved on the snow, it was too warm last year to dick about on the ice, soIƤm hoping this year it will snap cold, although its november and still nowhere near freezing temperatures. I thought i would optimistic put together another board. Would you mind telling me what kind of skis do you use and what length? Do you have any other tips about construction or design considerations?

    here are a few links, we have a blog, but we are typically aweful about keeping it current, I'm also one of those windsurfers that are out on the water for eight hours straight, by the time all the kits home and cleaned I'm out of it! Anyhow this is us;

    http://stockholmwindsurfers.wordpress.com/

    and here are a few vids from the winter sessions

    https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10151830559209012&l=4726977427154771114

    https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10151880035139012&l=6240130832680276512

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    Replies
    1. for winds less than 10 knots? LONGBOARD !!!
      the JP SLW is BIG at 250 cm long and 92 cm wide
      for its size it feels light at 9.4 kg/21 pounds
      remember i was coming from a BIC Techno Formula which is about the same size - these boards are ok at 10+ knots and great at 12+ knots at my weight of 110 kilos/235 pounds

      a snowboard without a keel or fin of some sort just wants to spinout
      your snow is light and would work with what i call the three(3) ski solution - one out the front middle and two(2) out the back
      the back ones are angled to reduce spinout
      skis are NOT parabolics ie straight edge and 185 cm or more

      the ice model was an instant sucess
      the snow models need more patience and iterations

      do NOT give up
      half the fun is trying :-)

      good luck
      joe windsurfer

      Delete
    2. Cool, thanks for the advice, I weight 80kg, so Ive been wondering if the superlight would work for me at = or <10knots.

      I think I'll focus on a snow going board, experience showed me that inland the lakes are mostly snow encrusted. I like your use of the snowboard to give extra support, thats a nice touch, i look forward to seeing how it behaves.

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    3. Even at 80 kgs, a super large sail of 11 sq meters would be required in 10 knots or less. Those winds are typically unsteady and NO fun with such gear then. A longboard with a 7.x sail would be much more fun for you in 10- knot winds... Butt that's just my opinion :-) Find a cheap old one and it is an inexpensive experiment. Mine ALL cost under $200 !!!!

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    4. ok thanks thats good to know, i was getting the idea from the scant information strewn around the net that it would work for me on a 8/9/10m2 sail. I will nose about and see if there are any cheap long boards about, there is plenty of time now to figure it all out.

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    5. with the Exocet Nano 125, a bigger fin and an 8.x sail you should be able to plane in about 12 knots. With a 10-oh in about 11 knots, with an 11-oh in about 10 knots , etc, etc. You only gain about one knot per square meter. After 10-oh sails are typically cambered and heavy = NOT comfortable to schlogg around with. Even on the longboard i prefer a sail that i can easily handle - the 10-oh in light winds is a "hand full".
      TAKE YOUR time and enjoy what you have....

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    6. Thanks thats good advice, I have been feeling held back due to the sever lack of wind, I just havent had the oppertunity to put the hours in that are required to learn planning technique. I do enjoy getting out on the water and this year perhaps also the snow too.

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  2. check this out - even use WIDE boards :-)

    http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xwx7sr_russians-make-up-for-lack-of-water-by-windsurfing-on-snow_news

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  3. they look like a proper job! look like they are a pig to turn on though,

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  4. the dailymotion link does not work any more... here is another
    https://www.rt.com/sport/winter-windsurfing-russia-ilyuchin-395/

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