G'day everybody, I was hoping to get your input on a few thoughts floating around in my head. But first a quick bio to help the situation a bit. I started sailing at 8 years old, windsurfing at 18 years and I'm 46 now. My technique is ok but my body isn't. Arthritis and type 1 diabetes mean that the mind is willing but the body has other ideas lol.

My gear is an old 12 foot raceboard built by andrew reagan. It's a dinosaur and I do love it so lol. I also have a seatrend 68 about 10 years old, It's an old "flapper" style race board about 270 x 70 cm. It was one of the early generation when boards went from long and skinny to short and wide. It goes well upwind and reaching but gets a little "catapulty" off wind. Last but not least is a bullet proof caveman custom slalom built by john gillis. It's 9 foot by 20 inches and about 70 to 80 litres I guess. It's not just dated, it's carbon dated. It's rediculously small by modern slalom board standards lol.

My sails vary from ok to prehistoric. I have an 8.2 sailworks NX that goes ok and a 7.0 sailworks retro that is nice. after that my sails get a bit dated, 95 to 97 models.

So now that you know my gear, My question is, how much better is the new stuff?

I've been idle from the sport for about 8 years due to marriage but now its time for one last hurrah before my joints fuse together. I always try to do my homework when buying gear and I like the look of the starboard futura's. I'm dithering a bit over volume between the 101 and 111. I dont want to go to big as that role will be filled by something else. I weigh about 80 kg's and the biggest sail I would carry on the futura would be my 7.0 and smallest about a 5.5 . Severne is my choice of sails. taking into account performance, quality and price they look pretty good. And after reading some very helpful posts on this forum I will be using 70% carbon masts :-)

I am also thinking seriously of getting into formula. I want some light wind gear but light wind slalom is not what I want, I like to sail upwind for a few km's and reach home again so the upwind/broad reaching nature of formula seems appealing. when I was younger I would regularly beat 10 km's into a southerly with an OP sail just so I could reach home again at any angle I want lol.

I understand the formula gear is challenging, however as soon as I can get going on the futura the formula will very likely be put away. so it's light to medium conditions it will be used in. There is a local sailing club about 2 km's from where I live that races formula so I will definately rock up and get my BUTT KICKED lol.

So getting to the point of my second question, am I kidding myself about the formula and should I just go light wind slalom? I have some physical limitations from my arthritis and to a smaller degree my diabetes but to be honest my mindset is it's only pain, stop whinging and harden up lol.

Any input much appreciated, cheers everyone.