Evening fellow windsurfers,

Yes it is Christmas eve and yes I am on my computer and yes I am looking up windsurfing info!

I acquired an old Wayler - 250LT board with a 5.9M sail about 3 weeks ago. I am completely new to windsurfing, but have been about 4 times and can now (fairly) confidently water start and do basic turns. I usually surf in 5-10knt winds (ie. morning and evening) at Lysterfield lake as I want to be very confident before hitting the bay.

Purpose of this post - How do I rig the windsurfer properly?

My process so far has been to -
1. Put mast in sail
2. Attach and tie downhaul (the mast foot to the sail)
3. Tie boom to mast
4. Tie end of sail to boom very tightly and knot off (the rope has worn so the auto-cleat things dont work properly)
5. Push mast foot into board and rotate clockwise
6. Sail!

Basically, I want to know if this is correct and what knots are recommended for each section. Also, the previous owner mentioned I might be able to get a new boom that could clamp to the mast, rather than tie to it. Is this possible? What should I look for?

If anybody has any advice that a beginner like me should know, please share!

Thanks, Merry Christmas and safe New Year.

Sean

EDIT: Centreboard goes in when its deep enough!

What area do you live in Quagz1? Maybe you could chat to some of the locals when they are rigging up to get some advice.

Most of us are quite prepared to help out someone new to the sport.

youve only been out 4 times and in 5-10 knots and you can waterstart?

lalalamort said...

youve only been out 4 times and in 5-10 knots and you can waterstart?

perhaps he means climbing on the board and starting out on the water, as opposed to that flying out of the water like a flying fish thing.
Hes way ahead of my efforts. top effort

Hey guys,

Thanks for the responses... this forum is great!!

OK, answers to your questions:

1. Waterstart - I refer to me climbing onto the board then uphauling the sail as a waterstart - the surfers with new boards and boards with straps can seem to let the sail pull them out of the water. This rig is wayyy to big and im not strong enough to control the sail like that.

2. I will post pics within the next few days - I appreciate your help in advance

3. I'll make the ropes a priority - are there any "good" sailing shops servicing South East you guys know of?

Other info - I have been surfing (as in paddle) for a few years now so the balance thing wasnt really an issue. In my last session I finally got comfortable with standing behind the mast foot and leaning against the sail, rather than trying to stand @ 90 deg and pull it. By turning I mean veering - tilting the sail forward (goes away from the wind, if I can remember correctly) leaning it back goes into the wind.

The first time was me getting up and falling off, the next was me getting up and then holding the uphaul with one hand and boom with other. Completely wrong now I look back on it, but I figured it out eventually. When a gust came I would let the sail dangle by the uphaul to de-power it.

Third/forth times I managed to get up and with about an hour of crap get it to sail with both hands on the boom properly. I cant do a 180 yet so I have to fall off to turn around.

Again, thanks for your help and sorry for the long post - I'm excited with this windsurfing business!!!

Have a good one - Santa is on his way now!!!!

Cheers,

Sean

Sean, just saw your post, we're 10 timezones away, yet typing in real-time it seems...

Your post is not too long, it's exciting to see people learn and have fun, regardless of levels. Basically if you do all this at your own pace, then your excitment should double every year up to a point...

Not going out to bay: you're doing the right thing. Take your time, experiment with different wind angles. Make sure you learn to tack on both sides. (Many learn on one side well, and keep falling on the other.) Basically, do not "prefer" one side.

Wind angles: avoid off-shore winds, difficult to come back regardless of your level. If you venture out, 'calculate' where the winds will take you, and where you will come back. Do it when there are other sailors around, just in case.

Ropes: guys are right, they're important. Guys on the beach will have bits for you, or get from Bunnings. Make sure they're the non-elastic I-forget-their-name-again type, else your gear will flutter around.

Merry Christmas

Those old windsurfers rocks! Here's me and my brothers using our combined strength on those old super heavy rigs. That old board kept us going for a decade.


You can't really go too far wrong rigging up that old equipment. Just Like I mentioned in another recent post, those old booms have a habit of wobbling. To make sure the boom is attached tightly to the mast, have the boom lay flat against the mast (not at right angles, which it will be when completely rigged), then tie the boom to the mast. As you then pull the boom out at 90 degrees to the mast you notice how tight it goes. You can still sail with a wobbly boom but it gets annoying.

Like someone else said, don't be any hurry to learn to waterstart. I spent a whole summer at age 15 teaching myself. I have never sworn so much in my life.

Keep having fun.

Leman said...



Merry Christmas

Those old windsurfers rocks! Here's me and my brothers using our combined strength on those old super heavy rigs. That old board kept us going for a decade.


You can't really go too far wrong rigging up that old equipment. Just Like I mentioned in another recent post, those old booms have a habit of wobbling. To make sure the boom is attached tightly to the mast, have the boom lay flat against the mast (not at right angles, which it will be when completely rigged), then tie the boom to the mast. As you then pull the boom out at 90 degrees to the mast you notice how tight it goes. You can still sail with a wobbly boom but it gets annoying.

Like someone else said, don't be any hurry to learn to waterstart. I spent a whole summer at age 15 teaching myself. I have never sworn so much in my life.

Keep having fun.

Leman, you are a legend! What a great photo to have!