Hi everyone. I read a few of the messages posted here and everyone seems very friendly so I thought I'd try my luck.

I am returning to windsurfing after doing a bit when I was a teenager. I have my dad's old board which is now 20 years + (a vinta 340) and want to buy something more modern. However I'm wary about buying a new board as firstly I dont have that much money to chuck around just at the moment and 2ndly I'm not sure how fast I will progress and dont want to buy something I will grow out of really quickly. Therefore I'm looking for something 2nd hand maybe around 5-8 years old. I weigh 80kg and will be mostly sailing inland to start with although I would like a board that can be used in waves as well. I am about level 3 (can gybe, plane, tack use a harness (most of the time) etc). I am looking for something that will allow me to go fast but that is also manoevarable so that I can learn to carve gybe, waterstart and jump. If anyone has any recommendations about suitable intermediate boards any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Steve

PS Anyone any views on the Bic Techno E?

[Edited on 4-10-2004 by steve harris]

Steve, there's some really good value second hand boards out there so in your position it's a good option. I think there's a review of some 'older' kit in this months Boards mag - that may be good start point.

And don't forget sails, masts, boom. If you've got 20 year old rigs you'll need to fix that also - second hand mast and boom possible, but more tricky with sails unless you're really strapped for cash.

Cheers Paul. I will try to get hold of Boards Mag. I have already picked up a 2nd hand mast and boom so I really just need a board and sails.

Steve

Views on the Bic Techno E? Well, i'm completly biased as I have one for sale on this site but I bought mine as my first short board. I started sailing it when i could get into the footstraps and harness, and nothing else at all. its been completly brilliant for learning on. Its not the fastest board on the market, but (and i'm quoting the boards magazine test here) the perfect board for learning carve gybes on and for rougher water state. Very much a one board does it all.
Take a look at the diaries section to see where I have sailed mine to give you some idea.
Realisticly you will be looking at boards of about 135-140litres volume. that will be enough to enable you to uphaul quite easily (I can with an 8.0 on the techno, and I'm a shade heavier than you) and the sort of thing I think you should be looking for is (obviously) Techno E Large, Fanatic Cross 140, Starboard Carve 140 and F2 Powerglide. they are all newer than 5 years, but about 4 years ago boards got pretty wide, making them far more stable.
Like I said, I'm pretty biased here, but if you look through the posts you'll see that I raved about it well before I wanted to sell it!

I was going to recommend something like a Techno anyway. As Wes says, something around 130-140 litres will be fine, and although eventually you will want something smaller as well, you'll be able to hang on to this 'first time short board' and use it with bigger sails in lighter winds once you have progressed onto smaller boards and bigger winds.

2nd hand is the way to go as well. You should be able to pick up some pretty good bargains. And don't forget you'll need a couple of modern sails, probably something like a 5.5m and a 6.5m to start with. I always buy Gun Sails (http://www.gunsails.co.uk) and find them just as good as any other on the market, but half the price. The have a good warranty with them as well which I tend to make full use of!

Let us know what you end up buying...And welcome to F-O-N. Where do you sail??

Al.

Yep, ditto ... go for a Techno 283 or something similar.....should be plenty around 2nd hand now for around £200-300

I purchased one back in 1999 (my previous board had been a huge Alpha 215 lump) and it's seen me progress through planing/straps/waterstarting/gybing. I've no plans to sell as it's ideal for those lighter inland winds. I've sailed it in stronger winds/the sea many times and being quite wide it can get lively in chop.

There were a few scare stories of weak noses but I suspect that's simply because of the number they've sold and the target market - intermediates.

Hope this helps

cheers

Nick

All good advice above, you may find some solutions on the following sites:

www.boardwise.co.uk

www.rushwind.co.uk

I can recommend the Rushwind sails, I have personally been using them this year and they are great and a fantastic price too.!!!

Hope this helps,

Hans.

Ooops,

Sorry links didn't seem to work:

http://www.boardwise.co.uk

http://www.rushwind.co.uk

Hope they work this time....

Hans.

Ok,

Maybe third time lucky....


(http://www.boardwise.co.uk)


(http://www.rushwind.co.uk)


Fingers crossed,

Hans.

Ok Al whats the secret for putting links in....???

Hans.

It's easy, just use the BB Code.... Take a look at the FAQ to see how... I can't show you the code here as it will try to change it to a link within the post!!

Al.

I've made one set of the links work for you.

Al.

Thanks for all the help guys. I am leaning towards a Bic Techno but have listed below a couple of others I have come across second hand. Any opinions on these would also be appreciated;

Fanatic Gecko (X)
Bic Veloce

Also my girlfriend is just learning (level 1). I have seen a Bic Techno 293 190L from 1999 for £50. Would this be an ok board for her to learn on?

Cheers

Steve

PS In response to your question Al, I sail at the Queen Mary Resevoir, Staines and will sail at poole harbour when I have a new board.

[Edited on 5-10-2004 by steve harris]

[Edited on 5-10-2004 by steve harris]

The techno will be better for you than both the Gecko and Veloce.... Those two are fairly 'old' now and have a much longer narrower shape. There nothing actually wrong with that, but the wider shape of the Techno makes for a much more stable learning platform, and being shorter will be more manouvreable and easier for you to crack carve gybes etc on. Also, it will probably hold a bigger sail and therefore be more useful as a lightwind board once you have moved on to something smaller for stronger winds.

A techno 293 will be fine for your girlfriend, but, depending on her weight, she might be OK learning the basics (and progressing) on your smaller Techno (thats assuming you want to let her use it!). Mind you at £50 you may as well just go for it.

Al.

I'm having trouble findng a Bic Techno E Large that I can afford (<£300). I have seen a few Bic Techno 283's. Can Anyone tell me what the difference is and whether a 283 would be as suitable.

Thanks

Steve

Swings and round abouts !

The E large is about 135lt ( I Think) and will be a bit better at going round corners.
The 283 is 152lts will be a early to get planning than the E large and it is a bit wider in the tail.
The 283 will be more bouncy than the E large when the wind starts to get up
I sail alot inland and use my 283 most of the time with 7 and 8.5 sails. Then change down to a Techno E medium.

I'd drop down to £300 for mine......

You know it makes sense!

Wes,

I think you should have an online sympathy auction for your board... to see just how much you can get for it - seems like you have been trying sell it for some time now....

Hans

Steve,

I sail a techno 283 at Queen Mary's. I'm a member there. It was my first board and I think its great and I'm still learning new stuff on it a year and a half later, though I wouldn't mind getting a slightly smaller board now (after being in Dahab), maybe around the 130l size. I a massive 90kg and the techno does me fine. Look out for me at Queen Mary's normally down there at weekends when its windy, either on a Naish Noa 8.0m or a Tushingham 6.0m Storm.

Paul.

Hi All,

Sorry for not replying earlier but had a big problem with logging in that Al and I were not able to resolve so I just gave up. Then I tried again today and it now works? God knows what happened.

Anyway thanks everyone for the advice.

I ended up buying a Tecno E Large from Ebay.

Spent a but more than I intended (£350) but it is last years model and in mint condition so I think I got a good deal.

I've been trying to pick up a few sails and so far have a sailworks 5.3m (£50 including boom) and a Tushingham Storm 4.5M (£35).

Now I'm looking for something around 6.5M and possible an 8M for quieter days.

Hans - No need to feel sorry for Wes he sold his board before I could buy it off him

Paul - I'll definitley look out for you (My Bic techno E is yellow). Bit frustrated that since I got my new gear there hasn't been any wind. Got my fingers crossed for this weekend.

Cheers

Steve

no no no forget about those poles and booms ; get a kite!!!!!!! and join the borth masiff

Better still, do both so that you can get the best of both worlds!!

And end up with even more toys!

Al.

Dont tempt me guys. I have a bullet 2.5m, which I learnt to fly prior to an introductory Kitesurfing course in Fuerteventura with extreme holidays in June. Didnt quite progress to getting onto a board (mostly due to mixed abilities in group) but had a great time. However not confident enough to get my own board yet.

I'm planning on going again next summer and hopefully by then I'll have enough money together to get the gear to go with it.

Probably be back on here asking for advice on kites and boards.

Cheers

steve

Well, kitesurfing is a LOT easier to get to grips with than windsurfing. I still prefer to be windsurfing if theres enough wind though.

Al.

kitesurfing is a LOT easier than windsurfin? thats why I suck at windsurfin then ,oh shit I suck at kitesurfin too, oh dammit its me, I'm crap at everything.....but at least I try and...and have a bloody good time tryin it

[Edited on 11-11-2004 by Bananaman]

I gotta say Windsurfing is one of the hardest extreme sports ive learnt and ive had a bash at a fair few!!
Kitings the next extreme sport on my agenda

[Edited on 11-11-2004 by Jonny]