Gear
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For the gear junkie, you'll love windsurfing. There's so
much stuff you can fill any garage in no time flat. Even
at the intermediate level, you may already have acquired
a number of sails and a couple of boards. Different sailing
conditions require different equipment, and you'll want
backup equipment if something fails. Also, most windsurfers
never get rid of their first beginner board. Since they're
always getting new converts, there are plenty of people
to use it.
Equipment is rarely identified as either male or female,
and even rarer is the equipment made differently for women.
Basically all equipment is unisex with a few exceptions
like harnesses. The main issues are weight, height, and
average sailing conditions when buying windsurfing equipment.
Windsurfing Boards
A board's characteristics are defined by the volume
(how much water it displaces and an aspect of buoyancy),
weight, length, width, bottom shape, shape of the rails
(side of the board), distribution of weight throughout
the board, and construction or durability. For example,
a flat bottom will help the board get up on a plane faster.
Where as a V shaped or rounded bottom will enhance turning
and carving by improving the rotation from one rail to
the other.
Windsurfing boards fall into two main categories, longboards
and shortboards. Within these categories there are many
styles and types. Longboards have a winder range than
shortboards, because they don't require a significant
amount of wind. A longboard can cruise on a light wind
day. Longboards have a centerboard and are typically more
buoyant than a shortboard, making them easier to learn
on. They're best for light to moderate wind and flat to
slightly choppy water conditions. The Olympic windsurfing
class uses a longboard.
Shortboards are shorter than longboards (ya, got that.),
are usually less buoyant, and for the most part don't
have a centerboard. Shortboard styles usually fall into
four categories: slalom, race-slalom, convertible, and
wave boards. The newest board design on the market is
the light-air recreational boards. These boards are designed
to provide plenty of action in lighter wind.
- A slalom board is quick to plane and fast. They're
a good board for first-time shortboard sailors.
- A race-slalom board is more extreme, where speed is
the top priority. They're light with the flattest of
bottoms. The foot straps are placed out close to the
rails of the board.
- The convertible board offers the widest range of performance
in a shortboard. The design combines both slalom and
wave board aspects. Convertibles are usually thin with
thin rails like a wave board, and have foot straps on
the outside like a slalom board. Many of the features
are adjustable allowing the sailor to adapt their rig
to the conditions and style of sailing. This board offers
the widest range of uses, because of it's varied features
and adjustments.
- Wave boards are thin with thin rails and have the
lowest volume. They have a rounded or V shaped bottom,
which makes it easy to transfer from rail to rail, enhancing
turning and carving. Though it makes them difficult
to plane and slow. These boards are made strictly for
riding waves.
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AHD, Advanced Hull Dynamics
Tel. 1-305-591-3922
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Bic
Tel. 1-203-783-2500
Web site: www.bicsport.com
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Drops
Tel. 1-800-DROPUSA (376-7872)
Email dropusa@maui.net
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F2
Tel. 1-509-493-4938
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Fanatic
Tel. 1-541-386-9500
Web site: www.fanatic.com
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HIFly
Tel. 1-800-424-4359
Web site: www.hifly.com
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Kinetic
Tel. 1-800-364-4639
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Mistral
Tel. 1-509-493-4938
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Naish Hawaii
155a Hamakua Drive, Kailua
Hawaii 96734 USA.
Tel. 1-808-262-6068
Web site: www.naish.com
Naish board designs are marketed under Mistral. |
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Pro-Tech
3575 23rd Ave., South Unit 107
Lake Worth, Florida 33461 USA
Tel. 1-561-585-5033
Web site: www.pro-techusa.com
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Roberts
993 West Third Street, North Vancouver
British Columbia V7P 1E4 Canada.
Tel. 604-986-0041
Web site: www.robertssailboard.com/sailboard/
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Seatrend
Tel. 1-541-386-7879, 1-800-738-4705
Web site: www.seatrend.net
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Booties
In the beginning, protecting your feet will be important.
Though as you advance, it becomes much less so. You may
be more comfortable without them, because you'll be able
to feel the board and straps better without.
Any dive bootie or water shoe will work. Water shoes
are available at most beach shops or at scuba diving shops.
Fins
The fin is an essential part of sailing dynamics. It
provides stability and helps prevent the board from side
slipping. Fins come in many different sizes and shapes.
A large fin offers greater stability and lift. On the
other hand, a small fin provides better maneuverability
and turning.
Rainbow Fin Company
783 San Andreas Road
La Selva Beach, CA 95076 USA
Tel. West Coast 1-408-728-2998, East Coast 1-407-777-5936
True Ames
53 Aero Camino
Goleta, CA 93117 USA
Tel. 1-805-685-8341
Harnesses
There are several styles and options in harnesses. There
is the jacket or vest design, which like a life jacket
goes over the shoulders and around the chest. Many of
these also offer extra back support and are approved as
a personal floatation device. The other type is a seat
harness, which goes on something like a diaper.
Most manufacturers make unisex harnesses, and offer
women's sizes. However, Da Kine Hawaii makes a seat harness
specifically designed for women.
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Da Kine
408 Columbia
Hood River, OR 97031 USA
Tel. 1-503-386-3166
Web site: www.dakine.com
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Hot Sails Maui
Tel. 1-888-WINDSRF
Web site: www.hotsailsmaui.com
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Sails
When it's time to buy a sail, it's also time to review
the basics of sailing and how the sail produces forward
motion. These basics will provide you with a starting
block to then discuss sail shape and design. Of course
this is not necessary if you only plan to be a casual
windsurfer and spend your days cruising the bay.
Most of the terminology you'll be hit with is confusing.
But like any sport or industry, coming up with their own
lingo is supposed to be cool. Once you figure it out,
and it isn't that difficult, you'll be able to talk the
talk.
Sail sizes are measured in square meters. They range
typically from 9.0 square meters for light wind to 3.5
for heavy wind. 5.5 to 6.0 is the average size for moderate
wind. Though depending on your size and weight you may
want a smaller sail. Most new sails are made with a clear
Monofilm fabric. This allows you to see what is around
you while you're sailing. Especially important if you
sailing at higher speeds. Sail materials are a science
unto themselves. You'll hear terms such as Dacron, Mylar,
Monofilm, and Kevlar. Beginner sails and older sails are
usually made of Dacron. Kevlar is extremely strong and
often used to reinforce areas of the sail. It's important
to get a sail that is durable and will hold its shape.
Depending on use, a sail should last from 2 to 4 years.
It is important to take good care of it, since it's an
expensive investment.
Today, most sails are fully battened. Battens are narrow
rods that are place in a pocket that is sewn into the
sail. They help maintain the sail shape. Fully battened
is good. When you talk about battened sails, you'll also
hear the term "twin cam" or camber inducers.
There are two types of fully battened sails on the market,
RAF (rotating asymmetric foil) or cambered. Cams keep
the batten in the centered and perpendicular to the mast,
and rotate the sail around the mast. The battens on a
RAF sail are forced to one side or the other of the mast,
and required wind for the sail to proper shape. The differences
can only be argued by the best sailors and sailmakers.
It's a personal choice.
Windsurfers require several different sail sizes to
adjust for varying wind strengths. A set or group of varying
sized sails is referred to as a quiver. One sail company,
Multi-Sail, offers 3 sizes in 1 sail. They have a patented
design that allows bottom sections of the sail to be removed
in order to reduce sail size. The cost is about the same
as one sail, and the write-ups are consistently very strong.
Check them out.
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Gaastra America
Oregon, USA
Tel. 1-503-386-9500
Web site: www.gaastra.com
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Hot Sails Maui
520 Keolani Place
Kahului, Hawaii 96732 USA
Tel. 1-800-753-4270, 1-808-877-4433
Web site: www.hotsailsmaui.com
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Multi-Sail
Tel. 1-800-366-8584
Web site: www.msail.com
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Naish Sails
Tel. 509-493-4938 or 1-808-262-6068
Web site: www.naishsails.com
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Neil Pryde
Tel. 305-591-3922
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North Sails
Tel. 509-493-4938
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Northwave
406 Oak Street
Hood River, OR 97031 USA
Tel. 541-386-6756
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Oceanic Sails
315 5th Street
Hood River, OR 97031 USA
Tel. 1-800-778-7782
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Sailworks
Tel. 1-800-738-4705
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Sailworld
112 Oak Street
Hood River, OR 97031 USA
Tel. 1-503-386-9400
Web site: www.sailworld.com
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Spars (Masts and Booms)
The most important issue with spars is keeping the weight
light, especially for women. The hot material is carbon,
which is light and strong. The higher the percentage of
carbon, the lighter and the more expensive the mast. A
mast of 60% carbon is a good intermediate level mast and
less costly then 100% carbon.
You'll want spars (mast and boom) that adjust to your
different sail sizes. It's best to buy your sails first
and then get the spars to fit your sails.
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Chinook
2500 Cascade Street
Hood River, OR 97031 USA
Tel. 1-541-386-5005
Web site: www.chinooksailing.com
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Dynafiber
Tel. 1-800-738-4705 or 1-541-386-9212
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Fiberspar
Tel. 1-508-291-2770
Web site: www.fiberspar.com
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Gulftech
Tel. 1-800-669-5423
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Powerex
Tel. 1-714-891-7414
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Windsurfing Hawaii
Tel. 1-509-427-8113
Web site: www.windsurfinghawaii.com
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Wetsuits
Your wetsuit will help protect you from the wind and
cold water. You won't need as thick a wetsuit as you do
for scuba diving. A 3mm warm water scuba diving suit can
be used as a cold water windsurfing suit. This is because
you exert more energy windsurfing than scuba diving, and
you're not continually in the water. For most a wetsuit
shorty (a one piece t-shirt and shorts) or a farmer john
(sleeveless) works best.
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Body Glove
201 Herondo Street
Redondo Beach, Ca. 90277 USA
Tel. 310-374-3441
Web site: www.bodyglove.com
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Da Kine Hawaii
Tel. 514-386-3166
Web site: www.dakine.com
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O'Neill
1071 41st Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95062 USA
Tel. 1-408-475-7500
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Please send your suggestions and
comments to gearadvice@shegear.com.
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