In part 1 we introduced the subject of buying your first windsurfing board. Part 2 discussed the the different parameters you need to consider when buying a board.

Now for some recommendations:

As a general rule of thumb,you want a board with at least 150L of volume. And it has to be wide,I would say 60-70CM, at least. There are some great boards out there that will last the average recreational windsurfer at least 2-3 years.

Some boards in that range:

• Bic techno - was (and still is) my first board. Long (283L), Large (152L) and wide (69CM). It’s heavy,though.. The popularity of the Bic Techno comes from it’s price/performance ratio - it’s the cheapest board we will find.
• Starboard Go - it’s much wider and shorter than the Go but I got some good recommendations from sailors who used it. Will last you a long time, can carry large sails. It just looked to wide to me, I was afraid of its performance (or lack of) in stronger wind.Price is in the mid range
• JP X-Cite ride - if you can spear the money and lucky enough to have more than 30 windy days a year,I would go for this board. Was my dream board, but couldn’t afford it because I was a student when I bought the Techno. This board got great reviews. You could go for the smaller ones : 120-130L will guarantee you many great moments on the water.

Basically, all manufacturers have at least one board designed specially for the beginner-intermediate sailors so check their websites,ask around or post comments here, we will be happy to help you with your decision.

One last question - buy new or used board? It’s a tough question. I bought a brand new Bic Techno and I love it. Some would prefer to by a used wide board, ride it for a year or so and then buy a smaller, new board. Don’t forget that if you buy a new one and sell it after a couple of years, most shops will offer you a trade-in for your old board.

That was the last post of this beginner series.

Feel free to leave your comments.

In our last post, we talked about some of the dilemmas facing a windsurfer who has just finished a course and maybe some rentals and is now deciding about his first real commitment to windsurfing - buying windsurfing equipment.

The parameters that you,as an “advanced beginner” sailor has to take:

1.Budget - like everything else in life,this will be the most important parameter in your decision. The question is not necessarily how much money you HAVE but (most of the times) how much money am I going to put into windsurfing. And you will learn that it is not a cheap hobbie, although some are more expansive, obviously..

2.Time in water - this is a tough one.I believe most windsurfers are optimistic by nature, but when you make big decisions like this one, you must try to be realistic and try to estimate how many days you WILL BE surfing, and that is not the same as how many days the conditions are optimal for my level, which is not the same as how many windy days you have in your local spot per year.

How do you estimate your Time on water? The easiest way, and probably the best thing you could do as a noob, is ask your masters. Every spot has its veterans. They know everything there is to know about the wind,waves, water temperature, where to hide your keys and where to go to drink hot coffee and a sandwich after a long day of windsurfing. You will also find very useful surfers who have a little more experience than yours. They have been where you have been not long ago and they might even sell you their own beginner board.

3.Your level - again, be honest with your self.If you still have problems uphauling when a tiny chop comes,you need a bigger board.Some people are naturally more gifted or have worked on their balance, strength or coordination( I guess someone with background as a gymnast would do better that average in the beginning..) and they might start with a smaller board.

One thing to always remember - todays modern beginner windsurfing equipment is very easy to use! You can buy a board that will give you many days of great pleasure.

The next part of this post will get down to business - we will talk about what to look for in a beginner board and talk about some of the best ones out there.

One thing all windsurfers have in common is the decision they had to make when deciding to buy their first board - what board should I buy?You are probably fresh out of a windsurfing course,you might have even taken 5-10 hours of rented windsurfing equipment.You manage to hold on to the rig for just enough time to realize you might have gone to far from the coast,so you just drop the rig and turn it around while your in the water.But you decided it’s time to own your own windsurfing equipment.

The sail is easy-you would probably,depending on where you’re surfing,go for a 5.0 or 5.5 sail,probably used one,maybe with2-3 years in the water.After all,who wants to throw a brand-new NeilPryde,Ezzy or any other new sail,fresh out of it’s bag?..Some do..If you can afford it,go for it!

The bigger question is what board do I buy?New one that will last for a few years or and older,cheaper one that I will replace within a year?

And what board do I buy?All manufacturers have boards for beginners, aggressive beginners,heavy beginners, beginners-intermediates, boards for frustrated intermediates. Some boards are wide,some are very wide. Some are wide,long and heavy.

There are several parameters you need to consider when buying your first windsurfing boards.

On the next part, we will discuss these parameters and we will recommend some really good boards.