How I bought my first windsurfing equipment and how I spent way to much money doing it?

As I said in my previous post, I was new to windsurfing and I had no equipment. So what to do? First as I always do, I checked the internet and found some stores that sell windsurfing equipment. Since Ljubljana is not a big city, we don't have many stores. I visited a few and explained to sellers what I was looking for. A windsurf that my ex. could use, my doughter and me ... 

They advised me to buy a board at around 160 L. At the end of research I bought a brand new starter board Tabou Coolrider 160 with full EVA deck and also removable center fin (not a dagger board) which they said it is better compared to dagger-boards, when we will start to plane - back then I didn't know what that really meant :) With the board there came the foot straps. So that was the board. As they said, it was a bargain of 800 EUR and it was the far most expensive piece of windsurf equipment that I ever bought. And this was "a really good deal" on the board. I had the price lowered quite a bit with a few contra-offers.

Tabou Coolrider was a nice board to learn on!

Then I needed a mast base, a mast, mast foot, sail and boom with a rope. I bought:

• new Amex MOVE aluminum boom, + rope for lifting (in use at the moment)
  
  
   
• new RRD EPX 430 epoxy mast, (mast broke first season, was replaced and immediately sold as new)
• Pat Love base and, mast-foot (stil in use)
   
• and Gaastra Pilot sail 5.0 m2, which was actually a test sail from Gaastra test center at Lake Garda. (did my first steps with it and then occasionally used it for two seasons and later sold it)
  
    
  In this video I was riding the Gaastra Pilot 5.0 right before I sold it.

All this equipment cost me additional 500 EUR. 

So having no experience in windsurfing I spent alltogether around 1300 EUR for my first equipment! I thought I didn't do all that bad. Which I actually did. I just didn't know.

Since then I owned all together 8 windsurf boards, 11 sails, 8 masts, 2 booms, a few mast extensions, bases, bags, harness lines and bunch of other windsurfing equipment. It was a path on which I found the type of windsurfing I want to do and the right equipment for it. And some of the equipment was also for kids.

All this sounds like I spent a fortune on windsurfing equipment, but I actually didn't. Mostly I cycled through the equipment sometimes losing a few euros but sometimes earning a few. 

During the time leared a lot. I was reading all the time, learning from the resources from the internet (video, text), joined a few forums and got some really good advice and of course did windsurfing as often as I could. 

And what is now already obvious - I was hooked on windsurfing.

How to learn windsurfing? My beginnings!

With windsurfing it is more or less same as with any other sports. You can learn very fast to a degree that will be more than enough for most recreational and vacation windsurfers, but it can take really long to master it.

In next few posts I'll try to go through my personal experience and learning process which I hope will help you start and progress faster. And yes, this is not a guide for kids.

My current level of windsurfing is ,.. Well I have no idea how to define my level of windsurfing. Let say I can't always execute a carve-jibe :-) I'm still learning and I hope I will be learning for a long years to come.

But let us start with the beginnings.

I started windsurfing really more by accident then by choice about good 4 years ago. It was my ex who complained a lot about going to the seaside and how there is nothing to do, etc. and lets buy a windsurf so she could windsurf ... me, I'm in love with the sea and everything connected with it. I don't imagine any other vacation than something related to the sea. Tried it many times ... did not work. I just have to get my dose of salt each year I guess. It charges my batteries like nothing else, and my daughter loves the sea as kids generally do, so windsurf it was.

So what to do now?  I had no experience in windsurfing. Did some back when I was a kid but that was a good 30 years ago. Technology has probably changed ... Where to buy? What to buy? How to buy? Actually if you are a total newbie you really don't have as many questions at all. If you have some money you go to a surf store and they will advise you on what to buy and you will almost for sure make your first mistake :)

To be continued!

Discovered a new windsurfing spot in north croatia

Back in october I went to Croatia island Krk again with a friend of mine. We actually wanted to go to Punat, but as we were getting closer, the winds were picking up more and more. When we got to the spot winds were too strong for the equipment we had with us or. had at all for that matter. It was for 3,7 m2 sails.

After some waiting and feeling sorry for ourselves there was suddenly a rumor around about going to another spot on the other side of the island where it could be better. Apparently when there are very strong winds - too strong to windsurf in Punat they can be just right in a little village of Klimno.

Since we had no idea where it was we were following a guy who is sort of a local, and after reaching the spot, after some 20 minutes or so, we found little windsurfing heaven on earth. :-)

At first it didn't even seem that there was any wind, but this guy assured us that it was. And in a few minutes we really saw someone on the water - cutting a strait white line. There were only three of us there at the beginning. Later one some more people came but it all looks like Klimno is not really known between windsurfers in that region - there was also a hint from our 'guide' - not to talk about Klimno around to much. I guess they would like to keep it that way. :-)

Anyway ... I rode my knew old JP Freerace 118 in combination with BuggFins freerace/slalom fin 37,5 cm. I decided for the smaller fin and larger sail Challenger sails Fluido T3 7,8. It was a good combination. I did a few hours with the setup and recorded the session with the GPS and the sports-tracker app.

Max speed was over 45 km/h which is I guess ok for me and the big sail :)

http://www.sports-tracker.com/workout/gregorpi/56350dcee4b05c3147aa57d7

Sports Tracker Session at Klimno

Here is a nice video about JP Australia Super Sport 2009

While im waiting for my first windsurfing day this season :-)

Riding CHS Fluido T3 6.6 in combination with Fanatic Hawk 93 board

On 16 8 2014, I was windsurfing in Punat at island Krk in Croatia

Watter was a bit choppy for this spot which in a bit lower winds has almost no waves.

First I was riding Fanatic Hawk 93 with Challenger sails Konda 4,7. Then the wind dropped and I changed to my Fluido T3 6.6m2 sail which I got resently. Sail has 3 cams.

I was riding this combination for the first time. My fin was a freeride 36 cm one and I was a bit anoyed by it. I would prefer a freerace or a slalom fin which would keep better direction. Freeride fin in combination with freerace or slalom sail does not work. You put a lot of preasure on the fin when riding such sail and the board turns instead of holding direction.Well I didn't have a freerace fin of that size at the time :D

GPS tracking with www.sports-tracker.com

Here is something I wanted to do for a long time. Track a windsurf session with a GPS.

I used an android phone in waterproof bag. Application is as you can see from the title the Sports Tracker. It was a recommended free app for windsurfing. I think it is enough for a start.

I was at Seča a few days ago. Wind was really strong. On land we measured between 25-30 knots but was even stronger on watter - up to 35 knots I think.

I went in with my 4,7 Challenger Konda and Fanatic HAWK 93 with 31cm fin. I was overpowered most of the time. After I changed the fin to 28 cm it was much better.

The ride was at moments really fast. Watter was choppy that's why the speeds recorded felt even faster I guess.

Well, all the data can be stored, shared and edited at the portal of the sports tracker. This way it is really easy to keep a sort of log.

Here is the session: http://www.sports-tracker.com/#/workout/gregorpi/545a69b9e4b08e603ce5feb9

My new used JP Super Sport PRO 118 freerace board - model 2009

I'm really not the most regular blogger. I just don't take time to write. So now I have decided to try a new approach. Shorter and more frequent posts ... and lets see how this works out for me.

Many things happened since my last post. I came across a used reasonably priced JP Super Sport 118l PRO board model 2009. This board is a blast ... it is light and super fast ... much faster than shark and I also enjoy it much more than shark.

Here is a link to a review in german language: http://www.surf-magazin.de/test_technik/test/boards/freerideboards/jp-australia-super-sport-69-pro/a1360.html

Tech. specs:

- Volume: 118 L
- Width: 69 cm
- Lenght: 250 cm
- Weight: 6,7 kg
- Fin: 42 cm G10 JP Freerace



I rode it only once with the 7,8 Challenger Fluido T3 sail. It was a great combo and was able to ride it well in overpowered conditions.

With the JP SS came also a mint 42 cm G10 fin which works well. My carbon 42 fin work even better but since I don't need two fins of the same size I decided to have carbon fin shortened to 38 cm and have it for 6,6 sail and use it also when riding overpowered wit 7,8. If I decide to sell the board I want to have original fin with it for the resale value.



Board has originally been damaged and repaired quite a few times but never took in any watter. Previous owner never had the graphics restored. Probably to keep reparation costs as low a possible, but I had it also repainted. It was done by CMD Mare. Guy does incredible job when repairing and restoring boards. He also does custom boards. Well now board looks really great. I'll try to post some images soon.