Formula
Pros
-would probably get the most use out of formula gear
-light wind planing ability
-increased number of sailing days
-eventual racing potential
-making other sailors jelous on marginal days
-its a work out!
Cons
-EXPENSIVE
-huge sails to carry
-board takes up alot of space
-gear breaks alot
-I will never beable to win a race up against Dave Kashy (designer of the best formula fins to date)
100l Board
Pros
-Would beable to sail comfortably on those high wind days
-would be easier to work on my jumping
-would be good to learn wave sailing
-Cheaper option than formula
Cons
-would probably only beable to use it a handful of times a year
-my waterstarting still sucks and i don't want to drift out to sea
With the pros and cons both taken into consideration i am leaning towards formula because i think i would get more satisfaction. Id rather have a board that i can sail 3-4 times a week than 3-4 times a year. Also, the cost of formula can be off set by buying used gear from all the hardcore racers in hampton roads. They turn over thier gear almost every year.
I have heard from a lot of people that going formula is a bad idea, and no one seems to enjoy it. I have found more people trying to talk me out of it than talk me into it. Mostly the guys trying to talk me into it are the formula racers who are probably just looking for more people to dump there gear onto when they turn it over. I should probably take this as a hint not to go formula, but i really feel that i would enjoy it given my hard riding style. I also have riden a formula board before and loved it.
By the end of this summer my guess is ill have a formula board, and im really looking forward to it.
7 comments:
John- Now that you have an 8.5 sail, formula makes more sense than when you just had a 7.0 sail. So I agree with your assessment. A used formula board should be your next investment. Check the iwindsurf.com classifieds regularly to see if anything turns up in the "course boards" section. If you need to ship a board, the best (cheapest) way to is to do it by amtrak, but you have to go to the station in Richmond to do that. Good luck.
it's a tough call, but James is probably right... mo' TOW = better... I thought you were riding a formula board at windfest... not yours?
also, I may have a formula board for sale soon because I'm moving to the bay area and I'm not sure if I'll have space for it...
it royally sucks to sit out days that are too windy though, that's the truth...
ya im more about the TOW than the select few days that are to windy. Ussually i make due with my 130 and a 5.0 on those windy days. you were probably thinking of Josh at windfest he was the one riding the formula. what kind of formula board are you selling?
Longboards rule! But, then I'm still working up to the others. If I ever get to the point where I can consistently waterstart one of those potato chips and then launch it into the stratosphere, I'll have to get one. I guess I just like to maximize the fun factor, and for me longboards do that, at this point.
haha paul your hanging out with james to much!
.02 from a former Formula owner: If you don't intend to race, then look at some of the "free formula" or other larger lightwind boards. Formula boards are not a lot of fun for beam reaching, in many people's experience, compared to freeride boards or detuned formula gear.
I recommend you try someone else's formula gear and see if you like the feeling. Many people obviously do! I was surprised to find something in windsurfing that I didn't like, though.
Nice blog...welcome to the windsurfing babbleverse!
-Michael
Thanks for the advice puffin, im actually going to be barrowing someones formula board for a regatta this weekend. So i guess i will see after that whether i like it or not, if i don't i will consider the larger freeride option.
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