I am soon to turn 50 and have been a windsurfer for 30 years, sailing everything from shortboards to raceboards, waves, flat water and speed. I would say my level is advanced and I sail every week.

In the past 12 years I have had 2 neck operations for disc fusion, but i have remained fixed on my windsurfing passion. However, in the past few weeks I am beginning to feel some slight neck discomfort again, probably due to always sailing so powered up and pushing the limits + the rigs are not getting any lighter and where I am based in Singapore, big rigs are the order of the day.

I am thinking if it is time to retire from windsurfing, but it will be hard to give the sport up, unless I can find another water based sport with a similar adrenalin rush, that is kinder on my neck(and body) in general.

Since I have the need for speed, the single handed boats such as an RS700 and MPS, appeal. The question is, being a complete nob at yachting, are these boats too physically demanding and impossible to learn on?

The wind here is often 0-10K, occasionally 10-20k, so plenty of gentle breezes for learning and warm water for plenty of falling in. I can get basic sailing instruction on lasers etc.

There are big laser fleets here, but sorry to say with the speed element they are not my thing.

Any comments appreciated.

The Person you want to talk to is G.R.F he was a top windsurfer in his day and is still very good now, he is aproaching 60 if not older.

He moved from windsurfing straight into a musto and he found it a great struggle.

My advice would be to start in a laser or something slower to get the skills then move into something faster.

The 700 and musto are some of the most difficult boats around to sail and even the top people can struggle at times, and it would be highly likely you will either damage yourself or the boat in the learning process and neither of the boats are cheap but lasers are.

If you want to feel a sheer sence of speed without too much of a learning curve then i would recommend a catameran they are much more stable and can reach greater speeds than most dinghies.

Dan

Dan

Thanks for the fast reply. What options would you suggest for single handed cats?

I'll take a look. Money may not be an issue as loads of the latest windsurf gear would be up for sale.

Thanks for your input

I think hiking or trapeze would put just as much strain on your neck, because you are still hanging your head with no support parralel with the water with both hiking and trapeze. Could always sail with on of those big neck braces on .

I'm guessing the neck strain from windsurfs comes from your head lurching forward when the windsurf powers up rather than from your neck been unsupported?

A good harness should help with regard to neck strain.

With a 0-10 knot normal wind range something like an A-Class Cat could well be the way forward. If it does nothing else, it will turn heads! I doubt that G.R.F. will recommend any type of cat though...

If you are UK based; ignore the FX1.  By an A class if you do not want a Spi to play with as well; if you want a Spi; Buy either a Shadown (pure single hander) or an F16 as you have the option of a crew as well.

F16 and A class are about the same speed around the course; A faster upwind, F16 faster down.

Some advice/opinions in this forum are a little myopic ...... try your local club or clubs. You should find most folk are very willing to help you get into the sport - plus you'll have the opportunity to try out the many excellent dinghy and cat classes we have in the UK.

But he is based in Singapore

Jon is correct about stretching and strengthening the neck, I don’t think hanging off a trapeze would be much of a problem, but in overpowered windsurf conditions it does put huge additional strain on the neck, its very physical on the arms/shoulders. Worse, I find is lifting a huge wet rig out of the water when I land(bad for the back as well). The other big risk factor here is the liberal splattering of semi submersed carrier bags and large blocks or planks of wood. Hitting one of these with the fin when at 30k is rather hard on the neck, mast, sail and board, just not sure in what order.

I think the combination of a catapult a month ago and being caught out sailing way overpowered all contributed to the recent flare up or bad feeling I am getting again in my neck.

I tend to be a sailor who is very competitive and pushes the speed limits every time I sail.

The clubs here on the south side of the island have huge fleets of optimists and lasers(not my thing), with a few larger hulls, the NE of the island has a cat club, as well as lasers etc, but very few planing hulls on the island.

I think i can manage a fairly steep learning curve as I get lots of light wind conditions to practice in. Currents are strong though.

Is there so much difference between hiking out on a trapeze than hanging out on harness lines on say a technical raceboard controlling the lift and rail from a dagger board?

Thanks for all the comments and I will surf through the net to find more info on the craft you have all suggested.

If you want something faster than a normal laser you can always try the EPS (i'm totally and outright byassed) it's faster has a better hiking position with the wings on and with bareley any depreciation it's a great boat for a year or two until you can sail a 600 or 700 with the addition of a trapeze and possibly asymetric.

If not shadows are fast and relitivley easy to sail once you get the hang of tacking and gybing.

It's hard to say what caused my first disc to pop, but the second one was definitely windsurfing for 3 weeks on an early formula board(ca 2000) and a 9.3 in winds gusting in excess of 20k. I was in Singapore on holiday at that time, the rig was a fight to say the least. The tell tale symptoms were felt on the plane on the way home.

The problem with fusions tends to be more stress on each successive level and hence not uncommon for further deterioration over time. Both my surgeons have been rather cool on my continuation of windsurfing.

Now if only disc replacement technology was available all those years ago.

Anyway, back to the boats, at 90kg what will be the difference between an A-class cat and an F16/18? How would they handle lumpy seas?

I was told that all these are sailed at Changi sailing club.

A friend has offered to take me out on his Nacra 20 to at least get a feel for it.

By the way, is G.R.F, a former Mistral raceboard sailor/importer or still is?

If so i know him from many many years ago when he was battling with the LDC surf team. He wont remember me, biut he will know my former sailing mates.

G.R.F is still an importer of Dakine and excocet e.tc gear. I doubt anyone would forget Graham

Dan

the thing is with the A class its great upwind (prob the best boat on the market up wind) just downwind is tame compared to boats with kites

The F18 would be a good choice if a robust boat is needed due to the robust build required by the hull weight rule (180kg all up sailing weight)

Hi Guys

Took a drive over to Changi sailing club this weekend to take a look. Quite a few cats around. On the notice board I did see an A class and F16 (blade?) for sale. Both around the same price.

I must admit that the A-class sort of looked a bit more like my thing, sleek and lots of carbon.

If I had no interest in racing, just wanted to blast around in winds that can hit 25K in the NE monsoon and pretty choppy, come back in with a big grin, what would be the choice?

Can the A-class be sailed in 10-25K gusty wind and chop as it looks the best choice for the many 0-10k days?

One other question, in the SW monsoon, we can get hit by big storms, the winds can be quite violent for a few minutes or longer. If stuck out in one of these can the sail be released enough so that the boat points to wind and can ride it out without capsizing?

Can't answer the question but will say as long as you have a change of pants, probably best to ditch the downhaul and keep hold of the tiller but no doubt the waves will top you with the winds too.