Posts by Erik Loots

The amount of energy you can get in 12 kts to get planning is different per location:

-12kts at sealevel and 12-15 degrees celsius has up to 20% more energy compared too 12kts in mountains at 25-30 degrees celsius.

-There is fresh versus salt water, where salt water gives another advantage (board delivers a bit more float/lift at low speed).

-There is swell. Surfers (without sail) plane without sail and wind.

-There are gusts, the type, strenght and amount of gusts make also a difference.

-Chop, none is best, a lot of chop is worse to get and keep planning

If you would like to use both your biggest and a smaller sail, fast freeride boards (compared to slalom/freerace) in general work a bit better with the smaller sail. For example Starboard carve should work a bit better compared to the futura. Or Patrick f-ride should be better than patrik f-race.

Also I wouldnt be too worried about the speed of a Starboard Carve. My last 2024 session my brother was as fast as me on his Carve with the NP speedster (measured with GPS) , I used a Tribal Radix (slalomboard) and Loft Switchblade 😀.

A big slalomboard needs a big sail (for control, with small sail its not balanced well and can tailwalk), a freeride board doesn't need a big sail, freerace is inbetween both.

Quote from Matteo459

My first Sail was a North. In the long run I am also trying to get away from North and go with a company that just keeps things simple and working.

Yes, I recognize this soo much. North/Duotone is a very innovative brand, this has advantages and disadvantages. If you like it simple and working long-term North/Duotone can be a bit frustrating. This is the reason why I am on Loft Sails Switchblade now. I actually don't think my Loft Sails Switchblade are the very best (in performance) sails I have had. However the Loft Switchblade is a low/medium tensioned sail and works on the very first Loft Sails mast up to the newest mast, even other brand constant curve work fine. I also have (had) a few Loft Oxygens (no-cam), I like these sails. My loft sails last a long time and thay are simple. Loft Sails scores high in simpleness and durability.

I have also used Neilpryde, Severne, Point7, Challenger, GA(astra) in the past, these brands score a bit less (in my opinion) in simpleness. I believe Ezzy has also (maybe even better or the best) simpleness and durablility. I believe Ezzy has (one of the most) durable/reliable masts. I personally don't like soft saildesigns (like Ezzy), so I won't buy this.

I actually don't know what I would buy when my Loft Sails are end of life, maybe new loft sails. My brother advices me to buy Neilpryde ;). It depends at that time. I look for a sail with a certain feel (direct/efficiënt) AND an transparant (as much as possible) luff. I like good visability in front of me. The newest Loft sails (and Neilpryde) have nice colored panels next to the luff, it looks nicer, but I don't see this as an improvement.

A few things to consider (you can find this info in the test);

- size is not the only thing. A Severne NCX for example is a bit more difficult to get planning compared to Ezzy Cheetah or Sailloft Cross. source: https://www.surf-magazin.de/en…quare-metres-in-the-test/

-An Ezzy Cheetah as suggested before is good choice. Early planning for its size means you get the best lowend with the 460. This is a soft feeling sail, this is personal of you like that.

-The Sailloft Cross is an altenative that is planning early for its size with 460. The sailloft Cross is for the rest the opposite of the ezzy, this is a direct feeling sail.

-early planning sails (with 460) like ezzy of sailloft are lighter to carry and travel. Also with one board (72cm wide) a big size >8.5 often pushes the nose too much down of the board. This makes the ride not as good as it could be.

-I really like 7.8 +- 0.2 m2 for a 72cm board, this is often a sweetspot.

-freerace alternatives, like north S-type, will start planning a bit later when using the same size.

-I didn't use the duotone e-type. Cannot tell how it performs. On this website it is stated that it felt a bit soft (but I doubt if it is near ezzy?) and it is not stated as an early or late planning sail https://www.windsurf.co.uk/tes…pe-6-6m-2019-test-review/

I was a North windsurfing fan long time ago, my first good sail was the North Spectro . North lost me with the Daytona. I have not used a North Sails since. The current North-Sails are very nice (quality built, very nice profile, but expensive). But I am not looking for new sails, I am looking for a good day to windsurf

At North windsurf website you can see the type of sail also influences windrange. For example with 430 this is the windrange per sailtype:

- Wave 5.6 16-25kts

- Vrije snelheid: 6.8 18-27kts

- Slalom Race 6.8 18-30kts

-X-Over 6.7 12-18KTS

-Freerace 6.8 16-27kts

Instead of buying a bigger size + longer mast. a different way of thinking is buying a different sailtype

There are many options.

A nice one is this 135 liter Patrik f-ride board: https://shop.windcraft-sports.…reeride-135l-volumen.html

Why is this a nice one:

1. It is a freeride board. Freeride boards work the best with both big (9.0) and small (6.0) sails. If you choose freerace or even slalom ==>these boards work not soo good with small sails and high wind;
2. Patrik f-ride is not extreme wide and short. It is about 250cm long and 71cm wide. It means it will be ideal when your previous board was long. A short and wide board is different. Soo if you would like to blast away the f-ride is interesting, with your muscle memory it probably works good. If you would like a challenge a shorter design is interesting, shorter and wider designs mean you need a bit different timing/movement on the board to get it going quickly;
3. Construction of Patrik boards is often good. Modern boards are sometimes very fragile;
4. As you can see in the link they are for sale with discount. Still new (with guarantee). A new board will last hundred(s) of sessions. No risk of buying something that is near end of life.

Quote from dominik49

Quote from Erik Loots

a person basically cools down about 7x faster in water compared to above water. The water was only a few degrees celsius and the air a little bit warmer (due to storm).

Siebenmal schneller - die gehen aber nicht davon aus, dass man einen 4 oder 5+ mm Neoprenanzug trägt, oder?

This doesnt effect the result. A person survives longer in a wetsuit above and below water. Below water the amount of energy required to keep on temperature is 7x higher (according to the course), no matter the type of insulation/clothes. In offshore on a high speed rib (riged inflateable boat) you may not wear your speedo (even in summer). In case the boat flips or a person bounces off a dry-suit or wetsuit is required. Soo in this course they talked about a insulated person (drysuit/wetsuit). In normal clothes the chance of survival (even summer) is significant lower.

Quote from tourensurfer

Quote from Erik Loots

The chop/waves made it even a bit challenging. I tried to let the sail not sink down very deep and keep the sail downwind of the board (this way I wouldnt fall off and I would float as fast as possible downwind). It kept me bussy.

Wenn du das Rigg vom Board getrennt hättest, wäre es dann gesunken eigentlich? Ich habe bis jetzt nur schwimmende Riggs gesehen, aber ehrlich gesagt, habe ich noch nie überlegt, ob die RIggs nach einer Weile sinken.

Ohne Segel wärst du sicher schneller vorangekommen, hättest auch paddeln können.

Mal was anderes, Orten von Gegenständen oder Personen mit AIrtags funktioniert nicht auf dem Wasser, oder?

Hat das mal jemand probiert?

I never tried this, I know someone who did this (and the sail did sink). Back in those days I had no financial room to loose a sail, as a bit older person I think different about this today. Today I dont risk anything over equipment.

15 yrs ago I chrashed in a fishnet and broke my fin. It was winter in the Netherlands and it was a (deep lake). The nearest shore was 500 m upwind (where my car was parked). The downwind shore was 1000 m.

One year before this I had a survival at sea course (offshore work), the instructor learned us that a person basically cools down about 7x faster in water compared to above water. The water was only a few degrees celsius and the air a little bit warmer (due to storm).

I my case, I climbed on top of my board (starboard futura 93 liters) and sat on it. And waited for the wind to blow me to the other side. It was 25-30kts wind.

The chop/waves made it even a bit challenging. I tried to let the sail not sink down very deep and keep the sail downwind of the board (this way I wouldnt fall off and I would float as fast as possible downwind). It kept me bussy.

My surfmates were aware that I was gone. They sort of confistigated a bird watcher binoculars. They said it was very hard to spot me sitting on my board with black wetsuit. That is why I have a yellow floating vest today. Luckily they did see me and picked me up at the other side. Otherwise I would have had to walk about 6km back to the car.

It was always my backup plan, only real problem would be loosing the board... Mastfoot is soo essential...

In the Netherlands we have this 2nd hand windsurf equipment shop. They offer a complete 2nd hand windsurf set. They also buy used windsurf gear (if you dont want to sell online yourself). It is a bit easier too find everything. Also cheaper compared too new stuff.

https://desurfloods.nl/collections/windsurf-boards

A longer and stiffer mast often results in a bit more power in the top of the sail, this is can become very uncomfortable when you are light and/or not very tall. A stiffer longer mast results in less "loss of power" in choppy and/or gusty conditions, better low-end.

I would not even try a longer/stiffer mast when the current mast results in enough power and good bottem-end windrange for the given size.

I use rdm masts up to 490 cm. In my 8.5 a 460 rdm would be too soft for me. I even bought an extra stiff 490 rdm (Nolimitz Fast) to get good lowend. But I am 95 kg.

The power xt 36 rdm 2.0 sls (blue handle) fits without any problems (complete) in loftsails rdm (2020-2023) and in Nolimitz (ezzy) rdm masts. The carbon ring (on top extender) did come loose, I used a bit of glue to fix it again.

7 sails, oldest 2020 and newest 2023. 4 boards. 3 booms. 9 masts. In a ideal world I would say 4-3-2-1 rule is perfect, however my surfspots and myself are far from perfect. Some days its reasonable flat, other days some kind of swell (up to hip height) and chaos chop (on top of swell). I sail between 12 and 36kts of wind, and less gear is simply often too challenging (overpowered) or boring (underpowered) for me..

it happens, not all masts break predictable (or any visible explanation). Luckily it did not break on water at maximum distance from the beach, in a way you had some luck.

Some say lots of modern cars are made for 300000km or 5000hours driving . I started too believe lots of sails, booms and masts are made for 100 good sessions (or 500 hours being rigged).

Quote from Totti-Amun

Ist ein paar Jahre her. M.W. ist der auch Speed gefahren, darum überhaupt hatte er so viele Boards.

Erik Loots, weisst du noch, was da los war, bzw. bei wem?

Ich hatte auch irgendwo mal noch die Fotos gefunden.
Kann auch sein, dass Ron das selbst gepostet hatte.

It is unfair too say Fanatic was much worse. I believe most teamriders (9 out of 10 especially speed) adjusted the bottom of their boards. This was not a brand related problem. From 2009 I never changed a bottom of a board. Even with no tailkick I just used it as it came. I did measure the boards, and sure some boards had some strange details (faults). Sometimes the fault in a boardshape was beneficial, for example a bit more tailkick by mistake releases sometimes a bit more topspeed. The most accurate production boards I ever bought are the Tribal Radix boards, tailkick and concaves are very accurate and similar (if compared). Soo I believe boardshape accuracy do get better (and more expensive).

Windsurfing will survive no worries. Some brands will not survive. I even believe brands which release new products each year for common freeride stuff and destined to fail on long term. Because you always produce too much or too less, the result is always disappointment for a .. % of their (loyal) client base. You do want as little as possible customers think: why do they dump, or how does it come it is already sold out, why do I have to wait 6 months? etc.

However, every customer decides for themselves what he or she buys. I somehow sticked to loft sails for 5 years now, after changing a few brands before. I just couldn't appreciate the changing mastcurve, mast diameter, etc. on almost yearly basis from the previous brands. Loft Sails releases per 2 years a new freeride/freerace design, I like this. I wait and buy from last year at discount, there is definitly not a guarantee that newer is better. If I rank the best Loft Switchblades for me then:

1. 2020 6.8

2. 2021 7.8

3. 2020 8.5

4. 2023 5.8

5. 2021 7.3

6. 2023 6.3

Quote from Muscheltaucher

Fährt von Euch jemand das Board auch auf dem Veluwe oder am Strand Horst (und falls ja mit welcher Finne?). Ich liebäugle irgendwie auch mit dem Board. Da ich aber einen wesentlichen Teil meiner Surfzeit an den vorgenannten Flachwasserspots verbringe, hält mich die 56er Finne von einem "Kaufimpuls" ab

For Strand Horst a 56 fin is not practical. Better ask for example Tribal (or Lessacher?) to make a huge weedfin. In the case of tribal fins I wpuld ask if they could make something like Tribal Weedmax 42cm for a JP lightwind. This weedmax can be used with weed or without weed at Strand Horst.

I believe a good freeride board (compared to slalom board means:

-freeride board minimal boardspeed required too start planing is lower compared to slalom;

-freeride board minimal boardspeed too keep planing (without much rider input) is lower;

-freeride board has easy volume distribution, which means the position (weight) of the rider is less critical to get or keep planing (you dont have to move around a lot);

-freeride board has more damped behaviour, in windgusts the reaction is more steady (freeride is easier overpowered), soo a big freeride board works easier on those days with little wind and a few strong gusts

-slalom is faster

Too conclude, yes the (good) freeride board will start gliding earlier. I remember in Hvide Sande a session where I (on full slalom) couldn't glide, while freeriders where gliding. These freeriders could glide at 30km/h or something, these low speed just didnt work on my slalomboard for me. I was amazed they looked very balanced and kept planing in very little wind, thanks to the fact their freeride boards just worked at lower speed planing (and my slalomboard didnt).

I have no experience with Gun Sails.

But when comparing Loft Switchblade with Loft Oxygen or Neilpryde V8 with Neilpryde Speedster:

• both sail with cams (Switchblade or V8) planes later (passive);
• both sail with cams once planing are better in wind holes (keep planing);
• no-cam sails should be a size smaller (for equal windrange);
• earlier planing though pumping is possible, however it depends on how direct the sail is. A direct sail is more rewarding (pumping gives more drive).

All my best fins have some signs of use, often scratches at the fin tip. My favorite carbon fin (for a couple of years) lost in the second session 5 mm trailing edge over 1cm length during an impact (with floating wooden branch), this didn't stop the fin being my favorite. At a few speedevents I also noticed most of the top riders (even winners) used fins with a lot of scratches. I believe it is more important to be able to relax and focus on windsurfing, instead of being anxious of scratching the fin. In my opinion carbon fins are in theory always better. In the real world G-10, weedfins or damaged carbon fin can win the day because the windsurfer is less anxious, his fin is cheaper and/or more sturdy. The psychology behind sport performance often trumps than that tiny, fragile, improvement.

Buy carbon, if you don't mind if this (more expensive) fin might go total loss. If you are unfortunate a small damage on a fin (often leading edge) ruins the flow at a critical point, I have one Sonntag GPS fin where this happened (result after impact, spin-out sensitive behaviour). In this case I have to use a bit of epoxy and sanding and hope to get a safe fin. Personally I don't do much on the fin if it still performs after impact.

If you do really mind damaging a fin during windsurfing, just don't buy carbon. Buy a fin where you feel comfortable. Also a fin with a raked tip (weedfin or something like tribal powermax, tectonics falcon f1) is a bit more safe in real world. Fins with raked tip rather slide over the object on impact than stick or dig in (catapult the windsurfer).

My newer Sonntag (carbon) fins seem to be more sturdy than the older designs, I have hit wood and went through seabed with loads of shells with only minor scratches as a result (and the fins still work fine). All carbon fins are definitly not equally sturdy, however you will only find out after impact. While G10 fins always seem to be sturdy, no matter the brand. If I have to estimate I have wrecked about 10 carbon fins, most of my favorite fins ended up wrecked on a (floating) object.

Quote from dominik49

Fanatic Jag wird mittlerweile (ua auch) mit einer Finish Carbonfinne ausgestattet.

Von welchem Baujahr-JAG 94 sprichst Du Erik Loots ?

Der 94 ist ja auch der allerkleinste der Reihe und am ehesten auf Kontrolle ausgelegt. Bei kleinen Boards habe sich G10-Finnen vergleichsweise klar am längsten bewährt.

Ein JAG 110 ist da mE mit 70 cm Breite schon eine andere Liga.

Eine wirklich gute, preiswerte G10-Finne ist vermutlich schwer zu finden.

BTW: Ich hätte eine 36er Tectonics Tuttle zu verkaufen.

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