How to have fun in less than 12 knots of wind :-)

notice the old one piece epoxy mast in the back :-)

SUN 01MAY2011 - As I said, I brought the BIC Dufour Wing down from the chalet. For days just like today. Very busy family day, not too much wind, etc. Took the Dufour, the MS Pursuit 8.5 and rigged it loose for the Rivière Milles Isles. Wind was from the East at about 10 knots. Went behind the church of Ste-Rose once again. Today it was busy with walkers, bikers, kayakers, and just people everywhere. As usual, I am the only one windsurfing here :-) With the daggerboard down I was able to go much more upwind than with the AHD FF 160, 8.5 and Select 48 pointer fin. No gloves, no hood, no harness and was sweating. And was NOT even in the steamer - was in my 2 piece wetsuit - farmer john - luv it - zips in the front !! Next time put the harness, cuz there were times i couda used it. It was a beautiful day and i was not on long, butt it was just GREAT. I donut need to plane on the water to have fun. I was a lake longboarder for over ten(10) years. I can go fast on the Dufour as well :-) It`s just different. TOW is time on water. As long as there is sun, wind and TOW = FUN !!!! in summary WIND + SUN = FUN :-)

Others say they can plane in 12 knots with Formula boards and giant sails - like up to 12 meter sails. At just under 100 kilos, on my 160 liter shortboard, with a 10-oh race sail (4 cams) I still need about 12 to 13 knots steady to plane. When running around 10 to 12 knots, I am better off with the longboard. The 10-oh gets heavy with NO wind and hard to uphaul too...

Followup: Managed to "sneak" out on SAT 14MAY2011 also. Winds were 10 to 12 mph from the NE and actually picked up. Same setup as here, butt this time managed to fall in. It was raining and the kid was off to a music lesson with his mummy. The wife caught me sneakin back - does that mean i donut get ta go tomorrow ?? damn %^&*9

Update: This year (2011) I purchased a cambered MauiSails MS-2 8-oh and also a Fanatic Ultra Cat longboard of 210 litres.  This combination planes up somewhere around 10 knots of wind and is a lot of fun. It has me considering selling the TR-4 10-oh race sail. Well, I have confirmed that NON, I am NOT selling the TR-4 10-oh - it works great with the CAT !!! Guess it is clear that I will NOT venture into the Formula arena. I am enjoying the renewed interest in longboards and the 380 cm length seems to be the magic number. Starboard is also making a Phantom 377 which is closer to the CAT length. They also seem to all be around the 66 cm width. Hope others learn that 15 knots is NOT a wind minimum.

Here is a Kona board which they are calling a longboard  - even without the center board. John Ingebritsen is known as a speed enthusiast and yet here seems to be having a riot in light winds with some waves. Another video GONE - will put another one - SUP with Sven of SB playing on a SUP

As I am NOT a freestyler, I cannot comment much on this, except to say that I have seen and read that lighter winds are good to practice freestyle moves - even on land with a modified skateboard. And all this in light winds with smaller lighter sails.