choice of a good starter board

Greetings, my wife & I just got back from Aruba & we sailed everyday X 10 days. (for me 5.4-5.7 conditions the whole time)

My wife is a beginner moving into novice & is beginning to use harness lines. She is hooked & can't wait to sail again. She used a F2 phenonix 320 all week crusing back & forth, but wants to try something without a dagger.

Can anyone help w/ a good choice for her that we can keep to use when she is more advanced, ? Starboard start, go, or other wide big boards.

Thanks, Slambo

Hi, I have just got a Fanatic E-Ray 150. By the sounds of it I am the same standard as your wife. Could also consider Bic Technos and F2 Discovery. I was told that the start was too basic, and you would out grow it quite fast.

Tom

Having sailed a Start in 6.5 conditions, and seen people racing them, I would tend to challenge your conclusion that you could outgrow a Start quite fast. Have you sailed one? powered up? and with a big sail? have you read the comments of others who have done so here on rec.ws?

Ellen (admittedly partial to her Start, and GO, and...etc. but smiling all the

Ahem,

The perfect entrance to tell about today's foray into Start sailing.

After a nice afternoon Mid seventies air and water temp (that's each, not combined guys) on the F175 and 10.4 (NX), the wind dropped enough, that it was getting hard to plane. (in fact I had just had my **** kicked on a windward-leeward course by my IMCO buddy.) He loaded up to go home, so I didn't have to prove anything to anyone. Self, (I says to myself), this is a perfect opportunity to see if that topless sunbathing, Sprinter Driving, Big truck loading, Rock (or almost ex) rock counter, Ellen knows what she's talking about when she claims that a Start can GO. So, I pull the 40cm meat cleaver and keel off of my wife's START, put my 65 cm fin underneath, and 10.4 on top, and give it a try. Now keep in mind, that I haven't even put straps on the blue picnic table yet. Wind is now mostly less than 10mph. Step on, trim in, and whooshhh. The picnic table is planing. Going pretty well too. had my feet actually behind and outboard of the strap positions. Goes upwind OK, downwind great, because you can go really deep without falling off the plane. Hmm, how low could I go with a really big fin??

Jack (Sarasota)

Ditto to Ellen's comments. If one thinks you can quickly outgrow a Start or GO, I would question that. I'll always want a GO in my quiver, and the Start is a most desirable board as well

hmmmm...planing is goooood!!!... I had the GO 170 out in the ocean with 30mph gusts on a 7.4m2 today...stock fin... Just had to see for myself... Maybe these doors can handle 40mph with a better fin...the sail got overwhelmed before the board. There were some white knuckle moments, I must admit. Even rode a down the line wave up at the point with it...well, kinda... A local surfsailor , who designs reentry parachutes for NASA, took it for a spin and was blown away by the control, speed and handling with some pretty big rolling chop. Classic clearing wind on tap for us tomorrow...I'll be on the small stuff...

WARDOG

It's always a shock Jack... The first time you put a big blade on the Start and it planes off easily, you think, 'this is impossible

Oh DO be quiet about that warm air and water stuff!!! Yikes, it's just snowed 3 times in this one week after having snowed once all winter til now. I'm getting aggravated. Husband just returned from 2.5 weeks vacation in Florida to 'winter' in CT. Not a happy camper. But I'm happy, as I'm 'expecting' and 'due' on Monday with the new baby Sprinter. He'll have to wait til his tan fades to get a chance to drive my van. Now hurry up and get those straps on the big blue picnic table and find out what some of the rest of us 'know' about having a great time. Pretty soon you'll be arm-wrestling for turns on the board! Would I lie to you? especially after all those great tips on board-tossing? 8-) sailing deprived,

Brian The Dog Cunningham was on his 7.5 and Start today at Bird Island and reported that he enjoyed it. Tough on the lower limbs, though, he said. He was cruising pretty well.

I was out there, too, and had this puffed-up big toe that hurt like crazy when I try to get it into the rear strap on my Allstar. Amazing what a seemingly innocent little owie will do to your enjoyment.

Hey Jack, Are you saying that you think you planed on the Start when you couldn't on the 175?? Because.... I went out on a Start today, with a 8.4 Loft O2 sail ( I am usually on an 8.5 Retro, and I think I planed when I would not be planing on the Retro and F155. (This was on the same fin, the 44cm weed, of course.) Now thinking about getting a Start for summer cruising and, heaven forbid, forgetting the longboard!! What do you think of that. Cindy

Cindy, Cindy, Cindy.

Now just sit down. Pat a dog or something, take a deep breath, and repeat three times. 'I will always have a longboard'. Talk like that could cause your bay to dry up!!!!!

But yes I do believe the Start planes earlier than the Formula. Just don't let Lisa know! Any time she asks, say things like, They're way to heavy and clunky. The color clashes with your hat. You get the idea. I'm thinking you and I could go in together and get a really good early planing board for her, like.....a speed needle... that's the ticket.

If you keep talking about deserting longboards completely, I'll tell her about STARTs my self.

Jack (Sarasota)