Early planing machine - advice/gear needed

Hi all,

I'm on tight budget and need/want really good board to get me through windless summer. I'll be relocating to Madison, WI where winds are in 5-10kts range during summer, and will be purchasing whole kit.

I've narrowed it down to GO, Formula or Techno. Isthmus Sailboards has (repaired) Techno 293 for sale, and I'm looking for used/closeout gear here, not newest '02 models. I assume Formula would be the best (and most expensive) choice.

Oh yeah, I've tried GO and Techno on water, but that was couple of years ago. Really liked GO then, Techno wasn't as good. I'm 75kgs intermediate, and aim to progress into chop hops/aerials, don't care about racing. Expect to buy second board in 100L range by autumn when winds come up.

Any recommendations/shameless gear offers appreciated!

peter, iwindsurf.com has a bunch of used starboard formula 175s listed. i expect these boards will be widely available on the second-hand market. the 175 is a really excellent design, possibly still a competitive formula board, and very easy to sail. it is much, much better than the techno 293 - they really aren't even in the same class.

i would think that you can get a good-condition wood formula 175, with a bag, for $600-700. i will sell mine in that price range, but not until after i replace it - and i haven't decided what to replace it with yet.

i like the GO (2001 friendship) better than the techno 293 too. here, the comparison is a little closer, but the GO still wins by a good margin in my view.

i wouldn't be surprised if the formula 175s are cheaper, and more numerous, on the used market than the GO. there is really no reason to sell a GO.

jeff feehan

somehow that does not suprise me. Formula sounds like a nice board, but how would it handle chop hops?

RE/

I've tried all 3 of the boards you mentioned and my choice would be the Formula with the caveat that your water is deep enough for the blade fin.

Buy the package offered for sale in an earlier thread.

If I were you, (and I am the same size, sailing in the same conditions), I would get a Formula board. My second choice would be the Go, and I would not buy the Techno.

Tom - Chicago

Thanks for the advice, Tom! Would 155 Formula instead of 175 be OK? Isthmus has '01 Formula 155 for sale, and they've got 9.3 North Strike rigs on closeout, too. I'd take these if it works for Midwest.

The 155 would be OK, but the 175 would be better. I would take either one over the GO.

(I almost bought the 155, but Darren convinced me that if you're gonna go formula, you might as well go all the way.)

This spring's swap meets should have lots of F175's for sale.

Tom - Chicago

When/where do swap meets usually take place?

Thanks!

Yes the truth comes out... the wife inching ahead in a special 3 mph wind situation makes one frantic for keeping the long stick around. (I'm just kidding Jack, I think it is great when my much lighter wife can drift ahead of me in light winds, and so does she.)

But back to the long board...I have an idea that might prove interesting. I too still keep a longboard or two around for some reason (they are too heavy for me to carry them down to water now that our drought has lowered the lake level). Any way, if I put a 6 foot long fin in the center of the board but rotated 90 degrees, I could have 11 or 12 feet of width

snip (they are too heavy for me to carry them down to water now that our drought has lowered the lake level).

Yes Charles, The creep of time takes its toll on all of us Have you considered using a wheeled cart like they use to move Kayaks, or small boats around? Actually my Equipe weighs less than a START by about 4 lbs., and is easier to carry because it is so much more narrow.

Jane likes this scenario too! Usually I hear complaints about my Wake if I pass to leeward, and my windshadow if I pass to weather. I am pretty sure the longboard makes less wake than the Formula. I was chasing one of my Formula buddies this weekend, and noted the the wake was indeed rather large.

there.

Just use a 30 ft mast! Higher aspect ratio too. Maybe you could use an ama and walk on the supporting structure to trim.

I am glad a few of the neurons are still firing. They are still fun. Just get a couple of teenagers to carry one of the ancient craft to the water next lightwind day (I think they occur in the panhandle, but I know they are rare), and see if muscle memory still works!

BTW, I have been using your tips for Formula tacking, and am making progress.

Jack (Sarasota)