Any thoughts on the Starboard GO?
Brian G.
The response I got was laughter! They all seem to think it is not worth the
money and that If I wish to get into a short board I would be better off
with some other board in the 9 ft range. I weigh in at 145~150lb, am a
beginner (1 week) and can tack and almost complete all my jibes. Currently
I am using a 370cm long board and 5.0, 6.0, & 7.5 Pacific Phase sails, have
begun to use my harness and footstraps. and have sailed comfortable in
15-20mph winds. Maybe I should not think about another board for a while
but I figure it will take me 6 months to year to make my mind up (or that
long to know what to really look for). All my sailing is on inland lakes.
At what point should I transition?
Any comments, thoughts, suggestions?
Oh yes, I am proud of my progress!!! :)
Thanks
Brian
Energy
and blow there doors off
:)
Energy
Brian G. <pgil...@columbus.rr.com> wrote in message
news:Knnw3.17880$TM2.261810@viper...
sailquik (Roger Jackson)
>At my local launch site I asked the local board heads about the GO board.
Obviously they've never sailed a Go!
>The response I got was laughter!
Where are you sailing? I think that in about 3 months, at your rate of
progress, you'd be the one laughing.
You will probably be planing right by them in lite air, and perhaps passing them
in up to 20 knots, regardless of the type of boards they are sailing.
> They all seem to think it is not worth the
>money and that If I wish to get into a short board I would be better off
>with some other board in the 9 ft range.
It's definitely worth the money, as the EVA deck Go is priced somewhat below
most of the 9 ft. boards they are talking about unless you buy used.
But the real deciding factor is the prevailing windspeed. If it's in the 6-12
knot range most of the time, get the GO, if it's consistently 12-18, then
the Go will work, but maybe the 299 Free might be a better choice.
If it's consistently over 15 knots, then they may be correct, but Starboard has
you covered here as well. The 272/282 Free or the 285 Sonic will probably dust
them all.
Another option, a bit more expensive, would be the new F2 290 Xantos.
If the wind is above 12, the Bic Techno or the Fanatic Bee would be good.
Remember, you need to judge how early you want to plane, so if the locals are
all sitting around "complaining" in 8-12 knots, at your weight, with a good low
end power camless 8.5, on the Go, you will be rippin'!
> I weigh in at 145~150lb, am a
>beginner (1 week) and can tack and almost complete all my jibes. Currently
>I am using a 370cm long board and 5.0, 6.0, & 7.5 Pacific Phase sails, have
>begun to use my harness and footstraps. and have sailed comfortable in
>15-20mph winds.
To really get the most out of the Go, you need one larger sail!
Congrats on your rapid progress!
> Maybe I should not think about another board for a while
>but I figure it will take me 6 months to year to make my mind up (or that
>long to know what to really look for). All my sailing is on inland lakes.
>At what point should I transition?
Sounds like you are ready now, and that the 370 is probably holding you back.
Anything you can learn/do on the 370 will be easier and faster on the GO!
>Oh yes, I am proud of my progress!!! :)
As well you should be!
sailquik (Roger Jackson) US 7011
Cert. WS Instructor (Lvl 1)
F2/MPB/Sailworks/Tectonics/True Ames/Chinook/Kokatat/DaKine
Phones: So. MD (301)872-9459; Avon, NC (252) 995-3204
John Snyder
The Urban Surf shop in Seattle says they've sold dozens of them, the reviews of
them are good.
I went to the gorge last week and didn't see one in a shop or on the water.
John
Ellen Faller
at his weight (I do) with a 7.5 or a 6.5, and on up to 25 knots. Besides
the GO is a 280 cm board. I've used it with a 6.5 and a 6.2 sail, with
the 54 cm fin, in 18" chop, and with a 46 cm fin too. At no time was it
uncomfortable. It seems unlikely, but it works.
Ellen
Jerry McEwen wrote:
>
> Congratulations on your excellent progress, Brian!
>
> I see several people have given you good advice, but I disagree with
> them ever so slightly. I think the GO would be great from you (from
> what I hear about it, I haven't seen one), but at 145 lbs, I can see
> you kicking butt on a 5.5 or 6.0 and a 280 in 15 knots.
>
> hth
>
Grant Conley
I have owned and sailed a Starboard Go for about a month and truly love it. It gives
me the confidence to try new moves(for me). It is quite stable and forgiving of poor
footwork. It planes very quickly with a 8.5 sail and sails well in the gusts up to
22mph. Due to the large fin it goes upwind like a bat out of hell. I find jibing
fairly easy once initiated. In strong winds it is still controllable but requires
exaggerated movements and concentration to start any manoeuvres. I think its a great
board for your first short board. Those days when I used to sit on the beach and
complain about the wind are now being spent on the water planing and ripping. This
board is fun and fast.
Grant in Alberta
sailquik (Roger Jackson)
wrote:
John:
Even the GO has it's limits,and I think what would be considered "normal" Gorge
conditions would definitely exceed the GO's limits.
If the conditions were <25 knots, and you were sailing at one of the more flat
water sites, the Go would work fine, but these are NOT the condiitions that most
people go to the Gorge to sail in.
Hope this helps!
dubois
believe there is a real need for an early planing board in the Gorge.
The Starboard GO is a great early planer for the experienced sailor and
a great first board for the beginner, however it does not replace the
high wind boards or Bump & Jump boards.
Probably the shops there believe that there is no market for such a
board in the Gorge (or maybe they were just sold out ;-).
Francois
sailquik (Roger Jackson)
>Uhh, hmmm, oh yeah, sorry. What I meant was a 280 cm board in the 115
>liter range.
Why? In 15 knots, the Go with a 7.5 will probably be going right past all the
280 115 liter boards, even with 6.5-7.5 sails.
The secret here is the size of the fin. The Go has the width to give the sailor
good positive control of the 54 cm Curtis fin, so it rips upwind, and rides OVER
alot of chop & slop that the narrower, less floaty board will have to negotiate.
Also, you are so far back on the GO that you have much better pitch (fore/aft
bouncing) control. This makes a huge difference in a sailor's ability to handle
a board/fin combination this large in what would seem to be too much wind
and sea conditions.
At the Frisco Woods Windfest last spring, Brett ( the Starboard rep) was out
on a GO when the speed check was going on. He was keeping up with or passing
many of the speed check participants on a GO with a 6.5-7.5 (maximally
downhauled I think).
He might easily have finished well in the Speed Check, but there was only about
40 cm of water in by the timing stand, and he was on a 54 cm fin.
later
(Pete Cresswell)
> I weigh in at 145~150lb, am a
>beginner (1 week) and can tack and almost complete all my jibes. Currently
>I am using a 370cm long board and 5.0, 6.0, & 7.5 Pacific Phase sails, have
>begun to use my harness and footstraps. and have sailed comfortable in
>15-20mph winds.
I'm 210# and the GO that I tried was way, way, way too big for me and any sail
smaller than about 8.5. Maybe they come in different sizes. This one had
holes for the leeboard fins and a skeg that must've been two feet long.
If I weighed 145, I wouldn't even think of anything over 150L.
-----------------------
Pete Cresswell
Energy
and I weigh 152....... :) although the GO is for my wife I have rode it
with the 7.8 and thought how awesome the board would be with a 9.3
:)
Jeff
(Pete Cresswell) <h...@fatbelly.com> wrote in message
news:37c94353...@news.earthlink.net...
Vaughan James Sanders
Jackson) <sail...@mail.ameritel.net> writes
>On Tue, 24 Aug 1999 06:22:10 GMT, du...@what.com (Jerry McEwen) wrote:
>
>>Uhh, hmmm, oh yeah, sorry. What I meant was a 280 cm board in the 115
>>liter range.
>
>Why? In 15 knots, the Go with a 7.5 will probably be going right past all the
>280 115 liter boards, even with 6.5-7.5 sails.
>The secret here is the size of the fin. The Go has the width to give the sailor
>good positive control of the 54 cm Curtis fin, so it rips upwind, and rides OVER
>alot of chop & slop that the narrower, less floaty board will have to negotiate.
>Also, you are so far back on the GO that you have much better pitch (fore/aft
>bouncing) control. This makes a huge difference in a sailor's ability to handle
>a board/fin combination this large in what would seem to be too much wind
>and sea conditions.
>
handles chop. I have only sailed the Go with a 6.2 Ezzy in a fairly good
southerly blow and very choppy water. Although I am used to sailing
stiff slalom boards on this type of water and using my legs as shock
absorbers, I was expecting to take a bit of a pounding on the Go. It
turned out to be about the softest ride of any board I have sailed
lately. The first time it went into the air I was expecting this huge
board to land very hard, in fact it landed very softly, on a cushion of
air presumably. I think with the Windglider and Go it has never been
easier to get into the sport, I have certainly seen a lot more new faces
on our beaches this year.
Jamie
Jamie Sanders
Chalkwell Windsurfing Club
http://freespace.virgin.net/ken.rosier/cwc.htm
--
--
Vaughan James Sanders
Ellen Faller
intermediates, and advanced sailors. It planes easily and early, really
rides very well in a big range of conditions of wind and water. AND you
can teach with it, or learn on it. I like the idea of being able to
teach a beginner on it in the morning and rip around on it myself later
on.
Ellen
Annie wrote:
>
> My 65 y.o friend LOVES his Go board..he is about 5'10, 170 #..I tried it..it
> is hugely wide..probably a GREAT board for a beginner going into a short
> board..fun to play with...when he is not using it, everyone tries it..A
> couple of experts were on it yesterday doing all kinds of freestyle..Annie
Ellen Faller
I'm way lighter than you are and I have sailed my GO quite happily,
easily and comfortably with everything from a 9.5 to a 6.2 sail, in
winds from 7-25 mph. So far, that is. I can plane easily on it in light
wind, even with a 7.5 sail. It is great to sail, even though it doesn't
look like it would be, in higher winds.
There is only one size GO, and the fin that comes with it is 54 cm. I
have used that fin, and a smaller 46 cm fin on it also.
If I had to be limited to only one board in life, I'd take the GO in
an instant! People may scoff at it as a "beginner" board, but I'd just
have to say that they don't know what they are missing!
Ellen
Ellen Faller
volume and less width in those conditions, and I do. But if I have the
GO out and the wind picks up, I'll keep using it as it HAS the range! I
wouldn't necessarily take it as my first choice for those conditions
(altho I have done that deliberately too) but it does work well in those
conditions. Honest.
If I was on a limited budget, and/or space was at a premium, and/or in
a location with mostly 0-25 kt winds, and I was anywhere from basic
skill level on up, I would get this board as I would never outgrow its
usefulness. Think of all the money I would have saved! (thanks, but I
won't, as that is quite a painful thought. All that other stuff I could
have bought instead...sob)
Ellen
Jerry McEwen wrote:
>
> I know you and Roger sail much more than I do, but when I was 155
> pounds, I was ripping on a 115 liter 9'2" with a 5.5 in 15 knots. I'm
> just afraid he will run out of range too soon.
Ellen Faller
I was pretty doubtful when I first saw the GO, but you never know til
you try!
Ellen
Windsurfmom
Sounds like you are progressing real well with your sailing. The Starboard Go
would probably be a good choice for you. On it you could learn to sail a big
board that feels like a big short board. Actually for an experienced sailor
the board is really fast.
My son who is an excellent windsurfer and owns a windsurfing shop thinks it is
a real breakthru. My husband has one and lots of guys at the beach have tried
it and a few are considering purchasing one.
The Starboard Go is nothing to laugh about.
Joan
mark1754
WOW!
Anyone who is remotely considering the purchase of a board in this
category should go for it. The sailing characteristics are awesome. My
3 hours on the water today in 10-12 mph with a 7.5 Noa were some of the
most fun in my 3 year experience (including Aruba and Margarita). The
beginner footstrap positions are wonderfully placed and I had both feet
in the straps and was planning and in control at what felt like warp
speed.
If you're thinking about a GO, use the Nike approach.
Just do it!
(Pete Cresswell)
> What I don't understand from the
>previous messages is the relevance of weight. I am 195 lbs
The less you weigh, the less board you can stand on without sinking.
All other things being equal, the bigger the board, the less maneuverable it is
and the less fun to turn it is.
My impression of the Go and similarly-sized boards is that they are OK for
straight-line sailing and certainly do plane earlier than smaller "big" boards,
but you can't crank turns or zig-zag as freely and easily as on a smaller board.
Clearly this is a matter of individual preference.
I know somebody about my wight that has a beeeeg AHD wide-style and really,
truly loves and enjoys it....but he likes to plane as much as possible and tends
to sail long, straight tacks with a turn at each end. We were both sailing
the same model WindWing 6.7 a couple of weeks ago and he was just *flying* past
me and probably planing a good 20% more of the time than I was.
OTHO, my brain's pleasure center gets the most stimulation the more turns I can
crank and the more I can zig-zag up-and-down the chop between turns....and my
day doesn't suffer if I have to slog a little (not *too* much, mind you....).
I tried the Mistral Vison 150 and ordered one. Tried the 170 (which
Windsurfing mag's review says is the "right" one for me) and thought it was just
too big for what I like to do.
Two different sailors, two different board preferences.
I guess that's why they make chocolate and vanilla....
-----------------------
Pete Cresswell