Having just come back inspired from a holiday in France, I dusted off the old kit yesterday, with a view to getting back on the water ASAP. One thing I did notice, is that my kit seems to look out of date now (have got a Veloce 298, 3 sails - 5m tush twin cam, 6m UP twin cam & Gun 6.8 with lots of cams).

Need friendly some advice - has windsurfing technology advance such that is my kit now well out of date? Will I notice a big difference between the latest board/sails and my stuff in terms of ease of sail, weight and planing?

Any advice greatfully received, as I dont want to shell out on new kit only to find that its not much different to what I've already got.

Thanks

Sort of same boat as you. I had been off the water for over 15 years. Been out now twice since starting again (of sorts) I have some gear thats late 90's I picked up for next to nothing and it's better to be on the water with that than nothing at all! I would say that providing its in good enough shape to get out there whats the harm in giving the old kit a run out.

I am sure newer gear will be better but I have not tried it yet nor have the cash to pay for it so sticking to what I have and picking up ebay items when I have some spare.

I managed a couple of waterstarts first time back in it was just like riding a bike, only I didn't have a bike and it was in the sea.

Good luck and get out there and enjoy it.

Cheers

Dan

Have to aggree I have what would be classed as older kit , but geuss what , there is nothing wrong with it and it goes just as quick if not quicker than todays wide board kit!!!
If you are enjoying it then that is the point, have a go on the modern stuff and then decide. I tried the wide board and massive rig and for me it did not work, it was like sailing an oil tanker !!
Much to be said about older boards but the main point of this sport for us lot is to HAVE FUN.
Stop worrying and get on the water.
Cheers and that is my 2 pence worth
Andy B

On the samme topic sort of, i have a vinta 330 and a rig that i baught with it off ebay about 5 years ago, ive only justs started windsurfing regularly this year and i was wondering if anyone new how old it is or any information just so i know what im riding really. Also in response to the main topic i think if you dont know what ur missing out on there isnt a problem right, well thats my excuse for buying old stuff

A vinta 330 must be about 15 years old or thereabouts, I'd say.

As for the general new kit/ old kit thing - so long as yer having fun & getting out, thats cool. If you've got some spare cash to splash, you will almost certainly notice an improvement if you get some more modern gear. Sails with no cams are greatly improved over what they were 10 years ago, so theres not really any need for cams on freeride sails - usually only speedsailing nutters or racers have cammed sails.. The difference is that no cam sails are much lighter, in weight & handling, and flip much easier.
I'd say more modern, similar volume boards will be lighter, and probably plane quite a bit more easily and in lighter winds - but they are also much more fragile and fecking expensive...
so... depends on the thickness of your wallet & how hooked u r on the sport...

Coming from the other side, the oldest bit of gear I have is about 12 months old, the newest is about a week! I'm pretty lucky in that respect, but having said that the last guy who was on the lake last night, turned up at dusk, rigged up and sailed for about 40 minutes in the dark. He wasn't on new gear, but some oldish stuff, so the moral of the story is it's not the gear but the user! If you've got the motivation to sail, then you'll have a good time, no matter what you're sailing.

Newer gear is going to be easier to use, both in setting up and sailing. My first shortboad was an Innowave 295, kind of a bastardised Vinta. I wouldn't be able to throw any free_style_ moves on that now, nor wave sail like I can on my new wave boards, but if it got me out, then I'd be more than happy to get the old beast out!

Hope to see a bit of a retro day at the lake tomorrow!