THE WINDSURFER LT: ROGER TURNER

 

THE WINDSURFER LT: ROGER TURNER

With those lovely summer see breezes fast approaching, Roger Turner makes a convincing case for why you should add a Windsurfer LT to your quiver! 

Whether you’re new to windsurfing, returning after years away, or simply looking for a board that delivers maximum fun with minimal fuss, he reckons the Windsurfer LT offers a refreshingly pure sailing experience. In this review, he shares his journey with the LT so far…and tells us why it’s far more than just a retro revival. For Roger, the Windsurfer LT has become a gateway to more water time, spontaneous sessions, and a rediscovery of the very reasons he fell in love with windsurfing in the first place.

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ROGER TURNER:

“So, I bought a Windsurfer LT, board only, last summer, not normally a great time for windsurfing. The deal was done for me after watching Spotty’s famous You Tube Windsurfer LT video from Geraldton in Oz, where he is blasting around in medium and strong winds and waves alongside short-boarders and clearly loving it…I expected the light wind performance and racing pedigree, but this removed any remaining doubt about the versatility and fun factor. Bought the board the next day!

Planing threshold- my nemesis…

My ‘short board’ gear (125 litre with sails up to 7.2, plus wave gear, I’m 95 kg) needs a solid 15 knots of wind to start to work. This planing threshold is a big deal and for me at least, a massive source of frustration. So many days have wind that yo-yos from 10-20 knots to tempt the hopeful, or 5-15 knots but lovely warm summer weather. I hate wobbling about, struggling to get upwind and generally call it a day quickly. Let’s stop pretending we live on the north shore of Maui where the summer trade winds blow 20-25 knots every day.

I want to get out on the water more, don’t need to be doing 30 knots or boosting massive, tweaked aerial etc. We work hard and need to be able to get out when and where we can and not have wait for 15+ knots.  So what are the options?

• Windsurf and wing-foiling are fun in light-ish winds and especially the latter has really taken off (pun intended), but the gear is expensive and fragile, and foiling is not for everyone or all locations. I have freeride windsurf foiling gear and love the sensation of gliding around, which is a strange combination of full-on and dull! Not used it much since I got the LT though.
• Giant windsurf gear, effective but still needs 12 knots and the kit is unwieldly and expensive.
• High-performance long boards. From older Mistral Equipes and Fanatic Cats to the more modern Starboard Phantom etc. Amazing performance, expensive and better suited to winds over 10 knots, but narrow and not good for light winds.

A Solution?

Enter the Windsurfer LT, a ‘retro design’, brought up to date in 2016 and now distributed in big numbers around the world, all identical except for a little bit of branding (Windsurfer, Exocet, Mistral, Starboard, Naish, Gaastra etc). Wider, lighter and simply better than the original and, I think, quite beautiful, with harmonic lines.

Here’s the spec; 366cm long, 74cm wide, 15kg, 227 litres, big, stiff daggerboard, no straps. Add softish rails and a little tail rocker for manoeuvrability.

The rig is a retro 5.7 that suits the board perfectly and is way better than you think it will be. In expert hands this exact kit is capable of 30 knots. Quick to rig and with quality components.

It is easy to sail but challenging to sail well. Buy the board only if you have no intention to race and you have suitable rigs already, that’s how I started, the one design rig can be added later.

High performance does not necessarily mean fun!

So, not very exciting looking, not the fastest in light, medium or strong winds, but is high performance a prerequisite for fun? Does everything have to be ‘extreme’ and Red-Bull-fuelled? It turns out for me at least, it doesn’t

. Remember the DSBs (dedicated slalom boards) of the 90s?

A lot of sports have gone hi-tech and high performance, (not to mention high price) including windsurfing, sailing, cycling etc. Does this increase participation, or in fact alienate the mass public that may aspire to some low to medium performance activity (otherwise known as fun)? I know what I think!

Don’t underestimate the Windsurfer LT – the impatient board!

But here’s the thing, watch Spotty’s video from a wavey Geraldton in Australia on a stock LT, or his runs over 30 knots and you may have to rethink what this ‘modest’ kit is capable of.

My LT has lived on the van’s roof rack constantly. It (she?) is as impatient as I am to get wet and won’t wait for strong winds. There is no planing threshold with the LT, it simply goes faster as the wind picks up. The planing sensation is different to a shortboard, smooth, but less responsive, never feeling the need for foot straps as the deck is so grippy. People keep asking me ‘does it really plane?’ The answer is a big yes, but there is always more of the board in the water. I regularly get above 20mph, and the standard kit is capable of 30 knots!

But the most important factor is the way you sail it. We have toured Poole Harbour, seen seals, gone round Brownsea Island, been to Old Harry’s Rocks, explored and surfed at Kimmeridge, blasted at Branksome and Sandbanks and nearly got round Hayling Island. We’re going out today in the 15-20 knots, don’t care if it drops to 6 knots or increases to 25. (if there’s less than 5 knots, I can always paddle board on it anyway). I took it to Kerry, Ireland for the lighter wind days and to explore the islands and it worked perfectly for that too. In light winds you can comfortably chat as you sail.

The Windsurfer moves through the water beautifully, particularly if there’s enough wind and skill to rail it upwind. Also, the extra width makes downwind sailing so smooth and stable.

And the LT is perfect to learn the basics on, a smaller daggerboard and rig is available to make this more accessible. Also, the LT is nice for just messing about with helicopter tacks, old school flare gybes – how far back do you dare to stand to get it to really whip around? And rail-rides, remember them? With a bit of ingenuity, overnight camping gear can be lashed down for adventures further afield.

The LT works with all sorts of rigs, so is an excellent board in its own right. I have used mine with 7.5m longboard sail and 7.2 and 6.2 freeride sails. I have now got the standard 5.7 rig too and have found it a bit of a ‘retro revelation’ with its long boom and very soft feel, it is very powerful and effective over a massive wind range. The feedback you get is perfect for beginners and improving sailors and it’s very light and super quick to rig, requiring way more outhaul than downhaul. Makes you reassess the way a windsurfing sail works.

Plan to try a wing on it ASAP, perfect way to get used to the basics

SUP too

Many of the user-friendly characteristics combine to make the LT an excellent all-round paddleboard, complete with leash point. So, from zero wind to 25 knots you have it covered. Get to the beach and go..

Session saver

Here is an example of a Windsurfer LT ‘session-saver’; Branksome Dene Chine, Poole, 12-20 knots, side shore with small waves, potential nice session on my Duotone Freewave 125 and 6.2 sail. But the wind was fickle and after a couple of wobbly runs I quickly traded the short board for the LT and scored an excellent session blasting around and even riding a few waves.

Don’t forget the racing!

Before you even consider the LT’s main attraction for many, one design racing. In Italy and Australia there are huge racing fleets (100+) and local, regional, national and world championships. See ex-world wave sailing champion Scott McKercher’s recent article in Windsurf on his winning return in Perth, Australia. The racing is divided into course racing, slalom and long distance with a little old-school freestyle thrown in.

Although the LT is relatively easy to sail well, to win races you will require a good deal of skill, especially to rail the board upwind, fitness and good set-up of board and rig, plus the strategic and tactical knowledge to finish consistently high up the fleet. As all sailors use the same equipment, the fleet is divided into weight categories so all competitors have a chance. But the competition is always promoted as 50% racing, 50 % fun so the apres sail is as good as the action on the water.

LT in UK..?

There are probably no more than a couple of dozen Windsurfer LTs in the UK, which is tiny compared to many other countries. If we can get the participation to a critical size there is potential for the LT to take off here too. Local races and cruises are being organised and we will be racing alongside the longboards in the UKWA series, with the Christchurch event on June 21/22 being our regognised Nationals.

Maybe even have a go to the 2025 Europeans or Worlds

The good!

• Versatile, for nearly all conditions and locations.
• Simple, quick to rig.
• Huge racing fleets.
• Manoeuvrable, upwind ability, downwind stability.
• High quality and robust.
• Paddle boardable.

The ‘not ideal’

• Quite large and heavy -roof rack required.
• Not cheap – around £2,500 complete (but value for money is off the scale in £ per session….Board only is around £1500).
• Some may prefer higher tech, high price and higher performance.
• Not good for jumping..(or at least landing!)
• If you live somewhere it always blows over 20 knots, may prefer smaller gear.

Compared to..

• Old school long boards (Mistral Equipe, Fanatic Cat etc). Windsurfer LT is not as fast in planing conditions, but the extra width, softer rails and tail rocker makes it more fun and manoeuvrable.
• Modern longboards (Starboard Phantom etc). Higher performance than LT, but much more expensive, especially when taking the rig into account, and cluttered with straps.
• Modern learning/progressing boards (Duotone Eagle One, Starboard Start 2). These boards are wider, so more stable than the LT and have moderate upwind performance, but not designed to be raced and so not as versatile as the LT.

Who is the Windsurfer LT for?

• For impatient or time-limited sailors wanting to spend more time on the water.
• Any windsurfer frustrated by having to wait for solid 15+ knots.
• Returning old-school windsurfers and dinghy sailors- they will love the responsiveness not being locked-in to the sailing club.
• Dinghy sailors – dinghies have gone down the high-tech and high-performance route, the responsiveness, simplicity and transportability of the LT is very appealing.
• Sailing clubs – Looking to offer a diverse, fun and simple way to get on the water for learning and racing.
• Families -looking for a simple, versatile beach and holiday toy that can also be used as a paddleboard.
• Old gits and young gits, could retro be the new cool?

Give a Windsurfer LT a try, you might get hooked, like me!”

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Windsurfer LT – Stop Press

Due to huge interest in these boards,

H₂O Sports

in Poole will be placing another order for delivery in early May. Board only £1499 or complete with rig £2499. It’s time to get onboard with the

‘retro-revolution’ that is sweeping the world. Get in touch to secure your fun for the summer…

01202 733744

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History of the Windsurfer LT…

The origins go back to legendary days of Hoyle Schweitzer and Jim Drake in 1967, eventually selling 400,000 units, the largest sailing class ever. Robbie Naish won the World Championships in 1976 at the age of 13 and an updated version of the board (Windsurfer One Design) was selected for the 1984 Olympics. As other race classes were introduced and the pursuit of higher performance became king, the fleets dwindled. A new project was started in 2016 updating the construction and design to become more ergonomic whilst keeping the racing and all-round appeal of the original. Hence the Windsurfer LT was born and there are large fleets established in Italy and Australia, with Worlds, European Championships attracting 200-300 competitors with emphasis being 50% racing:50% fun. The current biggest selling windsurfing kit in the world…

WINDSURFER LT

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