Utah Windriders Association

Hello everyone,

My name is Marc Wilson. I live in Stansbury Park by the lake and have been interested in trying out windsurfing for quite a while. It might be a little premature to be posting any info but I would love to get some input regarding the sport in general, gear, etc. Thanks.

Welcome, Marc! I suggest that you take a lesson first. Josh Shirley teaches windsurfing and you can contact him through this website: memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=26

Just in case you got the urge to look for deals online, here are a few things to remember:

1. Don't buy the older model boards. But older I mean really old. Anything older than 2001 is very old. Modern boards are wider, shorter and have higher volumes (flotation). So, it is a lot easier to learn on them. The volume is important: a 150 lbs person should have at least 140 liter in his/her first board. 165 or higher would help a lot.

2. Don't buy cheap old sails, mast and boom. Safety and ease of use is far more important than the few bucks you can save. A good used rig (boom, mast and sail can be yours for as little as $300). Don't buy too big or too small rigs. You should have at least couple of sails. The luff length will determine if you need an extra boom and mast. So, check the boom and mast length before you make your purchase.

3. Buy a PFD, helmet and wetsuit. A harness will come handy real soon too. Safety is number 1!

Check out the for sale section to look for some stuff members are selling. We generally give pretty good deals to other members here. Please feel free to ask any specific questions you have.