Thanks for the video and the help.

Shit, this board is too small for you and you need 20 mph+ wind to sail it anyway. I told you to look for more then 150 liters board and at least 70 cm width. A 7.5 sail is too big for you I told you already. You think-windsurfing is a joke, get ready for reality check! My first ever board was an 80s longboard with over 200L volume. My second board was a 160 L Bic Core 160D, both had daggers for better upwind pointing and stability. I would recommend you getting rid of that 103L Screamer for advanced windsurfers and try yo find something that resembles to some degree this one:
www.star-board-windsurfing.com/2018/boards/2018-go-windsurfer/

Welcome, Douglas


Northwestern University Sailing Center (Evanston, IL)

Private Windsurfing Lessons

"Private lessons offer one-on-one instruction for windsurfers of all levels who would like to improve windsurfing skills and techniques. Private lessons are taught on skill-appropriate boards and sails. Public:$80/hr "

northwesternsailing.com/windsurfing



Beginner Board Guide

"First piece of advice – don’t just buy that £100 board you see on eBay as it’s likely to be the windsurfing equivalent of a wooden tennis racquet! Have lessons first, hire for a while and then you’ll have a better concept of board sizes, names and what you want from the sport. When you’re ready to buy, select a board that offers long-term potential for your needs and aspirations, but isn’t too challenging to sail. In basic terms, boards are of similar length, but they vary more in width and volume. Wider, higher volume boards (140-200L) are more stable and easier to sail and suit beginners, improver-intermediates, lighter winds and inland waters."

"The new ‘widestyle’ boards are so much easier and lighter than boards from a few years ago. They’re at least 75-90cm wide, which reduces your chances of falling off and increases your control and ease of getting ‘planing’. They’re undoubtedly the easiest boards to sail on the market! The ones we’re suggesting here aren’t the massive white 200-220L school ‘platforms’ you might have had your lessons on: these are sporty, fun and perfect for embracing the early stages of the sport."

boards.co.uk/how-to/boardwise-beginners-board-guide.html



Windsurfing Gear For Beginners | Choosing Your First Windsurf Board And Other Equipment

"You will probably learn to windsurf using a training sail (under 5m) but it isn't worth buying a training sail, as once you come to the point where you are ready to purchase kit, you want it to help you progress. You don't want it to be too big otherwise it is too heavy and hard to control. As a general rule, most beginner adults buying their first sail would look at a 5m to 6m sail, but it really does depend on your height/weight and ability."

mpora.com/adventure/windsurfing-kitesurf...beginners-equipment/

Douglas, we've got some folks with beginner boards(wide, lots of volume with cushioned decks). If it's a S, SSW, WSW wind the Beginner Cove at the Marina launch at Clinton stays sheltered and is a great place for first time basics. Let us know if you're coming up sometime and we'll see if we can round up some gear for you to try. I can take you through the basics. Look for up coming wind alerts in the Clinton forum.

Example: Here's a day where it worked for everybody(all skill levels) and what the cove looks like. Summertime hangout with friends.

windsurfillinois.com/index.php/forum/cli...217-monday-6-22-2015

HI Douglas!
Welcome aboard! I was at the point you are now about 3 years ago. Sailed the first year, missed the second but had a great third year last year. I highly recommend it if you can make it over to Reid's pond. My schedule has been such that I haven't been able to make it down there from Chicago but drewl every time I see a posting from Lake Clinton. I really hope to put some good hours in down there with Reid, Chris, Ady and anyone else this year. I started windsurfing 3 years ago by taking some lessons with my wife on Maui. My first purchase was a 190l Starboard w/2 booms and 2 sails (5.5 & 6.5). Picked up a 160l Bic Nova like the one Ady is pictured with and eventually some additional sails, masts, harness, helmet.... you get the picture. At the last swap meet they had in Evanston I picked up a 111l board that I'm very anxious to try. I honestly haven't mastered the 160l (not that I'll ever truly master any of it) but want to try to work some time in on the 111l to start getting familiar with it.
The guys on this site really know their stuff! I have received some great advice and different points of view on various aspects of windsurfing. You also learn a lot just by reading other topics. It's not easy by any means to say the least. I started a topic a few years ago to document my progress and get some advice. For me it's a great reference to go back and re-read until things really sink in. Then it's a matter of trying to execute what you've read and creat some type of muscle memory on the water to continue to progress. If you have some time go to it and give it a read. It may help answer some questions you have. Lord knows I've asked tons of them ....... and have received some great explanations from so many guys that have really helped me understand just what I need to be doing at various times on the board under various moves/conditions. If you go under "Forums" then "Windsurfing Instruction" you'll find it listed as "Learning Progression" Good luck with your quest and I hope to meet you at Clinton sometime.

Aw man, someone sold a newbe a 105lt board? Ruthless. Savage level 9!. Dont be discouraged i made similar mistakes after my old girlfriend keep all the windsurfing gear. I can sympathize. i pieced together garage sale crap and locals prior poor purchases that they were happy to turn into money from a noob like myself. Ady was right, i sat back when i should have joined a united front to help guide you in a proper direction. Old long boards are cheap, fun, and good to learn on. Find a whole kit.

Thanks for the replies everyone and insight into this sport I know little about other than what I've seen in youtube videos, tv and my own research. I don't have alot of money and what I had I've already dropped on a Carve IQ 2018 131 L and a Simmer Novex 2017 7.9 sail and rig, I know its huge and no I don't think your guys' sport is easy, a joke and yes I will more than likely learn the hard way In more ways one. This is the way I've always gone through life sorry, do not take this as a dis. I would love to make it to Clinton some time and learn the basics. I went out a couple days ago and just practiced uphauling the sail in little to no wind and just holding the sail and balancing. It worked out pretty well for a 103 L and me @ 150 lbs. I could uphaul the sail easily and balance for around 20 seconds... I'm researching what I can to rig and adjust my sail properly. From my first experience my take away was my sail did not have enough downhaul or outhaul and the battens were not adjusted correctly.

Gee, Doug! At this point I don’t know what else to say besides: You need to stop doing what you’ve been doing and change your approach 180 degrees to prevent it from getting worse then it already is. Think damage control, man! What I mean by that is doing things on your own without trusting and consulting people have led you to purchase a couple of boards that are too small for a beginner and a sail that’s too big. By not consulting Loopee first and not telling them that you are just starting you’ve missed the chance of letting them assemble an appropriate kit for you and you ended up with something that you might be able to use effectively in a couple of years at least with a significant water time before that-which in our neck of the woods is a huge challenge by itself. Even your mast is useless at this point just because you went for the 7.9 instead of the 7.2. With a 430 mast you would have been able to accommodate a sail in the 4.0 to 6.0 range which would be acceptable to a beginner.
Anyway I would highly recommend you to stop buying ANY gear before consulting with people on this site and in general prepare for a very slow learning process-measured in years - balls to the wall or otherwise. Because the young people you see on YouTube doing cool stuff are and always will be light years ahead of us weekend warriors /especially those with the stickers in their sails/ and not only are they practicing this almost every day ,year round,in the best places for windsurfing all around the world, but most of them have it in their DNA already by being the 2nd and even 3rd generation of windsurfers in their families and having the advantage of receiving a professional world class coaching from a very early age and access to the best and newest kit available for free .
So if you want to stop doing any more mistakes and busting your balls pointlessly quit doing what you’ve been doing , put your shiny new kit in some dark corner away from you before damaging it beyond repair and dedicate this year to finding a way to get some coaching-paid or otherwise on appropriate beginner gear. This sport is way too difficult and complicated so there is no shame of asking a thousand questions at every turn and taking it slowly one step at a time. Me and others on this forum will be happy to help you as much as we can.

northshoreinc.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=142
You may want to protect your investments.

Are these protectors used to protect the rig from damaging the board?

Yeah exactly, just the front end of the board though. When you get catapulted or when you just drop the rig in a gust the mast gets slammed over the nose and can damage it badly. You can use some type of insulation foam , something sturdier then styrofoam for a DIY , just use a clear glue in case you want to remove it one day. Nowadays I use a protector that’s attached to the mast. The silver thing under the boom in this picture.
Now




Before

So a protector for the mast and board?