Begginer to Freestyle - Board to Choose

[SpyrosA]

Hello Guys,

i want your input regarding an issue.

We are used with my girlfriend to do Freeride (by now) windsurfing together.
She wants to start experiments with freestyle. Her level is good in terms of freeride (planning, harness, waterstart, jibes) but no knowledge about freestyle at all.
How she can move on? She considers to change her freeride board (JP All Ride 105) with a used freestyle board => JP Freestyle 105.
Do you think she is in the right track?
In case she wants to use this board in freeride mode is this possible, or these boards are strictly for freestyle use?
About the JP Freestyle is an early planning board? What about small chop is this board reacts well or isn't for?

[na-omi]

I'm certainly no freestyler, but have done the switch between 105 Simmer Freewave board and 105 RRD Twintip Freestyle board in relatively flat water and found the following:

- low, relatively flat, short nose can stick into chop and small waves, but if you're aware of it, relatively easy to adapt your stance to keep the nose up
- very skaty in comparison to a freewave board - for obvious reasons - so need to be much more specific with your weight distribution and foot steering, but again totally doable
- changing to a slightly larger fin can make the freestyle board a bit more directional and easier to blast about on
- great early planer compared to the same sized freewave board, so good for get up and go!

My boyfriend sails his in light wind on flat water and in waves without any trouble if I nick his freewave board

[tim319]

My partner has a 90l JP freestyle and loves it, just for blasting about/gybing etc. 105 is big for a freestyle board.

They aren't great in strong winds and chop, but plane early and are easy to sail in moderate winds. They are easy to just blast about with.

I think everyone should have a freestyle board, your sailing will improve massively.

[SpyrosA]

They are easy to just blast about with.

I think everyone should have a freestyle board, your sailing will improve massively.

This is exactly cat i think about - At least i can use it as well.
Thinking about 106ltrs in order to use it as well 85kg.
As i see they are too little on weight (aprox 6.5kg) could be so easy handle.

[na-omi]

Are you looking for a board for her or for you ?

I'd follow Tim's advice... don't get something so big that she can't make it work for her own progress into Freestyle. If she's relatively light she'll be able to uphaul something much smaller than 105 with a bit of practice, if not already

[SpyrosA]

Are you looking for a board for her or for you ?

Actually we are looking for a board for her. She is only 55kg so she will be able to uphaul even on 85 ltr. But I was thinking if I can combine both with me to use it rarely. Do you think we have to go on 93 ltr?

[na-omi]

Actually we are looking for a board for her. She is only 55kg so she will be able to uphaul even on 85 ltr. But I was thinking if I can combine both with me to use it rarely. Do you think we have to go on 93 ltr?

I'd let Tim advise on size as he has a lot of Freestyle experience and sails freestyle boards with his partner... if you can cope with a smaller board, it might be better for her in terms of being able to progress more on it. 55kg is pretty light... I struggle with bigger, guys boards and I'm 10kg heavier Footstrap spread can be an issue, as well as sheer size in terms of width and volume.