So I signed up for windsurfing lessons this morning!

It looks like my search for crew has failed (or is failing) and I can't be spending any more time on the beach. So, if there's too much wind for me to sail uni, I'll break out the board and harass Terry!

How do boards compare to F16s in the 15-20 range?

Like sailing, it all depends on what you want to spend. If you want to drop some serious coin on a formula board, big carbon fin, 12mtr sail, carbon mast and boom, you'll probably be able to hang with the F16's (oh, and serious step up your fitness). If you go a cheaper route and buy some recreational gear, you'll get smoked.

Seriously, thinking about a board to take me out onto the course and watch the cats play, once the wind comes up.

More time sitting and watching than sailing.

Enjoy, and hope you are ready for the next fitness level. Do learn how to waterstart

There are 2 problems with a wind surfer:

1. There is nowhere for me to sit.

2. There is nowhere to sit my beer.

Wind surfing got old real quick.

Well, I'm all outta beer so that's no problem.

From a physical perpective it is much easier to pick up kitesurfing.
Windsurfing is much harder to master once you get beyond the basics as well.
Both are good fun though

I'm sure there's a board/sail combination that will let me cruise around the bay without pulling a hernia. I've no intention of mastering anything, just goin' for a sail...

As soon as Karl mentioned money, I quickly revised my plan!

If the winds up join the committee boat or chase boats.

Pass. I've been thinking about this for awhile...

Back when windsurfing was exploding, I got hooked.
Thought this is great, I can do it myself, minimal set-up yata yata. BUT, If the wind is too much for your sail, it is beyond physical, or too little for your sail and you end up having to hold the mast up yourself. To fix this you end up with a full quiver of sails to suit any condition, masts and boom to match and quickly following a variety of boards to go with it. Soon the price of the cat was not so bad.

The whole holding the mast up to go is the real killer. Standing rigging is not to be given up lightly.

Also until you learn to water start and successfully use a harness, the physical demands from windsurfing way outdo the physical demands of your F16 even in a blow.

Thought about one of Hobie's sailing Kayak's?

Yes, for about a minute. It isn't for me.

Okay, the first lesson (an hour and a half) went about like you'd expect! I had minimal success but there was a little and I like it! The board could have been my twin, short and fat. The big plus is it was 1-1/2 hours at the beach, not the gym, and a pretty good workout.

Pete stick with it...there is a learning curve like anything else...there is more to life than a modern upwind/down wind race course...on a board you will rediscover reaching...and the only time a f16 or any other beach cat will match the speed of a high wind short board on a broad reach is when it's towed behind a car...forget 20 mph...think more along the lines of 40 after you get a few years of experience under your belt if you want to go that far with it. Just be forewarned that it is very addicting.

Well, being a rank novice it did take me about 10 minutes to rig down but I'm pretty sure I can cut that in half.

Fwiw, the Blade remains my number #1 ride. I just need something simpler at times.

That's why I have a jet ski.

Go Pete, do admire you though learning to windsurf as I had a lot of fun learning, never got beyond beach starting and failed at the water start learning bit.

Highlights were speed and more speed and yet more speed, quick to set up, grin factor, and the adrenaline buzz afterwards.

Downside was the physical until you can get a harness working well, the real defined stages where you have to put hours and hours in to suddenly move to the next stage, the scrapped shins when you end up getting dragged up the board by your harness and the walk of shame back along the beach towing your board and sail.

"jet ski". Thank God Florida has all but outlawed them!

I have no shame! If I did I'd have quit sailing long ago.

I'm looking at a JP Australia long board and 7.5m Ezzy sail, carbon mast and boom. I'm told longer is easier. 11' long but only 30 lbs. I'm not quite ready to buy yet so I still have time to mull it over.

Most learning boards are not long but relatively short and very wide ( stable ), the more experianced you get the narrower the board but still in comparison to even a few years ago, short.

7.5m sail is too big, not so much as powerful but more to learn the handling of the sail, once you can tack, gybe and generally get about with a harness, then the bigger sails come into play.

Go onto some of the windsurfing forums and ask there as I'm sure they will be able to give you more informed and better advice. Good learning.