For beginners a daggerboard windsurf board often suits best. There are both hard and inflatable windsurf boards; the performance and ease of use for beginner boards are the same, whether it’s a hard or inflatable windsurf board. If storing or transporting a hard board is a problem for you, then the choice is an inflatable board. With a daggerboard, stable, wide board, it’s easy to learn the basics and you can return even in light winds to where you started. Popular daggerboard windsurf boards include Starboard Rio and Go Windsurfer. Typically, it’s advisable to choose a board with sufficient volume, at least 165L. Having a larger volume (around 200 liters) in a beginner’s windsurf board isn’t a disadvantage; instead, it provides the necessary stability for learning the basics. Here you can see how easy it is to assemble a windsurf board package.
Advanced enthusiast:
If you already have the basics down and seek a bit more speed and challenge, then the choice is a sufficiently large, non-daggerboard Freeride board. The aim with a non-daggerboard windsurf board is primarily planing, allowing it to perform well even in higher winds. Some non-daggerboard boards have the option to use a daggerboard, for example, Starboard Go. This allows you to use the board in light winds similar to a daggerboard board. Popular non-daggerboard windsurf boards for advanced windsurfers include Starboard Go and the inflatable Airplane. Typically, boards for advanced enthusiasts are under 165 liters but with a minimum volume of +40 liters more than the windsurfer’s own weight. For example, for a +80kg enthusiast, we recommend a 144-liter Go 144 board.
If you’re occasionally planning with your feet in the straps and can already pull off jibes, it’s time to move on to proper Freeride boards. Legendary. Starboard Carve is an excellent choice. The boards are lightweight and easily planing, but slightly more responsive than, for example, the Go.
Dacron (cloth) rig (sail) is a good choice for learning, it’s really durable and easy to handle. Affordable, lightweight, and easily rigged Severne Synergy 4.3
An adult can easily start the hobby with a monofilm sail as well. If there are damages to the sail during the learning phase, they are easy to fix with tape. Our recommendation is affordable, lightweight, and easy to rig Severne Synergy 6.0 / 7.3
Freeride rigs are a good choice for a more advanced enthusiast. They offer, among other things, more adjustment options than Synergy rigs. Some good alternatives include, for example, Severne NCX or Gator
We’ve assembled complete packages around these boards and rigs. You’ll find all the ready-made windsurf board packages here
How to get started? Starting windsurfing is easiest in a course, for example, at Rautio Sports’ own Surf Center. To support learning the basics, there are great videos available, among others, From Starboard. It’s also worth bravely heading to beaches where there are other surfers and asking for tips!
