need help finding a distributor near me!

Originally Posted by Roger

Linda,
What is your largest sail size?
The HWR or LWR are pretty much going to need at least a 9.0-10.0 m2 Formula sail to get going in your light Florida summertime winds (I've been there and done both coasts in September several years in a row).
The Ultra Sonic 147 is sort of right in between a true formula board (HWR/LWR) and a true slalom board
(Isonic 133 and smaller).
I have the 2011 UltraSonic 147 and at 170 lbs./77 Kg. I can get the US147 going with a 9.2 Sailworks
NX fw and stay planing in 8-9 knots of wind.
With an 8.5m2 Sailworks NX slm I can plane and stay planing in 10 knots.
At 130 lbs./59 kg. you should easily get on plane and stay on plane in 8-9 knots on an 8.5 m2 Free Race sail (better low end power than full on race sails).
Also the US 147 will work better in the 12-16 knot range for a lightweight sailor with 7.0-8.5 m2 rigs.
At around 17 knots (which you probably won't see until later in the fall) you will probably want to get on a smaller board anyway.
Formula boards perform well with formula sails and much less well with smaller sails.
The US147 will do well with smaller sails with a lighter sailor.
If you want to race, the US147 would work, and I'll bet the racers would welcome another woman out on the race course, even on a less that fully certified formula board (unless you start beating them at their own game....?)
If not the UltraSonic 147, have you thought about a Formula Experience board? These do pretty well with smaller sailors and smaller sails.
Roger

Roger, I would agree with you on most things, other than Formula Experience comment, it's heavier,
a bit softer rails, it will not plane as fast as similar shape formula. For lightweights what works well is
lighter board, can be a little narrower tail since chances are instead of 11-12 m2 sail, person will be using
9-10 m2, and a custom XXXSoft fin. I plane on described gear as early or earlier than bigger guys on 12 m2
with my 10 m2.

[Roger]

Hi Sergio,
And you weigh how much?
Linda (the OP here) weighs 130 lbs.
I really don't see a 130 lb woman on 10-12 m2 rigs. ( not to say that it's not possible, but I seen a few pro women formula sailors who have had to pretty much drop out of the sport due to back problems
from trying to compete with > 10 m2 rigs.
I've sailed quite a few formula boards, from the very early F-155 to the later formula boards (but not the HWR or LWR). I've sailed (and raced) the Formula Experience Boards ( in Thailand).
I agree that the FE boards are heavy, and not always the most durable, but they meet the FE rules and there are a lot of young women sailors who compete with 7.5-8.5 m2 rigs and they weigh in similar to the OP.
So, it's a viable option, that does not require the huge sails that women may find difficult to handle.
I still think the IS 147 would be a good solution for Linda, but she did not seem to like that idea very
well.
Roger

Originally Posted by Roger

Hi Sergio,
And you weigh how much?
Linda (the OP here) weighs 130 lbs.
I really don't see a 130 lb woman on 10-12 m2 rigs. ( not to say that it's not possible, but I seen a few pro women formula sailors who have had to pretty much drop out of the sport due to back problems
from trying to compete with > 10 m2 rigs.
I've sailed quite a few formula boards, from the very early F-155 to the later formula boards (but not the HWR or LWR). I've sailed (and raced) the Formula Experience Boards ( in Thailand).
I agree that the FE boards are heavy, and not always the most durable, but they meet the FE rules and there are a lot of young women sailors who compete with 7.5-8.5 m2 rigs and they weigh in similar to the OP.
So, it's a viable option, that does not require the huge sails that women may find difficult to handle.
I still think the IS 147 would be a good solution for Linda, but she did not seem to like that idea very
well.
Roger

My weight is 135lb, and I can ride with 11 m2, but 10 m2 is more my size...
I know few smaller girls that do use 10-11m2, but in general I would also recommend max 9.0-8.5 and a large slalom board, don't think she needs 147 - all that extra volume for what?, at her size 117w or 127 will plane just as early and will be more fun... But she wants formula, and 10 m2 is a min size that
can be used and make sense for light winds. What I was saying is that formula experience has no performance benefit vs fw, it's heavier and slower to plane. In Miami area hardly anyone has FE, few tried (price/durability) but switched to real thing quick for that reason. Generally, our winds are light and who ever comes to the beach wants to plane and have fun, and to maximize it formula just does it better.

P.S. no back problems due to FW in last 11+ years, actually just the opposite

[Roger]

Sergio,
I think I've seen you/met you at the Midwinters a few years back.
Awesome that a smaller lighter sailor can handle the big board and big sails.
You are very lucky with your back being strengthened by FW sailing.
Do you do other exercises to make this possible?
Roger

Originally Posted by Roger

Sergio,
I think I've seen you/met you at the Midwinters a few years back.
Awesome that a smaller lighter sailor can handle the big board and big sails.
You are very lucky with your back being strengthened by FW sailing.
Do you do other exercises to make this possible?
Roger

Roger, never made it to Midwinters, since I move to Miami 5 years ago, I only do local events, we have
4-5 a year, plus drag racing never gets boring since we have good group of speedsters here always willing
to push each other...

On the back issue; I actually have a slipped disk in lower back area and had off and on problem with it
for years, I did few things to eliminate the it:
1. never downhaul my sail by hand, always use crank tool
2. use only best fitting/back supportive harness
3. careful how I lift anything heavy so not to through back off
4. use inversion table and do crunches on it , 20+ straight, 20+ to the right/left every day
(well maybe I forget 10 times a year)
5. Regular windsurfing 2-3 times a week avg