So after not doing it for about three years, I’m getting the itch to get back into windsurfing. I’ve seen some deals on some sweet second hand boards, problem is I drive a VW polo?! Do I have any chance of strapping it all down on the roof or something? Or should I should take up kite surfing so I can bung it all in the boot?
Been looking at a nice 110 liter Starboard Freesex for a tasty price, will need all the rigging too though.

Any pics of transportation methods would be appreciated too!

Thanks.

I would have thought you would get a board and sails in a Polo with the seats down. Masts you may struggle with. Have seen an Astra with two boards five sails and masts and boom all inside. Hatch version too.

Dependsi if you care for the car or not. I neverbother with mine and just throw muddy bikes and sandy boards and sails in the back.
Quiverack used to do WS specific roofboxes. You could have mine for a case of beer. However im in Aus these days

About ten years ago I had a Renault Five and it was used regularly for windsurf duties. That was probably smaller than the Polo. I’m sure there are good racks that fit a polo.

I’ve just bought a quiverack off eBay for my golf…

Windsurfing only works with a van or a roof rack (IMO). Bunging it all back in the car wet and with bits sticking out of the boot or windows is no long term solution. Keep an eye on ebay and it time you will come good on the right rack model.

The lugging and storing of kit is the significant downside to windsurfing which is gods own sport however I just can’t do the logistics anymore given the family situation and storage / time constraints. I am taking up kite surfing for that reason.

Good luck with the ebay shopping – the kit of the last 10 years is infinitely better than the dross I grew up sailing so there are bargains to be had.

I used to get 2 part masts into my old c reg polo (not sure how they stack up for size against newer ones).

You could get a board in from passenger footwell to boot (lay the passenger seat right down, then sails / masts boom etc on top of the board.

Or about 3 boards + a bag on the roof. It was all ok until I blew the cylinder rings out 🙁

StuF. I had a C reg polo when I was 17. Lots of windsurfing trips in that all round north wales and the north west. Shit car, the timing belt failed causing massive internal engine failure, it had 107k on the clock but the speedo / milometer had stopped some months before. The rear seat latch had also gone / they always did! Happy days!

Take up kitesurfing, the kites packs down in to a rucksack’s, the board will fit easy in to a car and its more fun than windsurfing 🙂 bigger wind range etc

Depends on the board and mast, but it will probably fit inside. I prefer a roofrack though

mendippete – Member

Take up kitesurfing, the kites packs down in to a rucksack’s, the board will fit easy in to a car and its more fun than windsurfing bigger wind range etc – I guess you were not at the National Watersports Festival last month where the windsurfers were out on the water and the kities were sat on the beach bemoaning the lack of wind 🙄 As for fun? “Each to their own” I have heard said many time, I will stick to Windsurfing thanks 😀

Heresy.

Edit. The kite lover 2 posts up

I can manage to squeeze 2 boards, 5 sails, 4 masts and 3 booms in my 307 hatch with all the seats folded. No room for much else but it works.

uwe-r, yep the polo did survive a couple of trips to Rhosneigr. ah yes mine had the optimistic speedo that said about 80 and you were doing about 30. Also mine was red but had faded to a pinky colour – my friends didn’t give me any ribbing about that

the board will fit easy in to a car and its more fun than windsurfing bigger wind range etc

I am tempted by the ease of transporting kitesurf gear, but I’m pretty sure windsurfers can sail in a bigger wind range, you would need about five sails though.

When I had a Polo I got hold of a length of 18inch diameter plastic ventilation ducting and used it to make my own Quiverack. Shame I’ve no photos. It worked far better than it looked.

Hell yes, a Polo will be fine.

My 1500cc Beetle lugged the mother of all HiFly square tails about in the 80s and that was made of polyindestructium, weighed almost as much as the car. Only travelled at 50mph but it got me all over the place, single piece masts too – rags on either end.

So, yes, your Polo will be fine just invest in a bloody good rack.

Kiteboarding is essentially a slightly lame relative of windsurfing and popular with middle aged middle management types although it has massive logistical benefits which sadly mean it is the most appropriate option for me (I also fit the demographic).

You can’t live in a flat / small house and windsurf. Ideally you need to live with your parents who have a garage and drive a battered old polo or equivalent. Happy days.

For a reason I can’t remember, I drove my mates dads old du-four(?) to the beach once on top of the polo. I think the board weighed more than the car and it was so big you could of turned the whole thing upside down and floated the car out to sea!

Would of been a good way to see of that car – set alight Viking style!

If you push the front passenger seat back, then wind down the back rest so its on top of the rear squabs short boarsds will fit in.
Put the tail of the board where the passengers feet would go, and the nose of the board will be up near the roof lining by the rear window.

Put the board in upsidedown so the nose rocker allows you to slide the sails on top. Masts up the middle resting on dash. Emergency braking will punt them through the windscreen though so beware.
Boom on top of sails and hey presto job done. I smashed the glove box out of my Golf to allow 2 boards and 3 sails to be carried inside.

I used to strap it all onto a roof rack on top of a 3dr Vauxhall Nova hatch, with one piece masts too. I always wanted a Quiverack though.

Quiverack…

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Q_csxl2EKk/TYcqb3nZM1I/AAAAAAAAEHs/JBtLC0iiERA/s1600/IMG_3849.JPG&imgrefurl=http://hot-trips.blogspot.com/2011/03/quiverack-roofbox.html&h=1200&w=1600&sz=295&tbnid=ew4WyX4AvJGuVM:&tbnh=157&tbnw=209&zoom=1&usg=__bFF4Q-XE-I2GphEa32GWGLqAqQ4=&docid=PnzF2Ekfe8zIdM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=EspNUq-pKsiw0wWAjID4CA&ved=0CDEQ9QEwAg

It all depends how far u need to travel

a Polo will be fine with a roofrack board on roof sails ect inside

as for Kite surfing well its for those who cant windsurf 🙂 and when it does wrong it realy goes wrong but is cheaper if buying new , secondhand windsurfing kit can be very cheap for kit that is still very good

I’ve always carried my stuff inside my cars-Micra,Polo,Escort originally. Though was a bit easier when I got an estate! And is much easier again with modern boards (my new Goya’s are <230cm 😀 ) which fit in the 307.
My cars don’t feel right unless they’re full of sand and smell slightly damp.
Kited for a few years but it’s not the same tbh and I tend to sail on my own and preferably in bigger waves so it’s not ideal from a safety point of view.

Kiteboarding is essentially a slightly lame relative of windsurfing

😆

My cars don’t feel right unless they’re full of sand and smell slightly damp.

I can see myself heading that way some day.

Cheers for all the info though, looks like it definitely can be done! Separating the mast before and after every trip might get old quickly though.

Question; Are there rigs these days which can be set up hassle free with minimal fuss? Been a fair few years since Ive even rigged one. 😕

Bumping for the questions above!

http://mpora.com/videos/AAdl6xdls8a1

depends on your idea of hassle, clamp booms and decent downhauls are pretty quick.
You still have to slide the mast in and then clamp the boom on but it’s all pretty simple really, no lines to tangle and you get to keep a full set of ears

Rigging kites is the definition of PITA….

PITA..

Huh?? 😕 … whats that.