old Mistral

Question
Hey Windlover,
Thanks for taking the time to answer all these inquiries.  

I have an old Mistral Tarifa my wife and I sailed several seasons when we were young and free spirited.  The mast is shot (corrosion/abrasions) and we need a few other parts (uphaul, new cordage for outhaul), but the board is very sound and the rest is quite workable.  We have 6.8m and 4.5m sails - the later lightly used.  

We have teenagers who learned to sail small boats this summer, and now want to dust off Dad's old rig.  My question is: should we buy a mast and a few bits and teach them to shred on this, or should we give up and buy a newer rig - are they really much easier to learn?

Old but game, Ed

Answer
Hey Ed,

No problem answering all your inquiries. It's why I signed up here.

To teach your kids on the older rig will be up to you. I'll try to point out some pros and cons and hopefully help you to a decision.

Pros; Cheaper than buying a new/newer rig. A new mast and a few parts should run you around $100-150 or less. It will depend on the type mast and whether you buy new or used. Buying used can be good, just be sure to inspect the mast before buying. Look for heavy wear marks at the mast to boom connection, heavy scratches on the top, and possible cracks around the base. If all look good, the mast should be sound. You should be able to use your 4.5 to teach them with. You get to spend some quality time with your teens.

Cons; Some parts may be difficult to find but I do have some good resources for older Mistral parts. Older boards are more difficult to learn on. Especially the Tarifa. It was a medium to high wind board in it's day. If your teens are smaller in stature, this board may work okay. Just remember that it will be a bit of a struggle as it is not a real stable board. The quality time you are spending with your teens could also become a very frustrating time. BE PATIENT.

Pros and cons of buying a new/newer rig;

Pros; Modern technology has improved equipment to the point that using older gear for newbies is more frustrating than spending the money. The learning curve is much higher. What would take 2-3 days of falling off and climbing back on is reduced to 1 day. Then it is uphill from there. The new boards are very wide, extremely stable, easy to use, and very user friendly.

Cons; Cost.

It will probably come down to what you have available in your budget to get the kids windsurfing. If your budget is tight, go with a mast, parts, and the older board. If your budget allows it, for $500-700 you could get a new/newer rig that will make everyones life easier and fun. If you get the right type of board, you and your wife will also be able to use the new board and have a great time learning the joy of windsurfing all over again. If you were to shop around on ebay or Craigslist, you could probably find a great deal on a newer rig AND have the extra cash to fix up the Tarifa. You would probably find that you can still have fun on that old board. And once the kids learn to get into a harness and footstraps, it would be a good board for them to learn waterstarts and higher wind sailing on.

So this is my take on your situation. Use the advice as you see fit. If you do start shopping for a newer rig, I may be able to help as there is a lot to choose from. There are a few that will work well for learning but also allow all of you to have fun as your/their abilities grow.

Hope this will help.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover