As you further your experience into windsurfing, you may find yourself shifting from a beginner to an intermediate surfer, leaving your old beginner’s board behind you. But what do you look for in an intermediate windsurfing board, and what are the best boards for you?
Before you consider purchasing an intermediate windsurfing board, how do you know if you’ve made it to the intermediate level? How do you know what you should be looking for in a new board to match your skillset? What makes the boards the best for this year? Read on to find out more.
What makes an intermediate windsurfer?
While many boards on the market are geared towards beginners, as an intermediate windsurfer, you can start looking past ease and function and more towards the style of board that you want for your windsurfing experience. Because all manufacturers are different, it’s important to consider what you want in a board before you start shopping.
Becoming an intermediate windsurfer means you can use a harness properly, can start windsurfing off the beach, can smoothly tack and jib on the fly, and can windsurf upwind without the use of a daggerboard. You should also be able to freeride—windsurfing in any spot and in any body of water.
How To Find the Best Board
But what do you look for in a board when you’re an intermediate windsurfer? The main concern you should look into is matching your board to your body weight. Finding the right sort of volume that works best for you is key—when you’re a beginner, you need to add 40 to 50 liters of volume to your weight, but when you start to become comfortable with your skills, you can usually drop that to about 30 to 40 liters. This change makes your board more maneuverable and faster as an intermediate surfer.
While looking into volume, you will also start considering the board’s weight—the heavier the board, the higher the volume, and the more control you have in higher winds. Lighter boards are easier to control, especially under lighter winds. The lighter the board, the better the performance, but you will be sacrificing some stability. Another thing to remember is that the board doesn’t just support your body weight—it also supports your mast, sail, and other accessories. Remember to add that weight in when looking at board weight limits.
You can also start picking a board that is slender compared to your beginner’s board. The larger the surface area, the more stable the board and the easier it is to windsurf, so wider boards are best used by beginners. As you step up to the intermediate level, you can start to look for boards that are thinner than your first. Finding a thinner board means you will have less weight, making the board both faster and less stable.
Boards are also made of different materials—you can choose from a rigid board made of PVC or epoxy or you can choose an inflatable board. Both have their advantages and disadvantages—rigid boards last longer and have more stability, while inflatable boards are easy to store and are travel-friendly.
The last factor to consider when buying your board is the price. If you’re looking for something that you’d like to ride forever, it’s best to look into making an investment in a more expensive, new board—usually somewhere around $1,500. If you want to use your board for many years, investing in a higher quality board with quality construction will make it last much longer than searching for a less expensive or used board.
Types of Boards
You also have to consider the type of board you’re looking to buy—and there are several types that you can choose from.
Freestyle boards are larger boards that cover a wider surface area, making them the best type of board for beginners. While they can be used in waves, they are best for windsurfing on flat water, making it best for those who are just starting out on the sport.
Freeride boards are the most popular of the windsurfing board types and are the majority of the ones listed below; they are lighter and thinner than boards used by beginners. Intermediate riders and professionals often use these boards, and their ride is focused on smooth movements, control of the board, and producing speed.
Formula boards are best used by professionals, as their large, flat sails can catch any sort of wind—light or heavy. They are also much shorter than other boards, meaning they can gain much higher speeds than other boards. Because of that, these boards are harder to control in heavier winds, making them the best for professionals or experts.
Wave boards are constructed with very light materials, so they are best suited for professional and expert windsurfers. Created to hit into breaking waves, they are short, maneuverable, and best for performing tricks like on a surfboard.
Paddleboards are boards that allow you to paddle instead of using a sail. Some boards on the market allow you to have a board that does both—attach a sail on windy days to windsurf and remove the sail on calm days to use as a paddleboard. If you’re interested in having a board that does both, there are several on the list below that function in that way.
Best Windsurfing Boards of 2022
1. Z-Ray Inflatable Stand Up Paddleboard
This stand-up paddleboard comes highly rated due to its many features, including its double fins and PVC construction. It also features 10 stainless steel D-rings and a secure valve for pumping, as it is an inflatable board. The pump comes with the purchase of the paddleboard.
The board itself is ten feet long when fully inflated, with a width of 30 inches and a depth of six inches, and a volume of 246 liters. Its size can support windsurfers up to around 260 pounds, which makes it more stable and gives you a better performance than other windsurfing paddleboards.
It is small and portable when transporting, but it also is easier to control on smaller waves, making it a great board for all ages and experiences.
One drawback to this paddleboard is also one of its benefits—the fact that it is inflatable. Because of this, you will have to fill it before use, and it is also prone to punctures or holes.
The Z-Ray Inflatable Stand Up Paddleboard costs about $730 on Amazon and comes with the board, sail, pump, paddle, and backpack.
2. Aqua Marina BT-S300 Champion Inflatable Stand Up Paddleboard
If you’re looking for a board that will work best in lighter winds while still being versatile, the Aqua Marina BT-S300 Champion will be the board for you.
This board comes with all the things you need—mast, sail, fins, boom, pump, and portable backpack—when you purchase. Because it is made with PVC fabric and has an EVA foam deck, it makes the board both durable comfortable. It also features foot straps to keep you safe when surfing.
The board must be inflated before use, taking it to a length of 117 inches and a width of 30 inches; the size gives this board a weight limit of 260 pounds.
Because of its size, this board may be heavier than others you’re used to, so note that if you decide this is the right type for you.
The Aqua Marina BT-S300 Champion board costs about $1,700 on Amazon.
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3. BIC Sport Techno 293 DTT Windsurfing Board
As an intermediate windsurfer, you have the opportunity to start riding the waves harder and faster—which can be made possible with the BIC Sport Techno 293 board. If you’re looking into racing or leisure riding, both activities alike can benefit from the performance of this board.
It is 115 inches long, 31 inches wide, and has a volume of 205 liters, giving it a capacity of about 240 pounds. Because it is so lightweight and rigid, it is easily maneuverable. Because it functions best in lighter winds, using this board can also help you improve your planing skills. Since the board is also best for lighter wind conditions and those surfers less interested in doing tricks, you will sacrifice speed and agility for comfort and stability with this board.
The construction of this board also makes it very durable while remaining lightweight—the heavy-duty quality of this board and epoxy construction means you will be using this board for many years to come.
The BIC Sport Techno 293 is created for those who are serious about the sport but also provides enough stability that if a beginner windsurfer tried to learn on it, it would respond well to their skill level. That being said, it still remains one of the best boards for an intermediate surfer based on its lightweight construction, stiffness, and strength. This board comes with a daggerboard to help gain speed and gives you cushioning under your feet for maximum comfort. It also sports a deep Tuttle fin, making it much more versatile than other boards.
The board comes with foot straps, but one downside is that you must buy the rig and sail separately. If you are trying to teach a new windsurfer on this board, be aware that it is harder to maintain stability on it if you are a beginner. Due to its size, it is also not the best board for smaller, lighter windsurfers, and is best suited for those of larger stature.
The BIC Sport Techno 293 costs about $1,600 on Amazon. It comes with a fin, but a sail and rig are purchased separately.
4. BIC Sport Techno 240D Windsurfing Board
Much like the previous board, this BIC Sport Techno 240D is also a great board for an intermediate windsurfer. This board is 117 inches long and 36 inches wide, providing about 200 pounds in capacity. The size of it makes it best suited for riders who are more skilled, like a professional or intermediate windsurfer.
This board comes with foot straps, providing additional safety and support, while still giving you enough leeway and control over any gust of wind. A feature of this board is its retractable daggerboard—while you shouldn’t need one when you’re an intermediate windsurfer, this feature can help you increase your speed when out in the water.
This board is very light, weighing only 34 pounds, which makes it much easier to transport. It is also constructed at the highest quality, which brings it to its downside—all these features make it more expensive than the other boards.
The BIC Sport Techno 240D can be found online for about $1,400.
5. Aqua Marina Breeze
The Aqua Marina Breeze is one of the most popular boards on the market right now, and for good reason—this board is very versatile and can be used among a broad range of skill sets. Portable, lighter than most boards, and still rigid, even as an inflatable board, this board comes with two fin boxes, allowing you to change out the fins as you go from a beginner to an intermediate windsurfer.
It also has foot straps for your stability while surfing and an anti-slip pad for your feet in which to grip. Coming in around ten feet with a width of 30 inches, a weight of 23.6 pounds, and a weight capacity of 265 pounds, this board has many options for customizability to your skill level.
One of the best features of this board is that it can also be converted into a paddleboard if the winds are not in your favor during your windsurfing session. It also comes with a backpack allowing for easy transport. The board comes with extra fins to help you customize the board and has a high quality of construction.
Some drawbacks to this board include that it can be hard to stabilize, and the travel backpack is not as high quality as most others.
The Aqua Marina Breeze board comes in around $400 on Amazon.
6. TABOU Bullitt
The TABOU Bullitt functions as an early intermediate board, making it best for speed and both planing and non-planing conditions. The Bullitt provides a smooth ride with easy control, letting you easily turn and maneuver the board.
Coming in several different sizes, the TABOU Bullitt has an extra fin box that allows you to mount a daggerboard if needed or desired. Only the smallest size does not include the fin box. Sizes range from around 101 inches to 110 inches, with a volume of 125 liters to 185 liters on the largest size. All but the largest and smallest boards sport a center fin, while the largest size allows you to use a daggerboard fin on your board.
Because it is durable and has a large EVA pad, it can hold up to extended use. The board also comes with foot straps that can be customized by location, letting you change it for multiple different surfers, making it great for families who have various levels of skills and interest in windsurfing.
One drawback to this board is that it is heavier than most other intermediate boards, making it best for those just entering the skill set. Another downside is that while this board is very versatile, it cannot be converted into a paddleboard.
The TABOU Bullitt comes in online at around $1,750.
When looking for your first intermediate windsurfing board, there are many factors to consider—weight, length, activity, stability, inflatable or rigid, versatility into a paddleboard. Before you purchase, figure out what you want out of a board and consider your options after; knowing your priorities and price range is key as you consider your next windsurfing board.
Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please consult a legal expert or medical professional to address your specific needs.