matt_20v

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/1955/img_0075.jpg"></center><p>Yes Derek I'm back... been skiing of course!

An A4 can be a 1-car solution to all your activities- track car, windsurf hauler, ski car, and after rinsing out the saltwater brine can work for a night out as well.

I now have an avant and can carry 2 boards, 4 sails, several booms and masts, and a cooler of cold ones. Used to have a B5 sedan and could carry 1 board, 2-3 sails, and a couple booms and masts... and the cooler. All inside the car, no rack with a board on the roof which is a dead giveaway at work that you're a slacker who leaves early. Derek tought me how to pack it all in- slide the passenger seat all the way forward and up, remove the headrest, fold the backseat down, and finally tilt the passenger seatback all the way down.

Wind is pretty consistent during the summer months- you can get away with one board and 2 sails.

Working at Moffet will leave you ideally situated for after-work sessions, provided you can bail a bit early. Coyote Pt. and 3rd. Avenue are a 20 minute slog up 101. There is even a launch at Palo Alto just minutes from Moffet, though it is a bit muddy and unglamorous compared to the launches further north.

Yes housing prices are very high, but right now is a buyer's market and once in you'll never look back!

Wind-n-Water

from those wind strength. Will def need to get my deep waterstart skillz back.

Thanks Dan, for all the WS'ing gauge thus far. Good info! )

matt_20v

You won't need the 9.0, and won't get much use from your 140 liter board. At 225 lbs and assuming some recovery/ progress in your skills (must be able to waterstart reliably in high and low wind) you'll rarely need much bigger than say a 6.2 or 6.5. A 90-100 liter board and a 5.4- 6.0 sail will be all you need for 90% of the summer days. To be comfortable sailing 1-2 miles out into the bay you definitely want good condition masts and booms- breakdowns are a real pain, swimming isn't much fun.
Mine (190lbs):
JP Freestyle Wave '91 (most days)
Naish Wave '85 (windier days)
4.5, 5.0, 5.3, 5.7 sails with the 5.3 used 75% of the time.

Wind-n-Water

to sail a sinker when can't touch the bottom. So far I've only sailed my sinker (110L AHD) on the shallow Pamlico Sound of OBX.

- a <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=z0vZwcRoZyA">vid</a> of that... (I'm on my orange AHD board... showing off my dismount skillz, LoL)

Wind-n-Water

Tho I'm sticking to my Miata as a track car. Tracked my A4 my first yr, and quickly changed to the lighter &amp; less expensive Miata. Plus there aren't all those nice computers (ABS, EDL, ESP..etc) to keep me out of trouble, so hopefully I end up learning more on the track. Def want those computers helping me when I'm off the track... )

Good gauge! If things progress, I'll plan on considering changing my street ride to an avant/wagon of some sort!

fx

what does steve do?

s4wood

not really..

my wife is a real estate agent...just offering to help.