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What did most recreational boards look like when the Starboard Go was released?
They were the longboards of that time. The best examples would fall somewhere between the Windsurfer One Design and the Mistral One Design, and most manufacturers had one in their stable. They were characterized by being comparatively long and narrow by today’s standards and all had a retractable centreboard.
Who came up with the idea of an ultra-wide windsurfing board?
To my knowledge, Svein Rasmussen was the one who first thought of experimenting with really wide boards shaped around a rocker line similar to a slalom board, namely less than 300 centimetres long and 85 centimetres or so wide. But when I first saw it on Ledbetter’s Beach, Santa Barbara, my reaction was very positive because it suggested both low drag and low planing speed. Later the following week, I went to references I had for the hydrodynamics of planing shapes and found confirmation of both effects. Later still, I urged Svein to go as wide as possible since, so far as I could tell, the theoretical virtues of still wider boards would continue without limit. Only the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) had the nerve to limit the width, and they still have to this day.
How long did it take for the Go to catch on in windsurfing circles?
It didn’t take very long, thanks to the Go winning the Canadian Regionals and providing the design concept for the top seven finishers at the 2000 Formula Worlds in Thailand. Almost everyone was skeptical of the shape until they witnessed its performance, especially under their feet. Soon after, its virtues for teaching beginners also became recognized.
You have been with this sport since its beginning. Where does the Go rank in regards to other achievements in the sport?
It’s the premier new feature, so far, of the 21st century. It dominates course racing and beginning instruction—both ends of the sport of windsurfing. Plus, it has greatly influenced slalom sailing as well. It takes its place alongside camber inducers, harness lines and hooks, waterstarts and JD Martinis in expanding the limits of the sport. However, the universal joint is likely to remain the most important innovation in all of windsurfing.
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