Interesting discussion, but no contest really. Bill, your perception is based on seeing only one type of windsurfer, that is like the general public perceptions that all catamarans are Hobies. Wave boards are made for wave sailing and don`t have a good rocker profile for speed yet can reach speeds of 30knots, slalom boards are for flat-out blasting and beam reaching only, speed boards are for breaking records and are optimised to sail on a broad reach, ideally 120deg off the wind, course boards are for course racing, and in anything over 7knots these will be doing their 2nd race before a Tornado has completed it`s first spinnaker hoist, and they will still be going faster up to 30knots of wind, so if you live in California and seldom see over 7knots I`d have to agree with you. If you disagree, invite them to your next club race, windward-leeward. We shared a racing area with formula boards at a major event and when we were one-out on the wire doing maybe 8 knots upwind, they were pointing higher and doing over 20knots upwind, 30 downwind, in about 15knot winds using 11sq mainsails.
Wouter, agree that in order to break records the windsurfers are going out in nuclear conditions, but they are just like cats, more efficient at lower windspeeds, unfortunately they (and any normal cat) can`t match the efficiency of Macquarie or boats like them, who set their original record in less than 20 knots, but normally explode in anything over 20, which is why they don`t have the record now. This is why to break the record the windsurfers are sailing in over 45 knots, in fact Finian`s new record was set in less wind than his last record which he set in winds gusting to 65knots. The higher the windstrength the lower their efficiency ratio, as it is for all sailing craft.
Grob, the Weymouth stats don`t tell the whole story, looking at the speeds I`d bet that the wind was lighter than 25knots, if the windsurfers only got to 27. In these conditions the trifoiler is going flat-out while the windsurfers are waiting for wind. In over 40knots I`d wager the Hobie trifoiler sailor would be looking for more than a few spares for his craft, no disrespect intended, but certain designs are optimised for certain conditions.
Don`t get me wrong, I love cat-sailing and the ability to share it with my fianc`e, and the speed is great compared to a mono, tactically I love the racing aspect, but if it`s honking at over 25knots you`ll find me on my board, going fast.
Anyone who has seen the video clip of Finian doing "only" 42knots will know that there really is no comparison. The only way a Tornado or Hobie Tiger is going that fast is on it`s trailer.
