Originally this discussion was in the section on "How I started shortboarding". However, since there is an interest in this board on occasion AND i am re-orging the index, i will transfer that discussion here!
So, here it is ....
One day hope to replace the BEE with a Fanatic Hawk 125 (no longer exists) or a Tabou Rocket 125.
My Fanatic Bee discussed below is 10 years old, but a great board. With a very specialized board bag , it was a good deal. This board was $2000 in the day.
Well, it seems people are interested in the Fanatic Bee 124 LTD. Thus I will attempt some further discussion on this board which seems to be another classic. These are some pictures of the board from e-bay. This board is GREAT shape and selling for only $400. The W on the board is a Sebastian Wenzel signature.
So, here it is ....
One day hope to replace the BEE with a Fanatic Hawk 125 (no longer exists) or a Tabou Rocket 125.
My Fanatic Bee discussed below is 10 years old, but a great board. With a very specialized board bag , it was a good deal. This board was $2000 in the day.
Well, it seems people are interested in the Fanatic Bee 124 LTD. Thus I will attempt some further discussion on this board which seems to be another classic. These are some pictures of the board from e-bay. This board is GREAT shape and selling for only $400. The W on the board is a Sebastian Wenzel signature.
So, what are the specs of this baby ?
Year: around 2000
Volume: 124 liters
Volume: 124 liters
Width: 63 cm or 24.8 inches
One Foot Forward/OFO: 42 cm or 16.8 inches
Length: 284 cm almost 9.5 feet
Length: 284 cm almost 9.5 feet
Weight: 7.5 kilos or 16.75 lbs
Sail Range: 5.0 - 8.5 ideally 6.0 - 7.5
Fin Box: Power ie single screw/bolt
Included: Straps, pads and 42 cm MFC Fin
Discussion of the board can be found here: Netherlands Link . "The total production of each model will be 200 pcs. (limited edition only!). All Boards will have printed numbers (001 - 200)."
I wrote on the Fanatic forum with many questions about the board - wanted it straight from the "horse's mouth" and got the following:
I wrote on the Fanatic forum with many questions about the board - wanted it straight from the "horse's mouth" and got the following:
Hi Joe,
I must admit I saw your question and was kind of hoping some of our regular forum readers would be able to assist, as it’s been a few years since I sailed the 124. Sebastian and I have been developing the Fanatic range together since 95, the 124 was and is still a really fun board to sail, no doubt. The 124 and 144 as I remember, had fairly straight outlines and quite full rails, so they could be used with fairly big sails and kept the speed nicely thru turns. The control and tight turning was not the best points on those older shapes, as the outlines were also quite stretched, longer and narrower...over the years that followed we started working with shorter, more compact shapes, which were wider and had then also shorter flat sections in the rocker for a more free and loose feeling on the water. The 124 is one of the earlier "widebody generations", whilst boards coming after that tended to be more similar to what we are doing today, starting with the StingRay/XRay/ERays and then moving onto our successful Shark series...can’t really answer your questions anymore as they are removed? :-(
Good sailing,
Craig
Other discussions on the Fanatic Forum mark the Fanatic Bee 124 LTD as a true classic which was good for speed on flat water and chop. Have posted two(2) excerpts from WindSurf Magazines which sum it up. {Once I have actually used and mastered the board, I will add my own spin on things - like someone stated the board was best with a 7.5 - to be seen :-) }
I must admit I saw your question and was kind of hoping some of our regular forum readers would be able to assist, as it’s been a few years since I sailed the 124. Sebastian and I have been developing the Fanatic range together since 95, the 124 was and is still a really fun board to sail, no doubt. The 124 and 144 as I remember, had fairly straight outlines and quite full rails, so they could be used with fairly big sails and kept the speed nicely thru turns. The control and tight turning was not the best points on those older shapes, as the outlines were also quite stretched, longer and narrower...over the years that followed we started working with shorter, more compact shapes, which were wider and had then also shorter flat sections in the rocker for a more free and loose feeling on the water. The 124 is one of the earlier "widebody generations", whilst boards coming after that tended to be more similar to what we are doing today, starting with the StingRay/XRay/ERays and then moving onto our successful Shark series...can’t really answer your questions anymore as they are removed? :-(
Good sailing,
Craig
Other discussions on the Fanatic Forum mark the Fanatic Bee 124 LTD as a true classic which was good for speed on flat water and chop. Have posted two(2) excerpts from WindSurf Magazines which sum it up. {Once I have actually used and mastered the board, I will add my own spin on things - like someone stated the board was best with a 7.5 - to be seen :-) }
As seen in the pic, this is from WindSurfing Magazine March 2001
From Windsport MAG 2001 Volume 20 Issue 1 No. 87 p. 90
Just discovered by playing with the numbers on the James Douglass Sail Calculator, that with 210 pounds a good shortboard that can be uphauled is 125 liters and 63 cm wide = JACKPOT with the BEE. Based on today's numbers, Jim might need to update his sheet :-)
Wrote about Me n My BEE here:
It is now late 2019 and I did not use my BEE nor my Slalom 140
mostly used my Fanatic Shark HRS 145 in 2019 and 2020
If you are interested in this board - drop me a comment :-)
In 2021 Fanatic came out with an "all-in-one" board and called it The Bee
This fellow rides the BEE 117 with an 8.2 m² sail in 13 knots - nice
wonder what size fin on such a narrow board with such a large sail !!
In July 2023 I found this video of a BEE 284
and I am unsure whether it is 117 litres or 124
I know I have seen this youtube before and NOT sure why I did not post it:
It is an older fellow looking my size going back to windsurfing
He is trying this board with an old NP RAF sail lol
and in light winds too
I sailed this board a few years ago: it was smoother riding than my Bic Techno and nearly as quick to plane. Carving a wider jibe helped to keep me on a plane. It's not nearly as wide as modern boards, so it's not as stable or quick to plane, but on the plus side, it handles chop and waves with ease.
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