For me windsurf longboards are: well, long, narrow, high volume with a centre board. Long is typically around 300 cm and narrow is around 66 cm. Let’s analyse what I think / thought are 2014 longboards:
1) SB Phantom Race – 295 (no more 320 ??)
2) SB Phantom Race - 377(L)
3) Kona One - Exocet
4) RRD Longrider
5) BIC Techno 293OD – marked as 2006 in ISAF ??
6) Exocet 380 Elite – same as RS Exocet Elite III ??
7) Exocet RSD2
8) Fanatic Viper
9) Olympic RS:X
The early windsurf boards were all longboards, but most now are race boards. Let’s discuss these boards one by one and see what we come up with …
1) The Starboard/SB Phantom 295 is aimed at a lighter/younger crowd and has a race class to my understanding. It does have 217 liters and 72 cm width and so, has a lot of potential for the adolescents and lighter longboarders. The 320 was considered a hybrid and seems to have disappeared… It had 260 liters of volume and 71 cm width.
2) The Starboard Phantom Race 377 is a true race longboard.
3) The Kona One may be considered a hybrid, but we all know about the Kona races – internationally. Sometimes the Kona One aka K1 is considered as a potential entry board.
4) The RRD Longrider is marked as an entry board and is "only" 180 liters.
5) BIC has the BIC Techno 293 One Design class , which is for lighter/younger riders. It has 205 liters and is wide at 80 cm.
6) The Exocet 380 Elite is a true race longboard.
7) The RSD2 is a very specialized longboard with a flat board at the back and DIV II boat like nose.As such it is NOT a typical longboard and has NO race class - as indicated by a commentator.
8) Even though the Fanatic Viper has a 220 liter version, it is very wide at 85 cm and is almost a Free Formula with a centre board.
9) The RS:X CANNOT really be considered a longboard at 93 cm wide. That is Free Formula in my book.
Mistral Equipe III was registered at ISAF in 2009 – believe there were only one or 2 proto-types !!! There was talk of a new Fanatic Mega CAT, butt NON …
The two main companies still supporting this longboard class of windsurf board are Excocet and Starboard. Other companies are saying it is too small a niche for them to invest in R&D, production ,etc …
As far as I am concerned, in terms of "real" , tradtional longboards, we are left with ONLY two. That's the SB Phantom 377(L) and the Exocet 380 Elite.
WHY only these ??
Both of these boards are race longboards with good, large centre boards and mast track adjustment on the fly.
The 377L and the Exocet 380 are both about 300 liters !!
.
The two race longboards are BIG - as is the RSD2...which is apparently over 400 liters !!
Is BIG better ?? Why not more around 240 - 250 liters like the earlier Fanatic Mega CAT, Mistral Equipe II and others??
Boards now have BIG price tags and some of these go as high as $4000.
That is the power of the KONA ONE.
It is under $2000 , there are used ones showing up on the market and you can race it.
Maybe NOT a traditional longboard, butt ...
Personally, i can only drool...
NO way i can afford that price tag - not even the KONA new ....
Unfortunately I see this as a dying breed of windsurfing – traditional longboards that is …
The good news is: there are DIV II enthusiasts, Original Windsurtacfer enthusiasts, people with old boards and some still purchasing !!
That reminds me - apparently one can buy a original Windsurfer replica.
Can you write/say original and replica in the same phrase ??
In 2018 I read Cobra is making a Windsurfer 2 called the LT ...
So, there are two(2) race longboards, specialized boards, some hybrids, some aimed at younger/lighter riders and some entry boards…
WindSUP seems to be having an easier time of getting people back on the water than this class of board.
Personally started on longboards and feel I live in a light wind region. Thought my first board, BIC Dufour Wing, was a DIV II class, but was informed it does NOT adhere to the strict class rules … My current OLD longboards, Mistral Equipe I LCS-XR and Fanatic Ultra CAT, are both about 210 liters. As such , I almost consider them as hybrids… They get me on the water and as such I should stop looking for something even better …
This summer I hope to try an RSD2 and am VERY excited about this !!!!
Here is a fellow who built his own !!
https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/fdaca0b8-9e58-471f-88df-caad67118f45
Also NOT sure why AHD Tactik was not mentioned 😞
1) SB Phantom Race – 295 (no more 320 ??)
2) SB Phantom Race - 377(L)
3) Kona One - Exocet
4) RRD Longrider
5) BIC Techno 293OD – marked as 2006 in ISAF ??
6) Exocet 380 Elite – same as RS Exocet Elite III ??
7) Exocet RSD2
8) Fanatic Viper
9) Olympic RS:X
The early windsurf boards were all longboards, but most now are race boards. Let’s discuss these boards one by one and see what we come up with …
1) The Starboard/SB Phantom 295 is aimed at a lighter/younger crowd and has a race class to my understanding. It does have 217 liters and 72 cm width and so, has a lot of potential for the adolescents and lighter longboarders. The 320 was considered a hybrid and seems to have disappeared… It had 260 liters of volume and 71 cm width.
2) The Starboard Phantom Race 377 is a true race longboard.
3) The Kona One may be considered a hybrid, but we all know about the Kona races – internationally. Sometimes the Kona One aka K1 is considered as a potential entry board.
4) The RRD Longrider is marked as an entry board and is "only" 180 liters.
5) BIC has the BIC Techno 293 One Design class , which is for lighter/younger riders. It has 205 liters and is wide at 80 cm.
 |
| can a longboard do that ? :-) |
6) The Exocet 380 Elite is a true race longboard.
7) The RSD2 is a very specialized longboard with a flat board at the back and DIV II boat like nose.As such it is NOT a typical longboard and has NO race class - as indicated by a commentator.
8) Even though the Fanatic Viper has a 220 liter version, it is very wide at 85 cm and is almost a Free Formula with a centre board.
9) The RS:X CANNOT really be considered a longboard at 93 cm wide. That is Free Formula in my book.
Mistral Equipe III was registered at ISAF in 2009 – believe there were only one or 2 proto-types !!! There was talk of a new Fanatic Mega CAT, butt NON …
The two main companies still supporting this longboard class of windsurf board are Excocet and Starboard. Other companies are saying it is too small a niche for them to invest in R&D, production ,etc …
As far as I am concerned, in terms of "real" , tradtional longboards, we are left with ONLY two. That's the SB Phantom 377(L) and the Exocet 380 Elite.
WHY only these ??
Both of these boards are race longboards with good, large centre boards and mast track adjustment on the fly.
The 377L and the Exocet 380 are both about 300 liters !!
.
The two race longboards are BIG - as is the RSD2...which is apparently over 400 liters !!
Is BIG better ?? Why not more around 240 - 250 liters like the earlier Fanatic Mega CAT, Mistral Equipe II and others??
Boards now have BIG price tags and some of these go as high as $4000.
That is the power of the KONA ONE.
It is under $2000 , there are used ones showing up on the market and you can race it.
Maybe NOT a traditional longboard, butt ...
Personally, i can only drool...
NO way i can afford that price tag - not even the KONA new ....
Unfortunately I see this as a dying breed of windsurfing – traditional longboards that is …
The good news is: there are DIV II enthusiasts, Original Windsurtacfer enthusiasts, people with old boards and some still purchasing !!
That reminds me - apparently one can buy a original Windsurfer replica.
Can you write/say original and replica in the same phrase ??
In 2018 I read Cobra is making a Windsurfer 2 called the LT ...
So, there are two(2) race longboards, specialized boards, some hybrids, some aimed at younger/lighter riders and some entry boards…
WindSUP seems to be having an easier time of getting people back on the water than this class of board.
Personally started on longboards and feel I live in a light wind region. Thought my first board, BIC Dufour Wing, was a DIV II class, but was informed it does NOT adhere to the strict class rules … My current OLD longboards, Mistral Equipe I LCS-XR and Fanatic Ultra CAT, are both about 210 liters. As such , I almost consider them as hybrids… They get me on the water and as such I should stop looking for something even better …
This summer I hope to try an RSD2 and am VERY excited about this !!!!
Here is a fellow who built his own !!
https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/fdaca0b8-9e58-471f-88df-caad67118f45
Also NOT sure why AHD Tactik was not mentioned 😞
The RSD2 is a very versatile recreational board, but I don't think it cuts it as a race board--too big and heavy. I love mine, though, and when I had to choose between it and my former Exocet 380 Elite, I kept the RSD2. It's great fun when the wind comes up and with a big sail (2 cam 11.0 for me). I love it when I get a surprise and the wind gets above 12 knots--crank back the mast track, board up, boom maxed out at the top, feet in the back straps. Way more fun than the 380 when it's blowing. I use a 50cm fin too, since the stock fin is pretty bad. The RSD2 will plane like crazy on that fat backend! Enjoy! Steven in FL
ReplyDeleteinterestingly enough, i got exactly the same comment from another RSD2 user - most fun when you least expect it. woulda thunk ?
DeleteI wish I could try an rsd2 here in san Francisco we have some great winds
DeleteI started in Haifa Israel in the 80s with an ilan and critd2 and alpha phantom I have a circa 81 fanatic viper its like a museum piece got it with an original gear that was never used when I rigged it some guys where yelling at me that I destroy history you can watch me at youtube uriwindsurfing8 etc
Deleteall your vids are taken from shore where you need good camera equipment. are you planing in any of those videos ??
Delete