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Taking longboard Mistral Equipe aka MEQ up north to chalet basement today - outlaws have some chalets with space = lucky me. Bringing my winter sleds back down home - have one for the snow and another for the ice.
Was also going through my sails and was wondering if my newly acquired HSM SPF 8.5 could be used on snow n ice. Apparently the PVC window is fragile in the cold. That's a pisser :-( NEVER thought to check that when i purchased it... My MS-2 8.0 is way too busted up to even consider winter activity and the TR-4 8.4 is just too precious = "my precious" done in the voice of Gollum from Lord of the Rings :-)
In any case, I found a 2007 Sailworks / SW Retro 8.0 for about $200 at 2-rad. Bruno marked it as A+ and owner from Gatineau marked it as B+. With the small crinkles near the top of the luff, I will give it a B+ while the rest was A+ with lotsa life left in it.
I rigged it with my MauiSails SDM 490cm/75% carbon mast. Bruce Peterson has stated this should work fine.The sail is marked as luff of 501-505 and boom of 219-223. Put the downhaul at 490+12.5 = 502.5 and outhaul at 180+40=220 cm. This sail requires more downhaul than ANY I have ever rigged. What i mean by that is usually there is about 5 to 10 cm of rope left to pull with a tool ie before I cannot pull easily with my hand(s). This sail had about 20 to 30 cm of downhaul to go. The mast is hard top and the sail constant curve. Needed to tighten the battens a little bit - tool is on the sail and put more outhaul - another 2.5 cm to make the battens get around the mast - for switching sides. Also, I did NOT downhaul all the way - was already enough leech and bend in mast. Next time try 10 cm on mast extension - all the way and see how much outhaul is required for battens to be good. (10 cm at base and 40 at boom next time)
Obviously uphauled the sail and yanked on it to see power and flip to other side. This sail is VERY powerful and I will need to be VERY careful on snow n ice. People are saying I need LESS sail in winter and this is true, but i also go out in lighter winds. ANY slight breeze and one can fly on the ice !! Snow can be VERY resistant and as such requires bigger sails. This sail can be used on snow up to 30 kph winds - as long as snow is NOT crusty - that approaches ice speeds. On the ice I have used 8.x sails in winds under 20 kph - as low as 10 kph !!! Just gliding along and smiling...
Will post more pics of sail when my camera battery has charged %^&*(
Interestingly enough, this sail goes into the bag clew first or what i call head first. Perhaps that is how the top of the sail got crinkled ? Person stood sail on clew head while placing in bag ??
About 5 cm not hauled with 502.5 setting:
Here is the crinkly top of the sail:
and another angle on the sail:
Bruce Peterson now has a clip on youtube on the proper rigging of the SailWorks Retro:
Now, back to winter windsurfing ...
Here's an old clip with the Maui Sails MS-2 8-oh. It was light wind and not so fast. To make it more interesting, it was sped up and some "futuristic" sounds that are supposed to be music? added.
The sled in that video was the ice sled. On the ice such a large sail is ONLY used in very light winds !! Mostly such a large sail is used on the snow sled. The version I am using this year is as follows:
My snow sled is loosely based on the race sled used by Langis Carron who used to race cars and then started racing in the snow at WISSA events and did well !!
Since there was discussion about a hard top mast and sail slated to be constant curve/CC on iwindsurf ... http://iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=29450 & http://iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=29457
I decided to try my NP 490/90% mast on the SW retro discussed earlier in this post. The issue was that the hard top/HT mast seemed to create a looser leech rather than a tighter leech - even with less downhaul. This is based on the photo earlier in this post and multiple riggings... Here is a photo of the NP flextop/FT mast in the SW Retro 8-oh. Same 10 cm downhaul and 40 + 180 cm outhaul as the HT mast.
Ok the leech looks loose, but upon careful examination this happens above the SW "cog" indicator. Before putting the outhaul, the battens pushed hard against the end of their respective sleeves. With the outhaul at 40 + 180 cm the battens actually seemed better than with the HT mast. The 10 cm downhaul was also taken down to about 7/8 cm and not the full 10 - just like the MS mast. And so, decided to take it out on the ice n snow for a spin. Will post the video once uploaded to YouTube...
Here is one video sample with the SW Retro 8-oh on the snow using the NP mast:
In December of 2023 I broke the strap at the top of the luff sleeve...
Thus, in FEB2024 I decided to toss sail in the garbage and this is the skeleton:
and I still have the key lol
This post on the SailWorks webpage explains the parts of the batten :
Since the season is almost over ...
Definitely over for those who will not wear full wet suit material...
(Had my last session with no gloves Friday...)
This summer, as usual, it was mostly light wind and thus longboards with 8.x sails. Last year I busted the nose of my FUC/Fanatic Ultra CAT board, butt was repaired this year. Actually the nose and butt were repaired :-)
That board stayed up at the lake and am considering using it around Montreal next summer.
This summer I used the MEQ/Mistral Equipe I (purchased last year) with the 8.x sails - mostly the HSM/HotSailsMaui SPF/SpeedFreak 8.5 that was purchased this year.
The BTF/BIC Techno Formula was sold in two(2) days and I purchased a 2012 JP SLW92 PRO with Select Race 66 cm fin. Also purchased a Curtis Slalom 57 cm fin to try with an 8.x sail on this board. Now looking for used True Ames SB/Santa Barbara 23in/58cm fin. Only got to take this board out once so far. Wind was a bit too light, but when this board planed - man, it was FUN. That was with the TR-4 10-oh in about 10 to 12 knots. I may need to learn to pump when missing a knot or two.
Sails 7-oh and down were barely used - if at all. The Fanatic BEE LTD 124 was NOT used at all. Helmut got out twice this year with his Hawk 135. Unless one has a VERY flexible schedule or time off, it is VERY difficult to sail with the smaller stuff.
My boss Roni, used to windsurf on Lake Garda in Italy. Since his son was born five(5) years ago, he has NOT windsurfed ! I got him to go out on my MEQ and his Tushingham 8.0 sail. He was so excited that he purchased a used Fanatic Hawk 150 LTD at an excellent price. If I had not purchased the JP SLW92, I would have sold my AHD 160 and purchased that board - NICE !!!
In general this was NOT a good year for windsurfing. In 2013 I had about 70 outings and in 2014 had about 40. That's 57% as many sessions as the year before. My wife will say I was out a lot - more than twice a week. Forty sessions over six months is 40/6 = 6 2/3 sessions per month. With about four weeks per month, that's 6.67/4 = 1 2/3 sessions per week. That's less than 2 sessions per week, but i will NOT argue that point with my wife. She is VERY understanding until I go out for extended outings - like eight+ hours !!! {which i did about four(4) times this year :-( } Still better than what Helmut got ... He does not go unless 16+ knots announced ...
Here is my preferred video of the year for 2014 - on the sold BTF.
Which board will make people talk more in 2015? My FUC board or my BIC Dufour Wing ?? The post on the BIC Dufour Wing STILL gets the most hits EVERY month. It is a board that I rarely take out any more. Perhaps I should take it out at OKA just to get the tongues wagging :-) People reacted less to the MEQ than the FUC. Believe the MEQ was a more common board in this neck of the woods ...
Excellent quiver for the year ...
As usual - NEED to improve technique next year !!
When am i going to get in the foot straps ??
Eighty (80) percent of the outings were on longboards and just under 80% with 8.x sails. This means with the longboard, JL SLW, 8.x sails and 10-oh sail - cover pretty much over 95% of my outings. Next year hope to get out in some stronger winds - at least 7-oh conditions !!!
Had some time on my hands and played with some videos - the winter one is from last year obviously
Objectives for 2015:
Go to Cape Hatteras in MAY and HAVE FUN = first time !!
Get in the foot straps and HAVE FUN
Pump to plane and HAVE FUN HAVE FUN !!!
It is high time that I come to the realization that I am a light wind windsurfer !! I stay in the area and do NOT go to Cape Hatteras nor les Isles de Madeleine...(in 2015 went to Hatteras) And so, I am "stuck" with local available winds plus based on work, family, availability. Reminds me of a woman juggling home, family and career. Since windsurfing is more than a hobby - perhaps more of an addiction/fixation... it means one is always trying to get out and get a fix !!
Typically over 80% of my summer outings are on longboards and 8.x sails. This means 20 + kph = definitely LIGHT wind.
Now before I send you off to other posts that I have done ...
Let me share this gem of a light wind summary that Joe Looby gave me in 2018 ...
Clique to ENLARGE
AND new to 2017/2018 !!!
Clique to ENLARGE
Joe is hoping to get the foiling going in 7-8 knots !!!
Discovered in 2021 on iwindsurf that Joe's other boards are:Fanatic Blast 130 and Tabou 3S 116. He was hoping to get a Severne Dyno 125, but they are difficult to get !!
I know there are other GREAT boards like Tinho Dornellas' Z2, SB Phantoms, RS D2, DIV 2, etc.
However, I speak here from MY experience...
I DO like to plane - otherwise I would have remained a longboarder - MUCH cheaper. However, I want to try and use my lightwind skills or lack thereof to move forward on the lighter and faster stuff. Unfortunately , with my heavyweight carcass, I actually need about 12 knots of wind with a BIG sail to plane - I am just now considering active pumping - after having acquired a JP SLW92 ...
Lately (2016) I have been criticized for my footstrap phobia. It has been said that the footstraps not only help with speed and control, but ALSO with early planing. Once more confident with this, will do updates here ...
If you have comments or ideas on this subject - THEY are WELCOME.
All advertising WILL be deleted though.
Some people are calling this board a FREE-RACE.
Some people are calling it a FREE-FORMULA. (be careful with this one - there was a SB FreeFormula)
Some people are comparing it to BIG SLALOM.
ALL will agree that it IS a SUPER LIGHTWIND BOARD
from German W/S Mag
It was first introduced in 2010 with one model - the SLW90 at 154 liters and obviously 90 cm wide - called 90V154. It was only 237 cm long and available in PRO and GOLD versions. People complained about the soft 56 cm fin which seemed to be corrected in later years.
This board was out before the Starboard/SB UltraSonic/US 147.
Perhaps this board also made other people realize the importance of width - freemove did come out NOT long afterwards. Perhaps designers thought width was good, but would generate too much volume - hey, let's make em thinner !! Total speculation of course...
It was in 2012 that a larger edition of the JP SLW was offered. This was the 92V165 and obviously 92 cm wide and 165 liters in volume (also longer @ 250 cm).
Now there was also a FULL WOOD sandwich version available.
Since I am a heavyweight at 100+ kilos/220+ lbs, I always had my eye on the larger version and either PRO or GOLD. I had my 2002 BIC Techno Formula/BTF since 2012 which is also a "FreeFormula" board, but not quite as "modern" or fast as the JP SLWs.
When a used 92V165 showed up at auventfou, I sold my BTF in two(2) days and purchased the board.
Since it was used, it had some light scratches, a brown spot and a patch missing on a footpad. The board was scrubbed to remove the "brown spot" and black Sharpie hid the missing patch. Looks pretty damn good to me :-)
There was a hairline "crack" in the material just in front of the front footstrap. Put some SolarEZ on it just in case - do NOT believe there is an issue there...
The fin that came with it is a Select Ultra Race 66 cm fin. This is the same fin I used on the BTF except it was a trimm and this is deep tuttle. It had some minor damage that i corrected with MarineTex and some sanding...
Have done many repairs with MarineTEX. It usually lasts a while, but this one did not. After the first outing it needed to be re-done. Am not surprised since i was using a 66 cm fin at OKA, which is shallower this year than usual... Decided to try some Marine Epoxy that I had purchased at local hardware store for other outdoor repairs. It went on well and sanded well. I put on some primer paint afterwards to see where it wears out and also a solar protector.
Why is it we are unable to afford such boards NEW ? At over $2000 a pop new, the average joe windsurfer like myself does NOT have a chance. We take the throw-away toys of the rich and are happy with them. C'est la vie and I will enjoy it just the same !!!
Before I forget, what are the specifications of this board?
Length : 250 cm Width : 92 cm Volume: 165 liters Weight: 9.4 kg/~21 lbs Fin Box: deep tuttle Sail Range: >7.5 {for me > 8.0} OFO is 72 cm as measured by me slight VEE underneath There was NO GOLD edition in 2012 of the JP SLW92. In 2013 there was and it weighed one kilo less at 8.5.
Did some research on the web and people have used 8.5 sails on this board. However, they typically used another smaller fin or the supplied fin. This 66 cm fin is ideal with a 10-oh, which in my case will be my TR-4 10-oh.
Now just need to get on the water and document how great the board is :-) Only had one session with no video and for me I still need 12 knots to plane, but MAN DOES IT PLANE !!
This is the BEST windsurf video I have found with this board so far ...
Tried the board with the mast track a bit further back on my first outing - as suggested on the Australian forum. However, in very light wind, I found it a little better in the middle. Will see if this is the same for bigger winds - over 12 knots steady - may also need to try pummping. Found that it was easy to move the harness lines back on the TR-4 10-oh. Put them at 75 cm and could have gone one or two cm more !! Used to have it around 70 on the BTF.
Still NOT in the footstraps , but this board feels like this is the one to show me how !!!
People are saying an 8.5 will work on this board too - with the standard 56 cm fin ...
Nearly fell off my chair today. Was looking at wind-spirit and some clear out prices on JP boards. The 2013 JP SLW92 PRO was going for $2600 + tax and is now going for almost $2000 + tax. The 2014 was going for $2700 + tax and now is at $2200 + tax. Heck, I got one HELL of a deal !!!
This fin is to go with my TR-6 8.4 race sail or HSM SPF 8.5 if choppy :-)
Here are some pics of this nice fin on my beautiful board:
Today Bruno of 2-rad warned me - be VERY careful with that board = FRAGILE. He has repaired all of them in Montreal so far !!!
Why did I get this board? I enjoyed the BTF/BIC Techno Formula, but felt i could do a little better in lighter winds. People are saying that i am ready for free-race like Futura, iSonic, Hawk, etc, but I prefer to get comfortable with a faster Free-Formula like this one. It is longer than the SB US147 and as such should be easier to tack. In other posts I already stated that Formula is out of the question because they rarely show up used in good prices, use 70 cm fins and ideally should use a 12.x sail on one with my weight of 105+ kilos. With the "shorter" fin on the SLW I can try the TR-6 8.4 and I just read that elmo of the Auzzie forum has used a 7.x sail on a SLW92 !!! Before I get there, I need to get comfortable with the 8.x sails. Hope to be able to sell the AHD after !! and carry less boards to the beach - one long board and one SLW92 and I will be good from 8 knots to close to 20 !!! which is 95% of my sailing ...
On iwindsurf someone said:
"Comparing to formula SLW is way more user friendly, does not need any crazy pumping to get going, easier to get into foot straps, very easy to jibe, and does not kill your ankles reaching. The bigger version is a bit longer and has even more relaxed foot straps plugs. Ultrasonic has a narrower tail and is more suitable for lighter riders."
Had a "chat" with John Ingebritsen on iwindsurf . He does NOT like the JP SLW for a number of reasons. There is the square , blocky tail. In the same "breath"/sentence, he refers to boards with too drawn in tails compared to their width and double concaves aft. This does NOT seem to apply to the SLW. The other thing John and others do NOT like about the SLW is the jibe. It requires BIG fellows with experience to perform it well - "big strong guys with lotsa TOW". These comments do NOT discourage me. I was looking for a better light wind board than the BIC Techno Formula. I am SURE the JP SLW will fit that bill. Once I am comfortable with this board, we will see which one can replace it in terms of light wind, ease of use AND better speed !!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Objective: Early planing in light wind and perhaps planing speed ??
"So in my opinion, the earliest planing (at min wind) is the Exocet RS7
close behind is JP SLW(Gold), then the Ultrasonic 2011/2012 followed by
the Ultrasonic 2013 and the Falcon 152 close together. For top speed,
the Exocet RS7 followed by the Ultrasonic 2013/Falcon152, Ultrasonic
2011/2012 followed by the JP SLW.
For control and ease of sailing in rough seas, Ultrasonic 2103/Falcon
152, Ultrasonic 2011/2012, followed by the JP SLW and then the most
technical the RS7"
(There was NO mention of the RRD X-Fire Lightwind which seems to have been around since 2014 - perhaps AFTER the above analysis/discussion)
In 2015 JP is offering only one SLW which seems to be between the 90V154 and 92V165.
It is a 91V168(245cm). Sounds like a mix between the previous two(2) versions...
In 2015 Exocet is offering an RS8 which is 216 liters, 260 cm long and 90 cm wide.
Now that is one big board !!! Meant for heavyweights like me ??
In 2014 when I purchased the board, it was the end of the season and believe it received no more than one baptism / outing and planed for about 30 seconds (not caught on film) ... Remembering loving the feeling because water was quite smooth. In 2015 on my first outing it was not as smooth, but VERY enjoyable, Conditions were not ideal, but are they ever.. Will post this video for now , until I have something better. No comments on technique please :-) Know there is still work left to do, but FUN is there !!
and a shorter version with some music ... faster portion is at 1:05
TOO bad Cluffy took his vids OFF the OZ forum - they were great ... actually they were on youtube and he HATED their compression @#$%^&*() Here is at least a pic i found of him with his harness mount
Here are Cluffy's boards when he had all JPs. Seems his latest videos have other boards now.
And here is what he says about the JP SLW:
The big board on the right is one of the most incredible boards I have ever ridden. It is capable getting on the plane in as little as 8 knots of wind. It is also capable of exceeding the wind speed in certain conditions. For example, in 10 to 12 knots of wind it is capable of doing 15 to 20 knots of speed, with the right rig of course.
Cluffy uses a Severne Reflex4 @ 9.6 m² on the JP SLW90,
It is an all out, no compromise race sail and the performance reflects this. It has 8 battens and 5 camber inducers, so despite the high tech materials it is made from, it is still quite heavy. Using this rig is bloody hard yakka due to it's size and weight, and also the unrestrained power it generates. This sail has made my old 8.2 sq. metre obosolete, it has a higher wind range than a sail almost 1.5 sq. metres smaller. The plus side is when used with my biggest board, I am out there planing around in as little as 8 to 10 knots of wind, and I don't need to change down until the wind is strong enough to go to my next board. It's a brilliant piece of equipment and I can't praise it highly enough. Well, I am glad to say Cluffy has posted a video of himself on the JP SLW90. This time with a mast front mount:
Guess we are gonna hafta forget about CLUFFY - he keeps takin his videos down #$%^&
Cluffy is NOT a big fellow like A² and yet has NO issues jibing/gybing that wide board. He reminds me of Tinho Dornellas in his sailing. Tinho is a master windsurfer in Florida who seems to now be strongly associated with KONA and just came out with a new design for them.
----------------
Well, I am VERY happy to say that I did have a GOOD outing with the JP SLW92 and the HotSailsMaui SpeedFreak 8.5 in OCT 2015!!! Winds were NOT great and gusty -as usual. Planed on a couple of occasions using the Curtis 56 cm fin. Ideally on that day I would have liked to try my "new" SB iSonic 117W, but the SLW board showed winds were just a little light and side-shore...
Also read that people use sails as small as 7-oh on this wide SLW board ... Even in chop ??
Here the PROs and board designer show off the 2016 single version:
Fellow made a tri-fin adjustment on his formula board - was considering doing the same on my JP SLW...
but first i want to try a Lessacher 42 cm weed fin ... which works GREAT
actually sold my True Ames Santa Barbara 58 cm weed fin after purchasing the Lessacher ...
(well, actually after purchasing AND fully testing the Lessacher )
Just read about Force10 on QuebecWind using a Fanatic Slalom 152 with a NorthSails WARP 9.6 and Select S1 SLAM XL 55 cm fin. We all were surprised about the fin size. The JP SLW runs with a 66 cm fin when using such a large sail. Force10 says Select is working on making shorter fins work.
I keep looking for this comparison and so, will put one here too ...
(Some of this is already discussed further up ...)
Apparently this JP board was first introduced in 2010. Believe my JP SLW92 is a 2012 when they first made the 92 and the SLW90. They were both still available in 2013. The 90 was 237 cm long. In 2015 they went down to one SLW which was 168 liters / 91 cm wide and 245 cm long. In 2017 they are going back to 165 liters / 92 cm , but ONLY 235 cm long. Personally I think the length is a MISTAKE. A 245 cm long board can easily be tacked, whereas a 235 cm board CANNOT. The new board shape forces one to have some skills - like gybing a wide board and/or fast tacking ...
In 2017 foiling started to be popular and JP introduced foiling boards - 135 and 155 litres.
Again they are SHORT, but WIDE... Perhaps people will foil with the JP SLWs ?? or go to the foiling boards in the lighter winds ie less than 15 knots ... With this board and BIG sail even I can plane in about 12 knots ... 20+ kph winds. The thing about foils is they require about 2 meters less in the sail... and so, one could potentially fly in 12 knots with an 8.x sail ...
In 2018 there was a 2017 JP SLW92/165 liter PRO board on sail for $2819 from $3314 !!
Wow, that makes my board quite valuable - even if not foil ready !!
If i make it foil ready and do a few videos, should sell like a hot cake !!
07DEC2019 today I asked on JP Australia website via contact form about foiling with this board. The current SLW is also 165 liters and 92 cm wide, but foil ready ... and 15 cm shorter ..
Has anyone foiled with my 2012 92V165 model ?? and if so, does the box need reinforcement ??
Bruno of 2-rad would do the finbox for $200 !!
Had decided to put my BIC Techno Formula/BTF 170 liter up for sale. Geoff suggested I sell my BTF and my AHD 160 in order to purchase a discounted iSonic slalom board. Know i would like a wide , faster board, but am NOT sure I am ready for an iS...maybe freerace ??
And so, I tried to sell my BTF to start and purchase a faster wide board. NOT a freemove, but either FreeFormula or Formula. SOLD in 2 DAYS and I purchased a used JP SLW92 Pro Edition :-) same day people were clamouring for the BIC !! should have asked more $$$ ??? Here is a sample of the adverts: http://www.windsurfing.qc.ca/classifieds/320/899/bic-techno-formula
I really like this board and was somewhat surprised how well it worked for newbies. Once the smaller fin was used, all complaints disappeared. Once one is over 200 pounds a little more technique is required. Under that weight you can dance on this board :-)
I link the adverts back to my BTF discussion on this blog:
Here is what the BTF was replaced with - the JP SLW92 PRO edition:
BIC Techno Formula-------------------------------------------JP Australia SLW92 PRO Length : 267 cm---------------------------------------------------------250 cm Width : 93 cm---------------------------------------------------------92 cm Volume: 170 liters------------------------------------------------------165 liters Weight: 10.8 kilos = about 24 pounds-------------------------9.5 kg/~21 lbs Fin Box: Trimm - later ones had deep Tuttle-----------------deep tuttle Sail Range: 8.5 - 12.0 ------------------------------------------------ > 7.5 {for me > 8.0} OFO is 67.5 cm as measured -------------------------------------72 cm as measured -----------------------------both have slight VEE underneath--------------------------------- iSonic 150 was for sale recently, but is only 228 cm long - tacking may be an issue .... I also have an AHD FastForward/FF 160 which is 80 cm wide. I like this this board with my 8.x sails in about 16 knots of wind... Here is a photo with the two(2) beside each for visual comparison purposes...
So, even though these two(2) boards have very similiar volumes... they are completely different animals. However, if the JP SLW92 handles the 8.x sails well enough, the AHD will be up for sale !!
How do the numbers compare? AHD vs JP SLW
AHD FF 160 -------------------------------------------------JP Australia SLW92 PRO Length : 268 cm---------------------------------------------------------250 cm Width : 79 cm---------------------------------------------------------92 cm Volume: 160 liters------------------------------------------------------165 liters Weight: 9.9 kilos = about 22 pounds----------------------------9.5 kg/~21 lbs Fin Box: PowerBox ----------------------------------------------------deep tuttle Sail Range: 5.5 - 10.0 ------------------------------------------------ > 7.5 {for me > 8.0} OFO is 53.8 cm ---------------------------------------------------------72 cm as measured
long n narrow --------------------------------------- short n fat
As to the purchase of the JP SLW ...it is a more modern FreeFormula and can go a little faster. It also happened because the price was right. This is a $2000 board that cannot be older than 2012. Sent JP an e-mail asking about the year based on s/n. NOT impressed with JP lack of response - not even an automated answer = SAD. Based on this discussion, my board is a 2012 -- http://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Review/JP-Super-lightwind-90/
Once home, the board was cleaned and the "brown spot" disappeared. I coloured in the section where a piece of the footpad is missing. For the fin it is normal that the tip gets chewed up and I did a quick fix with MarineTEX. The board n fin are ready for the first TEST :-)
Obviously I will give a full report on this board, but perhaps next year since it is already September ...
May be luckier than I thought ... Indian summer is pulling in and Sunday has some light winds...SW 10 to 15 knots - ideal for testing light to mid wind equipment :-) WOOHOO
As I was still collecting data for this post, I felt it was NOT ready for "submission". However, recent "news" has made me decide to put this out there AZAP.
Fanatic will abandon the freeride Shark board in 2015 !!! http://www.fanatic.com/forum/read.php?1,22169,22173#msg-22173
The Gecko has replaced the long-standing Shark and there is NO board in the 2015 Fanatic freeride category on their webpage!! And that after just two(2) years !!! This speaks highly of the success factor of this class of board !!
In 2010 Starboard had the Atom, which it abandoned and then came back with the AtomIQ, which i presume is supposed to be pronounced Atomic ? Yet people still claim the RRD Fire Move was the original freemove and still the benchmark board.
Here Tiesda You of Starboard discusses the AtomIQ and the thinking behind it. One reason this model is fast - rocker is based on the iSonic 110 !!
Others? There is the JP MagicRide and the Simmer FreeMove. I have had a Simmer WCR/World Cup Race sail, but have never seen nor heard of their boards ...
Back in about 2008 it seems there were some "freestyle" board that some called "freemove". Mistral Syncro, Fanatic FreeWave, Naish All-Terrain, Tabou 3S and RRD FreeStyleWave. These boards were NOT like the freemove boards of today in 2014.
Why called free-move? Move for maneuverability ?
These boards are supposed to be
1) FAST - AtomIQ fastest and Fanatic Gecko slower than defunct Shark
2) LIGHT - especially LTD
3) THIN - SB boasts 9.9 mm
4) SHORT - will be more difficult to tack
5) MANEUVERABLE - jibe/gybe well
6) SAIL like 10-15 liters less
7) PLANE like 10-15 liters more
8) FAT WIDE & THIN NARROW TAIL
Fanatic Gecko - 98, 105, 112, 120 and 135 liter versions (later 146 and 156 !!)
JP MagicRide - 104, 118 and 132
RRD FireMove - 102, 112, 122, 130 and 140
Simmer FreeMove - 100, 110, 120
SB AtomIQ - 100, 110 and 120 (and later 130, 140 AND 160 !!)
Exocet X-Cross -->X-Move 108, 119 and 138
RRD 140 is 90 cm wide !! This is practically a FreeFormula !!
Even the Gecko 135 is 83 cm wide.
The Shark 165 was this wide - so, a heavyweight newbie should start with a Gecko 135 ??
Find this difficult to believe!!
Both of the above referenced freemove boards are supposed to be able to handle a 10-oh sail. I have tried my TR-4 10-oh on my AHD FastForward 160 and prefer the sail on my BIC Techno Formula which is wider at 94 cm and can handle 58 to 66 cm fins.
These dudes were lucky enough to test JP, Fanatic and RRD on the same day
They say (in Swedish) All are fantastic boards, but in different ways.
Suitable for different people depending on sailing style.
Did a quick tour of the local shops to see how free these boards really are ?? Forget the Simmer - I have NO idea where they are sold in North America. The Starboard also seemed hard to find --> isthmussailboards.com seemed to be one of the few !! As usual anything that even sounds like kevlar or LTD is around $2000. The good news is the Gecko HRS is around $1400.
As I was considering a Shark 135 to replace my AHD FF 160, what would I now choose in the Gecko model ? The 135 Gecko is about the same length, but as wide as the Shark 165 was !! And so, I would go to a 120 liter version ? Is this uphaulable for a 220-230 pound/ 100- 105 kilo heavyweight like myself ?
My hope is this will put more freeride boards like the Shark on the used market :-)
Feels like it already started ..
Met a local who now has a Gecko 120 LTD and is selling his Shark 150 LTD...
my boss Roni bought it !! :-)
And , do the freemoves do what is promised ?
The fellow in the following video says he is on a Gecko 120 with a North Natural 7.3 and flying in 11 to 13 knots. He must be a lightweight cuz there is NO way i would fly like that in 12 knots. Perhaps there is more wind than suggested ?? People definitely say they plane early, jibe well and are FUN. Just need to choose a board with less volume than usual ...
On the other hand.. people think a FreeMove can be a "one board quiver". The ONLY one board quiver I know about is the longboard !! Here a fellow tried a 5.5 in chop on a RRD FireMove 122/120 only to realize a 79-80 cm board is NOT made for that !!! http://www.iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=245005#245005
This clip "feels more real" and has interesting view from the back:
Post References: obviously the company websites, youtube, local shop photo,
http://boards.mpora.com/equipment-tests/tested-equipment/group-test/move-style-2008.html
http://www.windsurf.co.uk/2014-120-litre-freemove-boards-test-reviews-reports/
Addendum (Sept 2014) : Did some analysis on the widths of these boards.
In the past certain board widths went well with certain sail sizes.
Examples:
width sail size
68 7.5
75 8.0
80 8.5
85 10
90 BIG
with the wider freemoves, these numbers seem to have changed:
This is a reduction of 1 to 1.5 square meters in each width category, which in my books is significant.
You need to go even wider for sails now ?
Some people are calling these chip boards - do they have rocker too ?
Find it difficult to believe these wide boards handle chop better than earlier wide boards. Sales pitch ?
Maybe they fly over chop ...
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WindSport Magazine (Summer 2014 edition) has an article on page 65 called FreeRide Decision. They are comparing two types of 75 cm wide lightwind boards.They show traditional freeride board and new-school freeride boards , where they do include the Exocet XCROSS. They still include the Shark, which will not be available in 2015. In the traditional freerides they have a BIC, a Goya and a Naish with all the counterparts to the freemoves. Why does this magazine NEVER include Tabou, which is a VERY popular board. In 2014 local Montreal shop brought in Tabous and sold 22 in 2 weeks $%^& Must be more windsurfers in the area than I realized !!
What did the magazine say? Volume matters due to width: When it comes to how early a board planes, width is particularly important. Since the new-school freeride designs are so much wider for their volume compared to the traditional shapes, a competent rider will get it planing remarkably quickly. So, on a comparison basis, it is actually better to look at new-school boards that are 15 to 20 liters smaller in volume. The key is to make sure the widths are similar. So, here they are looking at lightwind freeride boards that are around 75 cm wide. Traditional vs. new-school: Choosing between these two types of boards really comes down to being honest with yourself and your overall windsurf ability (and local wind conditions of course - interjected by me). Less experienced sailors, who are not yet confident at getting in the footstraps or starting to work on jibing, will likely benefit more from the traditional freeride design. The greater volume and straighter outline will help inspire confidence for improving more quickly.Also, any riders who sail in gusty lightwind conditions, should strongly consider a traditional freeride board. One exception might be a lighter-weight rider who can easily balance on a smaller sized board.
More experienced riders and sailors who will not be bothered by riding on a lesser volume board can benefit from the added maneuverability of the new-school shapes. If jibing is your reason for being out there on the water, then one of these short and wide designs will definitely meet your needs ...
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Since I have used 93 cm and 80 cm wide boards in light winds... I can say that wide is better in early winds. Since early planing is a bigger concern than jibing for me, these potato chip boards can stay in the bag :-) That's just a personal note and for now ...and i love to poke fun at anything - including myself ...
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Just saw a video with a Tabou Speedster of 79 cm wide and it was FLYING in light winds with a Severne NCX 8.5 sail. Thought perhaps it would be a 150 liter board - NON - 125 !! The 150 liter Speedster is 89 cm wide !! These boards are toted as FAST, EARLY PLANING and MANEUVERABLE - sounds like FREEMOVE to me !!!
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No, Tabou has their own FreeMove Rocket and yes, it is a "Rocket Wide". It seems to be a freemove - freerace and almost slalom board. Just check these photos from WIND-NC/Hatteras on iwindsurf.
You can see is it VERY flat and narrow tail with cutouts. This board has to be FAST. The 138 liter is 87 cm wide !! and is rated for sails 6.0 to 10.0 !! Sounds like early planing and slalom to me !! The 128 liter is 84 cm wide and rated for sails 5.5 to 9.0. Makes me wonder how i would do with the 118 liter which is 78 cm wide and rated for sails 5,0 to 8.5. It comes with a 40 cm fin , which is about what i use with a 7-oh sail. What a combo that would be !!! THIS board makes me consider freemove AND Tabou is now available from auventfou in Montreal !!
The StarBoard AtomIQ also has cutouts, but they are much smaller... Also, board seemed more difficult to find !!
Had a "chat" with John Ingebritsen on iwindsurf . He recommends against boards with : "too drawn in tails compared to their width". Unless I am mistaken, these boards fit that bill too well... Tinho Dornellas of calema sports in Florida agrees (on his forum) -"width is excessive compared with the tail" !!! He was a big Fanatic Sharks 130/135 fan - and those boards are gone :-( ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Was re-reading April 2005 WindSurfing Magazine and there is a discussion about "free-wide" boards. There is discussion about an Exocet S4 125 liters with 81 cm width and a comment was "NOT for the faint of heart". Will post some pics of the article !! So, who says RRD or SB were the first with this board type ?? Exocet wins - no-one was paying attention. It was the same with the FreeFormulas - they did not seem to catch on and now we have them - the JP SLW and RRD X-Fire Lightwind... ================================================ Here are the pages from the WindSurfing Magazine dated April 2005 and the Exocet is the WINNER. First wide low volume FreeWide board !!! Ahead of the freemove era !!! A thing of note is the board is ALSO marked as one of the overall speed winners !!!
Quote from Jan/Feb 2003 WindSurfing Magazine : "Windsurfers over 220 lbs. should beware of 80-plus cm wide boards under 150 liters in volume. It may look wide, but will it float? "
In 2015 I purchased an 80 cm wide 117 liter SB iSonic 117 wide and yes, it is a sinker, but not too bad ... Forget tacks though - balance point is further back on this short 228 cm board ...
Seems people do NOT like the Rocket Wides. Hard to beat the Tabou Rocket I am sure. In terms of the other models, it seems people are liking the Fanatic Gecko and RRD FireMove.
I started this discussion due to my disappointment in the Fanatic Shark being discontinued in 2015. The Gecko has evolved over time and additions plus adjustments make sense. In 2013 there were only three(3) models 105, 120 and 133 - all with a length of 239 cm. By 2014 the 112 was added - also 239 cm. In 2015 the 120 and 133 got longer and narrower. Originally I would have chosen the 120 with 239x77 cm dimensions. However, felt that for a freeride with that sail range I would prefer more float/liters. In 2015 it was/is 246x78 for the 133 and that makes more sense to me. In 2015 there were also the additions of the 146 and 156 plus - to make up for the killing of the Shark. Looks like they may keep these sizes for 2016 ?? Means they have finished making adjustments and are happy with the results !!
The freemove boards have definitely been accepted by 2016. Thought the Tabou Rocket Wides were not so well liked, but they are .. All freemoves seem to be really liked now, but as this article warns: if you are used to the "traditional freerides", there is some adjustment required ...
