- 2010 Board Tests

Naish Freewide 130

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:20:00 -0400

Naish Freewide 130
V: 130 L: 253 W: 73

The ride: The Naish Freewide has repeatedly surprised us with performance for both intermediate and advanced riders. It provides a wide, stable platform that accelerates onto a plane in a very controlled manner. This is the perfect board to introduce people to the sensation of planing. The Freewide has inserts for a single inboard back strap but lacks an ideal match in the front, making learning a little harder. The placement of the two sets of outboard strap inserts are both a little on the aggressive side and a progressing sailor will have to be a little more patient before getting dialed in them. For the more advanced rider, the straps feel perfectly placed allowing you to trim the board up to an impressive top speed or simply enjoy the ride. The Freewide is a little heavier than some of the other more expensive board constructions in the test; except for possibly making it plane up a little slower, the Freewide’s extra weight is completely irrelevant once on a plane. Also, your feet will love the super-squishy deck pads and comfy footstraps.

The jibe: Once up to top speed, the Freewide does a rewarding weight forward jibe. For those not ready to commit to this acquired technique of oversheeting, the Freewide’s stability will get you around dry and allowing you to build your skills without frustration. Regardless of technique, you’ll find it easy to keep up speed through the large radius turn. It prefers flatwater, but as your weight starts to move farther forward things get smoother and eventually you’ll find yourself charging regardless of the water texture.

The forte: The Freewide is a stable and easy planing board that will provide plenty of performance rewards as you continue to get your windsurfing dialed.

RRD Freestyle Wave 91

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 22:44:00 -0400

RRD Freestyle Wave 91
V: 91 L: 239 W: 59

The Ride: RRD has been a leader in defining this class of boards ever since the term “freestyle wave” was created many years ago. Still to form, this year’s line is shaped to handle a variety of conditions and perform for almost any ability level. The FSW 91 is one of the smoothest and most well-balanced rides you’ll find, giving you the confidence to push yourself to the next level. The next level can be anything from planing for the first time on a small board to waveriding and landing your first Vulcan. It feels a little on the small side for 91 litres due to its narrowness, and this skewers its wind range so that sails around 5.0 m2 are the biggest that accelerate it efficiently. The trade off is that on the higher wind end the board rides so smoothly that with a swap to a smaller fin you can ride down to 3.7 m2. The thick deck pads give you a slight raised sensation at first, but after a couples runs this feeling disappears and you notice them cushioning your feet across chop.

The jibe: The rider position in a straight line leads you into a jibe as you roll into a well-balanced position that drives the rail through chop. With the right size sail there is plenty of planing power, and it responds well to changes to rail pressure giving you the option to get aggressive and tighten up the arc.

The forte: The RRD FSW is a great board for any type of sailor ready for its size on any type of water. What it does best is make that water feel smoother and less chaotic giving tons of confidence to get better.

Starboard Quad

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

"An easy-to-ride and well balanced small boards that rips in more conditions than just waves!"

Last year in Punta San Carlos, Baja the Windsport test team was stoked to get to try 3 new '09 twin fin waveboards (Starboard Evil Twin 80, JP TwinserWave 84 and Mistral Twinzer 84)... so this year when Starboard contacted us about doing an early test on the 2010 Starboard Quad (named for having 4 fins) we were stoked. If two fins can make a board slashier on a wave face what will four fins do?

The Straight-line Ride:
Finally, here is a technological advancement that extends beyond the pro level rider with performance that is truly accessible to the Average Joe. The Quad 76 planes up quickly and comfortably for it's small size getting plenty of drive from the 15 cm fore fins and smaller 12 cm rear fins, plus the 57.5 cm width helps as well. Once planing the ride can be best described as comfortable. It is definitely not a particularly fast board but there is enough horsepower to get airborne when used in bump-and-jump sailing conditions. The four fins provide plenty of grip for tracking back upwind after a satisfying wave ride to set you up for that next wave and this is a board that never suffers from spin-out... one fin may break free but not all four.

Lightwind Performance:
When there are waves who wants to be stuck sitting on the beach just because the wind isn't quite planable? The Quad 76 will help get you out into the action as it is incredibly balanced and "slogable" for it's volume. There probably isn't an easier tacking sub-80 litre waveboard, especially considering its 228 cm length. It may sink up to your waist underwater but the balance from nose to tail will keep you upright until you get enough wind in the sail to come back to the surface.

Turns, Turns, Turns:
Let's face facts, the Quad is classified as a waveboard so it better turn well, but the four fins grip better than single or twin fin boards and also creates incredible drive. In particular, tight pivoty turns that can overwhelm the grip of other boards will spit you out in a new direction with almost no loss of speed. The larger front fins (compared to the smaller aft fins) grip the board to the water keeping you carving no matter how aggressively you rail the board. More experienced riders who may want the tail slide for adding style to a move may find themselves fighting the boards grip, but for the Average Joe the confidence the Quad instills will greatly improve your wavesailing. Along with its directional ride, the Quad feels at home whether surfing sizable side-off waves or smaller on-shore river swell in places like Rio Vista or the Gorge.

Carving on the Columbia River:

The Quad Easily Planes through Jibes:

The Fins:
To keep the weight of all these fins in check Starboard makes use of the smaller Mini-Tuttle box for the 2 larger 15 cm front fins. This is a fixed position box with a through-hull bolt for security. Currently fins this size may be hard to find, but since this the Mini-Tuttle is a box already in use by many kiteboard brands it should not be too hard for companies to provide after market replacements. The two smaller 12 cm aft fins are the surfboard standard FCS base, but the actual box is produced by Surf Finz and along with allowing for 8mm of moment fore and aft is much stronger as well. The rear fins in the Surf Finz box will wobble slightly when flexed but Starboard maintains that this is a strong box and we found no issues through our testing.

Straps and Pads:
At last year's test Francisco Goya advised us to setup a board for best wavesailing performance with the straps as wide apart as possible to better mimic a true surfing stance...and it works insanely well. The Quad comes with a slightly wider stance width than most production waveboards to help do this. The max stance width for the Quad 76 is 24.5 inches whereas most board average around 23.5 to 24 inches. For better speed and jumping in onshore conditions a more conventional normal stance can be setup. The footstraps are more comfortable than in years past although still not as comfy as some aftermarket straps (but this is always a personal choice). Since the rear strap is firmly secured with 4 screws we recommend not using the “anti-twist” inserts as they raise the strap and detract from the straps comfort.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO AND MARKETING INFO DIRECT FROM STARBOARD.

Extra Info (hover mouse pointer over picture for caption):

Fanatic Skate 100

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:01:00 -0400

Fanatic Skate 100
V: 100 L: 235 W: 63.5

The ride: Since this board is used by the world’s top pro freestyler one might overlook it as a specialized board just for hucking crazing tricks. This would be a shame as the Skate is a great all-round board as well. It reacts to the smallest gusts planing up early and coasting through lulls with incredible efficiency. Your feet easily find the centred footstraps even if you’re just progressing into smaller boards for the first time. Its straight-line speed can easily match the freestyle wave boards so long as you ride with a modern upright hips-in stance and do a bit of trim work. It’s smoother through chop than most other freestyle boards but not as smooth as the freestyle waves. If you choose to use the chop for catching some air the Skate will gladly soar. Fanatic supplies the board with a smallish freestyle fin that gives plenty of lift for the inboard freestyle strap placement.

The jibe: Part of the reason this is a great freestyle board is it is well balanced when on its rail. Jibes are easy to initiate and the thick tail supports even the heaviest amount of back foot pressure. Of the small boards, this was the easiest to plane out of jibes on. Steep chop makes carving trickier but its balanced feel allows you to learn the art of driving the rail deeper into your turns to smooth things out. Letting the board carve on its own makes for a wider arc that progressing sailors can easily adapt too, while advanced riders can tighten the turn when needed.

The forte: This is a board that helps you learn your first aerial move, the Vulcan, just as easily as the latest and most difficult switchstance trick. None of the other boards in the test even come close for this facet of the sport.

Exocet Sting 124

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:12:00 -0400

Exocet Sting 124
V: 124 L: 247 W: 73

The ride: The Sting is smooth and stable and provides enough speed to keep things interesting for all riders. With the mast base well forward in the track the wide nose and tail gets it planing with little fuss and allows it to carry bigger sails than 124 litres normally will. Credit Exocet’s DDSA recessed heel pads for some of the smoothness as they dampen the ride and give you confidence to keep sheeting in across steep chop. The Sting also makes the most of its high-quality stock fin, as it gives the board better reaction to subtle trim work that maximizes its speed. The footstraps are well positioned to make trimming feel natural and this board only gets faster the more familiar you get with it. This strap position is a little wide for those learning to get into them, and the technique of trimming the board, which brings it life, is not something a first-time footstrapper will pick up on right away.

The jibe: The Sting is the easiest freeride board to turn off the tail without loosing speed. This makes it the least technical to jibe and can immediately increase your completion percentage. The board doesn’t react well to getting your weight forward, so after a few turns you find yourself enjoying its more laid-back style of easy jibe. The downside to this ease and comfort is that you are at the mercy of the board when it comes to tightening the radius of your turn.

The forte: The Sting works out exactly as Exocet hoped it would. It’s a hassle-free ride for any level of recreational windsurfer and offers a reasonable amount of speed and easy jibing.

JP X-Cite Ride 120

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:13:00 -0400

JP X-Cite 120
V: 120 L: 250 W: 67.5

The ride: One of the most impressive things about JP’s X-Cite Ride is that it has performance for any level rider. It’s not very wide for its volume so be sure to choose the appropriate size for your needs, possibly adding a few litres compared to chunkier models. Its smallish feel makes it smoother across chop and allows it to be ridden with smaller sails than the other 120-litre boards. For sailors learning the footstraps, this means that you can control and carry extra volume, even in windier conditions to help ease the ride. Part of the reason the X-Cite line works well for any level rider is that there are numerous well-placed footstrap inserts. The inboard inserts promote a proper hips-in stance with your feet finding the straps instinctively. Progress to the outboard setting and the X-Cite Ride transforms into a much quicker board. It’s responsive to trim work and breaks free to an impressive top speed that also feels very efficient. To maximize the wind range we’d add a longer fin for a 7.5 m2 and a smaller fin if you need to ride it with a 5.0 m2.

The jibe: First-time jibers will find comfort in how easy it is to set the rail and have the board slice through chop. Advanced jibers will find that it’s able to perform both an exhilarating high speed turn off the nose with an oversheeted entry or a relatively tight turn if aggressively pivoted off the tail.

The forte: The X-Cite Ride is a jack-of-all-trades, but one thing that sets it apart is its performance in chop. Anyone from a first-time short boarder to an advanced rider will find years of carefree fun from the X-Cite, especially if your local spot is anything but flat.

RRD TwinTip 100

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

If windsurfing is about showing off your style then here's a board that's all about making you look good in an easily accesible package: the 2010 RRD Twintip 100. The Windsport test team got it's hands on one at the AWSI industry demo in Hood River, OR and here are the test results.

RRD's Marketing Info:

Compared to last year's Twintip: "More rounded outline in the front and narrower outline towards the tail area starting at about 95 cms from the tail in order to give a better top end speed and a higher potential for jumps in flat water. Full double concave on a single V rail-to-rail configuration with small side flats, allow better tracking at low speed yet keeping a better potential for sliding manouvers." - robertoriccidesign.com

The Ride:

The Twintip 100 is a super stable board. In fact, intermediate-level windsurfers will benefit from the ease of getting into the footstraps due to the large amount of volume under-foot. Advanced riders might initially experience a slightly strange "raised up" feeling but don't worry...this is easy to adjust to after a few rides. This board will plane in very little wind considering it's size, but the acceleration is a little slower or more controlled. The Twintip may not be the fastest freestyle board (but faster than previous models) or quickest to react to gusts, but it is one of the smoothest over chop.

Jibes:

The thick tail gives the Twintip plenty of power (even at slower speeds) for carving a normal jibe. This added volume provides stability to help keep you dry regardless of whether things go right or wrong. When carving this board we found it easier to turn in a wider radius as the "full" tail was difficult to leverage against for a tight aggressive jibe. Anyone learning to jibe will benefit from this board and in particular, heavy-weights looking to a highwind machine will find their perfect match here.

Aerials:

Spinny-wise, the Twintip is a solid platform to land on and flows into it's spin a little differently than other boards. Sailors familiar with last year's Twintip model had no problem, while riders comfortable on other brands' shapes found it not to flow into the spin as readily. However, all testers agreed that with a bit of time any accomplished freestyler will be able to dial this board in for all the new-school tricks... AND anyone looking to learn their first aerial move (jump jibe, vulcan, etc.) will find an ideal mate in the TwinTip 100! This is a great entry-level freestyle board.

Bump & Jump:

The Twintip has the ability to get airborne once you get used to the timing of it's "pop." For 2010 RRD has shaped "heel gutters" into the deck (see right) to assist in Shove-its and all the new-school tricks requiring a quick carve into the move; however, the thick tail still required some getting used to for finding the correct "pop" for these cool tricks.

Bells & Whistles:

The Twintip comes styled out with Dakine footstraps and a real Maui Fin Company Freestyle Pro 20 cm fin. No after-market shopping needed with this stick! RRD has put a light-weight "A-base" fin box (like used in most waveboards) in the Twintip allowing you to move the fin fore and aft to customize the ride to your liking. The thick foot pads are super comfy but give the board a "raised feel" that takes a little while to adjust to.

Final Word:

The 2010 RRD Twintip 100 arrives with nice straps and fin ready to perform right off the show room floor. It will be best loved by heavyweigh sailors looking for a highwind board, anyone looking for a board to help them learn to jibe, entry-level aerial freestylers and expert new-school tricksters (but it may take them a few sessions to dail in the different feel).

Related Links:

- RRD Twintip offical web page

- RRD teamrider Adam Simds gives his thoughts on the 2010 RRD Twintip vs. last year's model

-sSs teamrider Connor Bainbridge gives his first impressions on the 2010 RRD Twintip

Goya One 95

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:08:00 -0400

Goya One 95
V: 95 L: 241 W: 61.5

The ride: With the least amount of flat and some of the softest rails of our mid-90-litre test boards, the One has a little different feel. The nose rides high and the board is sensitive reacting quickly to subtle foot pressure—much more like a wave board. However, what makes it excel as a freestyle wave shape is that it planes up quicker than a wave board and tracks well across chop. To find the best performance you’ll want to have a hips-in stance and be able to ride comfortably with weight more on your front foot. In this rider position, the One feels at home when sailing with speed over chop. Intermediates will find this rider position, and its sensitivity makes it challenging for those not yet comfortable in the straps. The new MFC footstraps are a welcome upgrade that make for a more secure connection to the board and gives you the confidence to pop off any ramp you come across.

The jibe: In the corners is where the One really shines. It will gladly carve through any arc you choose and keep speed even when you go tight. Chaotic chop disappears as you can either drive right through it or adjust your carve mid-arc to find a flatter line. This reactivity is something for more advanced jibers to take advantage of while it may be a little too much for those learning to jibe.

The forte: The One was the first test board grabbed for our annual trip to San Carlos. We changed out the fin for a smaller, more swept wave shape that helped loosen up the ride a little more. Going rail to rail on this “big” board was no problem, and we were able to go for lip without any hesitation.

Exocet Cross 104

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:55:00 -0400

Exocet Cross 104
Carbon/PVC
V: 104 L: 245 W: 63

The ride: This newly shaped Cross is more manoeuvrable and easier to ride than previous models. Stepping aboard the Cross after riding its bigger sibling the Sting, you immediately feel right at home. The wide nose planes up with little effort and makes for a stable platform. The DDSA footpads do an amazing job of making the ride chatter-free even in steep chop. Speed wise, we found this year’s Cross a touch slower than last year’s rather zippy version, but it’s still on the faster side of things for a freestyle wave shape. Part of the reason for this is that it likes a slightly more upright body position. This upright position makes the Cross more efficient to get planing and also lets you react quicker to ramps popping up at the last moment for better jumps. At first we had trouble keeping our feet in the wide footstraps and it took some finagling to get the tighter fit we’re accustomed to.

The jibe: Again, there is some similarity to the Sting with how these two models jibe. With a pivoty turn off the tail, the Cross jibes smoothly requiring little commitment. As a freestyle wave board, Exocet has massaged the jibe of the Cross so that it responds to work by more advanced riders by being capable of cranking both tight and wide turns. This is the type of board that makes one feel like a hero in the corners; while on other boards the same sailor’s success rate is less than impressive.

The forte: The Cross is designed to cross over from freeriding into other types of sailing. While its ease can come in handy for newbies in the waves, it has even better potential for hucking freestyle moves.

Starboard Kode 94

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 22:41:00 -0400

Starboard Kode 94
V: 94 L: 237 W: 62.5

The ride: Introduced last year, the Kode is the freestyle wave board that Starboard fans have been waiting for. It can be used for cruising flatwater, skying off chop or swell and even dabbling into freestyle aerials and waves if need be. It’s wider than most for its volume giving it stability while it accelerates, but in the wood carbon construction it accelerates so quickly an inexperienced rider may have trouble keeping up (progressional riders may benefit from the less expensive Technora or wood constructions). For more advanced riders this quick acceleration gets you up and planing in the smallest gust and keeps you planing through huge holes. This is one of the few small boards tested whose controlled ride lets you keep putting the sails power to the board through choppy water. This much speed turns chop into launch ramps where its lightness underfoot inspires you to try new things. The Starboard footstraps have improved but the large amount of spacing between each insert makes strap-width customization difficult.

The jibe: It takes commitment to come into a jibe with all the speed the Kode has and in choppy waters… but have faith as the Kode treats you right. It slices through chop and holds its rail better than we expected. Once you realize what it’s capable of you’ll start bringing your weight more forward and rip through jibes at a speed that will shock you.

The forte: The Kode will add a bit of speed and excitement to your day of sailing. We would define this as an ideal board for bump-and-jump sailors who want to accentuate the “jump” part of their sailing and then rail through the “bumps” with smooth tight turns.

Goya FXRS 130

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:03:00 -0400

Goya FXRS 130
V: 130 L: 246 W: 74

The ride: Goya introduces the FXRS line this year. These boards are much wider for their volume compared to Goya’s FXR line. This makes them feel big for their volume as there is plenty of volume below the rider and very little in the nose. It handles big sails better than any other board in the test and is also one of the first to get planing. There is a slight pause in the acceleration that seems to be the board working itself onto the narrower section just behind the large tail-wings, which are placed a full 18” from the tail. Once past this pause, the board continues to accelerate and reach impressive speed considering how easy it is to ride. The width makes for a very stable ride, which along with a true inboard straps placement makes the FXRS one of the easiest to get into the straps. Putting the straps into the aggressive outboard strap setting increases the speed and lets you push the large MFC Liquid fin to its limit.

The jibe: The ease-of-use continues into the corners on the FXRS. The tail-wings make it easy to rail the board without the need of a huge step. The rail engages well and the FXRS carves a much tighter turn than you’d expect. Inexperienced jibers, who lose speed through the turn, will enjoy the wide, stable platform to help keep the jibe dry. To progress to a full planing jibe requires full power from the sails so that you can take speed deeper into the turn.

The forte: The FXRS is easy to learn on with the straps inboard, and fast with the straps outboard. Thanks to some unique shaping, the jibe is similar to the thrilling manoeuvre you’ll experience on smaller boards.

Starboard Flare 98

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

It's always fun to get our hands on the latest freestyle shapes, so we jumped at a chance to ride the new 2010 Starboard Flare 98.

Marketing Info:

The Flare 88, 98 and 106 have a new rockerline that are evolutions derived from the Starboard Kode board range. These new rockerlines have 3 mm more kick and a smoother flat to flat transition, giving more pop with a more lively ride and a quicker response to the riders input. The Flare 98 also has its nose vee reduced to improve on rotational slides and a finbox positioned further back.

The Ride:

The Flare 98 is very fast for a freestyle board and planes up better than past models. The deck shape, with noticeable heel gutters creating a lot of doming, takes some getting used to and make it feel slightly less stable than flatter decked boards, but makes this board feel more responsive. Very little effort is required to make the Flare react to slight toe or heel pressure.

Transitions:

The Flare jibes very nicely, especially with a bit of a slalom technique. It usually takes some time to adjust to a new freestyle board for aerial moves and this was definitely the case for the Flare... if possible we suggest demoing it over a day or two to properly adjust to the shape. It spins really quickly though sliding freestyle tricks. The deck shape caused by the heel gutters also makes the Flare incredibly responsive when popping and sliding. If you like to go into your freestyle moves with a speedy and slidy style like that of Taty Frans then this might just be the perfect board for you.

Wave or Bump&Jump?:

We probably wouldn't recommend it as a waveboard, but the Flare 98 would definitely make a good jumping board as it felt really light under foot and, with so much speed, has great pop. On flatwater, once you dial in a balanced landing we're sure this board will let you spin till your hearts content.

Quatro Freestyle Wave 95

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:25:00 -0400

Quatro Freestyle Wave 95
V: 95 L: 240 W: 61

The ride: Quatro’s Freestyle Wave works great as an easy-sailing freeride board for progressional sailors with a modern hips-in stance, but in the hands of an advanced rider it has no limits. On the freestyle side, it planes up quickly with an efficiency that lets you ride smaller sails than other boards of the same volume. Tricks are easiest with sails in the low 5 m2 range while using the smaller fin. Changing to the larger fin allows it to hold up to a 6.0-m2 but there is a loss of some efficiency. It has the natural pop of a freestyle board that gets you in the air off the smallest of ramps. The only thing that makes you realize you are not on a true freestyle board is that the ride is far more smooth and stable through chop. Along with the two MFC fins, Quatro completes the package with new and improved MFC footstraps.

The jibe: The wave part of this board becomes evident in the jibes, as it’s willing to carve any type of turn. It rails over effortlessly and flows through a tighter arc than we thought it should. It maintains its speed and cuts through chop as well as any other board in the test. Whether you know how to jibe or are still learning, the FSW will treat you right.

The forte: If you look at the amazing things pro sailors are doing and say to yourself, “I want to do that,” even though you’re just getting going in the straps, then the Quatro FSW is for you. It’s a board that is easy and fun for recreational riders, yet works well for the more intense aspects of the sport.

RRD Fireride 125

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:10:00 -0400

RRD Fireride 125
V: 125 L: 246 W: 69

The ride: The Fireride is RRD’s new line of freeride boards. RRD maintains the responsive smooth ride of the line it’s replacing (the Z-ride), and adds some width making the Fireride plane up much quicker than before. The X-Tech construction is cheaper than the lighter LTD version, yet still provides a very crisp and efficient feel. The Fireride is not the most stable board while it accelerates, but the inboard footstrap setting is one of the easiest for progressional riders to get into once up and planing. The top speed is considerably faster in the outboard straps, but they aren’t placed out and back enough to match the fastest boards in the test. True recreational speedsters should look at the RRD Firerace models to meet their slalom needs. If you’re looking to cruise around then the straps’ position is great and keeps your feet well balanced. One other important part of the Fireride’s easygoing performance is the high-quality MFC Liquid Pro fin it arrives with.

The jibe: To plane fully through a jibe the Fireride prefers to be carved with full speed in a modern hips-in style that commits your weight forward over the board.
When turned off the nose in this manner it will plane through a tight jibe without hesitation. Conversely, if you lean your weight back during the entry then the board will bounce through a huge arc, causing you to fight it the entire way.

The forte: The Fireride is a great freeride board for recreational riders who are aggressive in their desire to learn. It rewards hard work with style and is a board that they’ll be able to grow into for years to come.

Exocet 3X

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The Windsport test crew was excited to get their hands on a first tri-fin board for 2010: the Exocet 3X 82. Unfortunately, there were no waves to be found at the AWSI industry demo event held in the Gorge... but at least we got to try it in some highwind and decent onshore swell!

Steve Gotlieb of Aerotech/Exocet gives us a rundown on this new shape:

Marketing Info:

The Exocet 3X range represents their foray into the realm of multi-fin waveboards. This "tri-fin" offering is intended to allow for fun and tight turning in a wide array of wave conditions. The 3 fin setup is meant to give the board optimal down-the-line performance with incredible grip and drive from the wave's bottom to top. However, remove the outer 2 thrusters and Exocet says this board will, "gain horsepower to get you on a plane, and with amazing top speed, ideal for crappy conditions, mushy waves, and sky high-jumps."

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THIS TEST BOARD:

First off, we have to mention that the actual board we are testing was used as a "plug" at the factory, meaning that it was used in the process of making the mold. Because of this it is actually a little heavier than the eventual production boards because not all the resins are able to be removed during the process. Very interesting...so the shape is the same but the true, end production Exocet 3X 82 will have slightly improved planing and a more "live" feel than this "plug" version.

The Ride:

The Exocet 3X 82 has a very controllable ride. It's pivoty feel makes it seem like you are always ready to carve/turn. Like most waveboards, the ride is not super-directional (doesn't lock it to a straight course) but not-so-much to make it diconcerting in bump-and-jump conditions. Although not the quickest to plane or best top-end speed, the 3X is very smooth over chop and exhibits great stability (somewhat similar to the Starboard Quad 76 that we also tested).

Tri or Single Fin Option:

Remove the thrusters and it's sort of like getting two-boards-in-one. We would recommend riding the 3X in single fin mode for onshore conditions as it offers less drag and more glide for straight forward jibing and carving on swells.

Transitions:

The 3X likes to be turned off the tail in more of a pivot, rather than a full agressive carve on the forward rail. We expect the normal production version will carry better speed through the turn than this "plug" model. It felt like the 3X would prefer to be ridden down-the-line in true wavesailing conditions compared to the onshore Gorge conditions we were testing it in.

Bells & Whistles:

Exocet offers comfort like no one else when it comes to the deck pads on a board! The DDSA (Dual Density Shock Absorbers) is super comfortable, however we recommend upgrading to some aftermarket straps.

Starboard Futura 101

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

In your windsurfing, if you are looking for a fast and exciting ride than the Starboard Futura 101 is a great place to start. The Windsport test crew got their hands on one at the AWSI industry demo and were shocked at how fast the board really is.

Marketing Info:

Starboard says the Futura is shaped to blur the lines between user-friendly freeriding and ultra-fast slalom performance. It's a do-it-all board to take you all the way from getting into the footstraps to blasting past your buddies on a regular basis.

The Ride:

The Futura 101 is a very fast freeride board! It feels very much like a newer slalom board when the straps are placed in the furthest outboard setting. Less experienced riders should opt for a more inboard setting for more control and less commitment required over chop. If, at top speed, you trust the ride and your ability then you'll find the ride actually smoothens out the faster you let the Futura go. Compared to a pure slalom shape, the only difference we found was that the Futura 101 didn't lose a significant amount of speed as soon as you try to point upwind and the acceleration is a touch slower - giving the Average Joe a chance when trying to place their feet in the straps before the board reaches it's incredible top speed (mach 80 is what we call it).

Transitions:

Once again, the Futura 101 performs incredibly if you know what you're doing. It rewards a committed jibe with speed on exit, but without full commitment you'll find it a little more difficult than some other boards in this size range. It turns a little more off the back of the board than old-school slalom boards, but you still need to aggressively oversheet and move weight forward for the rail to cut through chop. Entering with top speed and leaning back will more than likely bounce you out of the turn when in choppy water conditions.

Bump and Jump:

You should realize now that the Futura 101 is at the top of the class of recreational slalom board, but if you want to pull this board out to do you best "Dale Cook jumping" impression it will do everything it can to help you take flight. However, most will find this board a perfect match for highwind flatwater blasting (go buy yourself a GPS and you'll have endless fun).

Bells & Whistles:

The deck shape feels really nice under your feet allowing you to always know where your feet are placed. The shaping in the straps and beneath your heels is great as well, giving you confidence to push the fin with a solid connection to the board. The accompanying Drake fin feels well sized to the board and does everything asked of it.

Starboard Atom

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Let's get this straight right from the start, the Atom is NOT just another "interesting concept" from Starboard. This board is a super-fun freeride shape that is accesible to a wide spectrum of the windsurfing population. However, the idea of riding the Atom "strapless" may be a fad to put this board on the map... so the windsport test team decided to take it to the next level as you will find out below!

The Ride #1: Straps Outboard with large stock fin

This setup give the Atom a more classic freeride feel. It allows it to track well in a straight line and haul upwind like a champ. Speed lovers would prefer the faster ride of a Futura but the performance in this setup definitely exceeded our initial expectations. The ample width and large fin allows it to plane up pretty quickly for the 99-litres of volume. This is the ideal setup and an ideal small board for sailors who typically use big sails and live in lighter wind areas.

The Ride #2: Straps Inboard with small wave fin

Moving the straps inboard and sticking a small wave-shape fin in the box (although we found a Tuttlebox wave fin to be quite difficult to track down these days) loosens up the ride remarkably. Freeride becomes "freemove" as the Atom transforms into a classic freestyle wave ride. The flat deck and low-nose ride allow for a confidence inspiring freestyle feel that will impress anyone looking to throw down old or new-school tricks.

The Ride #3: Strapless with large stock fin

At first you may be a little nervous heading out "strapless" on the Atom with a big upright fin driving your ride...well there are a ton of benefits. The stock fin allows you the ultra-cool sensation of moving your feet around to various places on the board while you're riding: keep them close together on the rail and hike upwind; move the back foot back against the foot-pad ramp to push against the fin for more drive upwind; centre your feet slightly more forward and inboard for a loose and carvey ride. The large fin allows you to ride stapless with a larger sail (7.5 no cam for sure and maybe even up to 8.5-metre) and vastly improves the early planing. The only downside to riding strapless is it isn't for amateurs or the faint of heart. You have no straps to give you a confident attachment to the board through chop; however, we found that your brain tends to make you automatically sheet out and not surpass a sensible speed.

The Ride #4: Strapless with small wave fin

Throw in a small wave or freestyle fin and gain a ton of confidence when riding strapless through chop. However, you lose any hope of spinout recovery (although you will still stay dry as the board is pretty big and wide)and quite a bit of early planing ability. The Atom is still fun to ride this way but you do lose the need to move your feet around on the deck...you'll find that simple toe and heel pressure is sufficient to carve the board through ultra loose maneuvers.

Bonus Ride: SKYHOOKS

Designer Tiesda You challenged us to see how far we could push the limits of the Atom so we grabbed some "foam skyhooks" off an AirRush kiteboard (finally those kiters can give something back!) and screwed them into the front and back inserts to try the first ever strapless aerials. Head tester, Derek Rijff (pictured), found the experience of Willy Skippering with skyhooks to be, "scary as hell but amazingly fun." Because the "hooks" screw into only one insert you can twist them to however you need. Now, we challenge Starboard to come up with the perfect add-on accessories for the Atom!

The Atom Bomb (Strapless Free Willy) by Derek Rijff:

JIBING:

The most innovative thing about the Atom comes when carving it strapless. Without footstraps you loose the ability to have any upward pressure on the windward strap to help set the leeward rail into the carve. Instead, you need to place both feet on the leeward side of the centerline and carve either toe-side or heel-side like a skateboard or snowboard. This feeling is most dramatic when using the big stock fin and it allows you to play around with different foot positions and stance-widths to affect the way the board carves... endless fun!

With straps, the Atom jibes in a typical freestyle wave manner. It is easy to set the rail start the carve and this board is very capable of planing all the way through the jibe rewarding better technique with more exit speed. Anyone learning to jibe will find that the Atom still can tolerate a fair amount of back foot pressure but more speed is maintained when weight is kept forward.

JUMPING & FREESTYLE:

The Atom displays freestylewave-type or better pop. We found it to be capable of new-school aerials and this gave us the idea to try taking the footstraps off and screwing in the skyhooks.

JP Freestyle Wave 93

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:17:00 -0400

JP Freestyle Wave 93
V: 93 L: 234 W: 60.5

The ride: Over the last few years, JP has been putting more “wave” into its Freestyle Wave (FSW). This year the trend continues, with it finally becoming the all-around board we have been waiting for. It’s a perfect blend of speed and control. Sizable chop can be mowed over without fear, and when jumping off a ramp the FSW’s speed and pop sends you soaring. The smooth ride makes it a decent board for riders to grow into. Less experienced highwind sailors will have modest success at first and will gradually become more comfortable after a few windy days. Its speed can be a bit unnerving for novice sailors riding tiny sails, but it tolerates you backing off the power if you need to. In the Pro construction the FSW is very responsive to gusts and rockets onto a plane with incredible efficiency. Changing to a smaller fin makes a noticeable difference for gaining highwind control since the stock fin has a lot of surface area.

The jibe: All the wave shaping added to the FSW has certainly paid off in the jibe. You can take copious amounts of speed into a turn and still rail the board over with ease. The thinned out rails hold beautifully through both wide and tight arcs slicing cleaning through chop. There is not a lot of volume in the tail so you do need to be able to move your weight forward to plane out of jibes.

The forte: JP was kind enough to send us the FSW in the Pro construction. The lightness underfoot is noticeable and it seems to add another foot or two to jumps. It is capable of landing Spocks and Flakas but the tail sticks more than a true freestyle board, but for straight airs and loops the FSW was amazing.

Starboard Futura 122

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:58:00 -0400

Starboard Futura 122
V: 122 L: 245 W: 72

The ride: More so than other boards, the Futura has the ability to morph from a progressional first-timer’s shortboard into a surprisingly quick board that is comparable to Starboard’s iSonic slalom board range. We were given the less expensive and slightly heavier Technora version and were still blown away by its performance. The Futura provides a wide platform that is very stable as it accelerates. It speeds up at a controlled pace allowing progressing sailors to easily find the footstraps in the inboard position. The outboard position is aggressive and much more difficult to get into, but it’s here that you’ll be able to do the trim work to get the Futura to break free and reach full speed. One of the most amazing things about the Futura is that it rides smoothly at slow speeds, yet in the outboard straps has the race like trait of riding smoother the harder you push it. Unlike most of the other boards in the test, the Futura uses a Tuttle fin box which is great for speed-seekers who will put in a pure slalom fin but makes for finding recreational shape fins slightly harder.

The jibe: Most boards with as much speed potential as the Futura prefer an aggressive weight forward jibe. But we found the Futura to turn very well off the tail and with technique that takes a lot less commitment to perfect. So long as you keep on the rail it will move across chop smoothly and have power to plane out at speed.

The forte: With the Futura it’s like you’re getting two boards in one. Buy this board as your learning to get into the straps and then once comfortable move the straps outboard and go pass all your buddies.

Fanatic Hawk 120

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:58:00 -0400

Fanatic Hawk 120

V: 120 L: 249 W: 68

The ride: The Hawk is the choice for riders wanting a really fast board that can still rip through jibes. We were pleasantly surprised to find the ride to be much closer to that of a true slalom board than we were expecting. Powered up on flatwater, it was the fastest “big” board in the test. It’s perfectly shaped deck makes for a very comfortable stance in the outboard straps and it encourages you to trim the board for every ounce of speed. No matter how hard you push this board the nose stays put, and like a true race board, it remains steady the harder you push across chop. The inboard footstrap position is not as comfortable and can be out—accelerated leaving you unbalanced and finding it difficult to head upwind. An aftermarket fin is a must for those looking to push it to its slalom limits and a bigger fin would help the narrower Hawk hold a 7.5 m2 sail.

The jibe: In the corners, the slalom board feel is also present. This means that a serious amount of commitment is required to engage the rail with a modern over-sheeted jibe. When done correctly by using a hips-in posture to drive the water line forward, it makes for a tighter than expected jibe and a huge smile on your face. When done incorrectly by sitting back over the tail and sheeting out you’ll quickly find yourself bouncing out of the turn.

The forte: As a freeride board the Hawk is as fast as they get and we would strongly recommend it to anyone new to racing. Its hint of user-friendliness will allow you to focus on the race without crashing and loosing valuable time.

Quatro Tempo 84

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:27:00 -0400

Quatro Tempo 84
V: 84 L: 234 W: 58.5

The ride: It’s pretty easy to picking the Quatro Tempo as the best high-wind board due to its smaller size and twin-fins. This new model complements Quatro’s more hardcore wave lines as a twin-fin board for onshore and smaller wave conditions. This means the Tempo planes quicker and rides smoother than other wave shapes. In fact, it planes so quickly it felt a lot like the bigger freestyle waves in the test. The twin-fins surprisingly didn’t limit its performance in flat or choppy water. Here you’ll find plenty of lift from the fins and completely forget about them. We found ourselves riding with as much, or more, weight on the rear foot than on the freestyle waves and the speed was comparable as well. There is a hint of looseness in a straight line, but if you keep some power in the sail the Tempo will ride across steep chop without the nose getting thrown off course. Kudos to Quatro for supplying it with superb MFC fins and footstraps.

The jibe: As a wave board, it’s no surprise that we loved the way the Tempo carved through tight turns. The planing performance with sails 5.0 m2 and below is impressive, and you’ll find yourself exiting jibes with speed and control. The two fins inspire confidence to push as hard as you can in your turns without any fear of the board losing traction.

The forte: Here you find a board with two fins, lots of rocker and the least volume in the test. We’ll go out on a limb and call this the best wave board in the test. It also works brilliantly as a high-wind board, but it is first and foremost a board that carves cleanly in big swell or breaking waves up to logo high.

Naish Global 100

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:22:00 -0400

Naish Global 100
V: 100 L: 240 W: 62

The ride: Building on the success of the Global Freeride and old Global Wave Naish introduces the all-new Global line of boards. The 100-liter version is designed to be a true do-everything shape while the smaller sizes are more wave-oriented. From the first moment we sailed this board in the Gorge and through our trips to San Carlos and Texas, there was never a moment the Global felt out of place. Its narrowness makes it feel smaller than it’s volume. Matched with sails below 6.0-metre it responds well to gusts and gets up to speed with an efficient feel. At speed the ride is smooth and balanced regardless of an old or new school riding stance. It is plenty quick for a freestyle wave and was still fun to ride on flatter water. We found more pop in some of the other boards but the control from a balanced rider position will get you max height from every jump. On landing you’ll be thankful of Naish’s thick deck pads as they do an amazing job of cushioning your re-entry.

The jibe: The Global succeeds in being able to do any type of jibe with style. It never hesitates whether being turned off the tail for a tight turn or more off the nose with aggressive sail oversheeting. With smoothness in chop and power to keep planing, the Global is one of those boards that everyone raves about regardless of ability or style.

The forte: This is the one board that is so well rounded it doesn’t have a true strong suit. We spun it through freestyle moves, took it wave sailing and then passed it onto a rider who was still getting comfortable in the straps, and it performed admirably for each different user.