4.7 is popular shorthand for a good session. A boast of 4.7 to your mates makes you instantly hated but who cares, you’ve just been in 4.7 heaven. Designed for the wind speeds when windsurfers really like to play, it’s a serious business for the industry as they compete to develop the ultimate sail for the maximum fun.
This test was originally published in the October issue.
So with the business of windsurfing pleasure in mind, the playground of EL Medano was turned into our test lab as we put the latest 4.7 offerings through their paces. It’s our prime choice for this test because of its blend of great wind stats, accessibility, and what most of the manufacturers would describe as “real world “conditions. This trip we were blessed with marginal winds and small swell, not “epic” but still conditions that would tempt sickies and early finishes at the office. The wind speeds experienced meant we had less time than we would have liked to give each of the 4.7s in this group a thorough shakedown over their top end abilities but the low end and gust handling abilities were certainly tested fully.
THE LINE UP: – “NO LEMONS” Real “duds” are few and far between these days and guess what? We didn’t find any here either. For most of us, any day you get to break out a 4.7 is going to be a great one; I’ll wager that you can remember exactly when you last used your equivalent. The eight models here represent a good cross-section of the market and we have sought to place all the products in context with their competition, offer an honest critique of performance, construction quality, desirability and the overall value based on those attributes. There is a lot of choice of styles on offer today; 3, 4 or 5 battens?
How many battens a sail has is only part of the picture and a little bit like categorising boards by fin count alone. For example the tallest in the group is the four batten Goya Banzai but the shortest is also four batten, the Maui Sails Mutant, so not much can be gleaned from looking at the dimensions alone either. What we wanted to really define is the “flavour” of each of these designs as they were all created to fulfil similar briefs and aid the decision in finding the style that suits you best, within budget!
The key point we would like to make is right now we have the most diverse range of sails for “wave” use than there has ever been; some brands have up to 4 different wave sails in their range! While each product has a well defined niche by the manufacturer we were surprised by how some sails performed so well outside their specified zone.
This reminded us of another finding, everything we tested had a small range of downhaul settings, not more than 3 or 4 cm variation.
Outhaul, controlling the draught and power point, has a little more variation, 4 or 5cm. We all tune our sails to find the sweet settings but what has become obvious is that we also need to tune ourselves. Our ability to adapt our techniques is much greater than any tuning that can be built into equipment. Feel like you’re stuck in a rut? Then change your style of sail and give yourself a fresh perspective.
CONCLUSIONS Pro riders tear the seas apart on every single one of the sails tested here, which shows how capable they are and the benefit of the time spent in their development. The core test team of Brian Mc Dowell, 99kg, Julian Da Vall, 84kg and Chris Rainbow 79kg, interrogated our broader squad of pilots for their reactions, and some patterns emerged.
Ezzy Taka took the honours in the easy rigging department and is also the easiest transitioning sail here with its luff panel control giving another dimension to the de-power / re-power cycle.
The Goya Banzai was well praised because of its low energy personality that leaves you forgetting about the sail and its build quality and aesthetic that everyone seemed to love. The RRD Vogue certainly shared character traits with the Banzai and is much more than a side shore sail. The Sailloft Hamburg Quad is unique in this selection as it has been developed with freestyle ability on the menu too. It was one of the earliest planers on test due to its pronounced foil depth but you do need an induction period to get used to its feel. Finally the Mutant’s radical outline was a real eye turner and will appeal to the more adventurous of us.
There is great value in all of these sails, particularly when looked at with a quiver in mind, the trend being more range on fewer masts.
Stick with what you know or try something new? On the team, we would all say, try something new. Keep an open mind and don’t judge anything too quickly, experience some new sensations and your windsurfing will thank you for it, even if your bank manager won’t!
Thanks to, The team at TWS, Harco, Bart, Robbie, Guillome, Ronald Cormac de Roiste and Laoise Dhuda.
MISSING As with the 5.3 test last month, the administrative error at North saw us receive the 2014 versions of their flagship Hero. It was immediately removed from test, which was a shame as rigged with their Aero mast produces a ridiculously light handling experience that would have been great to compare directly to the rest of the test group. The Neil Prydes unfortunately weren’t quite ready yet after what looked like some major works going on with their new range and we hope to catch up with them both again in the future. JDV
OVERVIEW The 2015 Vogue is billed as “pure wave side shore” and has reduced to a 4 batten design from 4.7m and below with the bias towards control, whilst the 5.0, 5.3 and 5.6 remain with five battens and more power emphasis. Available in 2 versions: Vogue HD with full X-ply construction and the Vogue Pro as tested here. The RRD range now spans the new 3 batten Gamma, the 4 batten Four, which is the lowest aspect of the line-up and the multi-functioning Move, which really proved itself to be a widely favored sail in Medano’s variable conditions. We think that the side shore title might be underestimating the Vogues all round abilities a touch and the sail really stood out more as a tool to tackle any job it was given.
BRAND CLAIM The Vogue is all about control. Light in the hands, neutral feel and perfectly balanced in all conditions, the Vogue MK6 offers unrivalled control in a radical hardcore wave sail.
PERFORMANCE From all the team, the same positive reports kept coming back for ease of use, direct useful power without feeling powerful and solid acceleration.
Maneuverability and lightness of feel improves as you move away from the light wind settings and we were never unsettled at the upper end. The consensus was of a neutral handling, mid to slightly forward pulling foil that was great to use around the break. Really great acceleration and upwind ability that RRD have underplayed on their website. From 95kg to 70kg riders the sail is consistent in performance and rivals the Banzai for the feeling that you can forget about the sail and concentrate on your riding. This sail can really do more than you might expect from the marketing assault. It has good speed for a 4 batten sail and lower backhand pressure than its Move and Four counterparts. In the test group its early planning drive was class leading. The Vogue look and graphics are very striking but the HD version features a subtler look if you prefer it. Other build quality refinements and details have been applied as per the Move, and comments regarding the tough well-finished look were commonplace. RRD sails have performed very well on test with this seasons revisions and they certainly have everyman appeal. Rather than the dedicated cross shore performance listed in their marketing for the Vogue we feel it offers a great package for all abilities and wave types while having all the ingredients to deliver on those epic down the line days too.
THE VERDICT Although billed as a “side shore” biased sail, the Vogue rivaled the Banzai for “invisibility factor”. It has an all round easy nature, even pull and solid blend of acceleration and control making it suitable for all sizes and abilities. Very easy to like and keenly priced with mast to offer a good value package.
A waist harness is, literally, the core element of 90% of windsurfers’ power delivery, balance and comfort.
Bar specialist racing and speed use, particularly hourglass figures and perhaps specific back injuries, it’s hard to find arguments against using one.
READY TO POUNCE Ask any of our specialist coaching contributors and they’ll agree that the upright stance a waistie delivers is critical to keeping control over your gear. From this ‘on your toes’ position – rather than the ‘bum out’ angle a seat harness puts you in – you can easily hook-in/unhook and remain in an agile pose to dominate the hardware as you approach gybes, jumps and more.
ONCE IT FITS, YOU’LL JUST KNOW IT
But, rather like an effective wetsuit, it’s vital to get the right fit to ensure longer, more comfortable hours on the water. Spend some time at your local dealer trying on various styles to see what suits you best. Aim to have the hook height just below your belly button – without any riding-up – and use the bar and lines most good stores will have to help you replicate your usual sailing position. (Don’t be a cheapskate and then go buy it online for a few bucks less either – support your experienced shop owners and staff!)
LADIES & BEER BELLIES
You should always try to find a good waist harness first, even if you’ve experienced back problems or are not the ‘right’ shape. Quite a few modern seat harnesses have higher hooks anyway, so if you have an hourglass figure or have enjoyed too many fine meals and ales, consider one of the hybrid seat harnesses to get that hook at the right height instead. Also consider the weight of the thing. We recently weighed two harnesses and found one at 1 kilo and one at nearly 2.5 kg! If you’re watching the weight of your rig and suit/harness combo in relation to your board volume, keep this at the forefront of your choices (bar fit!) and look for foam that doesn’t absorb too much water.
Here’s a few to consider!
FLYING OBJECTS – CONTOUR
FO claim the high back contour, high hook height Contour has ‘undergone further refinement that sees this harness become more of a premium model in our range. The concept of a snug fitting outline that incorporates softer inside materials for comfort remains the same. What we have done is use new materials to reduce water absorption and provide a fresher look. To further improve functionality we now introduce the Quick Clip Spreader Bar system for easy entry.’
ION call the Tritium the ‘Swiss Army Knife equipped with the finest materials and a weight optimized construction, this harness provides superior fit and, even more important, enables easy adjustment of the support characteristics (whether you like it soft or stiff) by the ION T-Sticks’.
Naish have designed the low back shape Mission 3D for ‘riders looking for a lower cut, high range of motion and excellent back support. Precision 3D fit technology combined with the dual tension belt, conforms to the riders body for maximum comfort. It also features a lightweight, low-profile body with a 3D ergonomic plate.’
NP have aimed for comfort and support with the Pulse, a 3D-shaped harness with EVA foam inners to prevent riding-up and prevent water absorption. The unique embossed pattern is designed to perfectly fit the core while preventing the harness from riding up or twisting. A 360° strap made from highly elasticised fabric is intended to adapt to your body shape providing additional core support. The Pulse also boasts an S1 spreader bar, supposedly the world’s first spreader bar constructed entirely out of forged aluminium.
Thermoformed high-end windsurf waist harness with deep lateral neoprene padding and marine-grade metal buckles. On the inside you’ll find thermoformed, super soft and anatomic padding. The low back anatomic shape is particularly compact and allows extreme movement and freedom. Also features an elastic power belt and a new innovative and patented SPQR spreader bar system with bar pad. Available in black, grey and white.
An all-rounder by sail brand Point-7 that is ‘ergonomically shaped, combining optimal freedom with maximal support. Ideal for any kind of discipline, whether your sport of choice is wavesailing, freestyle or just flat-water cruising. The harness is built using only the best materials; ensuring the perfect mix of durability and comfort; tailor made quality.’
Pro limit reckon the Type-T is the favourite amongst their team and that ‘the bigger neoprene soft edge bridges the gap between a low side profile structure and high side profile support outline. This makes it perfect for long sessions and high contortions. It is our most comfortable windsurf wave harness.’
RRD have taken a step back and re-analysed their harness program and aim to satisfy the widest range of body types. They say they’ve ‘taken a specific approach to analyse both the anatomy of each target group and the relative best materials and technology process available today to build the new collection’ using an entirely new development team and manufacturing process and location.’
As I enter the baggage area at Flamingo Airport of Bonaire, the first thing that strikes me is the influence of windsurfing on this unspoiled Dutch Caribbean Island. Lofted in the roof of arrivals are a bunch of rigged sails, while over on the wall, bang in front of every single tourist arriving on the island, is a massive poster of their World Champion Kiri Thode, flying through a shaka over the azure waters of Lac Bay.
Windsurfing here in Bonaire is like skiing to the Alps or surfing to Hawaii and the likes of Kiri Thode, Tonky and Taty Frans are the island’s ambassadors who’ve helped put this island on the worldwide map of windsurfing. I’m here for four days to explore this Caribbean windsurfing paradise, one of the spiritual homes of freestyle windsurfing. With Kiri and Taty my guides for the duration, I’m pretty sure there’ll never be a dull moment!
Words & Photos JOHN CARTER
(This feature originally appeared in the August2014 issue of Windsurf Magazine. To read more features like this first, Print and Digital subscriptions are available. Prices include delivery globally for 10 x issues a year!)
BON VOYAGE! KLM are the main carriers to Bonaire with flights in February, via Amsterdam, clocking in at around £700 return from London. Passengers are allowed a 23-kilo bag, plus the normal hand baggage allowance. After that an extra bag is £66 pounds if you prepay and £80 at check in. With two bags of camera equipment, I thought I might be able to wing it at the desk, but the policy was very strict in either direction, so the extra fee was a nasty sting in the tail. Aside from their extortionate baggage policy, the journey with KLM was relatively simple, with the short hop over to Amsterdam followed by an eight-hour flight, with a quick touchdown in Aruba before the final destination.
Finally I arrive in Bonaire and immediately find myself automatically slowing down to the islands relaxed pace the moment I step off the plane and am hit by the warm, balmy breeze. Bonaire is one of what are known as the ‘ABC Islands’, (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) and is located a mere 50 miles off the coast of Venezuela. The island is around 24 miles in length and varies between three and seven miles in width, with most of the landscape flat and the highest peak just 240 metres above sea level.
Kiri and Taty are outside to greet me, both fired up because the forecast looks awesome for the duration of my stay. In fact the wind has been blowing here every day for the past two months – but that’s nothing new in the windswept Caribbean, where the trades reliably blow throughout the European Winter. After a 10-minute drive from the airport, we arrive at the Sorobon Bay Resort, the only hotel situated directly on the shores of the lagoon.
Sorobon Beach Resort is based next to the Jibe City windsurf station and, according to its literature, sits on one of the most beautiful stretches of sand in the Caribbean. The resort boasts its own private beach, with shaded cabannas and lounge chairs and has 30 comfortable cottages that sleep between two and six people. It’s dark outside, so I’ll have to wait until the morning before I can properly check out my surroundings, but the accommodation is awesome and I can hear the water lapping on the beach outside. I’m pretty certain I’m going to be pleasantly surprised come sunrise.
“IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A FAST-PACED PARTY DESTINATION WITH WILD BARS, HIGH RISES AND CHEESY TOURIST ATTRACTIONS, THEN BONAIRE IS NOT THE PLACE FOR YOU”
READY TO ROCK I wake up early, just in time to stumble 50 bleary-eyed metres to the water’s edge and watch in awe as the sun climbs up above the horizon through a bank of puffy, pink Caribbean clouds. I’m certainly not disappointed by my surroundings, with the resort bang on the water, right in front of the main sailing area. The wind’s already rustling the palm trees, white capping the water and there are a few early birds already heading out for a pre breakfast session. It looks like it’s shaping up to be another perfect windsurfing day here in this flat-water paradise. As the sun climbs higher in the sky, the colours of the water just turn brighter and brighter, from azure blue to almost transparent turquoise. The lagoon is like a huge swimming pool, waist deep for over a kilometre offshore and, if you ever want to teach your wife or kids windsurfing, this has to be the perfect destination. You have to experience this place first person to really appreciate the amazing colours and I’m already excited at the prospect of shooting two of the world’s best freestylers in this astonishing oasis of transparent water. Kiri and Taty roll up casually around 9.30 a.m., Caribbean style, both tapping away on their phones as they weigh up the conditions. “Yeah man” shouts Kiri, “Full power today!”
ACTION! Within half an hour we’re out on the water with Kiri and Taty throwing down tricks in the 15-20-knot trades. It almost seems effortless for Kiri to spiral through his array of tricks and, even through the lulls, he’s able to pump onto the plane and nail amazing, contorted manoeuvres right in front of my camera. Taty is known more for his aggressive, power style and hurtles through his moves with clinical precision. The skill and complexity of what these guys can do in flat water is simply mind blowing. It’s hardly surprising that these guys have become so talented with this incredible location as their home backyard, but it‘s also taken endless hours on the water, effort and dedication to turn all that practise into perfection.
LAC BAY This stunning bay nestled on the tiny Caribbean Island has been their playground ever since they were kids. They know every inch of the water like the back of their hands and it’s been the platform that’s provided the conditions that’ve enabled them to train day in, day out and become the best in the world. Without windsurfing here, who knows what would have become of Kiri and Taty? Most likely they would have still made a living from the ocean, but as fishermen rather than professional athletes. Back in 2002, Bonaire hosted its first PWA freestyle World Cup and Lac Bay was suddenly on the map as one of the best freestyle locations on the planet. The efforts of Elvis Martinez, from the Bonaire windsurf place, help secure two more PWA World Cups, which has paid off in terms of increased tourism and the islands recognition of windsurfing. The success of Kiri and the Frans brothers has inspired hundreds of other kids to follow in their footsteps and take up windsurfing on Bonaire. When Kiri won the World Title back in October in Sylt, half of the island were on hand at the airport to greet him when he arrived back in Bonaire. A huge street party ensued, where the people celebrated their champion into the night with Kiri even carried around on a makeshift throne by his friends and compatriots. Like I mentioned at the beginning, windsurfing is kind of big in Bonaire!
Nowadays the Island has an established clientele of windsurfers from all over Europe and the US, who come here for its incredible conditions. This year’s PWA event in June further endorsed this islands commitment to promoting their premiere asset. Bonaire is one of those places people fall in love with and end up coming back year after year, many for months rather than weeks! If you’re happy blasting around in a flat water paradise, or a young gun freestyler who wants to improve through time on the water, alongside quality accomplices, then it’s a pretty laidback place to hang out and enjoy the conditions.
Out in front of the Sorobon Resort, the wind is predominantly onshore, but the beauty of this arena is that you can simply head off and explore any given spot in this huge windsurfing playground. To the left of the Sorobon Resort and two windsurf centres, the headland juts out and then wraps around in a semicircle, where the wind blows almost dead offshore and is mirror flat. This is one of the favourite spots for the freestylers evening session, plus the crowds can also watch the action as the sailors slip and slide in this freestyle heaven.
JIBE CITY AND BONAIRE WINDSURF PLACE In front of the main sailing arena next to the Sorobon Resort are Bonaire’s two windsurf centres, Jibe City and Bonaire Windsurf Place. These well-equipped centres will cater for all your needs, in terms of equipment rental, lessons and a cool place to hang out and watch the action. Jibe City offer the latest selection of boards from JPAustralia, Fanatic and Exocet, with fully rigged sails from Severne, NeilPryde and MauiSails. They also have the ‘Hang-Out Bar’ with plenty of tables, sofas and sun loungers where you can chill, dine, drink and watch the action. The Bonaire Windsurf Place next door, which is run by Elvis Martinez, boasts an awesome range of rental equipment from Starboard, RRD and Hot Sails Maui. Both centres charge around $350 per week for a full package, which also includes snorkel rental and use of kayaks.
BOAT TRIP Come our third day in Bonaire, Taty has a surprise up his sleeve and has organised a boat trip over to Klein Bonaire, a tiny uninhabited island right opposite the capital city of Kralendijk. At first I was sceptical about leaving one of the most amazing freestyle locations on the planet for a trip into the unknown, but I could tell by the way Taty was pleading that we might be onto something special. Once at the harbour in town, all of my worries were cast aside when Taty pointed out the boat we would be cruising in for the day, aptly named ‘Meal Ticket’. Although, once I laid eyes on this beauty, to me this ride was going to be more like a ‘Dream Ticket’. Prior to our outing, I’d been expecting us all in some tiny rowing boat with a clapped-out engine, but instead we were going in a pimp, three-story motor cruiser, with two huge outboards and room galore on board. In a word ‘luxury’, so, without any more questions, we loaded up the boat with all the gear and even threw in a cooler full of ice-cold beers for the return journey. All of a sudden this trip was coming together very nicely indeed!
Once outside the harbour, skipper Greg put the throttle down, the boat reared up on its hull and we were blasting towards Klein Bonaire in proper style. Five minutes later, after a short channel crossing, we were tying up to a mooring literally five metres from the shore of the island, in beautiful azure water with shoals of fish clearly visible mooching around below the surface. The island is pretty much pristine – with no inhabitants – and with its totally flat landscape, the wind has no obstacles and is free to blow right to the shoreline. Both Taty and Kiri were pumped up for a high-wind session and rigged on the front of the boat while I climbed up to the top platform to check out the view. Half an hour later, both sailors were yelling and shrieking as they exchanged manoeuvres all around the boat. With the water turning from deep blue into turquoise right off the mooring, there were plenty of cool opportunities to score some interesting images. Kiri was in his element, effortlessly throwing down every trick in his armoury, while Taty was focussed on the power-contorted moves. Midway through the afternoon, a speedboat cruised past laden with tourists and Taty took full advantage and busted a back loop off the wake. With the passengers on board all cheering for more, both Taty and Kiri took turns for a few runs each, nailing Konos and loops on our newly-found ramps. By the end of the afternoon, both Taty and Kiri were literally burned out of energy after both sailing full power for well over four hours and we headed back in the evening light all smiling after a wicked adventure to Klein and its marine environment. A few icy-cold Polar lagers never go astray in a situation like this and what better way to watch the sun go down than sipping a cold brew on a pimp boat out in the Caribbean?
FREESTYLE TRICKERY
My final day was windy first thing in the morning, before a lull around midday. Taking a quick stroll past Jibe City, I was lucky enough to catch local light wind guru Caesar Finies in action. Now this guy is a pure magician at light-wind freestyle and to see him spinning and throwing his sail around is pretty mind blowing to say the least. The question is often asked how to get more people into windsurfing and I can think of a lot worse ideas than to simply to stick this guy on a world tour to busy beaches to put on shows of what he can do in light winds. Caesar is a crowd puller, an entertainer, spectacular to watch and he only needs a few knots of wind. What he does looks fun, a challenge – and it’s all done on beginner kit. What more can you ask for?
AROUND BONAIRE
On my last afternoon, Kiri and Taty gave me a guided tour of the island’s coast road from Lac Bay round to the airport. Off the side of the road we were lucky enough to spot a few of thttp://www.windsurf.co.uk/wp-admin/post-new.php?post_type=featured#he island’s famous pink flamingos wading around in the salt flats. It may look like a flamingo has a knee that bends backwards, but what you are actually seeing is the bird’s ankle. More than 10,000 birds call the island home, many taking residence in an 135-acre sanctuary created by Cargill, the owners of the salt mines further round the track. Back in the 1600s, when the Dutch took possession of Bonaire, much of the island was a planation owned by the Dutch West Indies Company. It was during those years that African slaves were forced to work and grim reminders of these days still exist in this part of Bonaire in the form of slave huts, which were laboriously constructed by hand. Right at the southern tip of the island we drive towards huge, cone-shaped mountains the colour of snow – salt! Owned by the huge Cargill Corporation, salt is produced in Bonaire in the beds of Pekelemeer, where it’s exported by sea and used mostly for industrial purposes. The pyramids of salt are pretty spectacular to witness and I was hoping maybe we could snag a few sailing shots in the surrounding salt beds, but with warnings of possible arrest, we decided that perhaps it wasn’t such a great idea.
SUMMARY If you’re looking for a fast-paced party destination with wild bars, high rises and cheesy tourist attractions, then Bonaire is not the place for you. This island is more your laid back Caribbean, with a tiny population of 12,500, a chilled vibe and unspoiled beaches. Lac Bay is a protected reserve and is without doubt one of the most beautiful stretches of water in the Caribbean. With knee to waist high crystalline water and balmy trade winds, it simply has to be one of the best places in the world to learn how to windsurf! It really is perfect for kids and, even if they don’t fancy windsurfing, the water’s shallow enough to wade out and explore. If you’re into skiing then imagine a wide, intermediate, safe and shallow slope, that’s pretty much what you get in Bonaire across the whole bay where the water is clear. If freestyle is your thing, then Bonaire will definitely not disappoint. Where else do you get to sail with the World Champion and some of the best freestyle, Bonaire is without doubt a place you could lose yourself for a few months, improve your sailing and escape the hustle and bustle of life in the fast lane. JC
We’re taking a stand. Yes, there’s a lot of haters out there, but the truth is, it’s hard to ignore the benefits – and fun – that windsurfing in light wind on a Standup Paddle Board offers.
In this Buyers’ Guide we aim to walk you through the range of options available on the open market and channel you into a shortlist of items that might double, or even triple your amount of time on the water. Throw in a smattering of insight from our technique gurus Peter Hart and Jem Hall – plus former World Champion and wavesailing legend Scott McKercher – and the arguments start to stack up against the anti crowd.
So, what are the benefits of sailing a bigger board (that can, obviously, double-up as a regular SUP board), how can it transform your technique for stronger winds – and why should you be targeting one of these big bundles of joy as your next maximising time-on-water purchase?
JUST WHAT IS IT YOU WANT TO DO?
It’s time to ask yourself a few questions. There’s plethora of hard and inflatable construction options out there for a wide-ranging scale of use. Windsurfing and paddling the thing is a given, but what types of sailing and paddling is it that you want to do?
• Teach the kids and family friends?
• Go cruising?
• Ride Waves?
• All of the above?
Bar perhaps some of the pointier-nosed, displacement designs, you can more of less do everything in the list above on most boards. But there are some that lean more towards the wave and cruising ends of the spectrum than others.
Read on for sections on all of those and see what tickles your fancy.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Matching Boards and Sails Some WindSUPs are sold in packages including a rig. With others, perhaps for those already into high-wind sailing, you just need the board and can use your smaller, wave sails for example, instead. Bar inflatables, it’s worth bearing in mind the implications of a 10-kg., five-inch-thick railed monster boshing against your 400-quid mast and favourite carbon boom. Yes, you can use bigger sails, but the small-sail-big-board combo is generally better and, in more powerful surf conditions, you’ll want a shorter mast to present less length to a growling, hungry lip anyway.
Straps And what about footstraps? No, you won’t be busting out big aerials, but what about planing? Well, many WindSUPs are quite high rockered (curvier and therefore slower, underneath) and so planing might not be your priority, or even possible in quite light winds. (Say 8-10 knots when you’re probably looking at the water and thinking it’s a bit lumpy and wobbly for ‘straight’ paddling and the wind’s starting to become an issue even carrying the thing down the beach – yes, separate journeys old skool style!). Some of these boards will plane though, and there are a couple with strap options, but, again, don’t set your heart on that huge air off a closeout section.
Versus Big Wave Boards The bigger, weightier boards however do have their advantages. Often the extra bulk can help in catching waves, but more importantly, it helps when punching out over the whitewater, especially if there’s an element of onshore wind in the mix.
(The Exocets and Konas have straps and are best at planing and barging out like this, whereas a large, or extra-large wave board, say over 100L, is probably a little lighter and will have less momentum over the foam.) Wave-oriented SUPs with a mast track are primarily designed for surfing use, but, with a bit of research into track placement, most manufacturers are selling even their higher performance models with a mast foot option to widen the scope of use and generally get the placement more or less bang on.
Back to the straps for a second: There’s a few schools of thought on this and riding SUP boards with a sail in surf. Some people like to feel the length and rocker of the board and be mobile and agile around the board to get the most out of both their turns and straight-line sailing. Others enjoy the strapped-in feeling – such as that on the Konas – and can eek more drive out of the board when bottom and top turning and cope with oncoming whitewater better in straps. Both have benefits but, speaking as both a Kona and regular SUP owner that regularly sails both big wave boards and both those styles of SUP, the agile, ‘ooching’ foot placement in getting planing and catching waves on the strapless boards definitely helps with technique on dedicated windsurfing boards.
Grip What about deck non-slip? Well, obviously you can’t just go and SUP your big wave board, well you can, but it might involve tearing into your wetsuit and/or skin quite quickly, so generally it’s better to sail the SUP board with an EVA deck or non-slip paint, or even wax, than the other way around.
CRUISING AND LEARNING
JP AUSTRALIA ExplorAir Inflatable Windsurf Board
This inflatable version of the Explorer offers the same basic concept like its hard board sibling but has great advantages. It can be rolled up and fits into the backpack it comes with which means that you won’t need a roof rack for transport and no big garage for storage. It is also considerably lighter than any hardboard of this size.The high tech drop stitch technology makes the board so stiff that you will easily get it planing but the surface itself is soft enough so that beginners won’t hurt themselves when falling on it. Instead of a daggerboard it comes with an additional center fin which gives the board some directional stability to help avoid drifting and helps to go upwind. Being longer than the normal Explorers also helps with going upwind due to its longer waterline. Our team riders could not believe how much fun this board is. It can also be used as a beginner SUP board and is therefore an ideal family toy.
VOLUME
LENGTH
WIDTH
WEIGHT
FINS
280 Ltrs
295 cm
80.0 cm
9.4 kg
2 x 24.5 (9.0“)
STARBOARD WindSUP 12’2” x 30” Freeride
The ultimate board in our range for cruising, whether that be paddle boarding on a flat day or windsurfing in a light breeze. The WindSUP Freeride comes in two versions: (1) The Planing version: This has a center fin that does not retract. This helps the board to be lighter, more discreet, more efficient at getting planing and more suitable for mixed paddleboard use and windsurfing. (2) The Daggerboard version: This has a retractable daggerboard that is more recommended for those who plan to mostly windsurf. The daggerboard makes for easier handling on the beach. The WindSUP 12’2” x 30” Freeride board is also part of the Waterman package. This includes one WindSUP Classic Sail 5.5m and one Starboard Enduro Tiki Tech Adjustable Paddle. Creating the perfect combination to get you SUPing & Windsurfing and sharing your experiences on the water, no mater what the conditions. This board focuses on friends and family fun during the summer season, when the wind is generally lighter and the waves are smaller. It is not a high-performance board in the conventional sense. Instead, it seeks to open up new ways to enjoy windsurfing and expand the boundaries of the sport and the WindSUP range. The WindSUP 12’2” x 30” Freeride is a great addition to any windsurfer’s quiver or the perfect choice for a sporting family wanting to enjoy the water.
THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE OF WINDSURFING KIT By Peter Hart
The record is truly stuck, but I shall let it run for a few more revolutions and say that THE MODERN TECHNIQUE PLATEAU RESULTS FROM A LACK OF BASIC LIGHT WIND SKILLS. I’ve just run two clinics in Greece. One in Rhodes and one in Vass. In both places, light, morning wind gave way to strong afternoon thermals. The afternoons were the most fun, but everyone learned more in the mornings.
In strong winds you learn to be alert and dynamic. But it’s only off the plane that you can you drill the essential skills of balance, rig steering and power control. Of course you don’t need a WindSUP to mess around in light winds – any old tub will do – or will it?
Be Mobile One of the reasons windsurfing was so popular in the 80s was because, with a baggy sail and a long board, given a force 2-3 you got a real ‘whoosh.’ The long board holds the water and glides. That length also forces people to be more mobile. They become more aware of the fore/aft trim and how foot pressure and getting the nose up or down effects the speed of tacks and gybes. In light winds you have to make big, bold movements to make things happen.
If you had to single out the commonest mistake of the habitual blaster, it’s that they’re too static. My tool of choice is a 10’ 6” X 30” wide all-rounder. I don’t want a daggerboard. (I don’t need a toe-crushing nob.) Besides, it’s good form to learn to use the edge for resistance. I also like the surfboard rocker, which helps the board pivot and also makes it a mean machine in waves. That same all-rounder, in a light wind and a waist-high swell is the best wave-sailing tutor around.
The main issue learning to ride waves on small kit in a lot of wind is that people catch the wave too late. They have no time to make any informed decisions and usually end up riding the white water back to the beach. That’s the glory of a long board with a 5.2 in 8 knots of breeze – everything happens in slow motion. You have time and can catch the unbroken swell easily and, without loads of power driving you down the wrong roads, you can stay with it.
On clinics I’ve caught the same wave as my clients. As it’s building we’ve had a full conversation about why we’ve caught it there, which way we’re going to ride it and which part of the board we’ll use to turn. With a WindSUP in the right conditions, you can have a proper, toe-side, down-the-line riding moment on an unbroken face, on your first session – something that could elude you for years on dedicated wave kit.
On my all-rounder I can muck around in light winds, ride waves, teach my kids and reach seven waterside pubs. What is there not to like?
2015 NAISH Crossover Air Series
The Crossover Air Series are incredibly versatile inflatable boards for both windsurfing and stand-up paddling. They feature an M8 universal insert for attaching a windsurfing rig and offer outstanding sailing performance in light to moderate wind conditions. They also have a slide-in dagger fin for upwind performance regardless of wind strength. For stand-up paddling, the Crossovers are designed with a low rocker and added thickness for directional stability and long glides. This makes them the ideal boards for fun flatwater cruising and longboard style windsurfing.
Crossover Air 11’0” – Ideal for riders up to 210 lbs/95 kg
RRD Airkid 8’0” Conv Plus The choice for any kid up to 12 years old. It makes it an easy approach and confidently learn how to paddle, surf or windsurf all on one board, while playing with their friends. See your kid progressing in watersports on a board that will outgrow any riders’ ability. Comes with a removable centre fin for easy pointing.
RRD AirSUP 10’4” Conv Plus The most appropriate type of SUP board to also learn how to windsurf. With its 34” of width it makes it super easy for anyone to step on, paddle or uphaul a sail. It’s the most popular size for families who wish to find a board to satisfy everyone. Also available with a 6” thick profile, to enhance stiffness for heavy weights and it’s an easier board to paddle or windsurf, thanks to its increased floatation. Comes with a removable centre fin for easy pointing.
RRD Airtourer 12’ Conv Plus A perfect toy for flat waters, lakes or rivers. Also excels in light wind breezes to be used as a windsurfer. Its length and width make it a preferred choice for those who wish for a fast board either with a paddle or a windsurf sail in their hands. Available in 2 widths, 32” and 34” for increased stability or heavyweights. Comes with a removable centre fin for easy pointing.
RRD SUP SAIL & RIG RRD SUP sails & rigs are designed to be the first buy to introduce your whole family to wind driven watersports.
The Sails: A simple, lightweight single batten full monofilm sail. Designed to be used in winds from 1 to 14 knots.
A 2,5 sqms for kids from 5 to 10 years old
A 4,5 sqmts for kids from 12 y.o. onwards or lightweight sailors
A 5,5 sqmts for kids from every adult beginner.
The Masts:
A 2 x piece fiberglass Reduced diameter mast 250 cms long for the 2.5.
A 2 x piece fiberglass Reduced diameter mast 300 cms + 70 cms fixed fiberglass extension for the 4.5.
A 2 x piece fiberglass Reduced diameter mast 300 cms + 100 cms fixed fiberglass extension for the 5.5.
The Boom: One size fits all. The new K-Boom 140-190. Reduced diameter aluminum tube. Mast foot, uphaul, Universal base and easy to carry rig bag are included in the rig package.
SUP RIG = Sup Sail + Mast + Mast foot + Uphaul + Universal Base + S-Boom + Rig Bag
MODEL
SIZE
BOOM(TBC)
MAST (TBC)
BAG
Sup sail
5.5
185
400
RRD Sail Bag
Sup sail
4.5
170
370
RRD Sail Bag
Sup sail
2.5
250
250
RRD Sail Bag
ALL-ROUNDERS
JP HYBRID SUP WS – Hard board with windsurfing option
Trying to combine the impossible is never easy. Making a board that will have a good glide, stability and be a solid surfboard was no walk in the park. The subtle displacement bow flowing into a double concave bottom with soft thin rails and narrow tail was a winning combination. This creates a long efficient water line offering a superior paddling sensation on flat water with the longboard type of tail for easy rail to rail transfers in the surf. Take the Hybrid for a tour or a downwind run and check out the waves on your way back. Bring along your necessities under the bungee tie downs for a great day on the water. The Hybrids come in a beautiful green Wood Edition with glossy metallic rails.
Sizes: 10’8 x 31” 191Ltrs // 11’6 x 32” 212Ltrs
Tech & Finish Wood Edition with glossy rails. Board comes with: EVA covered standing area, leash plug, air valve, 4-plug bungee cord, one RTM (Resin Transfer Molded) US single fin, a mastfoot insert to attach a windsurfing rig.
STARBOARD 11’2 x 40” WindSUP Inflatables Deluxe version
The WindSUP Inflatables open up new ways to enjoy windsurfing and expand the boundaries of the sport. With the ability to switch between sail power and paddle power, the WindSUP Inflatables make a very attractive proposition for the beachgoers or the active family. Deflated, they can be stored conveniently in a compact bag and thrown into the trunk of any car. They give schools, clubs and boat owners the opportunity to use a board that is tougher and safer than hard boards. For all users, they are also lighter and easier to handle than conventional boards. Starboard leads the way in developing technical, safe, and fun WindSUP Inflatables.
Starboard WindSUP Inflatables are available in two a variations: • Zen version: Centre Fin, and 5” thick drop stitch construction
• Deluxe version: Daggerboard system, and 6” thick for maximum stiffness
RRD AirSUP 9’8” Conv Plus An ideal small/mid size board good to ride waves as an SUP, and enjoy learning how to windsurf . Planing on this board and jibing will be a pure thrill. Very manouverable, quick to plane and lightweight!
RRD AirSUP 10’2” Conv Plus Our midsize board in the range with which we started our Inflatable Boards collection. It’s the one-for-all board that will introduce anyone straight to any watersport in the blink of an eye.
NAISH NALU SERIES
Nalu 10’6” GT/GS The Nalu 10’6” GT/GS is the one-board solution for riders wanting versatility, stability and wave riding performance. It features a wide Nalu outline, recessed deck and full rails for increased stability and wider range of use. The single- concave nose flows into a double-concave mid-section and V tail, making it adaptable to everything from flatwater cruising, to ankle slapper waves, to double overhead surf.
Ideal for riders up to 200 lbs/91 kg
Nalu 10’10” GT/GS The Nalu 10’10” GT/GS is an all-around, extra stable design for touring, carrying gear, tandem paddling and small surf. It features a radical multi-concave bottom shape that channels the water from nose to tail. The multi-channel bottom combined with the low rocker makes it glide incredibly straight for a wide board of its length. The wide outline and slightly recessed deck in the standing area provide unmatched stability. The forward deck has eight insert holes for a bungee accessory to carry coolers and gear.
Ideal for riders up to 240 lbs/109 kg
NEW Nalu 11’0” GT/GS The new Nalu 11’0” GT/GS features a versatile design for classic longboard surfing performance, touring and flatwater cruising. It has been fine-tuned with decreased volume in the nose and tail areas, resulting in an extremely responsive board with easy maneuverability. It features a wide outline and double concave deck in the stance area for optimal stability and comfort. This addition to the Nalu range offers riders the highest level of true longboard surfing performance, making everyday a great day on the water.
Ideal for riders up to 210 lbs/95 kg
Nalu 11’4” GT/GS The Nalu 11’4” GT/GS features an all-around design for classic longboard surfing performance and flatwater paddling versatility. It is a well-known favorite for both waves and flatwater riding. It has a thinner outline and a more progressive rocker than the 11’6”. It is a superb well-rounded board for most riders and delivers versatility they will never outgrow.
Ideal for riders up to 220 lbs/100 kg
Nalu 11’6” GT/GS The Nalu 11’6” GT/GS features a full body design for everything from entry level paddling, to flatwater cruising, to surfing. The performance characteristics make it the perfect one-board choice for the whole family. It is 5 1/2” thick with full rounded rails and a timeless longboard rocker line. This design provides amazing stability for a phenomenally wide range of use.
Ideal for riders up to 230 lbs/104 kg
FUN-DA-MENTALS – QUALITY ‘YOU TIME’ By Jem Hall
WindSUPs are an amazingly versatile water craft and you can simply score so much ‘water person’ time on them and, from a coaching position, they are fantastic for taking all abilities of windsurfer / wave sailor to the next level. I have already discussed with quite a few shops that the first windsurf package, after a beginner’s course, should be a WindSUP with a 5.0 to 6.0. “Why?” I hear you cry. Well, you can paddle them on flat water and in small waves (improving balance and fitness), learn to beach start on them, sail upwind (their waterline length aids this), get lots more stance and transitions in and, when you are ready, you can head out in small waves and learn to get over them, catch these rolling beauties and then get fully hooked whilst riding on these ocean gifts.
My wave coaching clinics sees us spending heaps of time on them, either wave riding, with a paddle or with medium-sized sails in light airs. Paddling a wave you wish to wavesail at a later so stage is just amazing for your spot knowledge and fun, fun, fun too. Whilst you are out there it’s also very sociable as you have the time and stability to stop and have a chat. The most-bought board after my wave clinics are WindSUPs. Lastly, if their are no waves, but we have light wind, then we get on out there and work on our tacks, gybes, helis and ducks in readiness to unleash these improved skills on the waves the next time the wind and waves welcome us back into them.
Go WindSUP and enjoy, its fitness, fun and fundamentals in one lovely package.
Fly Pure 9’6” If you are a lighter person and you still want to enjoy the all-round performance of the Flys, the 9.6 in our favourite Pure technology is your choice. designed with plenty of width the 9.6 even allows first timers to enjoy their first SUP session and will take them up the skill ladder with time to show its full potential. For heavier more advanced paddlers the 9’6“ can be the ultimate all-round performance board to carve and ride down the line. Classic style surfing or progressive Stand Up Paddling, what ever your preferred style is, the 9’6“ will help you to put it on display.
Fly 11’0” A true all rounder, the Fly 11’0” is a naturally adaptable board with high performance aspects that really matter. Offering endless glide in a compact and balanced design, the pronounced V and pintail provides smooth, engaging carving sensations while the surfing rocker line will have you cruising onto the waves first. Resembling the shape and characteristics of the 10’6”, it has outstanding float and stability making it suitable for both light and heavier beginner paddlers. Available in high Resistance Skin and Pure construction this really is the board for all. Comes with mastfoot insert for optional Windsurfing.
Fly 11’6” Expand your watersport horizons with the Fly 11’6”, the all-time entry board to both the Windsurfing and SUP world. Easy from the word Go! – this board is suitable for any size and style of rider. Whether days bring breeze or glassy waters, an adventure can be created with this highly durable package. Optimum upwind ability when windsurfing is generated through the sealable centre fin or use as a standalone SUP shape without.
The 11’6” is undoubtedly the answer to a SUP / Windsurf combo. The CAD-design shape features a genuine surfing rockerline catching waves easily and providing you with maximum balance and stability. Both models are available in high Resistance Skin (HRS) or Pure construction. Endless riding is to be had with the multi-tasking 11’6”, so all you have to do is decide whether you’re going to SUP or sail.
Fly 10’6” If you are a heavier rider or your local spot regularly presents you with variable conditions, then the 10’6” will provide you with the extra support and stability you need. For 2015 we have added the new HhRS Wb 10’6” with 5l more volume and an extra 1 inch in width to give you even more stability and float. the combination of softer rails towards the front and sharper edges on the tail, enhances grip and carve through turns, all the while maintaining that highly sought after glide. A more pronounced curve in the tail, teamed perfectly with a flatter nose rocker, offers direct turning and smooth paddling. Well-balanced and wide volume distribution, combined with the flat deck gives a great deal of stabilised buoyancy. Available in a lightweight Wood edition for high performance, or the HRS and standard Pure constructions, the 10’6” is a great all-rounder that can be shared amongst family and friends of all levels. Comes with mastfoot insert for optional Windsurfing.
WAVES
Most of the main windsurfing brands that produce SUPs also add mast feet to certain models and constructions in their dedicated wavesailing lines, so be sure to check their websites and brochures for details info on the various sizes available. Here’s a few to get you started.
FANATIC ProWave Ltd, ProWave HRS (High Resistance Skin.) – Pure Surfing Prime performance with your ProWave. 2015 sees the ProWave range take SUP wave riding to the next level, with shapes that complement a rider’s search for radical manoeuvres, speed and control. this year we introduce five brand new shapes ranging from 7’6” to 9’2” while the well regarded 9’6” and 9’10”make up the rest of the range to create the most extreme high performance wave riding collection. The smallest SUP in the Fanatic range, the 7’6”, is impeccably balanced and easy to paddle with quick acceleration. Once unleashed onto a wave it speaks for itself giving you an exceptionally responsive ride. The wider nose and squash tail design of the range offers more stability in the smaller models, whilst retaining highly responsive turning capabilities in the larger ones. A thinner rail profile provides more grip and drive through the turn. the 9’6” has enough evenly distributed volume to carry any rider weight while delivering Shortboard SUP performance.
The 9’10” Semi Gun is a slightly stretched version of the 9’9”, designed for speed and charging big waves. it was the first SUP to conquer Shipstern’s bluff / Tasmania! A Quad or thruster fin setup gives you the ultimate flexibility to adapt the board to your style of riding or the conditions of the day. A subtly domed deck and a balanced volume distribution provide optimum paddling efficiency and ease for catching waves. Riding down the line, the ProWave performs with outstanding flow making light work
of big conditions. Mastfoot insert for Windsurfing option.
Allwave LTD, Allwave HRS (High Resistance Skin.) Smooth surfing is the perfect description for this year’s AllWave range that comes in seven sizes – 7’11”, 8’3”, 8’5”, 8’11”, 9’1”, 9’5”, 9’10”. Available in two constructions Innegra Carbon PVC Sandwich & HRS. With exciting yet predictable attributes, 2015 sees three fresh new shapes, 7’11”, 8’3” & 8’5” being added to the range. the thinner board and lower volume of these three sizes are supported outstandingly by the shorter, wider compact outline making for a responsive and effortless ride. the versatile option: the board can be set up as a Quad or thruster. Combined with a modified base and thinner rails, optimum grip and carving ability is ensured. The larger 8’11”, 9’1”, 9’5”, 9’10” sizes have a ›wider around the centre‹ outline. This, combined with a more pulled-in nose and squash tail offers plenty more stability, adding performance with less swing weight. Whatever fuels your fire, these boards offer friendly accessibility whilst maintaining excellent manoeuvrability on the wave. A true surfing scoop rocker line and added nose kick finishes off the AllWave’s top performance.
The Ltd versions of the AllWave come with the Quad Fin setup option. For windsurfing, the mastbase insert makes for straightforward attachment of a sail, adding to the fun and versatility. The concept of the AllWave enables across the board performance for all SUP riders, performing remarkably well in all conditions. Whether you’re looking to catch your first wave or advance into larger surf, through its balanced shape, this range is undoubtedly the ultimate tool for enjoyment, ease and progression.
IS PERFORMANCE SAILING POSSIBLE ON A WINDSUP? By Scott McKercher
There’s more than one point of view with what the term ‘WindSUP’ brings up in people’s minds. Obviously there’s the marketing slogan of “buy one and get two board sports” with the all-round appeal of a family board than can either be paddled or windsurfed in flat water or little ripples trying to be waves. But then there’s the other side. ‘The potential for an actual performance discipline’.
It was tossed up a while ago, that they should do a no/light wind alternative for a PWA event to entertain people on the beach and to have some sort of result for a wave comp that didn’t look like happening. Drawbacks such as competitors having to then carry another (large) board around on tour blocked any such thoughts. But the other argument is: can there be actually any performance in such a discipline?
My answer was definitely “yes” – but at selected World Tour locations only. Sylt, for example: Not ideal. Thumping beach breaks in light wind? Not a good idea. Bolt onshore? Not really that good an idea. However, I’ve had some sessions in quality waves that have been an absolute ball. Quite some time ago I busted out at WindSUP at the PWA Portugal event. Light x-offshore winds at Guincho, (on a pretty big board at that point) and it was pretty damn fun. Easily a good novelty light-wind alternative. And way better than just getting cooked on the beach bored out of my brain. As much as Guincho is a nice beach to sit and do nothing on …
At home in Western Australia, on a day where we would have been sitting in the car park in 8-10 knots on long peeling waves: Really good fun. On a smaller SUP (8’0 x 29) throw on a 5.0 or 5.3 and you’re getting full-rail cutties and hitting the lip. (Waves around chest to bit over head high.)
I felt like I’d had a proper session and the beers in the car park afterwards tasted way better. And Cloudbreak in Fiji of all places, all be it small to mid size, I groveled out, thought I was going to get abused by the hard-core surfing crowd, but actually got hoots. Just doing turns, (not hitting the lip obviously).
But, get a good cutback on any size board and it feels good.
Obviously the smaller SUP board feels better than, say a 10 footer, but all the same, I was getting out there where I wouldn’t have been otherwise.
And I think that’s the point.
JP AUSTRALIA FUSION SUP AST Hard board with windsurfing option For 2015 we have a fun little addition to the very successful FUSION line; the 8’5”x30”. Just like the rest of the FUSIONs it features a nice step deck, which allows keeping lots of volume while still having nice thin rails. This sleek design carries the volume and width in all the right places for a stable paddle platform. The bottom shapes feature concaves throughout running into a V towards the tail. The V in the tail helps to rail up when going down a wave. Their noses create efficient lift and the thinned out rails produce good bite during turns. Quite a bit of nose rocker makes the shapes fit well into the waves. They are available in PRO, Wood Edition and in AST technology. The 10’2” is also available as a Soft Deck version. For this year we added the FCS plugs to the AST line so they can be used in a thruster set up as well. The FUSIONs have a really good glide and are happy in flat water paddling, but they love the waves.
RRD X-FIRE LIMITED V6 114L 2014 TEST REVIEW REPORT
RRD X-FIRE LIMITED V6 114L 2014 TEST REVIEW REPORT
THE LOW-DOWN
Back-to-back world titles and two in the top-5 in the past two seasons leave little to be explained on the pedigree of the winning RRD X-Fire line. Sitting atop the Firerace freerace and Firestorm ‘freeride sport’ and alongside the X-Fire light wind boards, RRD have a full-bore flat-water programme.
BRAND CLAIM ‘The next step….we are in it to win it! Building on the world title design framework from last season and also leading the PWA 2013 World Cup standing in 1st and 3rd overall, RRD continues their market reference dominance with a clear leap forward in the form of the 2014 V6 series… The new X-Fire V6 is the result of 5 hard working years of constant research and development and this is our best work yet without question.’ (Sic.)
PERFORMANCE
We remember the previous version of the slimline X-Fire being electrifying in flat water – well, terrifying really in terms of speed. So it was with some trepidation that we first launched in Tenerife in nearly 30 knots with 40-centimetre fins and 7.8s. However, what we found was a nice and pinned-down and planted, controlled and secure hull that behaved very well indeed, sailing smoothly above the chop and swell that would otherwise make the going a lot tougher. The sailing sensation is unique. There’s a strange, but nice, feel of crisp/lightweight, sucky, downforcey behaviour that really lends confidence as you approach the limit of speed and concentration. The nose stays down beautifully and never felt like it would take-off when fully lit. The general ride and stance is nicely balanced between the front and back foot and, although smaller testers found it a little unstable at times (bear in mind it was howling!), we mostly found the lateral stability at speed excellent. We remember the X-Fire being super easy to gybe in flat water in Egypt, but of course this time it was certainly more demanding of technique, but definitely dependent on what sails it’s paired with. For sure it likes sails more bagged out and over-powered, but those are also tricky beasts to handle approaching turns, so bear in mind what types of rig you’d use if you opted for this board. Our suggestion would be to go for a crafty, full-on sail, but start with a smaller – say 36 cm., but still stiff and high-acceleration – fin at first and then grow into the combination and increase fin size as you go. On that note, this board is insanely fast and does possess super acceleration, but how this is amplified is massively influenced by what fin you’d pair with it.
THE VERDICT
The X-Fire is still the reference board in terms of speed and acceleration and for really attacking swell and chop. On this rough water test the handing was certainly challenged, but the 114 is not out of range for the committed and will< be a joy in smoother water. Wise fin choice will be highly rewarded – go smaller at first if you’re nervous of the power!
I hope the light wind skills and drills have been beneficial and enjoyable and that you’ve been putting them to good use as a long side these and my ‘Holy Trinity’ Stance article you will be putting many of these skills to great use in your quest to survive and thrive in that oft-held thing of beauty – the Carve Gybe.
Words Jem Hall // Photos Dave White & Nick Jones
Many people come on my clinics and want to both learn and improve their gybes and more often than not we spend a lot of time working together to improve their basic fundamental skills and their stance as this puts them in the best position to nail their gybes and take them forward. For those of you believing you can gybe and now placing less focus on this move then please read on as great gybing leads to amazing riding.
As I’ve just returned from Punta San Carlos (PSC), Baja and its amazing conditions of deep down-the-line frontside wave-riding joy, yet again, I can reflect that the best gybers are the best riders! Therefore, perhaps it’s time to set a new standard in your gybing and know that the (step) gybe skills you build have a huge transference across to competent wave riding and also can help you acquire new and fun aspirational moves like the duck gybe and the carving 360?
// Get low – pull down on the boom and scissor the board downwind. Photo Nick Jones
This piece is going to cover the main tips and skills in order to allow you to make progress in the carving step gybe and implore you to focus on its key areas – which are: Preparation, Carve, Transition and Exit. You can really only focus on one stage at a time and it’s important to understand that you should target improvement in one area and see that as a success as you enjoy the challenging journey to carve gybe Nirvana. Read on through this piece and really take the time to visualise and understand each tip, close your eyes and see what’s going on and focus as you see yourself performing these skills. In a psychological context this is seen as ‘Visuo-Motor Behavior Rehearsal’ and it cannot be understated just how effective this is and that you should know the mind is the most powerful ‘muscle’ in the body. As ever, focus, believe AND enjoy!
PREPARATION By failing to prepare you’re preparing to fail and you’re all already winners in this area as you’re tacking, to keep you upwind and give you a breather and can also demonstrate the skills trinity of planing early, sailing fast and flying upwind (see previous recent articles on this). If your target is to learn or improve your gybes then focus on these skills A LOT.
People write to me or come on courses and say “I’ve a problem with the mid/end of my gybe and this is all that needs polishing” and more often than not both for them and me it’s the beginning that really needs to be examined, focused upon and, through setting targets and effective (self) coaching, improved upon.
My golden tips are, some of which will also help you in other moves like, for example, forward loops and wave rides, for the preparation phase of the carve gybe are:
• Backhand waaay down the boom: This should already be actualised from your low-wind skills and drills. Aim to hit the boom clip on a 140 – 160 boom. I ask my rippers time and again what is the most important technique in the gybe/forward/heli tack/bottom turn, and they get used to answering the opening statement.
• Front hand back on the boom: In close proximity (next to, ah go on) the front harness line. This should be first, but backhand back is the headline tip!
• Get low before unhooking: Think ‘arse in the water’ and harness lines tight like piano strings. This commits you to the sail’s power, keeps speed and facilitates easy unhooking
• Unhook by bending your elbows from your low position: Do this and you stay low and upset the board less. Raise your hips and stand up and the kit stands up and you go slow. Speed is your friend!
• Hang off the boom on extended arms and keep pulling down on the boom from your low position: This keeps the board flat and you away from the rig.
• Back foot back and on the rail: The back foot can come out pre-bear-away (or during) but keep low as you position it and look to get it in the middle of the board first and then move it across to the rail right next to the back strap.
• Scissor/steer the board into the gybe: Turn the board downwind (bear away) by pushing through your front leg and pulling through your back leg to gain speed. This lightens the sail through more speed and readies the rails to be carved smoothly.
• Practice and do all of the above and you’re on the right track and you can even approach them as individual skills to work on and then afterwards continue sailing along. Go on, I dare you …
// Subtle catapult in and then roll into the carve. Photo Nick Jones
CARVE ‘You got to roll with it’. The carving phase of the gybe is almost a misnomer as it represents quite a small portion of the whole arc and you’re actually only carving momentarily before you’re into the mid part and then onwards and upwards into your fire exit. Yet, this is where you can really lose all that oh-so-precious speed you’ve built in your effective preparation phase.
Here are the tips for deep-carving joy:
• Catapult yourself forward and across into your carve: Whilst this may sound like insanity if you pull in on the back hand subtly and push the rig forwards and slightly across you it will pull you up from your arse down position in readiness to roll into the carve.
• Roll into the carve: It’s the same action as the previous point, however it’s so crucial that it merits more focus. The rig pulls you up and then into the carve and you go with it, this feels weird at first but hey I did say roll with it. You’re outboard and slightly on your front heel and then you’re coming forward through bending at the ankle and shifting your weight to the ball of your front foot.
• Keep your front arm extended: The rig is away so it drives you and the rig forward and engages all the power down into the turning part of the rail around the middle part of the board. Aim to see the water in front of you. Note: the sail is pulled in with the backhand, but not excessively so until you’re fully competent.
• Front foot into back foot: The pressure in the carve starts on the front foot and then as you increase the carving pressure (through bent ankles) this necessitates moving the focus onto your back foot, thereby readying you for the middle part of the gybe too, hoorah.
Please note all these tips are not exhaustive and there are many more but these are the ones my clients and I feel are the most important and deserved of your utmost attention and focus.
// Rig away and a smooth carve with bent ankles.Photo Dave White
// Back hand waay down the boom. Photo Dave White
TRANSITION Open up and see the light. A huge part of the familiarity and performance in this part of the gybe should already be in your repertoire from light-wind gybes and the dry gybe drill, therefore let’s bank on these skills as you have been doing these, haven’t you? Again all these tips and more are on my DVD ‘Beginner to Winner’ and on my Vimeo channel too. So, you’ve born away in the prep phase, carved for a second or too and are now approaching dead downwind (a run) and so it’s time to get ready to shift your weight and switch those feet.
// Back foot back and seeing the clew ready for the foot change. Photo Dave White
Read, visualise and focus on these technique gems:
• Open the sail and see the light: The sail is in and driving forward and then, as you transfer more pressure to the back foot, the sail is opened up by the backhand (in it’s rearward position of maximum leverage) pushing the sail out.
• Swing the hips to the inside of the turn: This is led and aided by beginning to see the clew as you move into this phase. Looking at the clew will move your hips in as the rig moves out and across, thereby shifting the weight to the back foot.
• Rig out and hips in: Get yourself into a counterbalance as the rig moves out and your hips move into the carve. This enables you to carve hard through the back foot (weighting it) and readies you for the foot change / switch. Note: Your hips are to the inside and also back and down.
• Drop and extend: This is a great mantra, both for gybes and wave rides. Drop your rear hip and knee across and into the carve, with your hips back counterbalanced with your arms extended to keep the board flat. All whilst seeing your clew and the exit.
• Toe to heel: The now lighter front foot twists out the strap and switches to the inside / carving rail in front of and very close to the back foot.
There is clearly a grey area here as we move from transition to exit as, once the new front foot is stepping forward, you’re in the exit phase yet still you’re in transition. Damn this move is challenging. Simple tip: get low, look where you go and keep the rig away. Any of these three solve so many issues in windsurfing. Believe!
// Get down James Brown and push the board on to the plane. Photo Nick Jones
// Exit and commit low and outboards to the rig clew-first.PhotoNick Jones
Tuning box
Lets keep it simple: • Tight harness: Thereby aiding a fast stance and easy unhooking
• Correctly rigged sail: Set flat enough to cut through the air and behave.
• Right-sized fin: Don’t be over finned or it’s bucking Bronco time
• Generous straps: equals easy carving and foot changing
• Generous lines: equals easy unhooking
EXIT We’re getting in to the final throes here and, whilst I believe every phase of the gybe merits an article in itself, I will give you some brief tips on the exit as, if the first three phases are not on song, then this will be positioning you either in the water or in a mighty wrestling match with a heavy (full of wind), poorly-positioned sail.
Last nuggets are:
• Bent back leg in, bent back leg out: Keep low as you SWITCH your feet, as the new front foot steps forward, whilst keeping back knee and more so your ankle really bent.
• Keep the rig away: Punch out that backhand and keep low as you continue to see the clew.
• Rig forward, hips back: The clew-first position you’re oh-so-already acquainted with has the mast upright and forward, but your rear hip is kept back so you remain low and able to take some power whilst clew first.
• Take the power: Be ready to take some clew-first sail pull, be low and keep the rig away. NOTE: Get in position with your target as actually planing whilst clew first!
• Slide the front hand: Move your front (mast hand) back down the boom to the mast to ease the rig rotation.
• Send it: Rotate the rig with all your light wind skills
• ‘Get down James Brown’: Once the rig rotation is finished, the rig should be upright with you super low, pushing the board forward and pulling down on the boom.
• Straps and then hook in: When well powered aim to strap up and then hook in. This WILL give you planing gybes along with the previous tip – and avoids catapults. Bonus!
There really is so much going on here and my best tip is to ‘own’ clew-first sailing and rig rotations through light wind drills and, ahem, overseas coaching holidays.
RRD boards, wetsuits, softwear, Ezzy sails and Pro Sport Sunblock sponsor Jem Hall. Get him live and direct on one of his highly-acclaimed coaching holidays, but be quick as they are selling out – check out his fab new site www.jemhall.com for details. You can also follow him on Twitter / Facebook.
JOHN SKYE TAKES ON THE PWA RACE TITANS IN FUERTEVENTURA!
Still in contention in 6th position I slam into the churned-up water at the last mark. Ahead of me, Cedric Bordes is swatted down, his sail spiralling across the water, blocking the way of Kordel in front of me. The German is forced wide, stops dead and, unexpectedly, a gap opens before me. Suddenly the fourth qualifying slot is all mine and I pass through mid gybe and come out ahead. I feel the adrenalin kick in, but right at that moment there’s an almighty scream from behind. In that brief moment of shock I go down and watch as my hopes vanish as quickly as they appeared. This is war, this is PWA slalom and this is my first ever heat.
Story JOHN SKYE // Photos JOHN CARTER
This feature originally appeared in the September 2014 issue of Windsurf Magazine. To read more features like this first, Print and Digital subscriptions are available. Prices include delivery globally for 10 x issues a year!
From what I understand, the head of Turkish construction company Polimeks Erol Tabaja, reached a deal with the PWA to host the event in Turkmenistan as a gesture of gratitude for all the contracts they’d received from the government, including the lucrative construction of the Ashgabat Airport and the 80 million dollar Yelken Yacht Club Hotel at Awaza, where the event was to be based.
GREENHORN
So I am not really a full rookie. I grew up racing, although mainly longboards and early course slalom and I had some good results in PWA Super X. But as for ‘real slalom’, I had very little experience. Working on our RRD Firewing sail all winter, I was really happy with its performance. It’s a 3-cam Freerace sail, designed for easy rigging and ease of use, but the performance seemed to me to be up there with the very best. I actually spent more time slalom testing than wave sailing and that was when the idea came to me. There’s no better way to test slalom gear than on the slalom course – and I had all the gear already in the van. Fuerte is just a short ferry ride from my home in Gran Canaria and is pretty much guaranteed windy, so that was it. Decision made. Providing I could get a wildcard that is …
To prepare I had a testing buddy – Kai Kautman – and we put together three easy to set buoys to practice gybing and starting. Typically we would do a countdown start sequence, following by a three-gybe figure of eight. Decent practice certainly, but nothing could prepare you for having seven other sailors around you battling for their lives. And it is a battle. In waves, freestyle (and even in Super-X a bit), you’re basically competing against yourself. You have an opponent, but really you try to do your best in the heat and that is it. If your best is better than their best, you advance. Slalom however is another world. You have eight guys in the heat and you need to finish ahead of four of them. If you get a chance to attack someone and put them in your wake, then you do it. If you can gybe inside of them and leave them stood still, then great. It’s not quite ‘win at all costs’, but its close. That certainly took some getting used to. Finally I needed some goals. Starting from zero made it a little hard to judge, so I had a rolling goal line. Firstly, it was simply to make it through the first round. If I made that, then the losers’ final would be the next. I had no idea really, but I have to admit to being quietly confident to make at least one losers’ final.
DAY 1 – DESTROYED
The ferry across is just 3 hours, but with a very early start and having only just finished the Pozo contest, I was pretty punished. I rigged a 6.2, which is normally my favourite size and hit the water to see how my speed was against the big boys. The results were very disappointing. I got killed. My magic trim that worked so well in the waters of Gran Canaria gave me zero control and I could barely sheet in. Add to that the sudden change from 4.2 and wave board to 6.2 and slalom board and I immediately had considerably more respect for the guys that do it all. How Ross [Williams] can jump from winning the Formula Worlds, finishing top 10 in the waves, then jumping on the slalom gear and win finals? I already had respect for him, but now it has just multiplied. Anyway, a few tweaks to the trim, by dropping the boom and moving the lines forward a touch and at least I could now sail in a straight line. My speed was a long way off though.
DAY 2 – CONFIDENCE GROWS
The second day dawned much lighter and gave me a chance to test the bigger gear. Starting on 7.8 everything felt much better. I was still a little off the speed of the top guys, but at least I could keep up for a bit. A quick test of the 7.0 in the afternoon and I was starting to get a bit of confidence.
DAY 3 – PUNISHED
I woke up the following day completely punished. Slalom sailing is pretty hard work on the body compared to the waves. After wave sailing a lot I get tired and covered in bruises. After two full-on days of slalom practice in Fuerte my legs and back were killing. I made the wise decision to take a day off and recover a bit. If we were going to have a full week of racing, I would need all the energy I could muster!
ELIMINATION 1 – LESSON 1
After registering – and being handed the largest rash vest I have ever seen – I was ready for action. Elimination 1 started with light winds and my 7.8 Firewing/105 X-Fire/36 F-hot fin combo. Having discussed it a bit with the guys, I decided my best starting position would be in the middle of the line. It didn’t go too well as, within about two seconds, someone came flying over the top of me and put me in their dirty air. I arrived at the first mark in sixth or seventh, but, after the first gybe, I was still in touch with qualifying. Everything is very intense in slalom.
Decisions need to take place within milliseconds. Staying upwind, dropping downwind, gybing wide, gybing tight. It’s no wonder that the experienced guys continue to win, as that knowledge means the decisions become intuitive.
Coming into the last mark I was sixth and, barring an incident, I didn’t have much hope. However Cedric dropped his sail during the rig flip and suddenly it was all open. Kordel was forced wide and stopped, and a gap opened before me. I slipping through and suddenly I was in fourth. Then there was that scream. Had I hit someone? Was I about to hit someone? I had no idea what was going on, and in the momentary confusion I dropped the sail and with it qualifying disappeared. So what had happened? Well nothing! Kordel had just screamed in an attempt to put me off and, being the full rookie, it had worked a treat! I vowed there and then to not be such a pussy and be ready to fight.
ELIMINATION 2 – HEAT OF DEATH.
I was stood by the notice board as they wrote the names on the ladder. Heat 3 looked a death heat as they wrote Albeau, Dunkerbeck, Maynard, Mortefon, Yilmazer – and then Skye. Talk about a tough draw! With the wind stronger I opted for my 7.0 and a smaller board, desperate to get the maximum speed possible. I opted for a boat start this time to keep upwind and out of trouble, but as we approached the line Dunkerbeck powered upwind from below and basically slammed me into the boat. I pretty much had to sheet out and wait for him to start and then follow behind him. Not a good start. However justice was served as he crashed at the first mark. Plus, in the confusion that followed, I managed to come out in third. That didn’t last long though as Mortefon flew past me, but still, fourth was all I needed. Now it was between me and Yilmazer. I had a small lead, but he positioned himself on the inside coming into the gybe and there was nothing I could do but watch as he gybed tight and accelerated away. So fifth-place finish was close, but not close enough. However I did finish ahead of Dunkerbeck, which was very satisfying. Growing up watching him dominating the sport, he is my hero, so that is a very nice victory to have on record!
DAY 4 – NO WIND
No wind all day, so a very useful day to reflect.
DAY 4 ELIMINATION 4 – PLAN GOES WRONG.
Having had a nice rest day, the wind started light again, but still on my 7.8/105/36. With a full day to reflect I quickly worked out that the gybing was my strong point. Our three cam, easy rotation sail was so much lighter in the hands at the gybe mark, so for Elimination 3, I planned to utilise this to the maximum. So approaching the first gybe I positioned myself out wide to attack at the gybe. What I had failed to notice however was that there were three of the freestyle kids in the heat, who all dived inside of me and came out fully planing, leaving me with nowhere to go and
no hope. That was me done at the first mark and it was back to the
drawing board for more heat strategies.
ELIMINATION 4 – FINALLY IT GOES RIGHT.
Another light-ish wind race for 7.8/105/36. My start tactic was now to position myself upwind of the pack that always fights it out at the pin. That way I could keep them in my sights but be free from their dirty air. This time it worked beautifully, as they were having a real scrap down the bottom. I arrived at the first mark in third and following a decent gybe I was looking good. Round the outside gybe and I was still in 3rd, and there didn’t seem too many people around me either. Suddenly I realised that I had quite a lead over fifth place and the qualification was now mine to lose. Coming into the third gybe, all I was thinking was “don’t crash don’t crash”, which is obviously the worst thing to think. Sure enough, as I come out the gybe, the rail catches and I get pulled round the front, back foot in the air. I just manage to hold on, choosing to slam the brakes on rather than risk falling. I lose third place instantly, but I am still fourth and, following some frantic pumping and a final wobbly gybe I cross the line in fourth. The spectators were probably wondering why I was fist pumping for fourth, but goal number 1 was in the bag.
ELIMINATION 4 – QUARTERFINAL 1.
With a night to sleep on it, I woke up ready for the quarterfinal fight. Could I make it through this and into the semis, thus
guaranteeing at least a losers final spot? With the wind a bit stronger, I opted for 7.0/105/36. I can’t really claim I was ever in much of a qualifying position, but I was in touch with the pack and in fifth place until the final gybe. Cyril Moussilmani stopped dead in front of me, meaning I had to slam the breaks on and watch as two people shot by. But still, with that result, there was hope that the semi final was in reach.
ELIMINATION 5 – SO CLOSE.
Finally the strong winds of Fuerte were starting to kick in. I always figured the rougher it got, the more chance I had. Our sails are so easy to use and gybe with that it would really be an advantage. I took the 6.2/90/32 and after a decent first gybe I was in a position to attack third place. However, instead of trying to move forward I focused on defending fourth, with young Jordy Vonk right on my tail. It went nicely to plan all the way until the final mark where, once again, Cyril Moussilmani stopped dead in front of me. Jordy ducked low with a great gybe and had just enough to get ahead of me, leaving me devastated in fifth. I vowed after that to always fight for third, because you never know what’s going to happen…
ELIMINATION 6 – THINGS STARTING TO COME TOGETHER.
With the wind still strong again, I stuck with the 6.2/90/32 combo. I came out of the first gybe in fourth, but this time I went on the attack. Poor Gonzo was probably just trying to cruise around in third for qualification, but each gybe I would snap inside of him, and each reach he would claw it back. In the end I managed to get ahead of him, but probably he just wanted to stay out of trouble, as we both qualified.
My second quarterfinal and this time the conditions were much more to my liking. With waves cutting through the course and mixing with the chop it was pretty technical gybing, particularly on the outside. If ever I was going to have an opportunity to get to the semis, it was now.
After a reasonable start I arrived at the first mark in touch with the pack and, following a safe gybe, came out in contention. I dropped down to get the inside line at the outside mark and came out in fourth, with Maciek Rutkowski below and just behind. Maciek had actually been really helpful all week and advising whenever I had questions. However here we were neck and neck and you could see there was no way he was going to let a ‘wave sailor’ beat him. Coming into the third gybe he had the inside line, pushed me up high and left me nothing to do but wait for him to gybe and follow him around. Not only did he get ahead, but he also left so much space at the mark that two others went through too. No chance to make up the ground after that, so I finished sixth, but in this one the semis were definitely within sight.
ELIMINATION 7 – BEATEN BY THE WIND.
It was still windy and they wanted to push to get the first round done of Elimination 7. I once again opted for my favourite 6.2/90/32 combination and, following a good first gybe, I ended up sitting in fourth. Like I had done in the other heats, I decided to drop low to get the inside line into the outside gybe, but this time it went terribly wrong. As I dived low the wind not only dropped, but also swung, meaning I was struggling to stay planing and even struggling to make the mark. Two guys went flying past at this point and that was it, game over. Pretty frustrating as it was a massive hole in the wind, but that is how it goes. I should have been on my 7.0 really. The positive was that Dunkerbeck fell at the last mark and I was able to pass him and finish fifth. Meaning a 2 out of 2 record against the champ! Annoyingly they cancelled the next heat and called it a day.
DAY 5 – ELIMINATION 8 – LAST CHANCE.
After yesterday’s mistake I decided to go big and went on the 7.0 even though the wind was more or less the same as the day before. I was ready to put it on the medium 105 board, but everyone around me was taking small boards, so I went with that, which I think was a mistake. I had a reasonable start, but by the first mark I was in my usual sixth. I made it to fifth at the first gybe and then went on the attack. Every reach and every gybe I was closing in on Cousins, putting him under pressure and positioning myself to attack. Finally, on the ultimate gybe, he went wide and I could sweep in and take him on the inside. I was ahead and upwind, which should have meant victory was in the bag. I pushed him down low, but Yilmazer, who was in third, decided to cover us and dropped low himself. Suddenly I got caught in his dirty air and was struggling to make the finish line myself. Cousins took advantage and started pushing from below and I got sandwiched in the middle. In the end Cousins took fourth by a couple of metres, leaving me out. I was pretty gutted, as that was the last race and therefore my last chance to make the losers’ final. Maybe if I had been on my 105 that might have made the difference, but you never know?
CONCLUSION. I ended up 40th and never made the losers’ final. If you had asked if I would be happy with that before the event the answer would have been no, but actually I was reasonably content with the end result. I made two quarter finals and finished fifth in four of the eight rounds. I think if we could start again now, I could possibly have made at least another two quarter finals and maybe that elusive losers final would have been within reaching distance?
I don’t think the conditions really suited me, I was hoping for more crazy wind. With the easy handling of our Firewing it would have been a real advantage when the conditions got gnarly, but that is no excuse. I was very happy with the performance of our sail. For sure, against the top 10 in the world, I don’t have the speed. But thanks to the easy handling I was able to battle at the gybes and put up a fight until the last metre of the course. I’m not sure I would have faired any better using Antoine’s gear and already I’ve been able to put some of what I learnt into the new 2015 sails. Slightly more power and more stability to be able to keep going through dirty air. Also I think this power will actually give more control as it can help to keep the board pinned to the water better.
Am I tempted to compete more? The answer is yes for sure, but I think I’ll stick to the golden sands of Fuerteventura. I don’t think you can ask for a nicer place to compete. Sun, sand, wind and, if it all goes wrong, parties every night. Next year I will be back and this time I will be ready for the fight. Top 30 is the goal and to get that I will need to make that elusive losers’ final! JS
OVERVIEW The Move is RRD’s ‘do-it-all’ Freewave/Wave onshore sail range morphing from freeride and blasting orientation in the larger sizes down to wave and bump and jump use in the smaller sizes. As mentioned in the intro, it’s time to take RRD sails seriously, very seriously. Credit where credit’s due, this is no package sail brand or ‘they’re just slightly re-worked Simmers’ range, but a genuine, quality contender to add to your demo lists across the board. A testament to now bona fide sail designer John Skye.
BRAND CLAIM ‘The concept behind the Move is to provide the ultimate sail no matter what the wind strength. In the larger sizes, 6 battens give a powerful foil that has been refined to give more skin tension, and therefore increased stability and control. The 6.2 and 5.7 feature 5 battens and are the perfect match for a sporty freestyle wave / freemove board. Blasting, jumping, gybing, they do it all. Finally the smaller sizes 5.2, 4.7 and 4.2, offer even higher levels of manoeuvrability combined with a powerful drive, feeling equally at home on a freestyle wave, Fire wave or full on Wave Cult.’ (Sic.)
PERFORMANCE What we like most and always seem to find out about RRD sails – and with the Move 5.2 being no exception – are the traits that stand throughout their range: namely, a positive, upright stance thanks to the high – and slightly forward – C of E in the case of this model, excellent stability, unmatched drive for early planing compared to the rest of this selection, positive acceleration, upwind prowess, an element of forgiving spring and a light-yet-solid build. The Move is super manoevrable too. A really ‘invisible’, easy to sail product that’s fast and especially suitable for onshore conditions like we had on test. If you need to reach ramps early, deal with current and be agile and on your toes and ready for action then you really can’t go wrong. The linear opening leech operates effectively through the wind range with a lot of natural twist that helps smooth out the bumps and cope with gusts and the profile delivers a solid level of backhand control that’s ideal for fast, tight, onshore turns in the surf, always seeming to pull you in closer to the wave. That backhand power is always accessible on-tap and lends a lot of ‘punt’ throughout tricky ‘clew-out’ rides when you need extra boost and momentum to keep your flow. If this all sounds too positive, go and try one for yourself. We really can’t sing its praises enough.
THE VERDICT For the majority of ‘real world’ wave and FSW sailors you’re gonna struggle to beat this beauty. Effortless control lets you concentrate on what you’re doing with a positive stance delivering speed, upwind power and a perfect onshore riding behaviour. We can’t vouch for its down-the-line performance, but for a ‘go-anywhere’ tool, the Move 5.2 is the possibly the wisest pick you’ll make for some time.
THE LOW-DOWN A conservative colour scheme by RRDs standards in this size of fifth edition wave cult quad. It’s a glossy bottomed hull with a pair of MFC Pro –flex 17cms in the back and 8’s in front.
BRAND CLAIM The new shapes of the wave cult V5 incorporate the latest development of our hi- performance sailboards line: wider body boards that are easier to use, more stable, planing earlier. This main feature (wide body) might seem in contrast with maneuverability, but when you actually work with a thinner rail profile, increased rocker and tail “V” then the whole right equation for performance level is achieved again with the good additions that the extra width will bring. A magic new formula that will improve the amount of sailing days in waves.
PERFORMANCE We had a positive experience of the 83L wave cult V5 for our 2014 wave test last year, so we thought we had a good idea of what to expect from its bigger brother but were even more impressed with the performance of the 92. Jem hall had already set this one up and as with the 83, advocated a narrower stance to get the best out of it. We were two screw holes back from the most forward position and two from the rear. The effect being that you stand tall, well over the board ready to react and turn quickly. The fin box configuration allows the fin set to overlap the front and rear pairs for superfast tight turns. We set these further apart as Jem and John Skye advised to allow a more steadily progressive and variable carving feel. John Skye recently used this particular model in the Cold Hawaii Klitmoller PWA Wave contest and choose to set it as a twinser for the lighter, bang on-shore conditions that prevailed in order to get a lighter freer feeling that won’t grab at the chop and hinder your flow. In these Medano conditions the quad set up was good and the Cult felt quite at home popping straight up onto the plane with little need to bear-away or muscle the rig with a free feeling on the fins. Its upwind abilities being good enough to take us up to the wall without it feeling like a slog. The hull feels alive and on the wave it naturally encourages a more surf oriented style that delivers plenty of endorphins as you carve more than skate your way from bottom turn to lip. Breaking the fins out off the top is entirely your decision and not the inadvertent result of putting them there.
THE VERDICT With a low energy, passive planing feel, the 92L Wave Cult is a refined all-rounder with more than just on-shore performance on tap. The wider, thinner -railed hull and kinked-in tail help you turn where you want, tight or wide arc with a fast reacting surfing feeling. Easy to plane and easy to ride the Cult will endear itself to many.
The 95L wave board has come a long way in the last 5 years. There is currently more variety of shape and style, fin count and thickness than there has ever been.
This test was originally published in the November/December 2014 issue.
As with the 4.7 sails tested last month, where there were “no lemons”, it really is the case with these boards too. Despite the variety, making a decision what to try and what to buy is not as complicated as you might think. All of the boards featured in this category are from just one of each manufacturers range, as most have “side shore” or “real world” billings to separate them. That’s enough to narrow down any initial search; but I’ll come back to that a bit later. Our reliable venue of El Medano in Tenerife, like most of the Canary Islands, didn’t have its usual relentlessly windy summer. We did however get on the water on 10 days out of 14 and mostly with 5.3 and 95L combinations; very ‘Real World’ conditions and enough to provide a very clear picture of what worked best and excited the riders the most.
The Line Up The group included some thrusters (Fanatic, Quatro), some quads (Goya, RRD and Starboard) and some five box offerings (Tabou, Simmer and JP). Of these, the Tabou was the only board to come complete with 5 fins to get you going in both thruster and quad set-ups. The Simmer comes as a quad so you merely need to add a center fin, and the JP as a thruster requiring a rear quad pair. If adaptability and experimentation is your thing you will find plenty to keep you busy with these. But if its plug’n’play and instant gratification as top of your list then the dedicated quads (Goya, Starboard) and thrusters (Quatro and Fanatic) have the least adjustment of all. Breaking these boards out onto the ocean for the first time the test team makes a conscious effort to not think about any of the boards configurations at all. The questions we ask are: Does it require a lot of rider effort? How comfortable over chop is it? Any idiosyncrasies? Does it feel big or small? As previously mentioned, you cannot judge a sail by batten count alone and you cannot judge a board by fin count or volume either. Calling them a “big” wave board is wrong also as there are dozens of larger specialist boards available up to 120L that can be just the thing if you top 100kg. So the role of the 95 has changed to become more of an average size sailors go to board for conditions from float and ride through to gusty, squally strong winds and water conditions from little ankle snappers to double mast monsters. They find themselves really carrying a wider range of sail sizes than most other boards. Fifteen years ago the choice in boards like this was miniscule. Now we have the ultimate Christmas selection box to choose from, and you can be safe in the knowledge that all of the boards in this set are capable enough to deal with more challenges than most of us are ever likely to give them.
Conclusions Are they any fun? Oh Yes with a capital Y, every board here has slightly different attributes and is the result of differing approaches to similar design briefs but we will detail the broad results we found below. The earliest planing in order were the Tabou Pocket 94L, Fanatic Tri Wave 95L and JP Thruster Quad 93L. Most comfortable for heavier riders – JP, Fanatic, Tabou. Most comfortable ride – Simmer Style, JP, Tabou. Smallest feeling boards, Starboard Quad, Goya Custom Quad, Quatro Sphere (slightly longer but narrower so feels like a smaller board).
Of course there are lots more to each of these boards as you will discover over the coming pages. Returning to the labels, side shore and onshore, we can only comment on the side-onshore performance because that’s what we had. The Boards getting the most out of a little were the Tabou, Simmer, JP and Fanatic. The RRD Cult Quad also proved itself as a capable all-rounder too. Boards that just needed a bit more power from the rig or the conditions were the Quatro, Starboard, and Goya. This was interesting as we know the Goya Quad well and it can be one of the most invisible feeling boards to ride. A clear favorite from last year’s test and our benchmark standard bearer here. This showed how lighter the conditions were for this year’s test as just 3 or 4 knots more and every board here would be right in their power band. This group really does prove that the best time ever to be a windsurfer is now. Make the most of it, go out and demo some at the very least. This size has become so versatile that it could easily be your most used board. Enjoy. JDV
This year, after a number of trips to South Africa during the winter we decided to go further afield…well you don’t get much further away than New Zealand. Don’t get me wrong there’s nothing wrong with Cape Town and it has plenty of things to recommend it, but when you’ve been regularly for a number of years you can lose sight that the windsurfing world is much bigger than an annual trip there every winter. We’d always said we’d love to go back to New Zealand, our last time there was for two months in 2000, so it was time to go back and rediscover what captivated us all that time ago, certainly I had memories of uncrowded waves and friendly locals that were tugging on my “bucket list”. Jane too,was keen to go as there is a lot for a non-windsurfer to do. So, as we both can get a little bit of additional leave over the Xmas time, we booked 4 weeks off, flights and a campervan.
Being surrounded by both the Pacific Ocean on its eastern shores, by the Tasman Sea on its western shores and having nothing between it and the Antarctic but the roaring forties and the Southern Ocean, New Zealand is bound to get some great windsurfing and surfing. The four main windsurfing spots are around Christchurch on the South Island, the big lakes on the South Island, Wellington on the North Island and famously around Taranaki in the North Island also. However you can pretty much sail anywhere, it’s just that these areas are more consistent and well known.
We didn’t actually plan where we wanted to go until we got on the plane, and having checked the forecast, it was clear that we should skip Taranaki as it was having a flat spell and do some sightseeing first, so we headed over to the Caromandel peninsula where there also just happens to be 2 of New Zealand’s top surf spots Wangamata and Mount Manganui. Then we headed down to Napier and then onto Wellington to catch the ferry over to the South Island where I was hoping the Northerly winds forecast would blow for a few days, especially near Christchurch.
Around Christchurch the wind generally blows in every day in their summer time (our winter) as an easterly or north easterly, which makes for onshore conditions on the coast or flat water on the large tidal lagoon at Avon Heathcote Estuary in the Ferrymead district. This direction also works at Lyttelton Harbour which will have 5 knots more wind as a general rule. Both spots are perfect for freestyle and blasting. Most of the locals in this area are into slalom racing but I met a few ex pats who are into their waves. When the wind blows in from the North this creates slightly cross off conditions on the coast and when this happens you’ll find yourself sailing pretty much on your own in some great down the line beach break waves; now where else can you do that without having to compete with crowds of wave hungry wind and kite surfers all wanting a piece of the action?
Also on the South Island are some pretty substantial lakes, any of you who have seen the recent Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies will have seen some of the scenery and lakes in the films which was largely shot around the Queenstown/Wanaka/Glenorchy areas. These lakes seem to pick up any whiff of a northerly wind and accelerate it into what one kiwi windsurfer described a “bitch slapper” in other words a strong gale! Lake Pukaki has the most amazing colour, a milky sky blue which comes directly from the melt waters of glaciers at the base of Mount Cook and other mountains that are at the head of the lake. Be warned though, the air temperature might be in the mid 20’s and the strong sunshine makes it feel very blissfully warm but once you get in the water it’s shockingly cold! I managed 20 minutes before my feet couldn’t take any more!
No trip to New Zealand cannot be for surfing alone, you are compelled to be inspired by the stunningly beautiful scenery, especially in the South Island. The Lonely Planet describes the drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy as “achingly beautiful”, I’d say that was a gross understatement. At Glenorchy, which is at the head of Lake Wikipitu, we camped in one of the most scenic places you could imagine surrounded by snow-capped mountains on the edge of a lake, I even windsurfed when the wind came up late in the afternoon.
The West Coast of the South Island feels “on the edge”, it seems like a very difficult place to make a living and has a frontier feel to it. From the hustle of Queenstown we headed over to Haast and fortunately we were blessed with sunshine as it often rains for days on end on the West coast. The south of the West coast is not well known for wind or kite surfing, or for surfing for that matter, however in a small swell it is possible to surf at Haast beach. The road from Haast north travels along the coast through temperate rain forest, it was only sealed in 1965 and all of the bridges that cross the many rivers are single lane still. As you travel north and especially between Greymouth and Westport there are a number of well-known breaks many of which require a swell window small enough for them to be surfable!
These include Cobden breakwater at Greymouth and Tauaranga Bay near Westport which is a point break into a beach break and one of NZs premier spots. None of these breaks are really wind or kitesurfing breaks as the wind here is either light or storm force often lashing it down with rain too. We were lucky enough to have mainly sunshine or overcast conditions for our visit to the West Coast which is great as it allowed us to see both the Fox and Franz Joseph Glaciers and Mount Cook. If you do visit this area take some insect repellent to protect against the sand flies which are a massive irritation, I was bitten 50 times in one evening and the bites were excruciatingly scratchy for days after!
We stayed about 8 days on South Island and I was sad to leave, it’s ½ the size of UK with only 1m inhabitants and most of them live around Christchurch, Nelson or Blenhiem and is like being transported to a different place and time.
After disembarking the Picton – Wellington ferry we quickly headed up the West coast of the North Island towards our final destination, Taranaki and the legendary Surf Highway 45. Taranaki is the name given to large promontory that sticks out into the Tasman Sea with real live volcano, Mount Taranaki (2510m) at its centre. The Surf Highway (State Highway 45) follows the coast all the way from Hawera in the South to the provincial capital New Plymouth in the north, a distance of 65miles. Small roads (more like country lanes) lead off the main high way to dozens of world class surf breaks such as Stent Road and Kumera Patch.
Our first night was spent at Opunake on the beach campsite and I could see that the swell was not really working, however the next morning a south easterly wind had kicked in and I knew that nearby Kina Road would be firing if the swell was big enough. However as we approached I saw the sign for Tai road and remember a South African ex pat has told me about it when we stayed in Christchurch, my instinct kicked in and we headed down past the gas production site for about 5kms until I came across a small grassy field between a couple of holiday houses with a couple of cars parked up and spotted 2 kiters rigging. At the edge of the field was a small cliff a bit like at Gwithian to scramble down onto a boulder beach and there 300m upwind to the left about 100m offshore was a perfect reef break. An A frame wave, cross off shore, pumping with head to logo high waves. I was rigged up in a flash, scrambled down the cliff with my 5.0m and charged upwind as fast as I could not wanting to miss anything and thinking that crowds would surely appear at any moment.
So fast in fact I forgot to set the camera up properly for Jane so sorry about the slightly out of focus pictures, but you get the general idea…..world class waveriding with just me and 2 kiters on it. Even better the locals are friendly beyond belief. Here’s a quote from one of the locals, imagine the thickest kiwi drawl you can….”Ah mate, we usually only go out when its as big as houses….and we don’t wear shorts over our wetsuits here either”. I sailed here all day and at the most there were 3 of us out! The locals had called in at both Pungarehu and Kina Roads earlier but they weren’t working properly so I guess I was lucky. On the way to New Plymouth later I called in at Kina road and there were 2 wind surfers out. Sadly it seems that, like at many other parts of the world, windsurfing has been usurped by kiting and the locals more or less said this with many of them having been windsurfers for years previously.
For the rest of the trip I sailed at Waitara bar and also sailed and surfed at Ahu Ahu Road both of which pickup sea breezes and SW wind. Both are great wave spots and hold over mast high waves and are reef onto beach breaks and the places to be with a SW wind. Fortunately Waitara is a pretty handy freestyle spot when there is no swell so I was able to keep my hand in with my freestyle too.
What gear did I take?
RRD Wave Cult 83, because it’s such a versatile board and handles just about most conditions really well.
Ezzy Wave Elites 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, I used every sail during the trip.
How is all that ‘gybe talking’ and doing going? Hope all the light wind homework and top tips I have been handing out over the last few months have been a good source of information and inspiration. The perspiration does not stop there as now it is time to embrace the duck gybe, and what a wondrous move it is! You have already got a lot of the skills required from your renewed gybing focus and you can duck the rig as you have been banging these out in your light wind training drills.
The Duck gybe is a natural progression from the carve gybe, and has been around our fab sport for 30 years or more, it is old school but feels so so good it will never go out of fashion.
I will breakdown this feature on what the Duck gybe is, who it is for, whyand where we should do it, when to duck the rig and how to go about the whole process. The tips for the relevant stages of the move will be covered in a similar style to last month’s Gybe feature. You can of course get even more info on my fab ‘Beginner to Winner’ Coaching dvd, but then you already knew that.
What The duck gybe is a great way to turn around downwind while planing and with speed. The sail is changed (ducked) early and then the board is carved / turned out. It is a simpler gybe then the step gybe.
Who If you are making 30% of your carving step gybes and going into them with speed and getting your sail light then this move is for you. It is also for the thrill seekers and for the people who want to improve faster and enjoy their sailing even more!
Why This feature is already scattered with a myriad of reasons. It is fun, it will improve you, it keeps you inspired and it feels great. Lastly, it is a little bit scarey and just might yield your first planing gybes – hoorah!
Where Choose a flatter section of water, either on flat water or between waves. As you nail them, and yes you will AND you can, then go for the duck gybe onto the wave or even off the wave
When First tip and one of the most important and well used is duck it early. Make the move off the wind (on a broad reach for those in the know) and when the rig is light from your amazing set up and blistering approach speed.
How As Bruce Lee says ‘don’t think, feel,’ it really does pay not to over think this move and just go for it, after a healthy amount of visualization of course.
// Get low and prepared, go fast to get the sail light and thereby ready to duck’
Tips to rip through the duck gybes
// Tackle the duck gybe challenge and work up to bigger sails’
Kit Boards that turn well work best like Freestyle Wave and Freemove boards. The sail should not be too big to learn the move, so 6.0 and under is ideal and then once you have it dialled you can use as big as you dare!
Conditions It is a move to be workedon when low to medium powered, i.e. when you go downwind the sail goes light and is not making you fear for your life. If it is marginal I will often duck gybe as it is more fun and I am more likely to come out planing as I can get the power on again early.
The How Part The preparation is as per a Carving step gybe, hand back, unhook, get low and bear away using the same steps covered in last month’s Gybe feature.
// Get low at the end and this gets you planing and in control
The Duck • Roll forward into the approach as per a carve gybe to keep the sail light, set the rail and keep the sail ready for ducking.
• Whilst still on a broad reach go for the duck!, going for it early and when the sail is light.
• Front hand releases and crosses over to the very back of the boom, whilst the old back hand tilts rig forward towards the nose of the board. This keeps the mast out of the water, makes the back of the boom available to you and stops you getting dismissed.
• Whip the rig back past your ear like you are wiping sweat from your brow, with your new back hand (old front hand).
• Take on the mantra ‘Duck, pull and look.’
• Pull the rig across you as you look to your exit and get low with your hips across. Honestly, it will feel natural.
• Be aggressive with the pull across, yet subtle in the initial push and positioning of the rig forwards.
• Try to move your free hand towards the water like you are the one handed duck gybe master as this will get you low and dynamic and your hips will naturally shift. All this keeps the board carving.
• Pull the boom hard across you and only grab the boom on the new side when the front of it is available. Patience please and no boom walking!
• On big sails you are actually letting go of the boom and launching it forward pre duck.
• The sail will be hands free at moments in this beautiful move so enjoy these and relax.
// Gybe off front foot, cross hands, duck, look, pull and then carve and switch feet – do it! – do it!’
The Carve • The duck part of the move helps you get low and facilitates a smooth carve, further aided by looking at your exit.
• When the boom is in both hands (near the lines) and the arms are extended then you can focus on carving hard through the back foot to take you through the wind to the new direction, broad reach to broad reach.
• Really bend your front ankle and your back leg and imagine pushing your inside knee into the water.
• Feel your arc; go wider when it is windy and you are well powered, go narrower when less powered.
• Think ‘sail away, body low and carve the board.’ This will feel natural as the sail change is done so early.
• It is really important to actively sheet the sail out so as not to get pulled over the handle bars or stall the sail.
• Imagine the rig is moving to the outside as the hips move to the inside, just like a carve gybe.
The Exit • You are so nearly there now so eyes on the prize.
• Keep spotting your exit (new direction) and as your hips are carving nice and low to the inside then your feet are ready to shift and switch.
• If it is a big board, then change your feet earlier
• If it is a smaller board, then you can come out and sail switch (old front foot still in its original strap) for a while.
• Both of the above are down to personal preference and for me I go for the early feet change.
• Carve out on your heels, as per a gybe.
• Get low and keep the rig away and strap up before hooking in.
// Try to drag your free hand in the water to add dynamism.
Finally, learn the move in both directions to keep your techniques in balance. This move has a lot going on but like all moves, keep it simple, focus and just go for it. You will have a few crashes but ‘failure is one step towards success’ and you are already ‘comfortable with being uncomfortable.’ The Duck Gybe is a flowing move that I truly love to teach, the more we duck the faster we grow and why we will always want to improve it.
RRD boards, wetsuits, softwear, Ezzy sails and Pro Sport Sunblock sponsor Jem Hall. Get him live and direct on one of his highly acclaimed coaching holidays– see www.jemhall.com for further details.
The March 2015 Issue of the world’s only monthly English-language windsurfing magazine is out now! Subscribe or grab your copy now in either App or Print versions! (Prices include delivery anywhere globally 10 times a year.)
BIG JUICY READS
PE’AHI AWAKES a powerful Pacific winter storm lights up Jaws. Polakow, Swifty, Morgan, Levi and Marcilio Browne tell their big wave tales.
BJORN DUNKERBECK, RETIRED BUT REBOOTED. JC finds out from the man himself why we have far from heard the last of Bjorn.
CODE BLACK An exceptional storm threatened 60 foot waves. Finn Mullen and John Carter seek, retreat, score and report on the big black blob !
DAYMER BAY Daymer is beautiful but has waves that can wreck any sailor. A story of two storms and a local’s guide to this must visit spot.
FUERTE’ ON FIRE Atlantic activity lights up Fuerteventura’s famous shores. Jules Denel and a cast of locals and visitors enjoy the spoils !
A FORCE 10 ADVENTURE The making of Red Bull Storm Chase, the Movie. An exclusive insight to the most elaborate Windsurf production of all time.
EVENTS
LANCELIN OCEAN CLASSIC The world’s longest running windsurf competition celebrates its 30th year ! JC reports from the beach.
GEAR SHED
SEAT HARNESS BUYERS GUIDE Peter Hart explains the benefits of sitting down alongside our run down of the latest bums in hooks on market.
TEKKERS
PETER HART MASTERCLASS – Harty on high winds. When the wind really blows, Captain Hart gives his tips on how to steady the sail..and board !
MOVE ON UP – Getting flight into your forwards. Jem Hall brings us his top tips for getting your forwards higher.
BOARDSHORTS
EGYPT WINDSURF GUIDE Egypt is a windsurfing Paradise, Peter Hart explains why. Read his tales, tips and our resort guide.
LOWDOWN : INTO THE COLD CHAMBER Gollito Estredo goes deep deep freeze, testing ION’s Fall/ Winter wetsuits in a cold lab !
LOWDOWN : STARBOARD RIO LONG TAIL Starboard have a new beginner board and concept, designer Tiesda You gives us the lowdown !
LATEST & GREATEST The freshest gear, the new design ideas, all here !
SITTIN’ ON THE DUNNY
EDITORIAL – STORM FORCE Storms, the greatest force in windsurfing also gives the greatest lesson. Challenge and be beautifully humbled.
AFFAIRS OF THE HART Brazil, paradise with an edge. Harty on the good and bad of a country famed for both but always worth it for a windsurfer.
I trust you are now educated, inspired and enthused as to how to add some gusto to your gybes and duck gybes and perhaps now it is time for you to take this ‘forward’ and unleash the ultimate trigger move, the forward (speed/ front) loop. Be reassured that a lot of the focus and precision you have invested and enacted in your gybes will really help you nail the forward. Namely these are preparing early, focusing on the key stages and setting a higher standard.
I will cut to the chase here, you must want to forward, it needs to consume you and be of the utmost importance. Courage, persistence, technique and embracing fear as your friend are the keys to this move, which, once nailed will open up so many other moves as you will feel ‘bullet proof’ after claiming a few. Believing you will achieve starts here. I strongly suggest you follow the pathway I recommend in my ‘Winner to Wavesailor (WTW)’ DVD, this being, be great at popping the board, then progress to tail grab jumps and in light to medium winds embrace the wymaroo as the ultimate loop steering drill. This is the painless way to amass the skills required to forward and believe me as I have taken many many people through this on my coaching holidays. The wymaroo and the other moves will be covered in a future piece as here we will concern ourselves with the main tips on flat water / small chop forwards.
// Hands down the boom and get over the board with the sail open’
Flat water? I hear some of you balk at this, well if you can do it on smaller chop / waves then you can do it anywhere and you will also then be able to learn delayed forward loops in the future as you will have a fast clean rotation and heaps of aerial steering skills but more on this later. The other thing about the lower rotations is it is less scarey and you have to go downwind to actually get round!
My mantra in WTW is pop, throw, look and pull and I would now like to extend this to; Believe, Prepare, Pop, Throw, Look and Pull. I will now impart the tips to get you moving forward from the above sections. Please be aware that I knew barely nothing about the forward when learning it back in ’96, I just went at it and all my crash test dummy work and my last 12 years of coaching have revealed the keys to unlocking your looping potential.
Believe!
You should get to know what it is that motivates you to do this move and then take this momentum forward. We are all different and all have different triggers to get us where we want to be. Competition, peer group pressure, setting a new standard or it could even be boredom with your current level. For me, I set a date to do it by or I would walk away from teaching windsurfing and guess what? I achieved it on that date after about 10 sessions.
I suggest that if you equip yourself with the above skills in the pathway and add to these super early planing, awesome tacks and a fast stance in all winds then you will have all the tools to unlock the move and actually get plenty of attempts in. Furthermore, visualise the move, and actually see yourself doing it. I believe in you and now you must BELIEVE IN YOU! I will present the relevant tips for each of the areas of the move and then you should choose the ones that ‘ring your bell’ and only focus on a few tips at a time.
// Check out how much the rig goes across and the work the toes and legs are doing to steer the board’
// Tuck up and keep pushing and pulling.
Prepare
By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail, just as great gybes make great wave rides then similarly this focus on precision and passion in the forward is paramount to
learning this liberating move. On to the top tips.
• Early preparation is the key. About 20 metres before you bear off get those hands back
• When I say back I mean way back, next to the boom adjusters is your target. The wymaroos (and gybes, light wind gybes) will already make you embrace and realize this.
• The front hand must also move back too. This assists the rig moving forwards and across, be warned you will need long lines to sail with your front hand back.
• Get over the board before take off. All your popping will make this a bit more intuitive. Being over the board helps you to get a great pop and send the nose high and it means the rig can already be across you in readiness to steer in the air.
The kit I suggest is fast wave boards, freestyle boards and fun freestyle waves as these all keep you upwind and planing fast with less sail power and go for a smaller fin (under 30cms for sure). The sail should be under 6.0 for learning but as you progress the limits you set are the limits you attain.
Banging out medium powered loops on a 6.0 and a 110 will add dynamism and pop to your forwards so get on and round it in all winds please. Lastly, wedge your feet into big straps so your feet can wrap and connect to the deck pads, tight straps will see you losing the board in the air.
Pop
Many of the above tips will come to the fore here, being over the board and having your hands back etc. Lets give you some more insights:
• Push down hard on the tail like you are aiming to ‘snap the tail off the board’. This sends the ‘nose to the sky’. So there are 2 great pop mantras for you.
• Get the nose high and then you will have the height to then drop the nose and steer aggressively in the air.
• Start the pop with the tail pushing down and continue it with the front leg and front arm lifting the nose.
• Amazing hold trinity skills (early planing, fast stance in all winds and staying upwind) will give you more attempts. These also mean you can get the pop and rotation in proximity to the beach so you have less time to think and **** yourself.
• Pop off the wind and this will often be over the back of a bit of a decent sized chop. This helps take off some of the distance you have to rotate through and also means you have to commit to the move.
• Pop off your toes like you are springing into a jump on dry land as this hugely aids aerial steering and draws the wind under the board.
• I rarely say don’t, however I will make an exception here, do not take off into the wind in to supposedly seek more easy height, this will end badly!
Throw
We are now fully committed and looking to take our amazing downwind pop around and steer the board through the rest of the move.
• Your nose is skyward and you are pulling the kit up further with the legs so now it is time to ‘draw the rig forwards and across you’ in readiness for the aerial steering. Moving the rig forward helps turn you downwind like in a light wind gybe.
• With your hands back you have a huge amount of leverage and can really get the rig forwards.
• Imagine pulling up on the front hand and then reaching forwards and across you with it, towards the nose of the board.
• The legs should be working hard here, as they are now lifting the tail up and bearing the board away through extending the front leg and bending the back leg.
• Herein lies one of the cruxes of the forward,‘you take off over the board and then in the air you steer it by moving your body back and out’ and ‘your rig forwards and across’. Lots of pops and wymaroos makes this part much more intuitive.
Look
Why do we focus so much on looking behind us in this move? Well it is firstly to keep your wetsuit clear of debris and stop you looking forward at doomsville. It also helps our body to rotate and roll through the move and lastly, it protects our ear drums – hoorah !
• You might choose to replace look with see, so aim to see the back of the boom, or the clew, or the water behind you.
• In the wymaroo I tell people to fall outboards and pull in and see just how much of a splash they can make with the clew being pulled in so aggressively.
• The looking behind you will assist you in pulling in hard with that back arm, and because your back arm is way back you can really sheet in, lets not get ahead of ourselves here though.
// Keep the rig flying on extended arms upon landing to pop up for an efficient waterstart ending’
Pull and Push
Okay so I have cheated here and added another word / tip and that is Push, or pushing in addition to the pulling. There can often be a heavy focus on the Neanderthal style, ‘just jump up and sheet in dude’, however there is way more going on than this so please begin to imagine the front half of you actually pushing the kit round and back half pulling you and the kit around and through the move. Lets examine this further:
• The pulling phase is the back arm ‘pulling the boom UP AND IN.’This really turns the board fast and gets the nose round.
• With your hands back you have huge leverage and your tail up jumps make you instinctively pull the back leg in hard and this keeps the nose rotating those extra precious few degrees more.
• Now for the pushing. It is an often understated part of the forward, so really focus on pushing away hard on your front leg. Your more outboards position gives you the leverage for this.
• I often suggest people to feel the deck pad with their toes and this can often only be achieved by straightening your front leg and having bigger straps. This scissoring action is akin to bearing away out of a tack.
• The pushing does not stop there as not only is your front leg working but so too is your straight front arm. So really push down hard on your front arm to fly the nose round and get you further around for an easier and cleaner landing.
// Believe, prepare, pop, throw, look and pull!
Throughout all these sections I have given you some food for thought in all the stages and some key mantras and tips to focus on. So I now implore you to find the keys for you to understand this move and more importantly to pull the trigger and get it done. Of course, if you need some help with this and many other moves then you can have your attempts recorded and the toppest of tips given to you on one of my overseas coaching holidays.
I will leave you with a few landing tips. If you rotate with a straight front arm and land near / on the gear then thrusting the rig across and up will assist you in catching some wind to pull you up and keep the rig out of the water. If upon landing you are in the likely position of being ¾ round and in the straps yet cannot waterstart then merely paddle round the last part by dropping your front foot out of the front strap, whilst keeping the rig flying, and steer round to an easier exit from the water.
Believe, Prepare, Pop, Throw, Look, Pull AND Push. You shall, you will and you can.
RRD
boards, wetsuits, softwear, Ezzy sails and Pro Sport Sunblock sponsor Jem Hall. Get him live and direct on one of his highly acclaimed coaching holidays– see www.jemhall.com for further details. You can also follow him on twitter / Facebook.
THE LOW-DOWN A conservative colour scheme by RRDs standards in this size of fifth edition wave cult quad. It’s a glossy bottomed hull with a pair of MFC Pro –flex 17cms in the back and 8’s in front.
BRAND CLAIM The new shapes of the wave cult V5 incorporate the latest development of our hi- performance sailboards line: wider body boards that are easier to use, more stable, planing earlier. This main feature (wide body) might seem in contrast with maneuverability, but when you actually work with a thinner rail profile, increased rocker and tail “V” then the whole right equation for performance level is achieved again with the good additions that the extra width will bring. A magic new formula that will improve the amount of sailing days in waves.
PERFORMANCE We had a positive experience of the 83L wave cult V5 for our 2014 wave test last year, so we thought we had a good idea of what to expect from its bigger brother but were even more impressed with the performance of the 92. Jem hall had already set this one up and as with the 83, advocated a narrower stance to get the best out of it. We were two screw holes back from the most forward position and two from the rear. The effect being that you stand tall, well over the board ready to react and turn quickly. The fin box configuration allows the fin set to overlap the front and rear pairs for superfast tight turns. We set these further apart as Jem and John Skye advised to allow a more steadily progressive and variable carving feel. John Skye recently used this particular model in the Cold Hawaii Klitmoller PWA Wave contest and choose to set it as a twinser for the lighter, bang on-shore conditions that prevailed in order to get a lighter freer feeling that won’t grab at the chop and hinder your flow. In these Medano conditions the quad set up was good and the Cult felt quite at home popping straight up onto the plane with little need to bear-away or muscle the rig with a free feeling on the fins. Its upwind abilities being good enough to take us up to the wall without it feeling like a slog. The hull feels alive and on the wave it naturally encourages a more surf oriented style that delivers plenty of endorphins as you carve more than skate your way from bottom turn to lip. Breaking the fins out off the top is entirely your decision and not the inadvertent result of putting them there.
THE VERDICT With a low energy, passive planing feel, the 92L Wave Cult is a refined all-rounder with more than just on-shore performance on tap. The wider, thinner -railed hull and kinked-in tail help you turn where you want, tight or wide arc with a fast reacting surfing feeling. Easy to plane and easy to ride the Cult will endear itself to many.
Alex Mussolini after the change of his sponsors to RRD is fully ready for the new season. This day the wind in El Medano was howling over 50 knots, and Alex was ripping on his smallest equipment.
THE LOW-DOWN Billed as a “side-shore wave pro” the all new Hardcore Wave v5 comes with a quad fin set up and five boxes. RRD’s usual conservative graphics make it unmistakable.
BRAND CLAIM After 4 years of riding waves all over the world with the Hardcore wave shapes V4 we have been able to test lots of different new shapes or prototype boards, used with different riding styles and finalize 4 new magic shapes. The Hardcore Wave V5 are the most versatile hardcore boards ever built it since their introduction in our collection. 4 Shapes with 10lt of difference in between 98 all the way down to 68 all equipped with 4 Fins slot box system for maximum drive through the top and bottom turns.
PERFORMANCE First thing you notice when you hop on the brand new Hardcore Wave is the balance, it is stable at rest. This poise allows the board to perform very strongly out of the blocks, with very little rider input required. It’s as low an energy ride as you want it to be and we tracked speedily upwind to the harbor wall with no effort. The footpads were noted by some for the comfort but we think that is mostly the deck shape which was making the difference there. The Hardcore works well with a wider stance. At a quoted 88L it is more voluminous than the rest in this category which partially explains its eagerness but there’s more to it than that, it’s the distribution and combination with the rocker line that makes it – so slippery. RRD make the point that this is their “premium” rocker line tweaked to do the job for this new line. All the evidence suggests that they have really got the combination spot on, for a board billed as “side shore” to feel so at home in some slack onshore conditions. Much like the Goya quad the Hardcore shared the ability to become “invisible” in feel very quickly . With the benefit of such a composed starting position you will remain unruffled as the terrain becomes more challenging. The easy planing attributes have not meant a compromise in its turning ability and grip. Testers all reported the positive “bite” initiating the turn and progressive hold as the pressure is increased. Great at carrying speed when carving deep downwind and that speed allows for more options on the wave. It has an easy throw about style and is a cracking big small board to compliment an existing quiver or one board solution.
THE VERDICT A “big” small board that packs 88litres into a compact shape. Low end performance to rival some of the 95L category. Beautifully composed and comfortable to ride with razor sharp wave performance make for a radical yet relaxed combination. It was a board that made everyone happy, so we expect it to do the same for you! RECOMMENDED.
The 85L waveboard has become the staple of many wavesailors due to its large sail carrying capacity; being comfortable with 5.7 to 3.7 in the modern shorter, wider, multi fin form. It’s a board size that is commonly used both at Ho’okipa and in competition on the PWA circuit where riders utilise the extra volume for float in lulls and ensure they are not under gunned in heats if the wind dies. As a result, 85L shapes are some of the most heavily researched and developed in a brand’s range which has great benefits for us as the end consumer.
This test was originally published in the January/February 2015 issue.
FINDINGS What is becoming increasingly apparent, especially in this category, is the massive influence of width and rockerline for planing ease and stability, volume alone just doesn’t tell you enough though is still an important indicator. This is borne out by the two earliest planers in this group being the biggest (RRD Hardcore Wave V5 @ 88L) and the smallest (Fanatic Triwave @ 81L) with nothing to choose between them. The RRD is thicker with a more beveled deck shape and even volume distribution whereas the Fanatic is thin top to bottom but still with an even flow throughout. Both boards are exactly the same length, 228cm, with the RRD just 0.5cm wider at its maximum. Conversely the two boards requiring the most power or technique to get going just happened to be the narrowest, most highly rockered, groundswell hungry boards here; the JP Radical Quad and Quatro Sphere but these still out plane most older boards and once powered offer a more front foot driven surfing sensation. Of course this is only a basic comparison and the real detail only comes from analysis of our in water testing reports
Realistically most of us with an 85L do have a bigger board to turn to if it’s just not blowing properly, which means that not having enough power to drive the little shredders is actually rarely a problem. According to the sales figures most people are choosing either 105/95l freestyle wave boards or bigger wave boards, 95L+ for float and ride conditions depending where they sail most. Though as you will discover from the individual board reports, quite a few boards of this size wouldn’t leave you sat on the beach procrastinating whilst your mates blast around on their 95L or more boards.
These 85L beauties had the same set of conditions for evaluation as their larger 95L siblings which were not “epic” but representative of ‘real world’ conditions. Despite this when it did blow consistently, the 85’s came out. Mostly used with the 5.3m rigs we still had an immense amount of fun on them and 85L waveboards still remain the go to board size for most wave sailors, professionally or recreationally and with good reason.
SUMMARY All of these modern 85’s are capable of fulfilling the one board quiver for the 75-90 kg pilot, with fin tuning options a plenty to provide extra light wind drive or top end control. Our main test team consisted of 80, 85 and 95kg pilots supplemented with some lighter riders input for balance.
Within our main test team group, our favorites vying for top honors in the marginal conditions were the Fanatic TriWave 81 and RRD Hardcore wave 88 for their ability to get going, keep going and still turn easy and keep speed. For its all-round plug and play ability the Goya Custom 84 will satisfy you without the need for tinkering. If you get to sail in groundswell conditions then the JP radical wave 83 is the fastest turning board we have set foot on and definitely sets pulses racing. Whether it is a one board do it all or quiver addition you are after, read on for our thoughts on what made each board tick and what may be the right shredder for you.
Come January 1st, like many of us, you will play around with some ideas for a New Year’s resolution or two So I would like to commence 2015 with you taking on some windsurfing resolutions and move forward into a ‘New Year’s Revolution !’
Words JEM HALL // Photos NICK JONES
In any area of life in order to succeed you have to truly “want,” which is far more powerful and determined than “need.” This is ever so true in our great and challenging sport so if YOU really WANT to move forward in your sailing then you really have to commit to take action. A quote that can highlight this is “Successful people have results and unsuccessful people have reasons.” So let’s look at committing to your resolutions and beginning the revolution of really ripping in your sailing.
“ Looking where you want to go means you look upwind to go upwind ”
RESOLUTIONS FOR REVOLUTION
Mindset:How committed you are and what kind of internal self-dialogue have you ? A positive self-dialogue
is crucial, try statements commencing with ‘I shall, I will and I can’ and insert your chosen targets of waterstart, gybe, sail fast, jump, loop, tack or attack the waves, as examples.
Technique: This is perhaps the one area most look to improve in, let’s kick off by presenting the basic building blocks upon which all improvements are built as “Ordinary things consistently done produce extraordinary results.” Whenever you go sailing, choose one of the below basic concepts and focus on it for at least a portion of your session. Set an allotted time, like 20 minutes of your “hour of power,” where you focus on that one thing. By hour of power, I mean to sail for an hour maximum and then review and think about what you did, “less is more.” By sailing “less’’ hours but more effective and focused, you will gain “more” from your sessions. It can be said that when you over-sail, you spend the last 30 minutes of your session “practicing your mistakes.” Sail less and with more focus to really enjoy your sailing and improve !
// Get low and be ready to gybe.
Here are three basic concepts to look at first:
Look and see: Looking where you want to go means you look upwind to go upwind, as opposed to staring at your gear. Also, look at the wind to examine what sailing line to take, head upwind in the gusts that you “see,” and bear away (turn downwind) when you see lulls. Take this further by looking out of your gybe’s (or top turns), and when waveriding, aim to see as early as possible any sign of swell to gybe or tack onto.
Precise hand position:Throughout most moves and skills, it is of vast importance to ensure your front hand is back by the front harness line (assuming lines are positioned correctly) and that the other hand is about shoulder-width back from this. Next up, whenever you are gybing, sailing clew-first, looping, etc, put your backhand way down the boom to give you more power and control over the sail. This is very effective.
Get low: This is simpler yet more challenging than you think. Aim to bend your back leg more than usual when getting planing, sailing fast, getting up from a beach start or water start. Take this a stage further and look to be positioned with your head at boom height throughout the majority of your powered-up sailing – as I say on my clinics ‘’Get down, James Brown’’
// Get low out of the gybe and with your hands precisely placed.
// Let go in your carving 360s’.
// Let go of the boom and trust you and your lines.
Work on these points and never underestimate the power of self-visualization. So you know that I am with you on this and acting on my “Revolution” technique, I am currently working on my own waveriding. The targets I have set for myself are placing my back hand way back during bottom turns, getting lower throughout the ride by really flexing my ankles and taking more risks (enjoy crashing ! ), as failure is one step towards success.
“By sailing “less’’ hours but more effective and focused, you will gain “more” from your sessions”
Letting go
If all of the above has not got your boat rocking, and you perhaps want something more prescriptive for 2015, then I will now say to you ‘let go and release the handbrake.’
// Hands precisely placed in the gybe and seeing out of the gybe’.
// Attack the gybe with back hand precisely placed way back.
Try these moves and skills:
• Sail one handed; I mean really sail along with front or back hand off and get better at it, so much so that you can do it for a hundred metres or more.
• Do one-handed transitions; from one handed heli tacks, to hand drag gybes, to one handed jumps, to one handed carving 360s and through to one-handed top turns.
// Helping my rippers set their targets and ensuring their mindset is positive.
These will build your risk taking mindset and make you raise your game whilst building essential windsurfing skills so you can make progress in all your moves. Go on, do it and enjoy making your resolutions for Revolution !
RRD boards, wetsuits, softwear, Ezzy sails and Pro Sport Sunblock sponsor Jem Hall. Check out his fab new site www.jemhall.com for details. You can also follow him on twitter / Facebook.
