Looking for help choosing the right volume for my next board

[greyghost]

so I'm 165#, 69", can waterstart, get in the straps, still working on planing through my jibes but can complete about 30-40% of them. Getting back in the sport after several years of sailing only a couple times a year. I have a 103 liter F2 277 ride that I picked up two months ago and have an old Mistral One Design that I use for light wind. I've found myself sailing 7.0 and 6.0 mostly, rarely a 5.0. I've had the mistral out with an older NP V8 9.0 a few times.

I sail in mostly flat water, though I like chop and will hit a few smaller jumps here and there....crashing and burning mostly. Not much true wave sailing. My goal is to sail. I don't have much time, so when I go, I'd like to be on the water. I'm likely only going to be transporting the two smaller boards, not the mistral, just too big.

I was initially thinking a 144 liter board, but think that a 133 liter might be a better compromise. Not sure 122 liter would be enough more than the smaller board. Looking at Starboard Carves (used) or Futura's, also read good things about the Tabou Rockets.

thanks in advance
Jeff

[U2U2U2]

the Tabou Rockets in 115 & larger are more so freeride, larger yet maybe a mini formula feel, the smaller a little more Freestyle wave //crossover//allrounder oriented.

said to be a cross between a wave & slalom board, by Tabou.

125 to 135 would cover 6.0 --7.0 , you may sail in gusty wind where a little more volume like the 135 would be a bit of comfort, planing 'bout the same, 125 a little more manoeuver oriented, and carry a slightly smaller sail. The size question, you will get some different views on, which is why you asked ???

as a alternative suggestion JP X-Cite Ride ,, Starboard Futura or yes Carve in slightly older models all nice wind machines.

[cruzanboard]

Welcome to the "board quiver" journey.
I have done this recently (and still doing it.)
Whatever size you get (115, 120, 125, 130, etc.) will cover
a certain wind range (obvious). But as contiditons change,
you will see that other guy cruising by on a better sized
board for the conditions. Thus you will need to buy another board.
Etc., etc.

Im not 165 lbs. (more like 200 with gear), but a X-cite Ride 120 L
fits me well until wind is above 25 knots. As you get hooked to
the sport again, you will want more boards. I have three boards now,
working on #4. You have been warned.

[jingebritsen]

Be careful what you wish for indeed. Double concaves too far aft and lots of rocker means not very good early planing abilities with smallish sails deployed. In other words, they pump onto a plane very poorly. Exocet, F2 the more recent ones since 2005, Fanatic, and Mistral from Mark Nelson all have more worldly designs that work every where. Tabou's have become quite good in the past 2 years as well. Watch out for used boards that have panel V's, and double concaves placed too close to the fin.

If you lived in a windier spot and had a 100 liter board as your go to in mind, life would be a lot easier. Still, it sucks to not be able to use a little finesse to pump onto a plane with just enough sail power....

[johnl]

[swchandler]

Picking the right board and its volume is more about what sail size you'll be using. When you get into the 135-145 liter range, the primary focus is really in the 8.5-9.5 sail size range. Given that sail range you highlighted, 6.0-7.0, I would recommend targeting the 110-120 liter range, especially since you can waterstart. It's important to remember you can always fin up when sailing in the lighter wind conditions, and improve your low end capability significantly.

[greyghost]

thanks for all the responses.

I was wondering if a 133 or 140 liter board could really handle a 9.0. That sail is huge even on the 12 foot Mistral.

So I mentioned I'm usually sailing a 6.0 and 7.0.
However, my thoughts were that I'd like to sail the smaller board 103 liter board with 5.0 and 6.0, and bump up the larger board with a 7.0 and 9.0?
The 7.0 on the smaller board (rated for 4.5 to 7.2) feels pretty large relative to the board.

reasonable logic?

yes...getting hooked is getting hooked. you're not kidding.
I keep looking daily for good deals on new/used stuff to add, LOL.

[greyghost]

oops, didn't mean to post the same response twice, sorry

<deleted>

[U2U2U2]

Where do you sail ?

the 103L will cover the smallish side 5.5--6.5 , 7.0 at your weight is probably too big, the largest I would use on a 104L is 6.4. they tend to make things nice on paper when the real world is different.

the larger sailrange you are asking about 9.0 , ok for sure 140 & up or 135 , a 9.0 on a 125 don't think so.

so the 103L is going to the beach along with the next size up..not the Mistral, a gap from the F2 should be 10 or 15 liters, but you also want to maximize your time on the water (TOTW), if its not blowing 103L, so you have a decision to make, like the schwandler said......which sail are you going to use ? If its big then a bigger board... I think you are in the ballpark around 130L, I don't feel too many will feel any dif in 5L, so 125 135.
FWIW I go from 140 Tabou Rocket, to 115 Rocket
then 104 Naish , the feeling I get from your post is larger end of 125 for the bigger sail. me thinks 130--140 ish

[swchandler]

The Mistral is most likely from a different era, and it was never really designed for the 9.0 range. I pretty sure that the Mistral would be optimized with no bigger than a 7.5. Check the fin, and that becomes much clearer.

That said, you kind of modified your sail focus, so most likely a board in the 130-135 liter range would be best, especially if the 9.0 would get the most use. Also, a 9.0 isn't that easy to waterstart, so the extra width and volume helps greatly when uphauling. Really though, the 145 liter range is more focused on heavier sailors in the same sail range, and that's why the widths are undoubtedly very similar (~80-85 cm), with the same rockerline. At your weight, the higher volume board gains you nothing.