Freestylers , I need board advice

[surfalex]

I am looking for a freestyle board but not sure what brand and size I should focus on.
Currently I do most of the non-jumping moves such as 360s, push tacks, backwinded jibes etc

I will start working on sliding moves next year, ( flakas, vulcans etc )
My weight is 185-190ibs, It'll be used in the Gorge

Was considering a 93l ( 2014 ) Fanatic Skate but I am worried it might be to small to learn these tricks on

[johnl]

Well I'm old school freestyle (every year I talk about trying harder moves but then remember my shattered foot) and weigh 185ish. I have owned 3 Fanatic Skates and 2 Nash freestyle boards. I prefer the Skates over the Nash mostly because of feel, but also because the Nash have flatter decks. I have heard good things from my friends about Starboard, but then again, they are sponsored by them

As to size. I've owned 99 to 115 liters in size in freestyle boards. For MY weight I find the 115 is the low end. I use it with a 5.7 or a 6.2 sail. Not a lot of new tricks going on with those sails. BUT the 99 (or an older 104) works great with 4.7 and 5.2 sails (for me). In the Gorge, this was my "go to" gear for our low 20's and upper teens wind speed. Below that I would use the 115 (a couple of times a year) or above that, go to my high wind boards and forget freestyle

IMHO you will get more use out of a 100ish liter board than a 90 liter board. Unless of course you are in a super windy area and are already doing such tricks, then forget I said anything...

What tricks do I do? In the straps upwind 360's, carve 360's, clew first 360's, duck jibes, donkey jibes, stuff like that. Definitely old school...

[loonie2]

If you're going to start on sliding moves like vulcans then a freestyle board will make a big difference. As far as size goes for a beginner this may depend on the water state and wind strength. My 99l skate feels big in higher wind and is a rough ride when using a small fin and in choppy water. For the gorge, my hunch is the 93l.

Check out the below blog:


http://purewindsurfing.blogspot.ca/2013/07/the-big-2013-freestyle-board-review-100.html

[rlemmens]

I personally always liked bigger board and smaller sail. The gorge is pretty gear specific but I'm sure a lot of boards would work. The RRDs are kind of slow and stable which is nice for a beginner. I always used the tabou and never had a complaint. The JP looks alright too. I think most of the guys over there are using freestyle wave boards.

[wdsurf]

I have a 2013 Goya listed here cheap AIR 99

[rexi]

I´m about 73-76kg depending on excersise. I got a JP 99L freestyle 2010 and have had it since 2011/12 or so.

I got the board to get into freestyle after trying some sliding moves on a waveboard. I find it nice to have it this big, it´s forgiving and has gotten me through my first vulcans and spocks. It´s still pretty good for light wind freeriding and gets planing really early. I used it for example this summer to practise forwards then i was lightly powered but planing on my 4.5 but the freeride friends of mine were on 6.7-7.5m sails but they are about 85-100kg. Still it gets planing really really early and i say this board purchase has been one of my best ones, makes flat water days really fun and has increased the number of my planing days.

[wsurfn1426]

In normal locations it would be a 99- 100 liter board. The Gorge is magical with the current dragging you upwind and a steady breeze. Ask a local first.

[bericw]

"Freestylers" advice was requested, and I am just wishing, wishing on a star I could really freestyle, but I'll pass on what I have found regarding volume because volume seems to really help. The Boards UK forum has numerous posts talking about "rules of thumb" for freestyle boards at 15 to 30 liters over body weight depending on skill and conditions. The interest of these numbers can be quickly considered via pwa listed sailor weights and the available production boards which are required for use. For example, one of the bigger guys, 87 kg, favorite freestyle board, 100 L; http://jp-australia.com/2014/team/international-team-riders/steven-van-broeckhoven/ Videos abound.

Regarding the gorge, check http://jp-australia.com/2013/team/international-team-riders/bryan-metcalf-perez/ and check his freestyle board use in the gorge at http://vimeo.com/30746276 70 kg, 99 L.

See also 75 kg, 89 L, http://purewindsurfing.blogspot.com/2013/08/gorge-2013.html?m=1

Other people I know who totally rip the gorge and elsewhere also demonstrate the 15 to 30 L over body weight range regardless of the conditions. For sure, they also kill it on anything else too, but their freestyle boards are... For my own personal nonsense in the gorge and weighing ~110 kg, it is better, so much better, to be on 125 liters (Nelson custom Joker, typically 5.2 to 6.2, 4.2 to 7.7 as forced, always ~19 cm fin) than prior 110ish's as dictated by production sizes. Without a doubt I can always fuss that I fail due to equipment and conditions not lack of skill, but with the 125 planing is so likely, and putting is guaranteed, that it really focuses the fault at the true source, rider skill.

As usual, whatever...hope to see you out there!

https://abkboardsports.com/camps/details/342

[kevinkan]

board sizing is somewhat personal. what do you normally ride in the Gorge, and where do you normally sail? Are you going to be sailing the same spots when trying these tricks and do you have a preferred side/tack to learn on?

Generally, you will go for a bigger board than normal when trying to learn freestyle tricks. the bigger you go, the more stable they'll be when you're sliding, and they'll continue sliding at slower speeds, which will give you time to recover/save. smaller boards will be easier to pop and be better for general all around sailing.

i would look at width in addition to volume. a lot of boards ride bigger or smaller than the quoted volume due to measurement or outline.

I've benefitted greatly from riding a big freestyle board (108l x 66cm width) in the past to learn tricks and then have taken them to the smaller boards. FYI, I'm about 185lbs too. If I lived in the Gorge, I'd ride something closer to 90l most of the time for freestyle, but I already know a lot of the tricks. That said, I've had absolutely awesome sessions at The Hatch on a 100l freestyle board and a 4.8 when hardly anybody is out.

[PeconicPuffin]

I weigh 165lbs and echo all of Johnl's comments (and I own a Skate 99). I've also found the RRD twin tip (as a rental board in Bonaire) to be an easy to control (for a freestyle board) ride. If I was buying a board now that's what I'd get

big board small sail...that is the first thought for freestyle gear.