More tests, more revelations, what an amazing sport :) !

[manuel]

Well today is a big day in my windsurfing career... I have bought a board! Didn't happen since 2007, hard to believe but when gear works great, why change?

Here is the new toy - 2013 Starboard Quad 82L (58.5 mid / 37.3 tail).
Squash tail for extra push on soft waves, early planing with slighter better lower range (ability to carry "bigger" sails.).



From researching desperately, I would have loved the Quad from Goya but the price and size weren't matching what I was looking for. For example their 84L would have worked best as a one-board option but lack maybe in the low wind range (which we run into often).

Also, I couldn't test it while I had a great time on the 2010 Starboard Quad. I am not a huge fan of the style, a little too 2000s for me but it's never been a priority and I could always tweak it if I get bored.

[adywind]

Congratulations!!! Looks like it's in a great shape. Have many epic sessions on it!

[manuel]

The board has arrived, too bad no wind today, first impressions:

Overall shape: Quite nice, pads show little wear which is a great sign, nearly impossible to see where the straps were mounted! However, two dings (repaired) on the bottom, oh well. A lot more beautiful in real life, weird.

Weight average/correct, wood version, around 16.5lbs (7.5kgs) with my straps (custom quite thick, internal JP strap + air tube piece + JP gel + neoprene from Dakine Primo) + fins + mast foot base. Balances on the front strap, can't wait to test it in the air.

Straps: I dislike the stock ones, too soft and wide, not ergonomic enough to my taste. Two back screws, one only at the front. Frankly, with their anti-twist plastic washer, it was holding quite well with only one screw, not sure whether they wanted to copy the competition? Spacing is 15.5, too wide for my yet flat and wide feet (10ish). So I had to play with assymetric washers to dial in the width. Same worry with my old Acid and the 2010 Quad so something I was already expecting anyway.

The screw provided are huge, 7x32mm, really tight to get into the inserts. It got so hard and yet I hadn't even tighten the strap down. So, I went for some old screws I had of the same thread but thinner. Much better. To be dialed in once on the water and the pads set. It's just something to check once in a while anyway.

Straps position: I like, only two settings in the back, I wish the front was the same, no need for more. I set them as wide as possible, maybe I will back up the front ones, or vice versa as it'll be a medium-low wind board. It'll all depend on what the board has to offer in terms of performance compare to my smaller Freewave.

Blades: A little heavy, small, beautiful, translucid blue, looking forward to testing out different combos. At Starboard, they started in 2010 with 2x16 + 2x12 and 81L, ok quite huge, then 82L with 13 + 11, more reasonable, in 2013 13 + 10 and finally in 2015 84L and 13 + 11. Looks like they don't really know where they are going... but who does?

First test tomorrow, there will be some shredding!

PS: Since I snapped everything with my 5.4, my light wind mode is now a bagged out 5.0. From 12 to 19 knots, it works ok with my 105L. But I think I'll need at least 15, if I want to get going on 82L especially as a quad.

[adywind]

Very interesting -I had no idea that it's a mono concave /like my wave SUP/! Did you get plugs for the front slots? It would be cool to try it in twin mode too.

[manuel]

The hull is deceptively simple, mono concave all the way. Quite underwhelming upon first inspection! My old Acid had a much more complex design.

I don't have 15's to use as a twin. I will try to use the 13's only, they do look tiny !

The problem with small fins (whether single or not) is that when underpowered I lose upwind so I have to ride longer and may not catch as many waves.

EDIT: Quick update, had some really really light wind (12-16 knots), so perfect to test the low end. The board has huge float, nothing close to 82, probably 86-87. Easy to slog, easy to tack, can uphaul without issues. The board doesn't head upwave in the current, it floats nicely keeping its track. It's easy to trim, feels very light under feet. I cannot feel any drag from the fins, actually I wish for maybe a touch more fin. I will try with the bigger fins in the front to see if I can get more drive. Jumps are good, landing with the squash tail didn't feel as smooth as my Acid. The jibes seem easy (had little speed).

[U2U2U2]

This is a generation different from my 2011.. 2012 the same 77liter QuadIQ

My fins that came with are 15, 13 and 11. So twin setup as well as quad.

It does have blanking plates for the 2 SLOTBOX .

The tail shape goes along with the other widths, as prescribed by the Shapers,
This will probably sail larger than quoted.

[manuel]

In lighter winds (14-18knots), I seem to lack drive, so I tried the big fins up front and small ones out back. While this was fine for planing and straight line, it felt really slow to turn and hard to pivot. Also, slogging I could feel the board catching the current more.

Then I set it up with the fins all the way apart, this gave me good drive but lost too much to my taste on turning radius. So now I have the front 1cm off of the forward position and the back one 1cm off of the most rear position.

Honestly, I wasn't expecting to be able to spin out on a quad but either the weeds, the light wind, or the lack of sail pressure, makes the quad a little sensitive.

I will try with 11's up front to see if I can gain a little more back foot support.

[U2U2U2]

Quads from my experience require the most fiddling to get correct.

[manuel]

Makes absolutely sense to me and I kinda enjoy fiddling too!

The first thing I did was to create a ruler so I can accurately place the fins and not just eyeball them. I'm not sure how Starboard would think that we can line them up without one?

The nice thing is that the boxes were lined up perfectly, I expected some differences.

[cgoudie1]

You are also going to find Quads favor front footed technique. I have
a heavy rear foot, and I could never quite get comfortable on a starboard quad.

-Craig