New board opinions wanted

[jlooby]

Looks like it is time for annual new board wishlist!

180 lbs great lakes (freshwater) sailor.
Int - advanced
Current quiver 95l Simmer Quantum, Tabou 3S 116, RRD Firemove 120
Sails Ezzy's 4.0, 4.6, 5.2, 6.3 & 8.0

I am thinking about upgrading my RRD Firemove 120 (80 wide). I've sailed it a ton for the last 4 years on 8.0 & 6.3. Typical conditions are onshore wind swell - 2-5' tight waves.
I really like it but find a bit bouncy in the waves.

I am thinking about a new board that would sail like a bigger Tabou 3s 116.
Wishlist
- good in waves for blasting
- early planing - need to match or better the early planing of my rrd (planes in 12 knots+ with 8.0 Ezzy Cheetah
- sails 8.0 & 6.3
- single backstrap option
- maybe use it for foiling in the future
- powerbox

Options
- Tabou Rocket 135 (76 wide)
- Severne Fox 140 (78 wide) or 120 (70 wide) (not sure if they are available in north america)
- Fanatic Blast 130 (70 wide)
- RRD Fireride 135 (73 wide)

Let me know what you think or please share any experiences you have with these boards or similar.
Thanks!

[lturkevich]

A while back I sailed a session on a borrowed Tabou Rocket 135 w/ my Retro 7.5, very user friendly board.

[pmlct]

I would tell you to wait and keep sailing the Firemove for now until you decide what you are doing about foiling. The industry standard for foiling is deep Tuttle, plate mount or a different proprietary finbox system whose name I can't recall at this moment. The other option is the Powerplate from Windance but I would not go out and spend 2K on a Powerbox board with the intention of putting a Powerplate foil system on it. Actually I would spend the 2K on a foil specific board if you knew that was what you wanted. I have owned 2 3S 116's and assuming the 6.3 is a wave sail then you have a sweet combo there for running three footstraps for those conditions. You could get the Powerplate for your Firemove and get a plate mount foil to attach to it. The Slingshot system comes deep Tuttle and has the plate attachment for another $62. At least get familiar with it as you shop for foils. If you destroy the board or finbox at least you won't cry too much about it. I am selling off my big freeride gear because I think foiling is going to kill that market-my Rocket 125 is listed here on Iwind.
You would regret spending big bucks on a board only to find out that it won't work well for foiling. I am trying my new foil tomorrow for the first time by the way.

[NOVAAN]

Once you ride the 3s you will always be looking for a board as good. Hard to find

[akrausz]

I know almost nothing about foiling, but I'd be surprised, especially at this early stage of foil board development, that boards exist that excel at both sticking to the water when used with a standard fin, and leaving the water when used with a foil.

Foiling aside, I too would love a board that performs like a freestyle wave board when I'm on my 8.0. In general, I find that the sweet spot for an early planing 8.0 board doesn't extend down as far as a 6.3, unless I'm sailing on flat water. Even the new Firemove 120, which the designer says handles choppy water better, is not an ideal 6.3 board, according to the specs. Since your 116 is probably perfect with your 6.3, if you want to stick with your existing sail spacing, and you want to continue planing in 12 knots, I would target closer to 8.0 as the sweet spot, and accept that the 6.3 will be a handful at times. I sail in mostly light wind, so I have bridged the gap between my 8.0 and 6.2 with a 6.9 Tiger that I can use with my 115 freestyle wave board, or any of my light wind boards.

Regarding bouncy, have you experimented with moving the mast track forward an inch?

Also, curious why you limited your options to the boards you mentioned.

[gvogelsang]

I weigh 210.

I have a Firemove 122, and a Rocket 125 (new model - last year). I prefer the Rocket 125 because it has a better range for me. I have had nice days with an 8.0 Cheetah, and better days with a 6.5 Cheetah.

While not optimal, it will take a 5.5.

If I were in the market for a new board, I would also want to demo a Rocket Wide.

[capetonian]

I have a 2015 3s 116 and it handles a 7.0 just fine. I would get a 7.0 for the 3s and look for the perfect 8.0 board.

[NOVAAN]

Think Rocket 125... Lots of the guys your size blast on that board. Class of the freeride class...

[Arrgh]

I'm sure you know that the only good option if you are going to foil this new board is the Fireride. Alternatively, you could hold onto the Firemove and try it with a Powerplate. You might want to follow a guy named bert who posts on the sw "where we sailed today" forum. He's just getting started with foiling his Firemove 110.

[streetsailing]

have you considered the Exocets?

My favorite is the Cross Carbon. Surf well with single fin and 3 footstrap set up.
Early planing and fast.
I've never met an owner of one of the Crosses that doesn't love it.

http://www.exocet-original.com/en/cross-silver.php