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dhmark
Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 376
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 10:04 am Post subject: Board advice for 95 L Bump and Jump |
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I'm an old sailor looking for a comfortable ride on L Michigan, which either has big swell or sharp chop depending on direction, comfort is big priority. My larger board is an old Fanatic Cross 120 (116 L) 64 cm wide which isn't going anywhere I love that board for 7.0 and inconsistent 6.0. The 95 L would be for 5.0 and steady 6.0. Boards with good closeout prices that seem to fit the bill are Tabou classic 3s 97, RRD freestyle wave 96, Exocet Cross 94, and Simmer Helix v1 95, all old models.
I've never used 3-fin setup, but would consider it as an option when the chop is really bad (Simmer helix and RRD offer 3-fin). No opportunity to try any of these. Helix seems good but at 63 cm wide maybe too much overlap with my older board? Lots of good opinions on old Tabou 3s designs, RRD also with good reputation. People love exocet soft pads, but is it as forgiving in chop as the others? |
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rswabsin
Joined: 14 May 2000 Posts: 444 Location: New Jersey
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 10:32 am Post subject: |
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Good post - I'm in the market for the same board as well. Been leaning towards the 2017 V4 RRD FSW but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I've got a 2006 Exocet Exo Wave 95 and yes the footpads on this are double thickness and exceptional easy on the feet, knees, etc. You can actually feel your heel and sole of the foot sinking in while riding. Lots of reviewers thought the extra thick pads deadened the ride. I never thought so - just one of those boards you could sail all day. Anyways, most board companies are offering extra thick (10 mm+) pads now so many are very comfortable. If you haven't seen this, theres a good review of the RRD an other boards here. https://www.windsurf.co.uk/test-type/95-litre-xb18/
Rob |
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capetonian
Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 1197 Location: Florida
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 1:09 pm Post subject: |
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Tabou Classic 3S is very comfortable in chop. |
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isobars
Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20936
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 1:29 pm Post subject: |
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It would help if you elaborated on your criteria. "B&J" is a broad category, ranging from beam reach blasting to slashing rights and lefts as though you were wave sailing, all with some jumps thrown in. How important are top speed, early planing, jibing radius, pinching ability, deck traction, and anything else you do now or want to advance into? Are you willing to try a few different fins on it to optimize its performance to suit your overall preferences or adapt to wind direction? Do you have pretty good swap meets to cruise, or is selection limited to closeouts online? Are you unusually light or heavy?
I have many carefully chosen boards in that size range (they can be found for $250 to $400 around here in VG to flawless condition) with emphasis on ride quality, carving ability, back foot steering (i.e., no need to take the back foot out to carve extremely tight slashes), variable radius jibing ... highly user-friendly from the first reach yet high performance in anything but drag racing with slalom boards under very fast sailors. My favorites include Mistral's earlier Syncro (I haven't ridden any post-2008 Syncros) and Shift, as well as F2's Thommen Maui Project Wave. I have several Syncros ranging from 90 to 115 liters, from narrow to wide widths and stubby to "normal" aspect ratios, and am constantly pleased with every aspect of their performance in swell and in rough chop. I liked my 2013 Exocet X-Wave 103's VERY early planing, ride, and wide jibing, but it wasn't slashy enough to suit me. My 90L RRD FSW seemed to be a smaller version of the 103L X-Wave; I still wanted tighter turning.
BTW ... pad thickness takes just minutes to improve. Ya just slap on some self-stick 1/4"-thick deck pads pieces on top of yer OEM pads beneath the heels, seal the edges with clear goop, and go sailin'. Cush!
I push my fins very hard when pinching as high as possible in heavy chop (add heel ramps for that), landing jumps while still pointing high, slashing as hard as I can under full power, ripping far downwind when too overpowered to beam reach, and spontaneous terrain-following with the hammer down. Some boards need extra fins to do that, others don't. In general, I feel that extra fins contribute only when pushed very hard by very aggressive riding, and even then one great fin in perfect condition can usually bridge that gap very well. OTOH, my X-Wave was a tri-fin, and I was always disappointed in the amount of effort required to make it slash or jibe super-tightly and it spun out too often when driving very hard high upwind. It also sacrificed turning prowess on the altar of early planing.
You may even find that some mid-90L boards will carry that 7.0 ... useful if that 120 gets too bouncy in some of your chop. |
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techno900
Joined: 28 Mar 2001 Posts: 4172
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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I have a Tabou classic 96, three years old. Love the board. I weigh 166 lbs. and use it primarily with 5.2 sail, but also 6.0, 4.5. A few times with 6.4 and 4.0 and all work well. |
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NOVAAN
Joined: 28 Sep 1994 Posts: 1555
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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I'm 68 years old, I65 lbs and been windsurfing since 1982. Lots of boards and sails in that time. My favorite board for 5.8 to 4.2 in lake, bay and even mid size waves is the 2015 Tabou 3s in the CED construction. If smooth and easy is what your after, give one a try. Its just fun to sail anywhere I go. This board is at its best when the water gets ruff and going into a turn. The narrow tail and cut outs look kind of different but the board just works. It planes quickly, goes up wind well for this type of board and off the wind, its fast. Its not freeride fast heading up but it will do the job. I tried the 2017 new shape
in a 116 and did not like it nearly as much as the older "classic" shape. Nothing wrong with it but just not as easy to have fun on. |
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nw30
Joined: 21 Dec 2008 Posts: 6485 Location: The eye of the universe, Cen. Cal. coast
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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If you want something that will be comfortable in "sharp chop", which I consider fairly tall chop and close together, I'd stay away from anything wider than 60cm. I have a 62cm wide board that I have to get off of when it becomes fairly choppy, I go to a 60cm, which works down to about 4.5 wind, any stronger than that, and I'm on my 80Lt. x 56cm strictly wave board.
I weight 165. Wide boards don't fit very well in sharp chop, they become unstable.
Brand and length can vary. |
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kmf
Joined: 02 Apr 2001 Posts: 503
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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I own a RRD 88 FSW, 2016 version, I'm 68 and 150 lbs. so the 88 is my 4.8 and 5.6 board......Love this board, smooth, and easy to sail, it does it all. Not the fastest out there, but that is not my thing.
I have owned several RRD FSW's a 96 litre, (I was 185 lbs then), my present 88 litre FSW I lost 50 lbs and the 96 was bigger than I needed. And a 80 FSW, (2006), All of these boards are easy to sail, smooth in the chop, (I sail in the Gorge, and it is always choppy), The 88 litre one that I have now is really maneuverable, snappy like a wave board, but planes in a heartbeat. a joy to sail.
I can't see one going wrong with one of these. I like the wood deck version, it is a little smoother, the LTD is stiffer thus not as smooth in my opinion. And it's cheaper.
KMF |
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jingebritsen
Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371
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manuel
Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 1158
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 7:51 am Post subject: |
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Year of the boards please, the first 3 would be great choices!
The 3-fin setup will give you greater top end control, better control in the turns, tighter turns, at the expense of speed, early planing and lift. _________________ *NEW* - Manu's Windsurfing Blog, The STORE! |
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