2008 RRD FSW 90L Anyone tried one?

[JiberJaws]

I have a 2005 or 06 RRD FSW 90L that I love for my Sherman Island bump and jump plus freestyle sessions. I use it in 4.6-5.2 conditions and then drop to a smaller board when the wind is stronger. I really like that it is fast therefore I can get bigger air and is quick to get on a plane. My only complaint is that I have to ride the rail really hard to get it to turn quickly. I suppose that is the trade off.
Anyway to get to the point I think it may break this summer and so in anticipation of that I'm thinking about replacing it with its 2008 LTD version. Any one tried one for the kind of use described above? All the reviews rate different sized boards in the same model or seem like they are released from the manufacturer.

Thanks!!!

[shitan]

Hi pookie,
The responsivenesses of a board to foot pressure is greatly increased when using a small fin. I believe the 05 FSW 90 came with a 27 or 29cm fin and that is great for early planing, jumping and getting upwind but too bad for slashing swell tight turns. You need something less than 22cm.

Jason Voss has the 08 FSW. He can speculate about that board if you email him.

[DonORiordan]

Hi Pookie,

I agree with Shitan that fin choice is a big factor also.
I'm a fan of the RRD FSW (170 pound male, I ride a 2005 or so RRD FSW 80L version at Waddell and in the SF bay channel on a good Ebb), and also find it planes really easy etc. Even with its supplied stock fin, I find it pretty loose and turny compared to other/bigger boards I've ridden.

Note that this board is by design a "fast tail" by which the tail area and rail shaping etc are set up for quick planing (compared to a regular "pure" waveboard which is more setup for radical maneuverability). The bottom line is boards which plane super easily will not be the easiest/quickest to turn, and there are all sorts of tradeoffs made between the two. Pure wave boards are harder to plane but easier to turn, and FSW boards are easier to plane but harder to turn. It is of course all relative, both to other boards and to the rider ability. Compared to a regular freeride or freewide board, an FSW will still feel incredibly loose & turny.

I can probably accurately predict that the 08 LTD FSW is still a "fast-tail" board (the early planing combined with still very decent levels of maneuverability is what makes these boards to appealing to massive numbers of people, and I very much doubt that RRD would risk loosing that mass appeal by radically changing the characteristics of their bestselling board). Hence I guess the FSW will always be an FSW/fast tail design with a tad more emphasis on the early planing/speed compared to radical maneuverability, and you will probably be just fine on any new one (no worse off than your current board) for quite some time yet.

It would be also good to see if you can persuade Jason V to let you try his for a couple of runs to see if my predictions are true.

Finally, back to fins. I've gotten used to riding freestyle boards with small fins. Been doing this for years, and came to the conclusion that the stock fins shipped with most boards are aimed more at the Joe Average sailor and definitely not at the Joe maneuver oriented sailor. You can probably go substantially smaller that what is shipped as stock, given you sail on generally small sail sizes anyway (whats your max, 5.2?) A 22 cm or even smaller fin should be fine. Keep the big one for super heavy floods, and go to a smaller one when its particularly windy or ebbing strongly etc....you will benefit from the maneuverability as soon as you learn how to ride the board on the smaller fin (some folks become dependent on bigger fins but all it takes is a few days riding a smaller one and you will soon get used to it..just a bit of learning curve, *well* worth the effort if you aren't already there).

I remember my own fin progression over the years....when I first tried a 90L board after several early years on 100L+ boards, I found the stock fin that came with the 90 would spin out like crazy. It was of course my own bad technique (too much rear foot lateral pressure) and not the fin that was to blame. Now, I would consider that same stock fin to be "huge" compared to what I've since learned to be comfortable on.

So, go get yourself a smaller fin. Or maybe two...pay attention to the shape etc also. Flexible tip "wave" fins are designed for radical turning (but again won't necessarily plane or point upwind as well). But the bigger swells days at the Delta are going to be ebbing days anyway, when pointing ability isn't necessarily a concern, and a wave fin will probably be perfect to give you the swell slashing ability you crave. The board rocker (or rather the relative lack thereof) will still give you decent speed for good airtime when you hit the ramps.

The smaller fin will probably help your freestyle also...easier to turn & control the board without having to "force" it around. Plus you will still presumably have your bigger existing one for the flooding conditions, when different trade-offs are to be made.

Hope to see you out there at Rio in the summer when fog starts to close us off here at the coast, ripping on either your old or new RRD.

D

[Epenrose]

I have a RRD wave willow.

De-laminate in 2 yrs, pretty bad. A lot of money for two years use.

[JiberJaws]

Hey thanks for the fin advice Shitan and DonO! I appreciate your insight and the time it took to share it with me. I bet you're right on and will pick up a 22cm wave fin. Maybe I'll start nailing board 720s this season w/a smaller fin instead of just the 360s with the current fin .
I'll connect w/Jason (I'm buying a board from DWC so it should be no problem).

Epenrose tried pulling the vent plug everytime after sailing? Might help. If you're scared of sailing with the screw out by accident, I simply put the screw in my base and push the pin shut to hold it in there. You can't get the universal in until the screw is removed which serves as your reminder to screw it in.

ANYONE RIDDEN THE 08 RRD FSW 90L?

Thanks again!

Mike (my wife sails (one of the reasons I married her) and registrered for IWindsurf using PookieTookelton...not exactly a MANLY shredding name...

[Epenrose]

I give it to you Mike, great idea.

I ride motorcycles and the little cord that hooks from the disk lock to the handlebar is very valuable.

Speed is decreased rapidly as you accelerate forward 3 inches as the lock slams into the fork, same concept!!!

Appreciate the tip.

edward

lucky you're already married with the login name, might have a tough one explaining!!