Light wind wave sailing gear

[jamesschmitt]

Hi All-
Hope you don't mind my parachuting into your site. I am a wave sailor from the Seattle area;generally going to the Oregon or Wash coast,the gorge only when no wind on the coast.
Any thoughts on wave gear for light wind days,ie 8-12 mph wind and decent swell. (I have a sup, but am looking for something more snappy in the bottom, top turns). Any one with experience on the Madd 138ltr twin fin?
Thanx in advance.

Jim

[laci]

I have been on a quest to find good light air wave boards for years. I had the Hifly Madd 135 twin fin, the first version of the board you mention and almost identical to the 138. I generally enjoyed that board and it worked OK in waves. I sold it when I started buying sailable SUP's, thinking I wouldn't need a board that size anymore. Now I wish I had kept it, since there are certain conditions where it outperformed the SUP's, for instance when there is enough wind to plane on bigger sails. The Hifly is more fun on a plane than any SUP. I recently bought a Kona Minitanker to fit the niche where the Hifly had been. I don't have enough time on the water with the Minitanker yet to have a firm opinion, but I think I'm learning to like it. The step tail takes some adjusting to.

In any case, boards like the HIfly are designed to be used in planing conditions, and for me at least, the kind of winds that you are describing are not planing conditions, so, assuming good waves, I would definitely be on a SUP.

[MalibuGuru]

Try the exocet exo wave 103.

[jamesschmitt]

thanx for the replys so far;
I have the exocet 103 wave pro and the exocet 117 ltr cross, which are great in over 12 mph wind speeds; (I have a 11'3" Sup also). I agree that we're talking subplaning conditions going out but planing conditions on the wave face.
What I'm looking for is something that has enough rocker so that it doesn't easily pearl coming down the wave face, allows for easy bottom and snappy top turns, yet not so much rocker that it is slow and doggy.That same board should also have enough volume/width in the right area so that in nonplaning conditions it can climb walls of white water popping over the wave without getting pushed back and then maytagged.
Thanx again.

Jim

[laci]

The Hifly twin fin would fit your description, but it is getting kind of close to what you already own. Wouldn't your 117l board do what you need? You must have a big van if you can carry all those boards; I'm guessing you also have something smaller than the 103l . I have been trying to eliminate boards from my quiver rather than add to them. Even so I think I need at least three boards to cover all the conditions I encounter at the coast (the SUP of course adds the option of surfing if there are waves but zero wind, so I no longer carry a surfboard)

[gregorvass]

www.thommen1.com

All the bigger pros use his shapes.

Quattro, Goya etc... all do custom boards.

[south-west]

I don't think there is a better light wind wave board out there than the Exocet x-wave 103 or the Cross 118 (and I have had many).
If you already have those boards, try slogging out to the waves and once you take off the board will be as snappy as your skill level on the wave. It's not the board that will hold you back.

[coolmtnbiker048]

This may be the board you are looking for, AHD Sealion. Looks like it would be WAYYYY more turny than a SUP on a wave.

Personally, if there are good waves and light wind (8-12), I will go out on my 97L Tabou 3S and a KA Kult 5.8. (The same stuff I use in planing conditions.)

[hemmy007]

[D-wo]

Weight is a factor, as is surf size, skill level, wind direction etc. I agree with the replies on the Exocet. My Cross 117 works in light wind and I'm heavy. Not sure about 8 knots of wind though, that might be Kona territory. I've never ridden one, but a few people on this forum swear by them (perhaps they are trying to market them, not sure).

I have yet to hear anyone rave about windsurfing on an SUP. From what I understand the Kona is not a good SUP...but a fun sailboard.