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GURGLETROUSERS
Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 2643
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 3:44 am Post subject: |
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I'm in England and the North sea is the usual stamping ground. We get a mixture of big long travelled ground swells from far North, (though often glassy and windless, which means surfing), and pesky onshore wallops. (Hence the Evo.)
The hope is to test a Chakra. Those who use them in 'our' conditions claim they are an advance on the Evo and they also claim that with the tri-fin you can go a size up without control issues in a decent blow. That's what really appeals. ( I don't pee my pants when I don't sink in the impact zone. ) |
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jingebritsen
Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 5:59 am Post subject: |
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Multifin boards typically need a very vertical stance. If you are used to leaning out over the water for max lift off of a board and a single large fin, you may not like a multi fin board. Additionally, the upwind abilities of multi's is not good, because of that very different sailing style. Onshore ugly conditions require instant accelerations, and lots of power to go upwind to get backside cutbacks. Shoot, my 85 liter boards rarely come out of the car anymore because I prefer the extra power to smack the lip, back side with a larger board. Smaller ones, single or multi have no power by comparison.
Meanwhile, the larger cross venue and onshore wave boards have improved so much that I can handle mine in gales. So, what's the need of extra boards, (smaller) or fins for that matter? Not in my real world spot here in FL.
Multi's feel great going down the line frontside, but stink getting back upwind when barely powered. If you have a reef or point break, or tons of wind that's common, then perhaps a multi is right for you. In FL, they will not be used that much. Another trap that snares folks into getting yet another rarely used wall fixture.
Shoot, just ran into a guy yesterday that bought the 10'5 Kona because he thought it was "big enough," despite encouragements to have gotten the 11'5. He said he doesn't use it much because it's too small for his 180 lbs and abilities. For crying out loud, why do so many buy stuff that's too small so often? He ended up buying a dedicated SUP as well. I was going out, and he was done paddling. It had been windy. I got there just in time for the wind to drop, had a great time. I know he had been paddling in some seriously good wind, sad.... _________________ www.aerotechsails.com
www.exocet-original.com
www.iwindsurf.com
http://www.epicgearusa.com/ |
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U2U2U2
Joined: 06 Jul 2001 Posts: 5467 Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 8:22 am Post subject: |
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in the UK their are demos, more in the south, the Boards forum have quite a few of the CFC (Chakra Fan Club) members.
John: I don't have any superior skills on sailing, lacking in most areas if anything, I AM able to judge if I like or not like something .
I have not ridden the Exocet 3X, thruster so I can't reflect on it,
My RRD twin, I don't have enough time to say other than its loads of fun and very loose, but easy to recover from a spin, so much so it begs to explore its potential.
I differ on the tri fin Witchcraft, effortless to sail, requires no adapting, stance a little wide, but otherwise even for a apprentice like me fit like a old glove.
GOES UP WIND LIKE A BANSHEE _________________ K4 fins
4Boards....May the fours be with you
http://www.k4fins.com/fins.html
http://4boards.co.uk/ |
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GURGLETROUSERS
Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 2643
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 1:05 pm Post subject: |
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The feedback from all who do use tri-fin Chakras John, is that they go upwind like stink. Boards mag tried one and they commented on the ease of sailing it.
I sgree that going small is a mistake in unsteady blows. In our area there has been a steady drift upwards from 75 litre wave boards, to the 84 to 90 litre sizes. My Exocet Cross 94 (not a proper waveboard admittedly) is now my most used, even down to 4.7 blows.
I'd love one of the Kona 10.5 / 11.5 boards for lighter winds but there was no possibility of trying one first. I surfed my Kona 1 and it was fun in smaller stuff, but it tripped it on a bigger face (my fault of course) and snapped a mast.
I realise the 10.5and 11.5 are optimised for surf, and the 1 isn't but as with most windsurfers, plans and must haves are swamping the available time and funds!
The point about the Chakras, according to all those who now use them, is that they have a very wide wind range, and one of them can replace a couple of 'ordinary' wave boards. That's what I want to find out.
Even if they do what they say it will still be a hard call between Chakra and new Exocet X 2 longboard!!! |
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U2U2U2
Joined: 06 Jul 2001 Posts: 5467 Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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my 88L Chakra I HAVE sailed 4.0, absolutely poised, 6.0 the same, since I HAVE 74L and 104 L boards, I have no need to explore beyond that range, thats enough, but with a smaller fin set down a little more, and up to 6.5 tops, my intent at the time was to replace both a 97 & 87L ,
around 100L I feel I stretched it a bit, but only for MY comfort level, just wanted a little more float if not powered up
Windsurf UK tested the Chakra as well Oct '09 _________________ K4 fins
4Boards....May the fours be with you
http://www.k4fins.com/fins.html
http://4boards.co.uk/ |
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GURGLETROUSERS
Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 2643
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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Welcome news U2U2U2. The 88 or the next up are the sizes I have in mind. The Evo could well be redundant! |
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einhorn
Joined: 03 Sep 2002 Posts: 31
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Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 1:24 pm Post subject: |
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The discussion started with "waveboards" and I've heard it said that we don't actually have "waves" in the Columbia Gorge, because it's a river., so maybe this is irrelevant, but applying the walks like a duck, looks like a duck approach, folks around here still refer to those things that go up and down, are sort of triangular shaped, with pointy white parts at the top as "waves." All I know is that when things get big around here (and that doesn't mean 4.0, that's a medium sized sail) it seems like you see more Open Ocean boards than everything else combined, and they've been tri-fins for many years. Real Winds are also popular, and they're also tri-fins. |
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U2U2U2
Joined: 06 Jul 2001 Posts: 5467 Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado
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Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 1:36 pm Post subject: |
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einhorn wrote: | The discussion started with "waveboards" and I've heard it said that we don't actually have "waves" in the Columbia Gorge, because it's a river., so maybe this is irrelevant, but applying the walks like a duck, looks like a duck approach, folks around here still refer to those things that go up and down, are sort of triangular shaped, with pointy white parts at the top as "waves." All I know is that when things get big around here (and that doesn't mean 4.0, that's a medium sized sail) it seems like you see more Open Ocean boards than everything else combined, and they've been tri-fins for many years. Real Winds are also popular, and they're also tri-fins. |
can't say that I disagree with anything that you have written, but don't really see the point.
OO and Real Wind , I see quite a lot of in Hood River, I recall the Real Wind sometimes in Rio Vista, but don't remember seeing them anywhere else,
FWIW don't see Northwave sails on the East coast _________________ K4 fins
4Boards....May the fours be with you
http://www.k4fins.com/fins.html
http://4boards.co.uk/ |
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isobars
Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935
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Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 1:39 pm Post subject: |
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einhorn wrote: | folks around here still refer to those things ... as "waves." |
So do NOAA and most dictionaries.
The primary, and probably the most angry, deniers are SoCal surferdoods who inexplicably feel threatened when we want to apply their ROW guidelines to our freshwater waves.
Mike \m/ |
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GURGLETROUSERS
Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 2643
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Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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Without wishing to sound contentious, what are the differences between river waves and a ground swell breaking over a reef at sea?
My river work is confined to kayaking stoppers, and surfing standing waves, but these only occur in fast flowing rapids with a downhill fall.
I imagine that the Gorge 'seas' are formed by gales blowing against the current, similar to a big tide race at sea. I can see that the waves will be moving with the current (not standing waves??), but is there any ground swell as at sea? |
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