Exocet WindSUP 10' Review - Why smaller is not always better

[brynkaufman2]

I noticed I can go a lot faster on my Exocet WindSUP 10' then my 130l Freeride board. Both have the step tail.

I started thinking about why this is because I have always been told smaller is faster. People said I need to get down to 100l board. They said that will cut through the chop better and I will have a lot more fun.

My theory has to do with control. As you pickup speed you start to feel on the edge of what you can control. That becomes your limit, as no one wants to sail at a high speed out of control and crash.

For whatever reason, the Exocet WindSUP 10' handles the chop at my location really well, and makes you feel you are always in control. On my smaller board I would regularly have spin outs, where the fin lost its footing, on the Exocet that has never happened, no matter how much pressure I apply.

So I can go at speeds that are not comfortable on a smaller board. A windsurfer who knows me well and has seen me many times on my 130l board was shocked at how fast this board moved when the wind picked up. He said I never went that fast on my other board.

One other observation about this board and the size is I am more comfortable in the large waves and swells than with my 130l.

I assume that has to do with 2 things, one is the stability of a large board, and the other is how easily it gets going. The last thing you want when a wave crashes and starts rolling towards you is a board that is hard to get up on a plane and get out of the way. The Exocet goes on a plane so easily you feel like you can always outrun a wave.

So to sum it up I am going much faster, I am catching waves easier, I am more comfortable in the big surf, I am going when smaller boards are sitting on the beach, and when I go out I am powered up pretty much all the time which is fun. I even have fun when no one else is out, no windsurfers and no kites, because this board tracks so well in light winds.

The only disadvantage I see is it is harder to carry into the water. I can still carry my sail and the board into the water, but it is heavier. Not much of a disadvantage considering the water entry takes about 10 seconds, and my fun on the board lasts for hours.

[dllee]

Yes, in winds of 1-18 mph, your board is faster than most 130 liter freeride boards.
Now, enter a slalom race, or Defi Wind, and see how you do.

[brynkaufman2]

I would say 0 to 25 mph. I hope to get it in winds higher than that, but most of the time the winds at my spot are under 25 mph.

No plans to enter any races, but I guess your point is there are specialized boards that are even faster that people race with.

My review is more for the casual Windsurfer who is thinking about a new board, and wants something that is fun with a lot of flexibility.

[cgoudie1]

Hey Bryan,
I think you and Del C, should start a "why I Love Huge Boards" fan club, and invite GT to join.
But seriously, you point about control is dead on. Comfortable riders are (semi)fast riders.
I submit though, that if you resolved your spinout problem, you'd be faster on your 130 ltr board.
Spinout has a number of causes, but a bad fin is one of them, so get out your #400 grit sandpaper, and clean that baby up. Another advantage to your Exocet, is that it should be much
Easier to catch waves with. Especially mushy waves.
Is it better in chop? Well, you seem to like it, so why not! I know in my case I get pretty beaten up
In chop if I have a board larger than 80 ltrs and 8'2", and I wouldn't ever consider a 10 footer
as a chopeater, but if it works for you then ride that baby until she buckles! Maybe your 130 is slalom oriented? Slalom boards will buck you, if you're not properly tuned into them, even small
ones.

Wishing you continued success with your Exocet,
but some day, I think you'll probably want to Ride smaller.

-Craig

[swchandler]

Glad you're getting more of what you want in Exocet's 10' WindSUP. That said, any comparison between your two boards is apples and oranges. A 130 liter short board is a big board, and in any significant wind and chop, it's going to be a handful. It is going to be far more fin sensitive too. Also, the rockerlines of the two boards are going to be very different, despite the step tail feature.

Your friends are right about a 100 liter board being more manageable in rough conditions, and faster overall. Of course, in really light winds, the smaller board isn't going to carry as much sail.

Seems to me that you should sell the 130 liter, and get a lower volume board that fits with your locale. Do you want to freeride about, or are you interested in playing the surf zone? If you want a blend of both, maybe a FSW design. Whatever you decide, make it a lot lower in volume and focused on higher wind conditions.

[SPQR]

Just curious, what model 130 liter freeride do you have. Secondly, I can't help but notice that those who own or ask about WindSups always are interested in their windsurfing capabilities, I can't remember when one of these threads had anything to do with a WindSup board and surfing.

[brynkaufman2]

I have a Naish Freeride board.

I do a ton of surfing with my WindSUP, but pretty much always with a sail. If it is blowing 6 to 7 mph or higher I use a sail. If lower I use a paddle, but I admit I would much rather be using a sail.

The sail makes it so much easier to catch waves, stay on the board, get out past the break, etc.

I also paddle my WindSUP on days with almost no wind and no waves. It is very peaceful and nice to still be out there getting exercise. Probably people do not post about using it this way so much because this is a Windsurfing forum.

[jingebritsen]

confirmation bias comes in all flavors. saddest one is saying stuff about equipment one has never ridden. not much constructive in thoughts like that.

of all the long boards i've tried the 10' windSUP is the smoothest of them all. rivals the race boards of old: ultra cat, equipe, etc.

smoothest riding short boards i've ever ridden have been race boards with stiff(ish) fins.

when using a winSUP from exocet for paddling, go really small with the fin in surf.

[SPQR]

Sounds like your 10" Windsup is a great board, having sailed the Naish 130 Freewide I can comment that it doesn't plan well at all in light wind. No surprise that the 10'er is better in light wind. That isn't meant to detract from the 10'ers performance but the Naish 130 Freewide is really low on the performance scale, there are other 130 liter boards which are far superior.

[isobars]