An old schooler takes a ride on a new freemove board

[marc5]

I’ve been lurking here long enough. Time for me to join the group—stop being a freerider on this site and become a “freemover.” Contribute what I can. You could call me an old school sailor—maybe a windsurfing Neanderthal. Haven’t bought a board since 2002. But recently a generous friend lent me his RRD Firemove 122 for a few sessions, and I’ve seen the light and I’m shopping for a new board.

My stats: Windsurfing since 1981. Age 62. Ht. 6’-1”/185cm. Wt 190 lbs/86kg. Learned to sail on Lake Michigan, now sail almost exclusively on a 2000 acre reservoir in Ohio. Have taught windsurfing at Northwestern Univ. Currently sail a 2002 Naish Titan 125L/66cm and a 1996 Seatrend ATV 90L/55cm. Most-used setup is the Naish with a 2013 Retro 7.0 (biggest sail). I love to sail and rarely miss a day over 17 mph (doesn't happen often enough in Ohio).

I thought I would relate my experience sailing a new school freemove board, the RRD Firemove 122. I’ve been sailing it with my Retro 7.0 in winds of 17-25 mph, flat to light chop. Wow! Like a cave man coming out of a long hibernation, things have changed! My first sensation of the Firemove was how easy it is to sail. It accelerates quickly, but most importantly, it’s not “sticky” on the water like the old Naish. The Naish has always seemed to trip and catch rails while turning and even when wavelets sideswipe it on a reach. The Firemove even makes the rig feel better. While riding the Naish I always felt that my sails were pitchy—I was even a bit disappointed when I got my 7.0 Retro—it never felt locked in. But on the Firemove, my sails just feel so much more stable. Apparently newer sails work much better with newer boards. Maybe it’s because the freemove boards accelerate better, and the foiled-out rails don’t catch and hold the board back.

Jibing—on my first couple of turns I thought, “Hey, this thing doesn’t want to turn.” But soon I learned how to really weight that inside rail on the RRD—lifting a bit with my outside foot—and bingo, the board started to crank the turns, tight or wide. I had some problems trying to learn a new (to me) style of jibing—the slalom/ carve jibe—while I was adjusting to the board. I had been watching a lot of jibing videos, and was under the impression that the only way to jibe these new boards was with a slalom jibe. Back in the 80s I learned to jibe riding narrow boards, and back then the strap-to-strap, or sail-first jibe, was king. I soon realized that I could effectively jibe this new board sail-first and have a lot of fun.

The RRD goes upwind very well. Speed? It’s hard to assess top end, but I don’t think it’s as fast as my old board, or any of the old narrow boards. However, since it planes faster and moves better through lulls, it gets across the lake and back faster than any of the other boards out there. When the chop gets bigger, I can maneuver the board well enough to heel-toe and play in the channels through the chop, which is a lot of fun. Last week the wind picked up from the direction with a longer fetch, and the chop was significant. I think I reached the limit of the board that day. That wide tail really starts to bang in those conditions. Up to that point I was a very happy convert to the new freemove design.

Unfortunately, I don’t get the chance to try a lot of different boards here. I’m lucky my kind friend loaned me his Firemove. I wish I could try the Fanatic Hawk, Gecko, Tabou 3S, Starboard Carve—all boards that sound interesting. Barring a test ride on those, I will probably buy a Firemove 122, then shop for a replacement for my 90L Seatrend for higher winds. One thing about the finish on the Firemove: OK, an old schooler can get over the busy paint job, but I noticed some “swirlies” in the finish on the bottom from an orbital sander. Not what you should see on a $2000 board.

Probably more than you needed to read, but maybe my comments can help someone else. I would be interested in reading any suggestions about what other boards I might like. Thanks to all for your contributions to this great forum.

[LeeD]

Good stuff, I'm a few years ahead of you on the curve, aged 66.
We have a 118 Magic Ride. Can handle 5.5 thru 7.5's, easy to plane, fantastic to jibe, a little short for my remedial tacking non skills.
I actually like my SuperSport 109 better for flat water sailing, as it's faster, can handle bigger sails, and is much longer so easier for me to tack, not that I ever do. Float is a non issue, as anything over 95 liters is floaty enough to uphaul and slog home in 2 mph breezes.
We do have steadier wind, Berkeley, mostly in the 16-27 range, so the big Magic is a little overkill for our predominate winds.

[gregnw44]

Good post Marc... and welcome !!
I will do the same as you did... one of these days.

I have a friend who has "that same board" you liked, the Firemove 122 (I thought it was 120, maybe not).
Anyway, he loves it... although he sails it in less wind than you do (I think).
His stats are about like yours (age and weight) except he's about 2" shorter. And I think he biggest sail is a 7.5 Aerotech power wave (or something with that description).
And he sails it on 10-20... admittedly, he's not rippin' around at the low end of his wind range. I think he really likes it in 15. And his favorite sailing is weaving across the lake and playing in the little swells. And he loves crankin tight jibes.
But by solid 20 mph wind, he goes to something smaller and or narrower.

Anyway, good job. I need to take a test ride on his board. He tells me all the time that I don't know what I'm missing,
Greg "_

[GURGLETROUSERS]

I often feel to be missing out on something, but can never be sure.

In coastal conditions, in the kind of wind strengths these 'magic' boards thrive in, I use an 'old' (2008) Exocet Cross 118 litre, which, at 240 long and 69.5 wide, is close to them in kind.

It sacrifices speed, and a little 'get up and go' to ease of use and control in chop and surf, which seems of more use in moderate wind surfy coastal conditions. It's liked and hated in equal measure, but that could equally apply to the 'magic ride' type.

Odd thing is, despite an enthusiastic Boardseeker test in 08 of the Cross 118, (bought mine on the strength of that test) I've never seen anybody else using one. They almost raved about it's ease of control, chop eating ability, and super gybing.

I wonder, is Patrice (Exocet) truly a visionary, or just an oddity? He's undoubtedly French!

[gvogelsang]

Age 62 here, and windsurf on Lake Erie.

I too have a Firemove 122, and it is my most used board. I use it from 7.5 Zephyr (14 mph) to 5.5 Cheetah. The sweet spot is my 6.5 Cheetah in winds from 16 to 24. 5.5 conditions are not as good, and a smaller, narrower board like the Tabou 3s would be more optimal for those conditions. But as I only have the Firemove and an old Formula board at present, I make do with the Firemove in 5.5.

The Firemove is a fine all-around board, and better than my present skill level. If I were sailing more often, and fitter - like 20 years ago - I would have something like a Futura 124 and a Tabou 3S at, perhaps, 106, and would be perfectly situated for winds from 15 to 30. 12 to 30 including the Formula.

But as a main board in a small quiver, I think that a board like the Firemove is great advance in our sport. I also think that they are faster than they "feel".

[U2U2U2]

You may know, but some of the bucket list boards are quite different from the RRD, but maybe that's a replacement list for the Seatrend.

Very enjoyable post, don't lurk so long !!

Yes the top speed may not equal some, and in the category of the RRD, others will be faster, the WideTabou Rocket orJP Magic, IMO

Yes the finish on some boards, Cobra mostly is only as good as the quality control, but seeing it's intended use, matters little.

The art work on newer boards seem to be designed by kindergarten children, and pasted together in 30cm sections. Easy on the eye NO, acid trip YES.

SO FAR iam the elder on the thread, would like to say iam going strong, but going is more appropriate.

Cheers. I wonder if from Ohio you are with the April crew to OBX?

[DelmarEdward]

When did you teach at northwestern? i learned to windsurf there in the summer of 2000. i had the best time that summer, it only got above 90 i think 2 days that year and i could easily get to that beach after work 3 or 4 days a week. the boards were lying on the beach and the sails were left rigged and hanging in a shed, all you had to do was show your card, pick up the board and sail and head out.

[marc5]

Thanks, guys. Interesting to get your board ideas, comparing to the Firemove.

gvogelsang....why the Futura 124? Are you at Mentor? What is the Firemove 122 like for riding surf?

U2.....No, I haven't been to the OBX with the OH gang, but it sounds like a great group, and I would like to do the spring or fall trip with them some time. As nice as our "inland" lake here is, we only have a handful of OH sailors. I don't know why those in the big OBX group don't join us here.

Del.....I taught at NU in 2002. Yes, great sailing center--a rare thing at a university. I introduced a lot of folks to the sport there. I hear the newly built center is even better.

One thing about the "new" boards that is so surprising to me is the short distance between the tail and the mast track. On my oldest boards it was a long way.....150cm on a 1989 Randy French 100L 9' custom. At 142, the Naish seemed to make my rigs pitchy, and I became fixated on that dimension in searching out new boards...the longer the better??? But one ride on the Firemove (tail to mast=135cm) made me realize that something else is a work, and that number is just fine.

[LeeD]

I"ve used 134 cm's, tail to mast track, on almost every board since 1992.
It's used on my SuperSport 109 down to my JPWave 251. Of course, the smaller boards have the straps set farther forwards, for turning and early planing, while the bigger boards are set well back, for top end speed.
That has been a constant since my quiver of '91 Neil Pryde WC Slalom 3 cam sails.

[MalibuGuru]

Gurgle I've had the fortune of owning and riding just about every major brand over the last 5 years. Exocet makes the finest boards of them all. IMO.... NAISH, JP, Goya, Quatro, Tabou. None holds a candle to Exocet.