Will an inflatable board be the new high performance choice?

brynkaufman2 · Joined: 10 Sep 2002 Posts: 383 Location: Kailua Oahu

I don't have one yet, but this is getting exciting.

http://www.windsurf.co.uk/rrd-inflatable-speed-board/

Originally I thought inflatables will never compete with a hard board.

I used an inflatable SUP and loved a lot of things about it, such as the weight and durability. It was great for the kids too.

One quote that really caught my attention in the article linked above is "Actually one positive is that it absorbs the chop really nicely."

As I sail in a choppy location, control in choppy conditions is critical to going fast.

Maybe there will be a day where the high-performance board of choice is inflatable. If they come out with an inflatable that planes sooner and goes fast while absorbing choppy conditions well it will be tempting.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

Inflatable SUPs were the fastest when I looked into them 3 years ago.

grantmac017 · Joined: 04 Aug 2016 Posts: 946

I think if they can get this tech: www.tripstix.de into a performance windsurfing shape then we'd be off to the races. Especially if there was a hard "keel" which connected the mast track to the fin box. Yes that means a fairly long hard piece but it would store with the mast and boom.

Grant

boardsurfr · Joined: 23 Aug 2001 Posts: 1266

Inflatable have many advantages. I thought the interview with John Skye about the RRD speed inflatable was very interesting - not only because he did 34.8 knots on it, but also because he praised the performance in chop.

If you have not seen the video, check it out at http://windsurfing.tv/video/35-knots-on-a-blow-up-air-mattress/

brynkaufman2 · Joined: 10 Sep 2002 Posts: 383 Location: Kailua Oahu

Does anyone own this inflatable http://www.robertoriccidesigns.com/equipment/shop/airwindsurf-freeride/

I can't find any 3rd party review of this board.

wynsurfer · Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Posts: 940

That looks like it would be a fun board! I hope they become available here soon. Looks pretty fast and does a nice turn. https://vimeo.com/177351795

Sailboarder · Joined: 10 Apr 2011 Posts: 656

I'm left with the impression that the RRD is stiffer than the Starboards... What do you think?

brynkaufman2 · Joined: 10 Sep 2002 Posts: 383 Location: Kailua Oahu

Starboard said regarding their AirPlane 255 - "We’ve clocked 27 knots on a 6.5m sail on a regular day in Maui."

I am not sure which one is stiffer. RRD set a new inflatable board speed record, but that is not a board you can buy as of yet. Plus most will not want a dedicated speed board, but rather a Freeride board like they are selling now.

bamer · Joined: 16 Nov 2016 Posts: 98

bamer · Joined: 16 Nov 2016 Posts: 98

In response to the thread question: 'Will an inflatable board be the new high performance choice?' My view is this is unlikely. However, I think it is very likely that the gap will close to the point where inflatables will be the choice for everything but 'high performance' (extreme waves, competitive racing, speed trials). Especially when cost, convenience, travel capability, and storage are all factored in.

The first time I ever experienced group contempt was when I was 12 years old and someone showed up to a camp full of watermen with a 20' Zodiak rigid inflatable (RIB). This was well before these boats were commonplace. The watermen were all fishermen and divers of various skill, many had been commercial fishermen. Most of these guys owned or swore by Boston Whalers. The Zodiak owner was the best diver of the bunch by a good margin, so he had some credibility. Even still the group consensus was that his boat was a joke and the owner was putting himself, and anyone who went out with him, in danger. This perceived recklessness was not appreciated and the vibe turned tense.

To make a long story short, by the end of a week of fishing and diving in very demanding conditions the doubters had all been won over. I camped with the same group a few years later and the number of RIBs had increased and the Whaler cult broken.

Now RIBs are the performance choice, in many sizes, for serious users from divers and professional race committees to the military and Coast Guard.

I have a 14' RED Race iSUP and that I am very impressed with. It is very fast, stiff, light, feels better underfoot than a rigid board, is difficult to damage and easy to fix (opposite of a rigid board), takes less than five minutes to set up, and it breaks down into a small bag. Even though I wanted maximum glide, I would never have purchased a rigid 12'6" let alone a 14' SUP because of space they take up.

For this purpose, the inflatable is a clear choice. As these inflatables continue to improve, they will start to overtake rigid boards, starting with the beginner and intermediate boards that have horrible logistical issues and limited usability.