Exocet windsup 11'8?

akrausz · Joined: 19 Sep 2008 Posts: 158 Location: FL

This thread has me considering buying an 11'8". For those who use jumbo sails on it, is there a point of diminishing returns? My largest sails are 8.0, 9.0, 9.7, and I was hoping to sell one to consolidate my quiver. Would a 9.7 provide any benefit over a 9.0 with the 11'8"? Then there is the issue of fin.

acalhounguy · Joined: 25 May 2013 Posts: 57

I have used mine with 9.5 down to 4.5. The sweet spot for planing performance and balance with the width of the board and appropriate fin is something like 7.5 to 8.5. The 9.5 was doable but felt a little big (I love my 9.5 but with a wider board and longer fin).

akrausz · Joined: 19 Sep 2008 Posts: 158 Location: FL

acalhounguy · Joined: 25 May 2013 Posts: 57

in general, yes. Without knowing much about the sails. Board does well with a more powerful sail outline to get it going in smaller sizes. I think you can sail it with just about any sail you wanted but for planing ideal would be 6.5 to 8.5 for my preference. In more wind I'd be on a short-board and in less wind I'd be on the Ultrasonic with a 9.5 or up.

For me personally in 6.5 to 8.5 conditions I'm on my x-cite ride instead which is why the Exocet is now used for sup or for teaching beginners at my cabin. If I didn't have it at my cabin - which i didn't for awhile - it is a heavy board, difficult to put on a roof rack. Although I haven't used them myself I would lean towards a new inflatable if I was transporting it. For pure freeride without surf I think a Kona One offers more performance but is less stable for beginners. Really wish I was close to an ocean so I could get best use out of the WindSup.

When it's windy on a choppy lake and at speed the board is slow to respond to foot steering due to its length and mass. I have rolled it over (which is why you don't want to over-fin it) and injured my feet/ankles. This could happen with any board but basically just told me to only go so fast with this board even though it is capable of a fairly high speed.

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

i have used an 11.0 on the kona one, and 9.0 on the 11'8"

both worked really well.

not had any real challenges.

planing jibes with either just require boat speed and commitment to rail.

on the 11'8" if you fall off a plane mid jibe, just maintain inside rail pressure.

kona one has a flatter tail, and may require a shift in jibe technique if one falls off plane midway thru jibe.

stock fins on either handle up to 9.8 with no issue.

i believe the 11'8" stock fin is a bit superior.

11'8" can surprise those with wave skills

qwertyjjj · Joined: 09 Jul 2015 Posts: 98

Not to restart the Kona Vs exocet thread but the Kona comes in around $400 cheaper overall here due to shipping, brokerage fees etc.
Difficult decision.
We have light winds on the lake from June to August. September is the only really great shortboard month.
Kona is too thin for a beginner intermediate or you get used to it?

grantmac017 · Joined: 04 Aug 2016 Posts: 946

It's 70cm wide. Loads of fresh beginners have succeeded on narrower.

d0uglass · Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 3:54 pm Post subject:

The Kona is wide enough for most beginners (70 cm wide). It's maybe 15% less stable than the Exocet 11'8 (81 cm wide), but that's really not a big difference unless you're trying to SUP it in choppy water. Because it's narrower (and maybe a little heavier?) the Kona doesn't plane quite as early as the 11'8. But the daggerboard on the Kona is bigger and better than the daggerboard on the 11'8, so the Kona goes upwind a bit better and has less issues with water spraying through the daggerboard slot when you're planing.

If you get the Kona, you're probably going to want to keep the GO. You'll find yourself wanting to use the Kona in light winds where you can't plane on the GO, use the GO in medium winds where you can plane, and use the Kona again in really strong winds where you need the extra control of the narrower heavier board because the short wide GO is bouncing around out of control.

beaglebuddy · Joined: 10 Feb 2012 Posts: 1120

The 11'8" is a handful but it will plane in the footstraps for sure and it's not bad sub planing as it glides very nicely but not as good as a Kona or other narrower longboard sub planing for sure. The entire board is a compromise, it can do most of evreything, it's even a really good SUP but it's not really superior at much except perhaps riding small waves in light wind or learning.

joethewindsufa · Joined: 10 Oct 2010 Posts: 1190 Location: Montréal

or you could buy one of my old BIC Dufours for 60 bucks Smile

they go great on local lakes ...
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFZXtDSuq4I