Best light-wind machine: Formula? Go? Techno 283?

[gimenezj]

As much as I realized how much fun is to sail at the bay, the reality is that 80-90% of the times Ill be sailing at the local lakes since, being minutes away from home, I can go often with my wife and two kids. The question to you experts out there is what is in your mind the best board for sailing on light winds (i.e., 7-15 mph avg.). Should I go for the Formula or the Go from Starboard? ...or the Bic Techno 283 or 293 or Race? …or any other suggestion?

I also understand that good cam-sails are the other part of the puzzle, but Ill like to hear if the board can really make that much of a difference. I already own a Hi-Fly Magnum (rather heavy) and just got an used Bic Vivace 290 (for when I get higher winds). Thanks!

[spyder]

hi - Im responding to provide some response, but I cant say much.

From what I have heard from buddies that sail these (and I can find out more), the Bic Techno was very good. My friend also has sailed the GO. My friend rents them, so I will ask him.

The GO is extremely wide and short, which is great for a beginner, but I think the Techno is better for a more advanced sailor in light winds. It depends on what you want to do, nothing real serious, or jammin your butt off on the lake. Not so serious sailing, would be the GO and a recreational 7.0 sail. More serious would be a camed sail with the Techno.

Since you already have the Magnum, that is a good beginner board for light winds. Although it is heavy, it still works well. Great for continuing to learn sail handling and other sailing skills.

Sorry I dont know anything about the Formula.

As for the whole setup, sounds like you need a 7.0 - 8.0 range sail. I would get something that is rangey. like a NP V8. They have 7 battens, and 3 cams. V8s have a lot of power, and range, but are not as easy to rig as lets say a camless sail. Some of the camless sails are supposed to work as well, but unfortunately I havent sailed the big camless.

I have always enjoyed my V8s, and there are probably many sails to choose from. So that is why I recommend them.

so, something like a 7.5 V8, and the Techno 293 would be what I would get.

[THUKILL]

I sail the Pro-tech 280 CAT. Its about 141 ltrs and very light since its carbon. As I stated its 280 cm which is quite short for 141 ltrs, but thats the new style. Very wide too. It is considered a race board. Quite similar in appearance to the Techno but a little more specialized. Very sharp rails, flat bottom, big long pointer fin, straps outset. All this was quite intimidating when I got it. Im just your average weekend warrior. I always hear all these stories, mostly from publications, about the difficulty of these boards for average sailors. After a few sessions I was enjoying the heck out of it and still am a year later. Sailed yesterday in 7-17 averaging 10-13 and had an absolute blast. Fun, fast, tacks & jibes.
I sail an 8.4 F1 Gaastra with it. Thats the only sail I use with it. Its a race sail with lots of cams. The stability, top end speed & upwind ability to me is worth the slightly heavier weight and the occasional extra pop to rotate the cams. Verdict: Its fun, fast & easy to sail, and Im just average. Hope it helps.

[faller]

Hi,
Ive sailed, or test sailed, all of these boards (Go, Formula, Techno 283 and 293), sail in light winds ( 5-12 mph) a lot of the year, and also race and teach windsurfing.
My first choice is the GO, which is a excellent all around board (Board of the year when it came out) because it is easy to learn shortboarding (and windsurfing) on, and since it planes easily and early in light wind, it will be your light to medium wind board for years, plus you can race the thing (the EVA model won the Canadian Nationals in 1999). The Formula will plane a bit earlier than the GO but is aimed more at the race market since it is lighter, no EVA deck & so is less novice oriented.
The Bic Techno is a great board but will not plane as early as the GO or Formula, and was not designed to do so. It is better in perhaps 10 mph and above. They also seem to sustain a lot of nose damage from boom bashes and are a bit less durable. The 293 is a wider, higher volume versionof the Techno, and is good for getting into shortboarding, but overall it is a more limited board. It will plane early but becomes a handful at windspeeds when the GO is still comfortable. It also has 2 fins, so you have to buy 2 weed fins, or 2 of any fin for that matter. A good marketing concept, but not the best value for the money.
I dont sell boards, but I do try out as many as possible.
Ellen

[rockgirl]

I have sailed the 283 once in Hatteras. I took my friends out and it was fun in light winds.
he sails it a lot of the time when we are out there and he really likes the Techno.


Hi,
Ive sailed, or test sailed, all of these boards (Go, Formula, Techno 283 and 293), sail in light winds ( 5-12 mph) a lot of the year, and also race and teach windsurfing.
My first choice is the GO, which is a excellent all around board (Board of the year when it came out) because it is easy to learn shortboarding (and windsurfing) on, and since it planes easily and early in light wind, it will be your light to medium wind board for years, plus you can race the thing (the EVA model won the Canadian Nationals in 1999). The Formula will plane a bit earlier than the GO but is aimed more at the race market since it is lighter, no EVA deck & so is less novice oriented.
The Bic Techno is a great board but will not plane as early as the GO or Formula, and was not designed to do so. It is better in perhaps 10 mph and above. They also seem to sustain a lot of nose damage from boom bashes and are a bit less durable. The 293 is a wider, higher volume versionof the Techno, and is good for getting into shortboarding, but overall it is a more limited board. It will plane early but becomes a handful at windspeeds when the GO is still comfortable. It also has 2 fins, so you have to buy 2 weed fins, or 2 of any fin for that matter. A good marketing concept, but not the best value for the money.
I dont sell boards, but I do try out as many as possible.
Ellen