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same old story, the long board rules
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wsmtbskate



Joined: 09 Jun 2010
Posts: 124

PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I bought a used Kona last year as a do it all board to add to my quiver of Carve 145, Skate 110 and RRD FSW 85.
My thoughts were that it would be fun to have a different style board (ie longboard), one that was good for me for light wind and beginner waves, but also good for my kids to learn on.

However, in the past year, I have to say that I haven't been overly impressed with the Kona, abeit this is based on 10 or so sessions on this particular board (other sessions on my other boards). It is heavy, very slow to plane, much slower than my 78 cm wide 145 liter Carve, cumbersome to turn (I know, it's a long board), and gives a very "sedate" ride, almost too smooth. Overall I've found I much prefer the feel of short boards, although I gather that a longboard will catch waves better in light winds. In the meantime, this past Spring, I was able to find a used JP Youn Gun 114L for my 7 year old so my kids now have their own board.

So my question: is there a better board fitting my criteria. ie one for light wind (8.5 and 7.0 sails) that is faster to plane, good for beginner waves, provides a more lively ride, but also good for beginners, such as my kids to learn on down the road. I should be able to get what I paid for the Kona, so at least that is not a concern. I was looking at the Exocet Windsup 10 as an option. I would think that it would be faster to plane in light winds than the Kona since it's 80 cm wide, less cumbersome since it's 1.5 feet shorter than the Kona, but also good in the waves and beginners ?
However, it doesn't look like it's rated to handle a 8.5 sail.

alternatively, maybe I just need more sessions on the Kona.
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Sailboarder



Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 656

PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

wsmtbskate wrote:

However, in the past year, I have to say that I haven't been overly impressed with the Kona, abeit this is based on 10 or so sessions on this particular board (other sessions on my other boards). It is heavy, very slow to plane, much slower than my 78 cm wide 145 liter Carve, cumbersome to turn (I know, it's a long board), and gives a very "sedate" ride, almost too smooth.


I agree that the Kona is not fast to plane. However, this board is different compared to some longboards because it has lots of rocker. To get it to plane properly, the nose has to be up in the air. This way, the flat back part of the board will be angled up correctly.

I used to get stuck in a slow planing mode. I was planing with the feet in front of the straps, but the board was not fully released. I eventually heard a suction noise coming from under the back of the board. This was caused by the reverse angle.

It won't happen if you plane in the straps with the mast base in the middle of the track.
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MalibuGuru



Joined: 11 Nov 1993
Posts: 9293

PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey, Jingebritsen, When will you get to try the new Exo Wave 111? Any reports on it? How much $.
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SeaDawg



Joined: 12 Sep 2002
Posts: 384

PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lots of discussion on my Equipe Thread. I owned a kona one and was hoping it wouls have similar performace to my old Equipe I of the mid 80's.
I bought an Equipe II early this past summer and have been having a ball with it (lots of light winds) took a while to get used to the narrow width again but not a problem at all.
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wsmtbskate



Joined: 09 Jun 2010
Posts: 124

PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I had read the thread on the Equipe II a while back, good info except for the usual threadjack by SJ/troll

I had an Equipe I that I sold when I bought the Kona One since the Kona was to become my do it all board. I also was planning on trying my hand at some waves (still haven't tho) so the Equipe would've been ill suited for that. My largest sail is an 8.5, so when it's lighter wind, I just do LWFS.

I have to say, that in retrospect, I preferred the Equipe to the Kona. It just seemed more nimble and lighter under foot. It still would not have been good for my kids/beginners.

I wish there was somewhere to demo the Exocet Windsup 10'.
I think anything wider than 78-80 cm is just too wide and cumbersome as someone mentioned above.
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SeaDawg



Joined: 12 Sep 2002
Posts: 384

PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One of my sons has been a timid windsurfer. He has learned alot on my older Tiga Free 79. Just few wks ago he was sailing the Tiga in 8-10 with a 7.2 Infinity doing a semi glide. I talked him into putting the sail on the Equipe, with Cb partway down.

He uphauled sheeted in and was off on sweet CB plane. Granted he had a haed time getting back but he really liked it and spent a good part of the day sailing.

That same day my older son rigged an 8.8 and put it on my Serenity and went off for a 20mi cruze he came back with a sunburn you wouln"t believe, said he just could't quit.

This was all on Lake Erie in Western,NY
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jamieinnyc



Joined: 26 Apr 2010
Posts: 108

PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interesting to hear the thoughts about the Kona One not being an early planer, had my own doubts, why I never got one. Not skinny enough to glide really well, not wide enough to plane early. To me, the WindSUP has elements that should make it a better early planer - this is very important to me, sailing in marginal conditions. I'm surprised at how well the Pacifico does in this regard. And then yes, there's the Equipe. My all-time favorite, but not for the ocean, since it's not ready for shorebreak, and since it won't turn on a wave. These days, I only sail in the ocean unless totally closed out (and then wind is really up so short board on the bay).
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SeaDawg



Joined: 12 Sep 2002
Posts: 384

PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't want to put down the Kona One at all. In an effort to get more people involved in the sport there has to be options.

Starboard, with the Go and the Start really did an excellant job of creating a easy learning platform.

I think the Kona One is one of the best one board to handle most of the needs of a new windsurfer.

Our sport has so much to it that it's almost impossible to get it right in the 1st year or two of sailing.

So much time wasted over the years sitting with a short board and 5.0/6.0 riggged waitng for the wind.

Slap that 6.0 on a good long board(personal choice) and go have fun.
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windward1



Joined: 18 Jun 2000
Posts: 1400

PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 9:50 pm    Post subject: All around fun board Reply with quote

Does anyone out there use an old Techno 283 as there all around fun board?

I do. And it seems to do a little bit of everything well. Won't beat any specifically designed board at a given venue, but for all around, it has served me most excellently.

I did buy a used Kona Surf, but it is heavy and although I originally thought it might replace the Techno, it has not. The Techno planes earlier, goes faster at the top end, can do waves reasonably well (Not a wave board, I know.) and lets me cruise for miles when I want to. Cruising it does not point as well as the Kona Surf if I use the Kona Surf's daggerboard. But in waves, the Kona Surf's daggerboard has a tendency to drop just at the wrong moment, even if you set the adjustment screws relatively tight.

I have heard several times, "I had one of those!" and the tone is always as if they had fond memories of the board. But I only see them occasionally in my windsurfing, usually on light days on San Francisco Bay.

Windward1
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jingebritsen



Joined: 21 Aug 2002
Posts: 3371

PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 10:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

the emphasis has become less about planing for me. more about accessing/enjoying the surf with a sail. the curve 11'5 is a very good alternative to the kona one. so is the wind SUP 11'8"

i used the kona one in the surf for about 10 months before the 11'5" became available. it was a great alternative versus not wave sailing. the 11'5" was better for surf.

i never liked the kona surf. it had too many compromises for my large carcass and low wind months.

the windSUP 11'8" makes wave sailing even easier than the 11'5." i mean stupid easy. off the wind, way down the shoulder, way too early, it helps grab waves. little ones to really big, the 11'8" delivers in the lightest of winds. when the wind does come up, it planes, goes upwind on the upwind shoulder of a wave, etc. haven't had the opp to try backside aerials yet.

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http://www.epicgearusa.com/
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