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Bic Techno 205D vs 185D?

 
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gobigkahuna



Joined: 11 Mar 2004
Posts: 144
Location: Eastern NC

PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2017 6:49 pm    Post subject: Bic Techno 205D vs 185D? Reply with quote

Is the 185D a replacement for the 205D? Dimensions are nearly identical but the volume of the 205D is 20 liters more, so it must be thicker?
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gobigkahuna



Joined: 11 Mar 2004
Posts: 144
Location: Eastern NC

PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2017 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks like the 185D, 205D and 293 One Design are all the same board (except maybe the 185D isn't as thick as the other 2)?


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U2U2U2



Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 5467
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado

PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perhaps contact BIC, they answered my questions before.
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gobigkahuna



Joined: 11 Mar 2004
Posts: 144
Location: Eastern NC

PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2017 12:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I decided to pull the trigger on the 185D. The volume is right for me and since they're using essentially the same design for 3 boards it must work pretty well. Plus it was listed for just over $600 new on Amazon (with free shipping). Hard to beat that for a brand new board. Smile
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gregnw44



Joined: 23 Jul 2008
Posts: 783
Location: Seattle, Wa

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 3:30 am    Post subject: Re: Bic Techno 205D vs 185D? Reply with quote

gobigkahuna wrote:
Is the 185D a replacement for the 205D? Dimensions are nearly identical but the volume of the 205D is 20 liters more, so it must be thicker?


Yes, that's basically correct.
So "which model" is the right one for you?
That depends on lots of things.
How much do you weigh?
What will the typical wind be, when you go windsurfing?
Are you a beginner or an expert?
Are you sailing ocean breaking waves and big swell.. or protected bays and lakes with mostly flat water (with windy, choppy water, or white-caps)?
What are your goals for windsurfing?

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gobigkahuna



Joined: 11 Mar 2004
Posts: 144
Location: Eastern NC

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 8:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Greg,

I'm a big guy who is getting back into windsurfing after a long break. I live on the Outer Banks of North Carolina so we get all conditions here (flat water, chop, waves small and large). I have a 240 liter WindSUP that I have been using to re-learn my skills. My biggest complaint with the WindSUP is it won't plane. My biggest challenges right now are the weather (it's gotten real cold here) and my balance. I had an old Bic Techno Formula 170 a few years ago so I know the 185D will float me just fine.

The price for the Techno 185D was so low I just couldn't pass it up. $660 for a $1,600 board is a screaming deal.
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techno900



Joined: 28 Mar 2001
Posts: 4161

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 10:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gobigkahuna,

I think you will like the Techno 185. I had the original Techno 283 (152L) and it was a nice, do everything board. I don't know the exact differences between that board and the newer 185 (other than removing the fragile nose from the older bic), but it should handle a wide range of conditions. I use sails from 9.0 to 6.0 on my old board and raced if for a few years in course slalom events until the Formula boards surfaced an blew away everything else on the water. I only weigh 170 so it will be different for you. You will obviously use a weed fin on the OBX, but don't be shy with size. I used the stock fin in higher winds (46cm as I recall), plus a 52 and a 54 cm fin for my larger sails for max upwind performance.
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gregnw44



Joined: 23 Jul 2008
Posts: 783
Location: Seattle, Wa

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 1:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

gobigkahuna wrote:
Hey Greg,

I'm a big guy who is getting back into windsurfing after a long break. I live on the Outer Banks of North Carolina so we get all conditions here (flat water, chop, waves small and large). I have a 240 liter WindSUP that I have been using to re-learn my skills. My biggest complaint with the WindSUP is it won't plane. My biggest challenges right now are the weather (it's gotten real cold here) and my balance. I had an old Bic Techno Formula 170 a few years ago so I know the 185D will float me just fine.

The price for the Techno 185D was so low I just couldn't pass it up. $660 for a $1,600 board is a screaming deal.


Yeah, that's a great deal on a very nice board. If you're like 220 and bigger, and have advanced windsurfing skills... that 185 will be like a big shortboard for you, and that's how you'll want to use it. Water-starting it and planing around in 15-20 mph wind. And if cranks up to 25, you'll still get back no problem cause you weigh enough and you have good sailing skills. But if the wind drops to 10... you can still get back then, cause you'll have the little centerboard to help you glide back where you want. And you have the skills to uphaul it, in light wind.
Yeah, I think you'll have a great time on that board.

However, I'm not sure if it'll plane much sooner than your 240L windsup (depending what model that is). You say that won't plane... but I don't see why not. Anything will plane if you have enough wind and a big enough sail.
It seems to me that a nice modern 220L windsup (probably not a ton different than a Kona One)... would plane for you if you have enough wind and a big enough sail, whether you're 220 lbs or 240, 260, whatever.
You just need to go fast enough.
Anything will plane if you go fast enough.
I would bet that both those boards might plane, by the time they're going about 15 mph. You just need enough wind and enough sail size to get "you" going over 15 mph.
The Kona formula has this down pretty well for most people. Depending on sailor weight, people might need a 6.6 or 7.8 or 9.0 or 9.8 to get planning in say, a solid 15-20 mph wind. (As you know big FW guys will use 11's and 12's to get planning.)
Anyway, the wind and the sail size along with the needed skill set... will probably be in the same ballpark to get your 220L board and your 185L board both planing. Actually, you'll probably need a bigger sail with the smaller board, in the same 15 mph steady wind... or you'll use your expert pumping skills, to get the smaller board planing.

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gobigkahuna



Joined: 11 Mar 2004
Posts: 144
Location: Eastern NC

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 2:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Yeah, that's a great deal on a very nice board. If you're like 220 and bigger, and have advanced windsurfing skills... that 185 will be like a big shortboard for you, and that's how you'll want to use it. Water-starting it and planing around in 15-20 mph wind. And if cranks up to 25, you'll still get back no problem cause you weigh enough and you have good sailing skills. But if the wind drops to 10... you can still get back then, cause you'll have the little centerboard to help you glide back where you want. And you have the skills to uphaul it, in light wind. Yeah, I think you'll have a great time on that board.


I definitely wouldn't call my skill level "advanced" but given enough wind I can water start and as rusty as I am I can still complete about 50% of my gybes. I have a long ways to go before I'd say I'm back to being an "intermediate" sailor. But I'll get there.
Quote:


However, I'm not sure if it'll plane much sooner than your 240L windsup (depending what model that is). You say that won't plane... but I don't see why not. Anything will plane if you have enough wind and a big enough sail.
It seems to me that a nice modern 220L windsup (probably not a ton different than a Kona One)... would plane for you if you have enough wind and a big enough sail, whether you're 220 lbs or 240, 260, whatever.
You just need to go fast enough. Anything will plane if you go fast enough.


Maybe I should have said that "I can't get it up on a plane". The board in question is a Starboard Avanti ( http://star-board-sup.com/2017/board/11-2-x-36-avanti/ ) that I bought to learn to SUP. 11'2" x 36" and 240 liters. It's big, heavy and has so much rocker that I'm not able to get it up on a plane in conditions that a Kona One will.

I gave the Kona One a try and thought about one of the other Exocet long boards. But for the price I could hardly turn this deal down. If I can use in 15-20 mph winds that'll cover 90% of my sailing.

I'm keeping the Avanti for now. It's stability is perfect for building my confidence on the water. But I hope to spend a lot of time on that Techno 185 next season. Smile
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gobigkahuna



Joined: 11 Mar 2004
Posts: 144
Location: Eastern NC

PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 6:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

FYI, I see that the Techno 160D is on sale for $573 (and free shipping) on Amazon right now: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NB9USI4/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_c_x_1_w
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