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New freemove boards?
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gvogelsang



Joined: 09 Nov 1988
Posts: 435

PostPosted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 8:39 am    Post subject: New freemove boards? Reply with quote

Who has ridden one of the new, short, wide and thin boards, and what is your experience?
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U2U2U2



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

PostPosted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have time on Exocet X Cross 115L & a sort of f/m the S Cross 126L.

The X is ever so easy to sail, planes super early, can say no wrong, comment:: its almost too easy, that may translate into its less lively or it just makes a olde man look semi good.

I still have my Tabou Rocket 135L, so I have not gone and purchased the X Cross, or RRD firemove..thinks thats the right 1, all those fires in the lineup,Fanatic Gecko.........Tabou have a version, but doesnt appear any demand as I have nor seen one, or for sale.

havent said that for me the Freeride ROCKET is still the board for me. YMMV

the f/m seem to do it all very well, composed, and maybe the wave of the future for lots of areas...dictated by size, and sail size.

I found no fault on the Exocet X Cross...... it just wasnt my cuppa tea.

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NOVAAN



Joined: 28 Sep 1994
Posts: 1544

PostPosted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have the 2014 Starboard Atom IQ 110. Like the rest, its very wide for its volume. Its very quick to plane. It allows me to use a smaller sail than everyone else. It doesn't require much effort to get going and has a very good top end. It also coasts thru any lulls in the wind better than any board I have owned. It turns way better than I thought a big board would.
Its very easy to sail at speed, exiting a turn or getting back if the wind dies. It floats like a 125. That said, it gets big pretty fast. Its best suited for lakes or flat water bays. Lite and gusty winds are what it does best. Intermediate level sailors will love this board. It just does everything easier. More advanced sailors with good carving skills will not need the extra width to help plane thru a turn or help get them going. All in all, its a pretty amazing board for lite and gusty winds or someone wanting to advance their skills...
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drysuit2



Joined: 01 Apr 1997
Posts: 119

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It all depends what you want out of a board. I am 5’11, and vary between 180 - to 200 pounds. I also have developed tons of over use injuries, and bad habits over the last 30+ years. This means my results may not match yours.

I used to ride smaller boards, [70 ltr polyester HiTech, & 85 ltr Naish wave]. I survived the whole small, narrow tail with a big sail, for power. Or slog around with water up to your shins with a reasonable size sail, waiting for the wave to come along.

Now like the newer free / style / wave -or - free / move boards. I first saw the light with a JP 109 FSW in 2007. It was just easier for me to float over whitewater than to try and punch through it. As I get older, I get lazy. My shoulders get worse, each year, so I can’t keep my boom as high as I should to ensure efficient planing. The extra width makes up for my lack of skill and jibing ability.

My most used wave board is now an RRD FSW V 2, 108 ltr, at 68 cm wide. I run a smaller fin than recommended with the straps forward and in-board. I use this with a 5.0, 5.5, & 6.0 Ezzy wave sail.

My big board is an RRD FireMove 120 ltr at 80cm wide. I do the same thing here, running a smaller than recommended fin with the straps set forward and in-board. As my light wind wave board. Here I use a 6.3 or 6.9 Ezzy wave sail.

Now I understand that to most guys I am grossly mismatching the board to the conditions. And I have sailed the 120 with a 7.5 and an 8.0 with the straps back and on the rail. If you want to sail that way, you can run a nice big fin and smoke all your slalom friends; especially if the water gets rough. I’m just not into that, though I am glad I still have that option.

What I like about the shorter, wider, thiner railed “free - move / wave boards is their forgivingness.
I can use a smaller sail, and still slog, [maybe even plane] off the beach, or back home if the wind dies.
I can float over white-water, vs, having to punch through it on the way out.
The shorter length allows me to drop into a wave with out fear of pearling or stuffing the nose.
The thiner rail lets me set an edge, and engage my rail in a bottom turn, or a jibe without bouncing.
Yet the extra width covers for my lack of skill, when I cut back, jibe, tack, have to sail in back-side dead on -shore conditions or just slog.

I prefer the versions that are not just flat and fast, but have softer, thinner rails forward. I like some rocker at least to the front foot-straps: and some Vee, or double concave. throughout. With the in-board straps, you can speed up, or slow down by weighting your front or back foot; much like trimming a longboard.

For me; this is what works. Your results may vary.
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gvogelsang



Joined: 09 Nov 1988
Posts: 435

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

drysuit,

Thanks for your post. I have bought a Firemove V2 122, but have not had a chance to sail it yet.

Your post has helped to justify my purchase; I'll be using the board with 7.5 and 6.5 sails, and maybe a 5.5.
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U2U2U2



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

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 9:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

if you have time after a ride or 2, post your impressions

just curious where did you purchase the RRD ?

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NOVAAN



Joined: 28 Sep 1994
Posts: 1544

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 12:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yep that's just about what I said. I'm 64 years old, 170 lbs, been windsurfing for over 30 years and have all the injuries all us old guys have. These new free move boards get us on the water sooner and with smaller sails that are easier on the old bones. I have good skills developed over the years windsurfing all the "cool" places. Now I pretty much only sail at my local lake (Lopez) and South Padre. Its pretty flat and mostly 5.5 sail for me. The only thing I might think is a negative, More skilled riders don't need that much width to make turns or to get going. I jump from my 74cm board to my 61 cm board as soon as it gets good 5.5. It sounds like a big step but it works well. The ride thru the bigger chop is much better on the back and neck on the 61cm board at that point. It all depends on your skill level and the conditions you sail. For me , if I could only have one board where I sail it would it would my Tabou 3s 96 liter. That said, having both boards greatly extends my time on the water....
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jingebritsen



Joined: 21 Aug 2002
Posts: 3371

PostPosted: Sun Jun 22, 2014 5:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

about 11 tears ago exocet had the compact move 1115, 100, and 84. the largest was the best, the 100 was good, but the 84 was dysfunctional.

in 2012, we tested boards in Hatteras. the firemove 120 reminded of the compact move 115. yet it was 11cm wider and quite a bit shorter. the compact move was 269 long vs the FM at 235cm (ish). another difference was the CM had a flatter deck. that was a trend back then.....

wider and shorter comes at a price. one has to stay "power on" to maintain a planing jibe, fore and aft stability can be trickier esp slogging.

a thoughtful post above a guy discusses slogging out with his FM. it was far easier with the CM115 because it was longer. and this has been driven home, by tons of folks that have used 10' plus boards for wave sailing since.

steve g. and i have urged patrice belbeoch to produce larger wave boards since he has dropped the 11'5 and 10'5 curve/konas. R+D has nearly come up with reaally large wave boards. more to be announced by 2015.

in the mean time, the X-Move can be seen on the exocet page. i've sailed the 138 extensively. it reminds me of the CM 115 on steroids with a domed deck. it is a bit shorter than i would like, but it is a very early planing board to make up its short length. would very much like to try the X-Move 119 and smaller.

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drysuit2



Joined: 01 Apr 1997
Posts: 119

PostPosted: Sun Jun 22, 2014 7:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That’s a good point John. One of the reasons I even considered the FireMove was a direct result of sailing one during the 2011WS Magazine tests.
The width vs. length vs. stability slogging is a valid concern. Where I sail is never as flat as Hatteras.
I settled on the 120 ltr version even though my shop recommended the smaller 112 ltr; from what I’ve experienced, I can get both boards to plane in about the same windspeed. [all other things being equal], but…

I wanted the extra static floatation: because …

1- my favorite point break is about a mile sail from the closest launch, across an inlet that can be busy with boat traffic in the summer. So I would prefer to remain upright and visible, if I have to bob home.

2- The majority of the on-shore back side wave sailing where I live, consists of short steep sandbar breaks, where I didn’t want the extra length.

I admit the extra width, and shorter length, might be a hindrance on the jackhammer chop we have in most bay and sound sailing up here. I can always switch down to a smaller board when the wind fills in. But the ocean by me, tends to stay smother than the bay. So I haven’t had a problem, though I could at the inlet, if I cross during the wrong wind and tide.

3- In flukey side off, or off shore conditions, I still have that extra margin of float I need. But admit most younger, more athletic guys don’t.
4- I just don’t want the extra length for my purposes. And just like NOVAAN said, most people don’t need the extra width, but now that I have it, it’s nice to have around. As long as the rails are thinner.
In fact I like the concept so much, that I asked my surfboard shaper to add a little width, thin out the rails, add thrusters, and shorten the length, on my new “summer, beach break longboard”.

I am just finding that I like the newer thin railed shapes better. I’ll still keep my classic 9’6”L xc23” W x 31/4” rails, single fin, longboard.

Anyone want to buy my corky Naish Nailu 11”6’ with 41/2” rails?
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jingebritsen



Joined: 21 Aug 2002
Posts: 3371

PostPosted: Sun Jun 22, 2014 8:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

my 11'5 rips in onshore conditions. never had much of a problem twisting around in pocket waves with it.

i now have one again. i'm so happy. yes, a carbon one!!!!!!!

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