Freeride Board to limp to windline for Clydesdale?

[NOVAAN]

You must try a Tabou Rocket 135. get the LTD for lite wind get up and go...

[gvogelsang]

[Arrgh]

You might consider the Rocket 145, which appears to have the same dimensions as the 135 but must be a bit thicker, I suppose. In general the latest freerides (Rocket, Carve, etc) seem to have a length of about 250 cm these days, while the so-called freerace boards - which would seem to be right up your alley - are getting shorter, the new S 5 being a notable exception. If you go back even a year or two you will find that the Starboard Futura, for example, has become shorter. Advantages of the extra length (250 cm is long?) would be for uphauling, slogging and smoother transition onto a plane (less work).

[jingebritsen]

don't want to pump?

agreed, short and wide requires either rigging big, or pumping.

rs 8. i can't effectively pump it with a 9.0 sail. thus, no pumping rquired. needs bigger sailor, or larger sail. frickin massive board, for a 7 foot+ sailor to pump. once on a plane, it stays going.

http://www.exocet-original.com/en/rs-slalom.php

nano 155. classic design. super easy to sail

http://www.exocet-original.com/en/nano.php

BTW, all my advice is based on me sailing these boards.

[bellrock]

Thanks for all of the input! Very helpful. For those recommending the Tabou rocket, do you mean the rocket or the Rocket Wide?

[ss59]

FWIW

As an expert/advanced intermediate, I really don't think you need extra volume; you are looking for extra width. I am sure you could slog out on a 95l board but it would be pretty tricky.

You say that you don't want to use your formula kit in winds over 15mph, therefore, I guess you are looking for a 15mph+ board, your Explosion is fine for this but, by modern standards, is pretty narrow so will feel a bit tippy. Something around 70cm would be a good compromise between stability whilst not being some enormous oil tanker and yet will take an 8.0m that will get you going pretty easily in 13 or so knots +. So I would suggest something like a Tabou Rocket Wide 108, Fanatic Gecko 112 or (if you want something really passive and easy) a JP Magic Ride 119

[gvogelsang]

[CT_Cruiser]

bellrock - I have a 2014 Rocket 145 that I have been very happy with. I returned to the sport last year after 25 years away, having been a "first-time short board improver" in my early twenties back in the UK (owned an Alpha 130L "295"). I looked at everything from Wind SUPs to Vipers to the larger Sharks and Carves until the Rocket just kind of fell into my lap.

Although I was coming at it more as a "nervous returner" looking for the security of a relatively stable and uphaulable board for my (then) 220lb+ frame. I also wanted the performance to be there when I was ready and not to feel like I'd outgrown the board. It sounds like you might be looking for some stability for "passive slogging" without a hit to performance once you reach the wind line. As others have suggested here, you can certainly slog out with less volume ... the caveat being that the less volume you have to work with, the more actively you're doing the trim dance. In my experience, this board has never felt "too big" up to 20 kts, and if the wind falls off or you have to get back through the wind shadow - more volume is more better.

In retrospect, for my personal situation, a Viper might have been a better choice for my first few months - even the Rocket's generous 145L and 76cm width felt really tippy after so many years. But once I regained some of the old mojo, it has proven to be plenty stable in sub-planing wind and it lives up to it's name when the wind picks up. It is certainly a performance freeride board with higher volume, rather than a floaty beginner board with a fast paint job.

Now that I have a full season under my belt and several additional boards acquired in the meantime (funny how that happens), I find that the Rocket is still a great fit as a marginal and moderate wind board; I usually pair it with my 8.5 or 7.0 ... I believe stated sail range is 6.0-10.0 .... I now have a Wind SUP for light wind/family use and a couple of smaller boards for stronger wind. If I were still over 200lb I'd probably keep it forever, but I'm a good bit lighter now and have been thinking about selling and getting something with less volume for the same role. If you're interested, PM me.

[wynsurfer]

I have the same Rocket 145 X 76 but weigh 150 and use it for marginal to moderate winds with 6.5 - 9.0. I don't need all that volume but came across a used one in very good condition for a great price and figured it would work okay. I was not disappointed. What surprised me was that for such a big wide board it has a smooth ride through chop and works well for me with the 7.5 when the wind is gusting in the low 20's which is when things start to get rough. We get a fair number of days here in Ct. where the wind is in the 10-20 range.

[Arrgh]

The standard Rocket would certainly be the "safe" choice. Here is an interesting intro to a wide, thin freeride test:
http://www.windsurf.co.uk/115l-freeride-board-test-2016/