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isobars
Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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Like any choice ... the right answer, if there is one, always depends on the selection criteria. |
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U2U2U2
Joined: 06 Jul 2001 Posts: 5467 Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 9:39 am Post subject: |
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THe OP is looking for a used board. Which he cant conjure up and purchase.
The right answer in this case doesnt exist , even new it doesnt. Because nothing ticks all the boxes in the far exceeds group.
I dont see a 20YO board meeting many requirements , except price. _________________ K4 fins
4Boards....May the fours be with you
http://www.k4fins.com/fins.html
http://4boards.co.uk/ |
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dhmark
Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 376
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 9:59 am Post subject: |
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OP is trying to decide among those 4 new (but last years model) boards originally mentioned. I mentioned the really old boards just for possible comparisons. I know there is no "right" answer, but some might say X is better than Y for this, Z is better than Y for that, etc. This is not some major life decision, everybody have FUN chipping in their thoughts! I'm going to have fun regardless of what I choose, have only truly regretted one board purchase ever (but its my current 98 L Mistral Score V98 $700 new a long time ago). |
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dhmark
Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 376
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 10:28 am Post subject: |
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At this point, unless I hear that the Cross is particularly harsh in chop and some other board is spectacularly easy on knees in chop, I am tempted to choose Cross. |
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U2U2U2
Joined: 06 Jul 2001 Posts: 5467 Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 10:48 am Post subject: |
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I apologize, cause I read older boards , Not as new last years
I would rate the Simmer much higher , using this criteria, last years .
The Exocet would still be a good choice .
Since price would now play into this .. I may be harder.
Lake Michigan does get some waves, the Simmer as a single or tri , is a contender. _________________ K4 fins
4Boards....May the fours be with you
http://www.k4fins.com/fins.html
http://4boards.co.uk/ |
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isobars
Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 10:53 am Post subject: |
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dhmark wrote: | OP is trying to decide among those 4 new (but last years model) boards originally mentioned. I mentioned the really old boards just for possible comparisons.. |
That new post pretty much obviates the response I was working on, but in case anyone else is interested, I'll post it anyway:
U2U2U2 wrote: | THe OP is looking for a used board. Which he cant conjure up and purchase.
The right answer in this case doesnt exist , even new it doesnt. Because nothing ticks all the boxes in the far exceeds group.
I dont see a 20YO board meeting many requirements , except price. |
Dang, DHMark ... I guess you're out of luck. Out of thousands of new and used boards available, sounds like not one will suit your very broad but apparently unique demands.
Balderdash.
I would and have gladly spent two grand (apiece) on retro boards, and have extensively tested many current carefully chosen new boards I wouldn't pay $5 for. Price tags and date stamp are down in the weeds when it comes to my criteria, as I can see neither when I'm sailing. Two of the Gorge's foremost professional used gear experts agree with me that my 1999 (and 2001) boards are, to this day, outstanding performers. What's wrong with speed, smooth ride in chop, intense carving ability, ultra tracking precision, intuitive response, complete trust at high speed in the roughest water I can find on the Columbia, wide and tight jibes, solid upwind ability, light weight, availability, AND a tiny, sometimes microscopic, price tag, often including a good bag, fin, and straps?
I'd say DH's dilemma is too many, rather than too few, boards to choose from, especially considering the choices from swap meets to Craigslist to Windance/Big Winds/Isthmus/etc. More criteria may help narrow the field, and air fares and/or commercial shipping costs are low enough to consider flying somewhere, even to the west coast. If he just HAS to lay hands on a board before buying, one good Hood River swap meet would blow his mind (some great boards go unsold at double-digit prices), and is just $300 away. Or he could trust the source's (and this forum's) evaluations, peruse their inventory, and just say Charge It and Send It. I have yet to be disappointed with that approach, and have had extensive experience with the three shops mentioned above plus others. Isthmus is probably not even a long drive for DH. |
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dvCali
Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 1314
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 11:03 am Post subject: |
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rswabsin wrote: | Good post - I'm in the market for the same board as well. Been leaning towards the 2017 V4 RRD FSW but haven't pulled the trigger yet. ... If you haven't seen this, theres a good review of the RRD an other boards here. https://www.windsurf.co.uk/test-type/95-litre-xb18/
Rob |
I have a RRD FSW 90 V4/V5 (the two versions are identical shape wise) and is a very good board. At my weight (160 pounds) it is my mid wind board and I mostly use it with 5.8 and 6.5 Free Race sails, occasionally with a 5.0, once with 4.3. Big range, it carries the 6.5 with no problem at all. Very easy, jumps great, and very safe in the swell and chop even when very powered up.
With 5.8-6.5 I use it with a 30 cm K4 Fang fin (an upright, fast fin), very small side fins (6 cm), ad two straps in the back. With this set up it is fast, not flat water slalom fast, but I hit 28 knots and change repeatedly at Coyote and it makes things way more pleasant than a slalom board. With 5.0 I use a 25 freewave fin and the same sides. Note that the standard tri fin configuration slows the board down a real lot and for me it does not work too great in the Bay Area.
BTW: I had a RRD FSW 84 V5 for a month and it worked very nice at Crissy, but was too a touch too big for me and I switched to the Starboard FSW 81. RRD FSW 90 combo.
You can get the FSW 96 V4 in wood for $1490 at Isthmus ... |
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kmf
Joined: 02 Apr 2001 Posts: 503
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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What is most important to the OP is going to determine the choice.
Looking at the Exocet site it looks like the Cross series is a FSW board with a distinct freeride bias to it. I rode a 104 Cross a few years back and it was a fast smooth ride that made beautiful wide gybes, couldn't miss a gybe. It didn't feel particularly loose tho.
The RRD and the Tabou are FSW boards with a bias toward maneuverability and small wave riding. My RRD's bear this out, they love to turn and bank on river swell, and are just fun to ride. At my beach quite a few people are riding Tabou 3s's and Pocket waves and they seem to love them. And Swell City is a choppy mess.
All of these boards are smooth riders and i don't think that you can go wrong with any of them.
KMF |
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dllee
Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 12:03 pm Post subject: |
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160 lbs., I like the Firewave 92 much more than FSW's due to the tri option for smoother landings and shorter main fin. Same speed with more consistency for jumping and hard carves. Owned RRD fsw's and currently own jp, Tabou, and RougeW fsw's. |
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NOVAAN
Joined: 28 Sep 1994 Posts: 1549
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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I got a RRD board from Isthmus a few years back. They are top notch when it comes to price and service... |
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