Starboard's wave boards too darn heavy!

[GURGLETROUSERS]

I used several wave boards in the 90's, while avoiding the no nose trend, and my experience with 70 to 75 litre wave boards was that seemingly small differences in shaping and/or mast track positioning gave very different handling issues. You ended up with either ease of use (control) when you needed it, or out and out scare the pants off you performance. I never found one that gave both together.

After I moved on from there, I kept just two wave boards, a more traditional 06 Starboard 73 litre Acid, and an original 05 74 litre Starboard Evo. Despite all the criticism of the Evo, that ORIGINAL one was the easiest wave board to use within its intended range (sloppy surf and moderate winds. It only became a handful in stronger stuff.) , while the Acid was more like a pocket rocket by comparison.

After dragging the Acid back out, first time for ages, a couple of days ago in VERY gusty 4.5 conditions, I quickly realised, and remembered why I'd abandoned it, and that it was past its sell by date in comparison with modern bit bigger multi fin wave boards. It's now back in the attic!

At anyrate, it was a useful reminder to avoid thinking the grass used to be greener (in my case, if not in others) and I can again more appreciate my current favourite 84 and 94 litre Cross boards. That extra volume, and more up to date shaping makes all the difference in our gusty and awkward conditions. Thinking back, there were very few days with the Acid that it really excelled in, and far too much dropping in and cursing. Can do without that now!

[isobars]

[isobars]

[swchandler]

isobars, I think we're done on this thread, but like I said earlier, I will post photos that support all that I said.

Although some might be anxious for a quick response on my photos, it probably won't happen before March. Still though, I will come through and prove what I've said.

It's pretty old stuff, but why not. History can often tell an interesting tale.

[GURGLETROUSERS]

Isobars wrote (about using the 73 litre Acid) -'Solutions include a bigger sail, bigger fin, BIGGER AND MORE MODERN BOARD.'

The highlighted part was precisely the point I made after long experience of trying to 'work' small wave boards in our very gusty real world SURF conditions, and is where I now stand! The other offered (not required) solutions of bigger fin and bigger sail (been there done that) will NOT keep the small Acid afloat in our typical frequent lulls. They add nothing when you are down with a wall of white water bearing down on you!

I am far from being the only real world surf conditions ex small board user who has now moved on from trying to fit square pegs into round holes! Trying to tell me where I went wrong is silly, at the very least.

[manuel]

Recent French magazine tests show over 2lb difference across different models of similar sizes.

[manuel]

17lbs equipped dry after the repair and now again 18lbs+ slightly damp after some use.

Feels a bit heavy again, really?... how would 1lb+ of water makes it way in now?

[cgoudie1]

Sounds to me like you still have a leak, but absorbent footstraps could hold a little extra weight. Leaks can be insidiously deceptive. I've had leaks in
footstrap inserts and around the mast base and around the fin box, that
I swore I'd fixed, but ........ the board took on water again. It's been a
long time since this was an issue for me. When Epoxy boards were a
new technology, they seemed to have more issues than they do now.
Take the board off the water, and leave it out in the sun for a few minutes
and spray a soapy fluid all over the thing.
You'll probably see some bubbles (maybe even in a place where you've
already done a healthy repair.)

-Craig

[boardsurfr]

Wet footstraps alone can easily make a pound difference. There's a reason many racers prefer footstraps with no or minimal neoprene. Raceboarders sometimes go a step further since they have so many straps, and just have a strap of plastic without any covering.

[manuel]

Yeah both straps and pads... Plus I'm paranoid now.

Just tried starboard kp pro model, 15.5lbs equipped!