iNo comment

Sometimes I feel like board makers are too focused on "if it works on Maui..."

Drew

I like the original shapes just from an aesthetic point of view. However, I think the race for market leadership and "innovation" is making this sport over-complicated. This is I think one of the reasons why it is so intimidating to join. Too many choices for too many variables. How complicated it is pick the right equipment? I like the right tool for the right job but honestly, windsurfing has lost its mind on this one!
The day there's one manufactures that looks at simplifying the choices (I didn't say over-simplifying!), we might see more people joining. It is already a sport that is hard-enough to master. The complexity involved in understanding the nuances of all the possibilities with the equipment, the spotty distribution (at least in the US) and lack of standards across manufacturers (why do we still have different mast curvatures?) is making sailboarding a more marginal sport than it has ever been in its history. My 2-cents.

Oh,c'mon guys! Lets not be grumpy, old , white males /or just pretend we are not/ . Somebody might mistake us for a Trump fan club otherwise
Just joking! But seriously, I think the sport follows its own evolutionary path which is never a staight forward one and it seems that right now it is in a better spot then it has ever been just because its missing link, the stepping stone was found-the SUP. It introduces people to the standing side of the watersports in a very easy, safe and fun way and from here everyone curious enough can make their way into sailing them and into the performance equipment beyound that , everyone!
We can finally draw a parallel to boats and the natural progression they've enjoyed for so long-from the simple kayak to the super high-tech racing yachts.
It may seem a bit complicated and its not for everyone of course -which is a positive IMO considering how crowded Wolf Lake gets sometimes-but anyone who gets in touch with a good dealer can expect to get fully equipped at every step of his exploration into SUPing, WindSUPing and planing Windsurfing.
As for this new and strange at first look shapes, they are clearly inspired by the kite boards and if there are customers for them and they sell and make profit for the companies and lets them invest more in R&D -great!!! And like a presidential candidate would say: I approve of this message

The stubby shape comes from surfing. This vid is from 2013.

Firewire Vanguard - Shred Show ep. #29: Tomo Vanguard Surfboard by Firewire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BDZwESf--M

Yeah, but the guy took the idea from the wakeboards, or so the rumor goes
www.surfermag.com/blogs/design-forum/dan...#wQVOsv63xlUMs5vO.97
Anyway, I have no problem digesting the idea because: I have a personal issue with planing boards longer then 235 cm. and I feel that the strong curve in the middle of the Atomic create lots of drag and keep the speed down. So I would be excited to try such a short board with parallel rails, but I still don't have the guts to buy one right away /if I had the money/ . I have my doubts about the bigger boards turning abilities-they look more like a straight line drag racers that can only turn in a very wide arc. Will see when the reviews start coming and I doubt Fanatic will put their name on something that doesnt work good enough for their customers high expectations.

Ady wrote:



2006.star-board.com/products/isonic.asp


Barenaked Ladies- It's All Been Done (Video Version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs3xXlXSOKk

Ady wrote:

Stubby Waveboard Showdown
www.boardseekermag.com/features/stubby-waveboard-showdown/


FANATIC STUBBY

Volume – 88
Width – 57.5cm
Tail width (30cm) – 41cm
Length – 213cm
Weight complete – 7.52kg
Track from tail – 113cm
Strap spread – 62.5cm
Fins (Tri-fin) – 19cm + 2*12cm (US & Slot)




"This style of board is generally acknowledged to have originated from surfing with the Vanguard."

"Fanatic felt perfectly matched to a 5.3m sail and was good from 4.7m (just!) up to 6.0m."

"It’s probably the earliest planing wave board of this size we have ever sailed. All that width under your back foot and the square shape..."

"In chop the ride does get a bit less comfortable, most likely a result of that tail width. The tail width did also sometimes feel like you almost needed a double back strap in a straight line, even with size 11 feet! Now, I know that you are never going to put a double back strap on a wave board as you wouldn’t be able to turn it, but there was a definite feeling of having to sit your back foot out on the rail a bit more to get the best out of it in a straight line and then wiggle it back in to the strap before jumping."

"On the wave however, I wasn’t as blown away as I thought I was going to be."

"Nothing comes close to these boards when it comes to a good backside snap. The short tail and the back strap being positioned so far back makes them incredible for snapping a backside turn on....But once that set-up snap is over and you look to go front side on the wave, I have to admit I was expecting better things. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I really thought these boards would knock the socks off a traditionally shaped wave board in onshore front-side riding, but I honestly don’t think they do."

" I’m sticking my neck out a bit here and could be proven wrong, but I actually don’t think the future of this shape is going to be in radical wave boards, I think its going to be in freewaves and more easy-going wave boards."

"The hardcore wave market on the other-hand puts much more emphasis on how well the board turns at the sacrifice of all the rest, and ultimately, I really don’t think this style of board turns quite as well as a traditional shape can."

There you go. Thanks Reid! The Freerace shape might be the winner, benefiting from the early planing and speed, for the other two...I dont know. Will live and see.