Bought my new wave yesterday from Darren at AKS, after demoing the board a couple of months back.

Although built for waves, easterly equals estuary and flat water. The board has the same rocker at both ends, only the plan differs, just wider at the thrusters ridden nose end as per a normal SB. So I wanted to see how it performed ridden purely TT style. To do this I also purchased two 50mm wakestyle CB fins, which I replaced the side thrusters with keeping the back fin in place for directionality.

Pussy, gusty 12-16 knots easterly on a 11.5m kahoona weighing 85kg.
Firstly will answer the recent post, 'is it a light wind board option' – answer absolutely.

The evidence is startling. I ride with my brother, who uses the same kite, same size but with a two year old cabrinha 137, a great board built for a soft ride on the ankles and knees. Now I normally only just keep upwind with him being 7kg heavier, my 10 years of kiting keeping me on par – just, using an older Jimmy lewis 145cm Lithuim TT.

Today after 10 minutes I looked around and he was a speck on the horizon, landing his kite, because he couldn't stay upwind – not enough wind! Yet here I was, 400m of shore and cranking upwind, even with gaps of almost no wind. Couldn't believe it – was so focussed on watching the board move through the water and trying to 'feel' it out, I didn't even notice. So yes, the extra finnage, outline, width and design proves a great upwind weapon. I was stoked. To stay upwind with my brother I would have to ride hard and fast, gripping the rail really hard...this was effortless.

On the water, it rode extremely smooth and balanced as CB's are known to do. Going left and right, even with the wakestyle fins had minor differences.
Right foot forward with wake style fins (thrusters front nose), was very similar to a TT (noticeably less 'tight' than with all three thrusters fins I experienced in the surf in the older post) and turned onto the thrusters just as easy. You could load up well on this side as like a normal TT, and you could ride the rail hard. Still rode a little more flat than a normal TT, but this is minor.

Left foot forward, thrusters driven (but with wakestyle fins), a little different here. Slightly more bouncier, as would be expected but still comfortable and not a problem. If you tried to ride hard rail, the board wanted to ride a little more flat than the other way – again as would be expected. After a couple of tacks learnt how to load up well enough and all transitions, rolls, blinds etc were not a problem. In-fact it was nice to feel this slight difference each way, different moves, feels would result.

This thing jibes onto its toes like a machine as explained in previous post, even with wakestyle fins in the side thrusters position. At one stage I swear my nose nearly touched the flat water, no matter how hard I threw the 11.5m kahoon around the window it stuck like a knifed pig, just awesome. Jibing off the thrusters is the only time technique needs adjusting, lean left, pressure on left foot, swing right foot around. They can stick a 'little' if this is not done. But you can always roll transition, transition or jibe carve onto toeside and either stay on this tack (it rides sweet as on your toes unlike a normal tt) or quick olly onto the wake fins – not a problem. Looking forward to getting my toeside rolls etc nailed as this thing holds so well - but not too much – just enough.

So in the waves, I'm yet to really give it its due, but as a TT on flat water – just fantastic.
Truly the best board I have ridden.
Will try without back thrusters, and with just the back thrusters to loosen the whole show up.
Hope this helps, get out and try one, truly amazing board if you like TT's and want to keep that feel in the waves and even now use it as a TT on the flat.