Rider: Weight 120kg, 6'4", Level ( intermediate )
Style: Freeriding (love it), Surf (wish I was better), Wake (I suck), Freestyle (love it), Oldschool (yep, thats me)
Weather: 8-10 knots
Build Quality: 9/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Disclosure: Normal Guy who pays for his stuff
Similar Boards used: North Race LTD 2010
Kites used: Core XR 17m

In summary: Great Board and is one of my favourites now!

I used to ride a North Race LTD 2010 but it got knocked off so I got the Sector 60 V2 as its replacement. When I first got the Sector, the first initial impression was, 'wow, this thing is wide'. I put the fins in and already had read on the forums that the fin boxes are a little sloppy. Sure enough, the fins are loose in the boxes but once you tighten the screws, they are steady and solid. For this reason, I gave a 9 out of 10. The straps are simple and much better than the so called fancy adjustable North ones. You adjust the size by old school, moving the screw to a different hole in the end of the strap. Not good if your swapping riders on the one board but its not such a big deal. I found that even loose straps for smaller riders is ok since the board is so steady and easy. Personally, I love the straps, comfortable and don't fold down and get stuck down like the North ones, these ones spring back.

The deck pad is really comfortable too, really good grip so when running around the board, you feel always in contact and no slip, so an inexperience rider will feel comfortable it won't slip away from you learning to gybe.

One of my friends came off the board and his spreader bar clipped the side of the board and some paint came off, scratched off! I seem to remember doing the same thing on my North Race board and it not doing the same so maybe the paint work is a little more sensitive to this sort of thing. No big deal and proberly more noticeable since it was black paint and under it was white.

Performance: This is where the Sector 60 V2 really shines. I'd say the designers were aiming at light wind fun board and boy did they manage to achieve this in spades. I've had so many light wind sessions that were so much fun, it has easily doubled my water time! We get alot of light wind days so this sort of board is important to me.

With the big fins and wide width, the board feels really steady, from low to high speed. Once up and running, the fins create lift but funnily it does not cause the board to ride too far out of the water and sort of pitch back and forth. I'd say that with the combination of fin size, strap placement and width of board, all combined for a really steady, easy ride. But there is a down side to this, the board feels like it has a limited top end. I felt that the North could still accelerate in the same wind where as the Sector would stay the same speed. For example, heading downwind at a good pace, loop the kite back and as the kite flys foward and you pull the bar in, the board doesn't accelerate as quick as the North would.

But there lays the crux of the design, steady fun with speed. I think with a slight, and I say slight compromise in top end speed compared to full on race boards. It gets my heavy arse out in light winds and is sooooooooo much fun. I look foward to getting to the beach even though I know its going to be light. You head up wind, throw a couple of jumps in then do a downwinder and get your speed thing on!

Upwind may not be as fast as the North but again, much more fun and with no leg burn. Leg burn was a big thing with the North board for me, but with the leg burn you get great upwind speed, wheather it be upwind, downwind or cross wind. With the Sector being so easy, no leg burn and with almost the same speed.

Downwind was the big stand out for me on the Sector compared to my North board. You get good speed but the board feels so steady and even with different angles downwind. I experimented with dead downwind to broad reach to just off reaching, all felt easy. Infact, just the other day I had such a good run, actually had so much apparent wind I actually thought the wind shifted 45 degrees, but after I gybed and headed back, the same thing, only I thought the wind shifted 90 degrees the other way. I headed back to the beach thinking the wind was dieing or changing, it felt like I had to point my way back. As it turned out, it was only when I stopped back at my starting point on the beach that I realized the wind was still the same, just really light. Really cool I thought!

Bottom end is fantastic on the sector, and like I said, it has opened up a world of light wind cruising for me, but what is the best thing about this added bottom end is that it is a fun bottom end, easy.

Manouvering is another high point, the board is easy to gybe, much easier than the North for me. I'm useless at tacking and still have to learn that, but gybing is easy so therefore much more fun. I got used to the North and had no problems but the Sector made it fun and enjoyable.

Overall the Sector is a great fun easy board that absolutely rocks in light winds and will double your time on the water! It may not have the top end speed of the proper race boards but damn nearly does but with so much fun, who cares!! Being lit up in 10 knots is waaaay fun and is especially good on this one.

Sector 60 V2, brilliant, I highly recommend it!

cheers for now,

Robbie

Hey Robbie,

Good review mate. I agree with everything you say. I'd go so far as to say the Sector boards have been the most fun boards Airush have ever knocked out.

DM

... thanks Darren! Thanks to Airush for making it such a good board, I actually wonder why other companies don't make something similar, then again, maybe their race boards are fun too and I just haven't tried em!

Here's a few of pics of the board ...

I tried to buy a 2011 Sector 52 but got stuck with diffficulties of availability etc.

I'm asking you to make a guess here but here goes ...

Do you think the S60 is a better bet as a free ride raceboard than the S52?

I am 78kg so your heavy arse has 40kg!!!! on my not so heavy, but rather cute, bottom. Do you reckon the S60 is the go over the S52?

Gorgo,

I'm 73kg and bought the Sector 60 v1 and love it.

Slack

Select to expand quote

Puetz said...

... thanks Darren! Thanks to Airush for making it such a good board, I actually wonder why other companies don't make something similar, then again, maybe their race boards are fun too and I just haven't tried em!

....

North have the Freerace and Cabrinha have got the Transport.

I have ridden the North Race 2009 (which is very similar to the Freerace) and I reckon my F-One Bamboo Fish would eat it for breakfast.

The Cabrinha Transport is similar dimensions to the Freerace.

I reckon most manufacturers/designers are wimps when it comes to wide boards. My favourite TT is 48cm and I am loving the F-One Fish at 48cm wide.

...60 or 52, its hard to say because I haven't tried the 52 myself, only the 60, but,,,

,,,, playing devils advocate now, I would say the 52 would be great with your weight of 78 kg, as a freeride style board but if your after a bit of racing as well as freeride, then the 60 is the go. I have used the 60 in 18 knots or so and it still rode bloody nicely but I think the 52 was aimed at this higher wind.

Me aiming for 8 knots at 120 kg, the 60 is only choice for me. If you were aiming for racing as well as freeride, then the 60 is the go but if your freeriding with no racing, then the 52 would be the choice.

Jumping the 60 you'll definetely feel the size and weight, so I would imagine the 52 having less swing weight and therefore easier jumps, again, just logical thinking here.

I saw a video of a guy using the 60 in waves and preferred it over the 52, if I find it I'll post the link.

Anyway, either way, Airush made a good board and I think you'll do good with either!

cheers,

Robbie

... thats the one, cool, thanks terminal!

I have the 52 V1. 110Kg ride it from 8-25+ knots.

have played with mine in the surf too. not like in the video though, over head - lit up on my 8m. it was manageable. biggest problem is speed. you go way to fast to stay in the critical section of the wave. the positive is that when sections are closing out on you you have the option of pointing another 10m further up wind to avoid the impact zone! While its possible certainly not the best weapon for this sort of riding! those little waves in the video in this thread will be heaps of fun on a sector... is it the best board for it? if thats all you do and you dont venture out past the surf zone then a fish would be a better choice i think.

52 over the 60 if you want to play in waves as its much easier to ride toe side, and lay down big carving turns especially if you are a light weight.

The Sector is an amazing free ride board that brings an entirely new element to kiting. A surprisingly capable board in a huge variety of conditions, not just for light wind cruising but hi wind, surf, racing... and if you watch the airush video, there is an element of freestyle too.... bump and jump, back roll transitions, nose rides etc. if you are the kind of rider that mixes up your riding, then this board will bring a smile to your face!

nice reveiw puetz, this sounds like the type of board everyone should have in their quiver(unless you live in geraldton!).

For me this kind of board would be specifically for getting out and going for a cruise when its too light to ride anything else. Hence I think the s60 would be the logical choice over the s52 unless you are a lightweight/grom/chick.

Good review Rob,

Thought about a V for awhile now but everytime I look at those fins I'm worried about getting caught up in sea weed (which we have plenty )
I'm guessing the length and shape of the fin is not conjucive to sea weed areas?

Select to expand quote

bennie said...

For me this kind of board would be specifically for getting out and going for a cruise when its too light to ride anything else. Hence I think the s60 would be the logical choice over the s52 unless you are a lightweight/grom/chick.

^^^^ Total agree with you Bennie, that is what I use my Sector 60 for.

Select to expand quote

HaaK...

Thought about a V for awhile now but everytime I look at those fins I'm worried about getting caught up in sea weed (which we have plenty )
I'm guessing the length and shape of the fin is not conjucive to sea weed areas?

^^^^ I've gone over the front of the board after hitting slightly submerged weed banks on the river. I believe you get a set of weed fins for them but they won't be cheap.

... cheers guys, thanks!

A little Update...

We organised a downwinder Friday arvo after work and by 5pm the wind looked a little bit ordinary, dropped the downwind car off and went to the upwind spot. Whoa, when we got there, a seabreeze was on. I'd already committed to using the Sector and my Core 17m XR, oh well, I might as well test the upper limits.

We didn't have high winds, I think it started at 20 knots but further down the coast we got, it did drop off! I sort of usually can tell sort of wind speed is but being on the Sector and with its superiour light wind abilities, I wasn't sure now. We had to head straight at the sunset so occasionally a piece of chop came from out of no where, and the Sector just ate them up.

The board still rides flattish and it is as if the fins work togeather to keep the board steady, you can actually feel it. Hard to explain but you feel one or maybe two fins start lifting and ready to pitch you over when the other fins lift too, countering and making the board lift evenly and therefore steady the board.

Since I had way more speed on the other guys, I did big reaches way out the back and would charge back in while the twin tip boys were doing tricks. I'd fly past, fins humming. I found I got 3 different pitches from the fins, when you get the 3rd one, your lit. I actually think I was as fast as my old North now. Maybe I'm getting used to it. I left the other guys on the twin tips for dead.

As we got nearer our destination, approximately 7 or 8 km, and the wind started dying, the poor old twin tip boys struggled, where as I just kept going so while they had to land, I just blasted up and down til the beer and sunset called me in.

Totally amazing, really stoked. This board could handle the wind too, at times I came across rough choppy water and it just ate it up. For a big board, it is hard to find what it can't do. I look forward to when we get our waves and give this beauty a go.

cheers for now,

Robbie

ps sorry for gushing, just really stoked with this board!!

Select to expand quote

Gorgo said...

I tried to buy a 2011 Sector 52 but got stuck with diffficulties of availability etc.

I'm asking you to make a guess here but here goes ...

Do you think the S60 is a better bet as a free ride raceboard than the S52?

I am 78kg so your heavy arse has 40kg!!!! on my not so heavy, but rather cute, bottom. Do you reckon the S60 is the go over the S52?

Hi Gorgo

The 52 is more freeride than race and the 60 is more race than freeride. The 60 has a better bottom end and is faster upwind while the 52 is more manageable in the higher winds and goes a lot faster down wind. The 60 is a great board to learn how to tack (when the nose of the board turns into the wind and not down wind) because it is so stable. If you want to have a hack in the waves i would go for the 52 tho as it gybes much better and is more turny. They are both fast enough to win races even against full race boards but are sooo much easier and more fun to ride.

regarding availability if you are still chasing a 2011 sector 52 send me a message as i still have stock.

So everyone talks about the 60 for 80 - 120 kgs . I am 58 kgs would the 50 be a good size for me for light wind and some small wave action also was there much change between the 2010 2011 models
Many thanks
Sam

Select to expand quote

Airborne said...

Gorgo said...

I tried to buy a 2011 Sector 52 but got stuck with diffficulties of availability etc.

I'm asking you to make a guess here but here goes ...

Do you think the S60 is a better bet as a free ride raceboard than the S52?

I am 78kg so your heavy arse has 40kg!!!! on my not so heavy, but rather cute, bottom. Do you reckon the S60 is the go over the S52?

Hi Gorgo

The 52 is more freeride than race and the 60 is more race than freeride. The 60 has a better bottom end and is faster upwind while the 52 is more manageable in the higher winds and goes a lot faster down wind. The 60 is a great board to learn how to tack (when the nose of the board turns into the wind and not down wind) because it is so stable. If you want to have a hack in the waves i would go for the 52 tho as it gybes much better and is more turny. They are both fast enough to win races even against full race boards but are sooo much easier and more fun to ride.

regarding availability if you are still chasing a 2011 sector 52 send me a message as i still have stock.

... just wondering if I got the smaller 'S52' fins and put them on the S60, would this extend the 'surf-abilities' of the S60? Do you have any smaller fins you could recommend?

cheers,

Robbie

Yes you could put smaller more "wavey" fins on the sector but it would be like putting off road wheels on your Ferrari so you can drive it on the beach. yeah it could be done but it is not what the beast was made for.

you could change the fins for more wave orientated ones but it still wont turn it into a surf board because the rocker, outline and rail shape is still designed to go fast upwind and down wind

If you are not looking to charge down serious waves but instead are just after a bit more freeride out of your sector and are just looking to have a hack at the odd wave or lump then yes different fins can do that for you but just dont expect it to transform into a barrel hunting wave machine.



Surface2air

The Sector 60 and Sector 52 are very different but the differences remains the same as the body weight changes. eg the 60 will go upwind better than the 52 if you are 150kg or you are 50kg and the 52 will hold more straight line speed but not point as high or get going as early weather you are 150kg or 50kg (does that make sense?)

Year models in the Sector get very confusing because it is a mid season release.
The Blue black and white Sectors are a 2009/2010 board and the Yellow orange and black boards are a 2011/2012 board. Yes they did change but i can only say in the 60 as i have not seen the new 52 yet. The new Sector 60 (yellow and orange) is wider in the tail with less cant in the fins and more space between the fins. performance wise the biggest difference is the new sector 60 gets going a bit earlier but also points a lot higher upwind.