Hi Peeps,

Here's a quick review after a good test on Saturday.

http://www.standuppaddleperth.com/index.php/blog/entry/2013-fanatic-falcon-14ft-x-275-in-review

Enjoy,

DM

Just wondering..

Because of the lack of edges on the rails near the tail can you actually surf the board once on a runner.. and turn it left or right or do you have to keep it going pretty straight ?

DJ

Hi DJ,

Yes, sort of .....

The board is steerable by foot pressure but not in the normal sense. I like the term I was able to "guide" it in a direction by gentle foot pressure. The board tends to find it's own groove if left to it's own devices when on a wave but you can certainly effect the direction.

I found the 12'6" able to be "surfed" with foot pressure. The 14 to me, surfs a little further forward due to the rocker on the tail (and nose) "fitting" onto, rather than into the wave behind. I found it much less critical than other boards which really required me to get further onto the tail to prevent pearling when surfing a chop. The new Falcon still requires some movement aft, but nowhere near as much as other boards I have ridden.

Probably why it surfs from just a bit further back from the centre standing position rather than on the tail as such.

I'll take closer attention on my next downwinder to try and understand and explain it better.

DM

Looking at the pics and the review it reminds me quite a bit of the Javelin shape - no doubt the boards beginning to share similarities as we get along. Like the idea of a one board does all concept - will be interesting to see if it catches on.

Round rails in the tail area doesn't hamper foot-steering, in fact rounder rails are far more forgiving and allows the board to foot-steer more eagerly - at least thats what I found riding the Javelin compared to the Glide on downwinds and in surf.

Great review Darren :) Glad you like the board

I love the 14ft x 25" from the moment i got on the board at Nationals.

X angie

Hey Peeps,

I've been spending as much time on this board as possible to get used to it since we first got it. I took it for an up/down winder yesterday and paddled it on the ocean from Hillarys to Brighton Beach and back. Wind was 10 knots to 15 knots by the end of it. Almost perfect headwind on the way up and almost perfect tail wind on the return. I managed only 1 fall in 17km of ocean paddling right at the end on a screamer of a runner where I was just too buggered to get back as I approached the final destination.

Super impressed with the board in all conditions now. just amazing on the runners. In training on the flat water I've noticed it's neither slower nor faster than the Flat Water that I can tell by matching other strong paddlers on the FW 14's.

I'm still to do accurate side by side GPS recorded trials and as I said before, I don't think there will be much in it, however the board is much more "lively" than the previous Fanatic 14's.

DM

So cant wait for my 14 30 to arrive. I have loved my 12'6 and cant wait for the new one. Now if someone could just deliver mine early by mistake that would be awesome.