Looking for a ~85L allrounder for coastal sailing

Sail in ocean off Coffs Harbour, in small waves/chop, looking for a board to go fast, beginner jumps and begin to waveride in small stuff.

Intermediate (still to get gybe after 1+yrs), ok waterstarts, 72kgs, sails (4.7, 5.2, 5.7), currently riding 105L Kombat ~2005 and will be sailing the 85L board from about 20kn on.

Any suggestions, model and year, looking for last few years models (as I know they play with the rocker, changing between early planning and manouvrability yearly)?

Trying to work out if waveboard or FSW is better and which.

Thanks for the tips! Looking forward to my next downsized board!

http://www.windgenuity.com.au/windsurf/closeout%20windsurfing/mistral/06syncrofish.html

Bargain so you won't cry so much if you hurt it. I've got the next size up 86L which I use for bump & jump but wouldn't hesitate to take it into the waves, this board really surprised me. These are really accessible boards which will help your gybes due to slightly wider tail, get nice big jumps from same yet because they are compact they are throw-aboutable & stay in control for a long time. Similar style of board to your kombat just a bit more wavey. It also shares the US box fins of the kombats.

Wave vs FSW. Waves are a heavier construction than most FSW's. Pure waves go down 2 seperate routes- lots of curve which are quite slow or gunnier outlines such as starboard acid which are quite fast boards- faster than alot of FSW's, are narrower but not quite as forgiving. From what I've seen at Coffs I would look at a FSW. If you were high wind blasting out the back you could go to a fast waveboard, if it's gusty then FSW.

In FSW boards the reviews always give top scores to Fanatic FSW, JP FSW and Starboard. I've had the Fanatic FSW and now the Syncro and love them both. Stick with any of these boards and you can't go wrong.

for your high wind board, get a wave board. the only thing a FSW brings to the table is early planing and a bit more speed sometimes (boards such as the starboard kode and the fanatic newwave are crazy fast too), and for your high wind board thats not a huge issue, you want control and manouverability.

I don't understand the obsession with the FSW boards, I have one, its a nice board for light winds and early planing, but I don't rate it in waves at all, thou i'm only a beginner wavesailor. Maybe a different fin would change things a bit, but its hard to work past the lack of rocker. my smaller waveboard, a fanatic newwave will carve circles around it, and carry more speed through the turns.

these two links are probably pretty handy:
http://www.boardseekermag.com/windsurfing-equipment-tests/freestyle-wave-overview-2009-112.html
www.boardseekermag.com/windsurfing-equipment-tests/75-litre-wave-boards-overview-2009.html

btw dism, you gonna be in wooli for the nsw wavesailing round? I'm thinking I'll make the drive down, was some awesome conditions last time I was down there.

dism, I just had my first ride on an 2008 RRD FSW 85 that I picked up for $800. Used it with an old Manic 5.3, I'm 80kgs. Was stoked at how easy it was to sail, I just got on and was planing before I knew it. Super comfy in the slop, popped a few little jumps and was very well behaved coming back down. Surprisingly quick - was doing some 27+kt runs. I bought it to get onto the ocean as well as be my high wind river board and I think it will fit the bill nicely. I figured that coz I'm not a surfer I'm not going to be carving and ripping the face - I'm more likely to have fun get airborne and the extra speed of the FSW will suit that better than a waveboard.

Fanatic freewave 86l is the way to go...does every thing extremely well...won all the test reviews..just so happens that i listed mine on nz website trade me yesterday...$900 nz..dunno what that would be in oz $..but maybe worth considering taking into account freight.....also have noticed that 2nd hand boards seem to be a bit cheaper in nz..??!!! comparing them to some on the seebreeze buy and sell...nothing intended there.. just a comment .

The RRD wave cults are pretty nice - a bit wider flatter than a normal wave board get going reasonably early and a pretty slashy on a wave and handle a pretty good blow - at 85 kg's i yhe 84l floats me well and is best with 4.2-5.4

Just another alternative to think about if you can find one at a good price.

P.s I forgot - Thats the 84 one my Avatar with a 4.2 manic in 25 - 30 knts.

mkseven - cheers for the board pointers, and yeah looking to stay with US box (easy for waveboards, harder for FSW it looks). Will look at fast wave board or the control/wavier FSW I think

Swoosh - will be at Woopi to watch nest weekends NSW wavecomp (and sail away from the comp area), catch ya there. Cheers for the links to the clones reviews

Paddymac - cheers for the tips from another beginner coastal sailor, trying to think what sailing types/areas i'll be going most before I choose a board

Russh - will look at RRD waves, cheers

Yeah hopefully forcast is good, I'll be there and sailing away from the comp area as well, should be fun. Looking forward to watching the pro's sailing.

We can run our own wavespazing comp, most stacks wins, however gear breakage automatically trumps all.

Recently bought the 2006 Mistral Syncro Fish 83L board (my weight is 72kg).

This board is great value for money - it can be jumped as high as you want (but make sure to avoid flat landings as it is quite wide), can be used for moderate down-the-line and backside wave riding and hopefully, start me off in the "freestyle" world of vulcans, flakas etc.

I believe most boards are overdesigned for 99.9% of the windsurfing population. Also, don't judge a board on the first couple of sessions - learn to work with it and you will reap the benefits!

Cheers

"the only thing a FSW brings to the table is early planing and a bit more speed sometimes"

Ummmm.... and the fact that you can do freestyle on them?????????

FSW in general are great all-round boards for chop, flat, bump and jump, waves, learning to gybe and spinning freestyle - all by changing the fin. And yes, they can be terrifyingly fast off the wind as well.

There are better tools for specific job, but as an all-rounder they're a great genre.

After much research just bought a starboard Evo 80... Meant to be best all round and handle anything from 4m - 6m. Nearly bought the Fanatic freewave 86 but is more suited to larger sails 5.5 plus... Haven't heard a bad thing about the Evo yet.

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Rabs said...

After much research just bought a starboard Evo 80... Meant to be best all round and handle anything from 4m - 6m. Nearly bought the Fanatic freewave 86 but is more suited to larger sails 5.5 plus... Haven't heard a bad thing about the Evo yet.

What year Evo 80?

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KEVKEV said...

Fanatic freewave 86l is the way to go...does every thing extremely well...won all the test reviews..just so happens that i listed mine on nz website trade me yesterday...$900 nz..dunno what that would be in oz $..but maybe worth considering taking into account freight.....also have noticed that 2nd hand boards seem to be a bit cheaper in nz..??!!! comparing them to some on the seebreeze buy and sell...nothing intended there.. just a comment .

Yep, agreed. I have a 2005 one of these as my 15-25kt board and have been very happy with it for exactly the conditions you are looking for. Just uphaulable (I'm about 71kg) in case of getting skunked, gets up and planing really easily, great for bump and jump, as fast as most boards in drag race blasting, and great in waves. The sails you describe are right in the best range. Changing from the standard 25cm fin to a 22cm can save a sail change. I highly recommend this board.

Thanks all!

Now if only I had a whole heap of them to check out, but hey i'm not that greatly skilled, so most boards will do me more then justice!

Seems like there is a board that best fits everyone (guess as they say most boards now are really well designed and to just choose the right 'type' of board, but even this seems tricky with advice either way) , but a few boards keep popping up, so if I see one of those for the right price, think i'll grab it

All the boards seem to be in WA, but guessing its time for better/wealthier sailor to upgrade, so hope to see more for sale soon

As I just posted in this thread, I tried a JP FSW 85L last year and loved it.
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=54368

I'm 82kgs and usually sail on a 105L board. I thought the 85L might be a bit of a challenge before I first jumped on, but once it got moving, even slowly, it was fine. Even managed to crack a couple of gybes on it. I couldn't uphaul though - kept falling off.

Since you are 72kgs maybe see if you can give the 75L FSW a try?

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divaldo said...

Rabs said...

After much research just bought a starboard Evo 80... Meant to be best all round and handle anything from 4m - 6m. Nearly bought the Fanatic freewave 86 but is more suited to larger sails 5.5 plus... Haven't heard a bad thing about the Evo yet.

What year Evo 80?

2008 board. They don't make them any more so got one in the UK for 775 quid brand new! Bargain!

I can tell you that 4hrs drive north Surf FX have a very good condition Tabou Pocket Wave pro model 84lt. It was mine that I traded last weekend. From reading the thread this would suit perfectly.

aus301 - cheers, will have a squiz, but think i'd destroy a pro layup

For a smoother/less jarring ride in bumpy stuff (going fast blasting) which is better:

Waveboard or FSW?

(I've read conflicting information recently about rocker meaning more front/back bouncing, or is a longer planning flat the cause of the bouncing?)

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albers said...

Recently bought the 2006 Mistral Syncro Fish 83L board (my weight is 72kg).

This board is great value for money - it can be jumped as high as you want (but make sure to avoid flat landings as it is quite wide), can be used for moderate down-the-line and backside wave riding and hopefully, start me off in the "freestyle" world of vulcans, flakas etc.

I believe most boards are overdesigned for 99.9% of the windsurfing population. Also, don't judge a board on the first couple of sessions - learn to work with it and you will reap the benefits!

Cheers

yeah ive got the same board and totally agree, its a pretty amazing allrounder really. Ive sailed it in all conditions in so many locations in wa, its pretty cool. Easy to gybe and from the first sail i felt totally comfortable. It was between this and the evo for me, i chose the sychro fish as everybody has the evo, so gota be different right? Highly recommended

i weight 70kg and sail on a goya 75l wave custom 2008 and i love it ... only after 3 months of solid sailing have i got fin footstraps and mast base position fully worked for each sail .... just wonder has anny one use a 90l or 80l goya custom wave ?? thankyou

go in see your local shop they know what 2 sell you

Starboard Kombat 86l
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