I'm planning to purchase a small freeride or freestyle-wave board in the 85-93L range for fast blasting on sometimes choppy, confused water (not really into bump n' jump, just fast blasting). First choice for me at this stage would be a Fanatic Hawk 93 and second choice a Fanatic Freewave 86 due to the amount of vee under the back of these boards. I've heard that some of the JP fsw's are pretty good at smoothing out rough chop but I'm more into speed than jumping or manoeuvers so not sure of their suitability.

Any opinions about the boards mentioned, or others to consider?

I rode the JP FSW a few years back and found them to be reallly fast, they were also great in chop. Not sure if they have changed them alot from the ones I used but if they havent they would probly suit you quite well. I didn't like the fact that the JP FSW had a super flat rocker but if your after speed then this could be the go!

JP FSW is a ripper with a very good turn of pace

Can I tack onto your topic? I'm also interested if anyone is using FSW boards for speed.

I'm moving towards a one board solution and using different fins and sails with it for small surf, bump & jump, freestyle and flatwater speed. ie a fast, small freeride/fsw that eats chop.

The FreestyleWave boards are the obvious choice. Is anybody else having great success or failures with using one board for everything?

I'm curious as to what fins/sails you are using. I'm thinking camless freerace sails with slalom fin for flatwater speed and all-round wave sails/fins for everything else.

Loa Shi's got a 37 on his

I've done low-mid 30's on my 92L on the couple of times I've taken it for a blast.

Great board in the waves as well

maybe the older style boards, with more length and less width, would be better for the chop.

i know my gunny delta wave board eats hell chop for breaky, where as i would get a SLAP attack if i was on my more modern stubby wave board which is 5cm wider.

Got an '08 Pro Edition JP FSW 84. It's very good at dealing with confused water (Bay conditions here at St. Kilda), good fun in the bigger stuff and it's very, very fast. I'm no speed sailor, but the first couple of runs I did on flatish water scared the crap out of me.

Mine's actually got a bit of rocker to it, which really helps. I'm a big fan - it's a great all round board. It even Vulcans nicely as well. Would definitely recommend trying one out.

For freeride in choppy conditions you can't go past one of the Exocet Cross range. Very comfortable ride and these things are fast if you want to crank them down. They can be considered more free ride orientated than other FSW boards but a couple of fins can lossen it up if you like.

I would definitely take a look if you are keen to blast in chop.

I used an 05 JP FSW 91 (I am 75kg) for the first year of being on GPSTC. I used it initially with a Koncept 6.6 and later a 5.8 (better suited) and a FO weedster 26cm (38.25 on the dial and still my best top speed) have had a couple of 36's also but it needs very flat water for the high speeds. Works well in the bump and jump / small waves but needs a change of fin. Strap position also makes a big difference. Set inboard / forward for waves and back / out for speed. I would highly recommend something of this size and tail shape (quite thin / pointy pintail) as long as it has multi strap positions and you buy a couple of fins. Ideally you need different sails for waves ( I have some 05 combats) but they depower when you go broad so are hard to get above the low 30 knots whereas a cammed sail keeps powering up.



I am now using a JPslalom II 84L which sustains a higher speed and I am learning to sail faster but catches the shoulder in short large chop so is no good for ocean sailing.
Hope this helps

I have a Fanatic Freewave 86 as my main board. Very happy with it for bay blasting and lighter wind waves. Just uphaulable (I'm just over 70kg) so it's great in dodgy conditions where ther's a risk of the wind dropping out. It is as fast as anything else on the water - I think I'm rarely beaten in a drag race.
That being said, it's relatively wide, although short. The narrower slalom boards I used to sail were a bit more "linear" and tracked straighter in chop, like my Acid 74, which as Windy says, are a bit more gunny. I think the Fanatic might have a bit too much bump and jump and wave in it for you if you're really just after speed.

Thanks lao shi. I've actually got a JP 98 FSW of the same vintage, and will be using a 5.9 KA Koyote on flat water, so a very similar setup once I get another strap and a faster fin. Mid to high 30s eh? Looks like this board will be able to do everything I want I to.

i've also got a 84L JP FSW 08 Pro model which i use with a 28cm meanline slalom fin and have even used a 32 Techtonic falcon with it as well. I'm usually sailing fairly choppy conditions and find the board is good but i kind of want the front straps to be more out on the rail. i like going fast as well.
I've just got a 09 JP Supersport 91L and I'm loving it in these sort of conditions, does well in chop and is really quick.
I reckon if you want to go fast you're better off with something like this or the Fanatic hawk, especially paired with freerace style rigs.
My advice... check out the 91 Supersport, it's a beauty.

@GazMan,

Both the 84 and 92 L FSW in pro edition are in my opinion the best all around boards currently on the market. Weather you use a 92 or 84 depends on your weight. I currently sit in the "biggest looser" category of 110kg and use the 92 at Botany Bay which is plenty choppy.

As far as speed is concerned once I am well powered up I generally leave pretty much everyone else but the dedicated slalom sailors with 2 sqm more sail size in the dust. That said, a buddy of mine has an 84 FSW Pro edition. He is about 75+kg and usually has about 0.5 of sqm smaller sails than me. We have tried to race each other a number of times but found that both boards pretty much have the same top end speed.

However, compared to a dedicated slalom board the FSWs come into their own when you start thinking about turning around to go the other way. I found that no matter how choppy you simply press harder on the rails and the boards cut like a hot knife through butter.

Are you based in Perth? If so go and see Reg at Windsurfing Perth. He stocks JPs and should be able to hock you up with a demo board.

One thing to note about the JPs though. Personally I think the stock standard fin are too much of a compromise. I use a 29cm North Shore Maui Freestyle fin (2002 model which is more a freeride fin) in pretty much all conditions (5.4 and 4.7 when it's gusty)and find it to just rocks in that board.

I was riding a JP FSW 93L on lone for a little while during the summer, thought it was awesome and went really well through the chop at speed. Loved it so much that i want a brand new one .... but pretty expensive, nearing $2500...ouch!!

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lordhowe said...
I've just got a 09 JP Supersport 91L and I'm loving it in these sort of conditions, does well in chop and is really quick.
I reckon if you want to go fast you're better off with something like this or the Fanatic hawk, especially paired with freerace style rigs.
My advice... check out the 91 Supersport, it's a beauty.

Looks like the 91 Supersport is similar breed to Hawk 93, both being more at the fast freeride/freerace end of the 'fast small freeride' spectrum compared to JP fsw's. I'm probably leaning more towards this type of board (eg Supersport, Hawk or Exocet Cross) as it is more like a step up from what I use now which is an 85L Mistral Custom Flow. I'm a bit hesitant about getting a fsw as I really don't think that there would be much of a difference in speed/control between the Flow and a fsw when blasting in choppy/bumpy conditions (some of the locals here use JP fsw's and they appear to be similar in speed to the Flow).

What type and sizes of sails as well as fins have you used on the Supersport?

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WINDY MILLER said...

maybe the older style boards, with more length and less width, would be better for the chop.

i know my gunny delta wave board eats hell chop for breaky, where as i would get a SLAP attack if i was on my more modern stubby wave board which is 5cm wider.

As mentioned above, my current 85L freeride board is old style (258cm long X 55cm wide) though it lacks any real vee in the tail which I believe is very important for a smooth ride in choppy/bumpy conditions. My previous board to this was an Extreme Converter (around 80-85L) which had quite a bit of vee in the tail and was much smoother in the same conditions compared to the Flow (though the Converter became more flighty when overpowered and didn't 'stick' to the water like the Flow does).

Maybe I should pop the question: what's the smoothest riding fast freeride/fsw board (post 2000) that people have ridden?

If you're more into fast blasting than bump and jump, something on the slalom side of freestyle in the crossover boards would be better suited than a fsw. More of a freemove. I have an F2 XTC 103 that I use in anything from 15 to 30 knots. It has a V bottom through to the tail and good strap options to get comfortable. The water conditions where I sail can get very bumpy depending on tide and the XTC handles it all with no trouble.

I use my 92l fsw for flat water blasting and the good amount of rocker ensures I don't bury a shoulder. I just need to get the sail/fin set up right to improve on the overall speed.

@gazman
I'm using a 5.7 hellcat, 6.6 Naish Sprint with the Supersport. I would like to get a 5.2 Freerace sail as well because at the moment in that sort of size I've only got a 5.0 North Natural which i don't reckon will drive this board hard enough. Fins- 28 Meanline, stock JP 29, Techtonic Falcon 32. I bought this board from sam parker and he said he used to use a 30 Meanline in it and it was a good set up.
I also really like my JP FSW's(84, 93) but this board feels the bees knees when you're going fast, whereas with the FSW's i always either feel i'd like a bit more speed or I'm goin real fast but i'd like the front strap further on the rail. That is more with the 84 than the 93. Probably there are things that i should be doing that I'm not, but the ss feels right.
I'm not saying that when the sea state is real confused i won't be going for a fsw but the ss seems to handle quite a lot of rough stuff. i had it out in 20-30K and it handled very well.

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lordhowe said...

@gazman
I'm using a 5.7 hellcat, 6.6 Naish Sprint with the Supersport. I would like to get a 5.2 Freerace sail as well because at the moment in that sort of size I've only got a 5.0 North Natural which i don't reckon will drive this board hard enough.

I use a KA Koyote 5.3 (no-cam slalom/freeride) and it's a fantastic sail. Had it out recently in around 25+ knots and though I felt overpowered at times, I got through some pretty big gusts without getting out of control. Also has great bottom end to boot!

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lordhowe said...

Fins- 28 Meanline, stock JP 29, Techtonic Falcon 32. I bought this board from sam parker and he said he used to use a 30 Meanline in it and it was a good set up.

Do the Meanline fins have a different shape to the standard Supersport fin? (ie more rake). Also, I talked to one of the guys at Wind Surf N' Snow last weekend (not Sam) and he mentioned that Sam won either the NSW or national slalom titles (can't remember which one) on a 91 Supersport. Do you know if yours is the same board he used to win?

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lordhowe said...

I also really like my JP FSW's(84, 93) but this board (91 Supersport) feels the bees knees when you're going fast, whereas with the FSW's i always either feel i'd like a bit more speed or I'm goin real fast but i'd like the front strap further on the rail. That is more with the 84 than the 93. Probably there are things that i should be doing that I'm not, but the ss feels right. I'm not saying that when the sea state is real confused i won't be going for a fsw but the ss seems to handle quite a lot of rough stuff. i had it out in 20-30K and it handled very well.

You're obviously in a good position to be able to comment on the differences between the 91 Supersport and the JP fsw's since you ride both whereas (with respect to others that have commented on the performance of the JP fsw's) many people wouldn't get the opportunity to spend enough time on both boards in order to do a direct performance comparison in a range of conditions. Very valuable feedback!

Usually when its blowing 25 knots plus and the seas around here are getting pretty rough and confused, I sail on a sheltered harbour where the water is much smoother than the ocean. In these conditions, I would prefer to go for a more speed oriented board rather than an all-round fsw board, though it would have to be a fast 'smooth riding' board so that my knees and ankles don't suffer anymore!

gazman, yep it must be the same board.
The meanline fin is a bit more upright than the ss fin. The 28 feels a bit small for it though. Good for the 84 FSW.
I've just been out on this board (SS)again today with the 5.7 hellcat in 25-35K real gusty conditions. It handles really well, once you decide to commit, it doesn't like just cruising. i had it really dialled in the gybe today, it really is a pleasure to turn!
I'd love to try one of those Koyotes.

How about an RRD FSW? Awesome boards and quite quick - got mine to about 35knots and it was the 100ltr version. Very well made also.

The Fanatic Freewave boards are another great range for waves, chop or bump and jump.
In a quick muck around on flat water with a wave sail I managed to get my 104 up to 29 knots and it definitely wanted to go quicker.
They also love rough water.

the fanatic freewave is great, good vee in them makes them really controllable in the rough. I've got a 77L which i use for when it's nuking and it's nice.

I've owned a JP 91 FSW, a Quatro 95 FSW and this year been riding the Starbaord Kode 94, loved all 3 boards but if i had to choose my favourite for flat water, i would definately go the Kode 94 for blasting around and bump "N" Jump style sailing they are fast, lite, jump realy well and don't need much chop to do it and you can throw them around. the JP and Quatro's where great boards but the Kode is just so much easier and fun to ride.. every time i ride it i come off the water blown away by it..

Just took this photo today of the quiver and thought it would be relevant to discussions on different fsw etc.

Left to right:
Fanatic FW 77, JP FSW 84, JP FSW 93, JP Supersport 91, JP Supersport 109.

JP boards are OK, until they SNAP IN HALF while sailing! I was sailing my '05 JP Freestyle Wave 85 Full Wood Sandwich, took a nice jump off a four foot wave face, landed and the board cracked in half!!

And no help from JP, the board was "just past warranty" so they did not even care to look at it. There was certainly no "wood" in the "full wood sandwich", just foam and a very thin layer of glass top and bottom.

Also owned a 2006 JP FSW 78, I traded that away so that I would not have a repeat performance. I actually liked the way the boards sailed, the 85 liter was really easy to get into the air, but the construction was sub standard, and JP customer service did not seem at all bothered to hear about their board snapping in two.

I've had much better success with my Exocet Cross 84- quite a nice board for bump and jump, and I sail past the many JP FSW sailors day after day with my KA Koyote 5.3, although I've used the Cross 84 with everything from 5.9 to 3.7.

Thought this post died some time ago!

A number of local guys who sail JP boards, mostly fsw's, have smashed their boards up quite easily which makes me wonder if the construction is a bit light on (they weren't JP pro editions). I've hit the nose on my Mistral Flow V85 pretty hard a number of times with the mast as well as smashing it onto rocks (accidentally!) and it really hasn't done any structural damage. Quite possible if I had done the same to a JP fsw then it would be on the local rubbish tip by now!