I am thinking of getting a freestyle board for my high wind sessions, tabou twister 100 L '10. I have been on older wave boards from the 90s around 110 L, but found them heavy and unstable, slow.
I am a decent intermediate windsurfer (mostly sailed formula)- can plane in the straps, tack/gybe and recently got into the foil game. But need something for 15 knots. I weigh 140lbs and will plan on using it with a sail around 5m. Would this 100 L twister be a good size for leaning freestyle OR just to mess around in when the wind picks up. The wind usually peaks at 15ish knots. So mostly flat water lake sailing.

We didn't really have 110L waveboards in the 90's..... or the 2000's...... so I'd be curious as to what you have been riding and didn't like.
Often if people don't like waveboards in general they don't like freestyle boards either (underfinned)
As you have been sailing with massive fin loading, the jump to wave or freestyle boards could be an uncomfortable one. Maybe a freeride is a bit more friendly for the transition - if all you want to do is be more comfortable in 15kn.

Or, is this because you really want to learn modern freestyle ?

Dyno is a great chop option and throws around really well. Love mine for doing old school short board freestyle ( limit of my skills) plus free rides well ...go for it!!

I don't agree - its the "waviest" of the FSW boards which is great for most of us...... but he's coming from a Formula board folks. And he wants an early planer it seems. I reckon he needs the most freeride-oriented of the FSW boards perhaps, and play with freestyle on that now and then, and after a while go freestyle.

Many paths available really. I wouldn't venture to think there is a definitive answer - just offered my experience of one option. I have the 115 so it planes up easily in 12-15kn. Lots of good options !!!

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Mark _australia said..
We didn't really have 110L waveboards in the 90's..... or the 2000's...... so I'd be curious as to what you have been riding and didn't like.
Often if people don't like waveboards in general they don't like freestyle boards either (underfinned)
As you have been sailing with massive fin loading, the jump to wave or freestyle boards could be an uncomfortable one. Maybe a freeride is a bit more friendly for the transition - if all you want to do is be more comfortable in 15kn.

Or, is this because you really want to learn modern freestyle ?

It was a fox Hatteras custom board....may have been 80s even? The reason I was thinking about buying a freestyle board is I'm young, adventurous and see one for sale in my area. Love the idea of being able to learn freestyle tricks. Do not really want a freeride board to go out just to go in a streight line.

My other option I'm considering is to just try to use my formula/foil with a 5m ( maybe too much power?)when it gets 15 knots +.... but i hear the hype from freestyle and think it could be a fun discipline?

I am a 84-86kg (185-190lbs) intermediate and use a 111 litre freestyle (Fanatic Skate) with a 29 cm wave fin for light winds (16-20 knots) with 4.8 & 5.6 S1pros. I used to have a 120 l freeride (Starboard Carve) with a 40cm freeride fin and 7.0 & 6.0 crossover sails for the same conditions.

FS board + S1pros are very light and I plane as early if not earlier than the freeride board with bigger crossover sails but not as fast which I don't care. My main reason to switch to the FS combo for light winds was overall weight of the gear- I walk 400-500m to the beach and also to sail the same way as on my smaller wave board i.e. on the front foot rather than on the back foot pushing the fin. Freeride gear goes upwind much easier and faster too but I enjoy the challenge on the FS board..and it helps me improve my technique.

I guess like many things in life it is personal and depends on which way you want to go.

The Tabou mentioned should be inexpensive and would do what you ask. The twin is not so appealing to me .The Fanatic Skate is hard to beat for sailing. What I found is the newer Freestyle boards are more specialized . The Skate planes early, is easy to ride . It's difficukt to find a used freestyle that hasn't been repaired. I dont do freestyle , my Skate is a nice option .

I think a FSW would do as well, just not a wave biased one.

A 100 l freestyle board with a 5 m sail should be the about right size for you in 15 knots. My wife is about the same weight, and she usually needs 16 knots for a 90 l Skate with a 5.0 and a small fin (15-18 cm).

But not all the freestyle boards are made the same, and the Twister is quite a few years old. Differences between the FS boards in 2010 were quite large, and Tabou sometimes changes board shapes drastically. I'd strongly suggest that you either try the Twister before buying, or look for a Skate from 2012 or newer instead.

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forceten said..
The Tabou mentioned should be inexpensive and would do what you ask. The twin is not so appealing to me .The Fanatic Skate is hard to beat for sailing. What I found is the newer Freestyle boards are more specialized . The Skate planes early, is easy to ride . It's difficukt to find a used freestyle that hasn't been repaired. I dont do freestyle , my Skate is a nice option .

I think a FSW would do as well, just not a wave biased one.

What would you pay for a 2010 tabou twister 100. No repairs ( great condition) with upgraded makni fins?

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CAN17 said..

forceten said..
The Tabou mentioned should be inexpensive and would do what you ask. The twin is not so appealing to me .The Fanatic Skate is hard to beat for sailing. What I found is the newer Freestyle boards are more specialized . The Skate planes early, is easy to ride . It's difficukt to find a used freestyle that hasn't been repaired. I dont do freestyle , my Skate is a nice option .

I think a FSW would do as well, just not a wave biased one.

What would you pay for a 2010 tabou twister 100. No repairs ( great condition) with upgraded makni fins?

The Skate I have is a 2011 110L. Came without fin, I have plenty. It has a few small repairs , done right.in USD $350 a year ago. The Tabou was never a red hot board, so far as selling, the shop in Avon NC had one for more than a year used, un sold. I have never seen another twin as a freestyle board. The demand for this would be very low IMO.
My value would have to be really cheap.

The fins by Makani could be a plus, depends on which ones. If this was desireable to me $400 IN Canadian .Plus would be sound condition , neg would be twin, draggy but fastest of multi finned, but why on a freestyle board ?

I think a FSW like a 3S could be a better option OVERALL.

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CAN17 said..

forceten said..
The Tabou mentioned should be inexpensive and would do what you ask. The twin is not so appealing to me .The Fanatic Skate is hard to beat for sailing. What I found is the newer Freestyle boards are more specialized . The Skate planes early, is easy to ride . It's difficukt to find a used freestyle that hasn't been repaired. I dont do freestyle , my Skate is a nice option .

I think a FSW would do as well, just not a wave biased one.

What would you pay for a 2010 tabou twister 100. No repairs ( great condition) with upgraded makni fins?

I have a 2008 100ltr Twister which is single fin. I am running it with a 25cm wave fin when not try Freestyle. The Freestyle fin make it a bit more challenging to sail but good for learning the sliding tricks. With the wavefin it is a great all around board, Planes quicker than a FSW, Jibes easily, & has a fair turn of speed. Only downside over FSW of the same size is maneuverability on a wave. I would say in great shape you should pay no more than $400

Thanks to everyone for the past experience & advice. I think I will hold off on this board for now. As said above the twister is not the most popular board and for it's age it should be inexpensive. I can't see anyone buying it anytime soon! Will stick to foiling in the meantime
I have seen freestyle boards prematurely fail. One guy had his board basically crack in half (fanatic skate) from a large jump, another had a deck all spongy from a repair near the straps. Will try to find the blog about it when he fixed it. Don't know if it's because hard usage or too fragile of material or both?

BTW IMO being someone from Canada and trying different forums, seabreeze is one off the best out there!

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CAN17 said..
Thanks to everyone for the past experience & advice. I think I will hold off on this board for now. As said above the twister is not the most popular board and for it's age it should be inexpensive. I can't see anyone buying it anytime soon! Will stick to foiling in the meantime
I have seen freestyle boards prematurely fail. One guy had his board basically crack in half (fanatic skate) from a large jump, another had a deck all spongy from a repair near the straps. Will try to find the blog about it when he fixed it. Don't know if it's because hard usage or too fragile of material or both?

BTW IMO being someone from Canada and trying different forums, seabreeze is one off the best out there!

FS and slalom boards are made from fairy dust to enable all that early planing. All that jumping adds up. And slalom boards are often ridden by heavy dudes - all that stomping when gybing adds up too.

Be careful when buying either. Press with your hands all over the board to find any soft spots. Ideally buy boards from little old ladies who never jumped them and only ever sailed them to church on Sundays.

I had a twister 100 twin fin 2010 i think. i rode it with MUF 15.5cm fins.
I learnt how to vulcan on it but never progressed to a spock.
Did my first flat water forwards on it too. Even played in the waves on it too!

I loved it. should never has moved it on. I still miss it! I even took it to Greece for a summer!

With freestyle boards you either like a brand or you dont. I didnt like the RRD or the JP FS board fro '09 or 10 much but loved the tabou.
Bargain with the dude or see if you can test ride. changing the fins makes a big difference too.
They are a fast board and slightly narrower than most of the other 100L FS boards for the time.

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boardsurfr said..
But not all the freestyle boards are made the same, and the Twister is quite a few years old. Differences between the FS boards in 2010 were quite large, and Tabou sometimes changes board shapes drastically. I'd strongly suggest that you either try the Twister before buying, or look for a Skate from 2012 or newer instead.

Tabou's latest FS board is still quite unique (OK, MB boards are even more off-beat).

tabou-boards.com/boards/2019/freestyle/twister-19/