Howdy all ! Does anyone have opinions, compliments, or complaints about the wider MagicRide 139 (2020) or 142 (2019). I've narrowed my choice to this board or the Fanatic Gecko 135. This is a big purchase and I want to get some beta before I commit.

This board will be for my light wind days (8-14 kts) in the summer. My everyday board is a 110L FireMove. But, this board is a bit small for light wind days. Slogging is a pain and big sails feel overbearing. I've heard great things about the MagicRide. I think this board will be perfect with a 7.2-8.2 sail and larger fin. I'm looking for more time on the water in the summer. Spring and fall are blasting 5.0-6.0 conditions perfectly suited for the FireMove.

Thanks for any and all opinions! Cheers

I've ridden both, as well as the Super Sport and the Fanatic Blast. If ease of use is a priority I think both Magic Ride and Gecko will be fine, maybe giving the edge to the Fanatic which probably can be pushed a little tighter in a jibe. If I were in the market, though, and had a good smaller board, and were lighter than my 100kg, I'd pick the 133 Super Sport, just because it really doesn't have any top speed I could find, and will certainly carry an 8.2 (I had a 10.0 on it). I found the Blast to be a little scary to be honest. At my weight, though, the Super Lightwind is a better choice for 8-15.

Thanks Awalkspoiled ! Good feedback about the MagicRide and Gecko. I am about 71 kg. I will look into the SuperSport as well. I'm an inland sailor at high altitude (Colorado, USA), so I need a floaty board to carry my 8.2 in light and gusty winds. Preferably around 80cm wide.

I had a Magic Ride before I went to full slalom gear, but it was the 111, and it was an amazing board. It gybed liked a machine and was so much fun. Im not sure if that helps you with your choice but that's my input on Magic Rides as a board.

I've used a 154 Magic Ride as my "everyday" board since 2016 (and still have it), but I'm a 103kg clydesdale and I'm a competent sailor but not exactly pro level. The 154 was the same outline as the 142 with more thickness.

I've used it with sails from 5.3m to 10m with fin sizes from a 60cm pointer to a 44cm cut down formula fin for shallow water use. They are a board that does nothing really good but is good for just about everything, they plane really quickly and turn quick too, but they drop off the plane quickly as well.

You're kidding yourself if you think it will get you planing in 8 knots though, even my lighter mates with super light wind boards can't do that. Adam and I use old 155 GO's as our lightwind boards because whilst they are a barge to get onto the plane, once they get there they stay on the plane for longer than the Magic Ride. The wide tail of a GO is better than the Magic Ride in dodgy wind. The Magic Ride is a bit kinder on the knees than the GO when the water gets a bit rough because it has less volume in the tail and also a narrower tail so you can put weight on the tail and it rides softer. The big Magic Ride is a fantastic board that I might possibly never get rid of.

Last of all, the smaller Magic Ride boards are a completely different animal and cannot be used to gauge how these whopper size ones sail.

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Paddles B'mere said..
I've used a 154 Magic Ride as my "everyday" board since 2016 (and still have it), but I'm a 103kg clydesdale and I'm a competent sailor but not exactly pro level. The 154 was the same outline as the 142 with more thickness.

I've used it with sails from 5.3m to 10m with fin sizes from a 60cm pointer to a 44cm cut down formula fin for shallow water use. They are a board that does nothing really good but is good for just about everything, they plane really quickly and turn quick too, but they drop off the plane quickly as well.

You're kidding yourself if you think it will get you planing in 8 knots though, even my lighter mates with super light wind boards can't do that. Adam and I use old 155 GO's as our lightwind boards because whilst they are a barge to get onto the plane, once they get there they stay on the plane for longer than the Magic Ride. The wide tail of a GO is better than the Magic Ride in dodgy wind. The Magic Ride is a bit kinder on the knees than the GO when the water gets a bit rough because it has less volume in the tail and also a narrower tail so you can put weight on the tail and it rides softer. The big Magic Ride is a fantastic board that I might possibly never get rid of.

Last of all, the smaller Magic Ride boards are a completely different animal and cannot be used to gauge how these whopper size ones sail.

I'm confused about the clydesdale , all I see is a Spanish dancing horse .

Bwahaha ..................... that sounds like that movie "Shallow Hal"

I have the 104, it slaps on the chop a bit but gybes nicely.

I have a set of 3 2015-16 Magic Rides. The 111, 118 and 132 (the larger 2 in Textreme carbon). They are great boards for going fast in swells and chop, and gibing. I know the larger Magic Rides 142 and 154 were optimised for beginners and intermediates and some sailors found them sluggish. I suspect the larger recent ones you're thinking about will be the same. At your weight I would try to get hold of a 118 preferably in Textreme or pro construction, otherwise wood, but not the basic epoxy, it was too heavy. You don't need anything bigger unless you intend to use 8.5-9.5. The 118 will carry an 8 metre sail comfortably.

Forget Magic Rides, Geckos etc for really light wind (days 9-11 knots), for those conditions you should buy a board made for that purpose like a JP Superlight Wind, but you will need a 9 metre or larger sail. 12-14 you could use an 8 on something like a118 Magic Ride. When it's 8 knots you won't be plaining even on a SLW. I know I've got a Textreme SLW. And the same applies to the Fanatic Light wind and the Starboard Ultrasonic. I've got 2 friends who have them. If you want some speed on a board in 8 knots get a foil board.

I am finding windfoiling is the way to go for light wind sailing. It is super fun and super addictive. I'm in my 11th session and I keep learning more and more every time I'm out. The feeling of flying through lulls is amazing. Very little drag once in flight. I'm on a Slingshot Dialer 130L, using a 6.8 for my largest sail, I'm 175 pounds and I'm flying in a minimum of 10 mph winds, sailing through lulls of 6-7 mph now. I've noticed the better I'm getting , I'm getting out in lesser wind, but this is the very minimum winds I'm able to foil at this time which is pretty darn light.

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MagicRide said..
I am finding windfoiling is the way to go for light wind sailing. It is super fun and super addictive.

I' in the same situation as OP and am looking for a freeride/-race w 8.5m2. Slalom/race is out of the question due to large irregular chop even in mild winds at my home spot. I'm a little tempted on foil however but isn't it very passive comparing to ws? I mean the feeling of direct contact with the water under your feet....?

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DasM said..

MagicRide said..
I am finding windfoiling is the way to go for light wind sailing. It is super fun and super addictive.

I' in the same situation as OP and am looking for a freeride/-race w 8.5m2. Slalom/race is out of the question due to large irregular chop even in mild winds at my home spot. I'm a little tempted on foil however but isn't it very passive comparing to ws? I mean the feeling of direct contact with the water under your feet....?

I love traditional windsurfing, but we get so many days of 8-12 mph winds and my 115L board needs at least 14-15 mph winds. Like you, I thought about the foiling idea for about a year and tossed the thought back and forth in my head. Finally seeing more and more people getting into windfoiling and getting out in such light wind made me realise, I need to get into it. So I asked lots of questions, posted lots of posts in the foiling section here about what I should purchase.

Long story short, I love it now. Glad I made the move. There are lots of thrills with windfoiling. It's another sector of windsurfing, another challenge to over come, more skills to grasp and the feedback you receive from your gear when learning and getting the hang of it is phenomenal and very rewarding. When I'm out on foil, I'm the pilot directing my board up and down in the air, it's so quiet and peaceful. I enjoy the whole new skill set involved. I actually feel like once I'm in flight I'm on a roller coaster ride and I'm the driver. There is such little drag once on foil. If you love windsurfing, I can pretty much guarantee you will love foiling just as much.

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DasM said..

MagicRide said..
I am finding windfoiling is the way to go for light wind sailing. It is super fun and super addictive.

I' in the same situation as OP and am looking for a freeride/-race w 8.5m2. Slalom/race is out of the question due to large irregular chop even in mild winds at my home spot. I'm a little tempted on foil however but isn't it very passive comparing to ws? I mean the feeling of direct contact with the water under your feet....?

I get a lot of feedback through the foil. Its like being on a much smaller board, closer to my waveboard than a big freeride.

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MagicRide said..

DasM said..

Maybe a foil ready 130 liter freeride/freerace + 8.5m2 ...so I can get best of both.

MagicRide said..
I am finding windfoiling is the way to go for light wind sailing. It is super fun and super addictive.

I' in the same situation as OP and am looking for a freeride/-race w 8.5m2. Slalom/race is out of the question due to large irregular chop even in mild winds at my home spot. I'm a little tempted on foil however but isn't it very passive comparing to ws? I mean the feeling of direct contact with the water under your feet....?

I love traditional windsurfing, but we get so many days of 8-12 mph winds and my 115L board needs at least 14-15 mph winds. Like you, I thought about the foiling idea for about a year and tossed the thought back and forth in my head. Finally seeing more and more people getting into windfoiling and getting out in such light wind made me realise, I need to get into it. So I asked lots of questions, posted lots of posts in the foiling section here about what I should purchase.

Long story short, I love it now. Glad I made the move. There are lots of thrills with windfoiling. It's another sector of windsurfing, another challenge to over come, more skills to grasp and the feedback you receive from your gear when learning and getting the hang of it is phenomenal and very rewarding. When I'm out on foil, I'm the pilot directing my board up and down in the air, it's so quiet and peaceful. I enjoy the whole new skill set involved. I actually feel like once I'm in flight I'm on a roller coaster ride and I'm the driver. There is such little drag once on foil. If you love windsurfing, I can pretty much guarantee you will love foiling just as much.

Update:

Just wanted to wrap up this thread with an update on my journey to find a good 2nd board...

I was very fortunate to find a 2017 - 142 MagicRide Pro Edition (Thanks JB!) in excellent condition. The board is fantastic! Just what I was looking for. It's a great light wind board with respectable speed. Planing in 10kts (with higher gusts) with an 8.2m GA sail and a 51cm TrueAmes Sweeper, I was somewhere in the 25mph range sailing deeply off the wind on a broad reach. Also, this board will be a crucial learning platform to work on carve jibes, heli-tacks, backwinded sailing, and 360's. So much to learn! I reckon I'll keep the board for many years to come.

Just want to say "thanks" to everyone for their input. I've reached out to the crew here for a couple of years along this journey to find a good light wind board for my skill level and locale. Namaste!