Today I sailed in 34 knots with 101 jp freestyle wave with a 4.7 severne blade. I'm 75 kg and was obviously very overpowered. This is my smallest kit.

I'm not made of money. Should my next purchase be a smaller board. Eg 85 to 90 L or a 4.2 meter wave sale?

Without a doubt, a smaller board.

I am 74kg and generally use between 70 and 85l... leaving the 100+ for big sails.

But more importantly, a 4.7 (or smaller) wont work all that well on such a large board.... mostly because the board just bounces around too much, irrespective whether you have a smaller sail or not.

Yuppy, if you sailed at Ricketts then yes you definitely needed a smaller board yesterday, it was super rough and messy. I am 90 kgs and struggled to keep my FSW 96 on the water with a 4.7 and was wishing I had put my 83 litre wave board in the car.
As Matthew said my board was just bouncing around too much yet the sail was fine, actually underpowered until the wind cranked in later .

Good tips lads.

I'm mainly sailing pookipa. Do you recommend a fsw or a wave board?

I used to have the exact same combination in the past (only a north ice 4.7m) and I am the same weight. I found the 101 had a great wind range in the order of 12 - 25 knots with (6.6-4.7 sails). In 34kts, both are too big in my view.

I found in flat water, I could take the 101 up to mid 20s with gusts to high 20s but then the windage on the board becomes difficult and although you can depower the sail down to use in higher winds, a smaller one becomes ideal - I think I remember taking the 4.7m North ice in up to 40knots but the downhaul and outhaul was maxed out so a 4.2 would be far better.

In 25kts+ I think I dropped down to a 77l Freewave but anything up to ~85l would be the go. Those boards take up to 5.5/5.7 ok so you get a nice overlap (ie, can use a 4.7-5.7 on the 77-85l and the 101l.

I found you could pick up high wind gear fairly cheaply as the demand tends to be lower. Just need to do some research on mast/base/boom/sail combos to try and get the greatest overlap.

In the end depends on where you live and how much you want to get out in high winds on the small stuff. In Victoria I would have though it would be well worth it. I would definitely go the FSW still.

Hi, Yuppy,

Would recommend a FSW for use here in the Bay, over a wave board.

Like most, I started with a wave board for the big days but have, (over the last 3 years) changed to FSW models. I now have 2 and would have a third to replace my 83 L wave board, if I wanted to spend the money?..but I don?t.

I find the FSW models plane a bit earlier than the wave boards, but are just as good to turn when equipped with a wave fin.

Have a talk to the JMan, who also sails at Pookipa. If you offer him money, he might even let you have a go on his Tabou 3S96.

Hope this helps.

I can't say whether a high wind FSW would be better than a wave board as I haven't sailed both to compare. I'll defer to the experience of others on that. But my suggestion is not to rule out a wave board either. I would have been out on a 74 l waveboard yesterday with a 4.2, and I'm 72 kg. I've sailed it in up to 45kts with a 3.7, and it was absolutely sweet. Really comfortable.

I'd definitely suggest something smaller than 101 l for yesterday's conditions and your weight, but don't overlook changing to a smaller fin as a way to depower a sail and get more control over the board. Cheaper than a new board and/or sail, but it will only work to "drop it down one gear", when it looks as though you needed to drop it down a few gears yesterday.

There is no question that a FSW board is a great all-rounder for PPB northern end and I would highly recommend one. However when you are talking about the smallest board in your quiver that you will be using for 25 knots plus I am not so sure that a wave board is not the better choice, but this obviously depends on the design of the board.
FSW boards generally have a flatter rocker and are single fin. They are great all-round boards and pretty fast. When it gets 25 knots plus though on the bay the water conditions get pretty brutal. FSW boards being a bit wider in the tail and faster start to get flightly and bounce around a lot, even the boards with lots of V like the RRD and Tabou. In those conditions the narrower thinner tail on a wave board assists the control, and being not quite as fast with more rocker and more fin drag off the multi fin setup you do not find yourself trying to constantly slow the board up to maintain control.
So for the bay at its nastiest I think a wave board can be more comfortable and more fun, the disclaimer being that it must be a design with reasonable V and some concave to soften the ride.

Changing to a smaller fin on a FSW helps but you do get to a point like I did last night where board is just too big especially in the tail and bounces around way too much.

My 2c

Smaller wave board would be my suggestion. And at your weight a low to mid 80 litre wave board with a 4.7m is enough for the stronger seabreezes at pookipa. Jump to the 100 litre when it gets a bit light.

Wave board it is.

Can anyone advise on a tabou 3s vs a tabou pocket wave?

Great thing about the smaller board is that when the wind drops, you change up boards. Much easier than changing up sails.

Yeah pretty much agree with mr love and at your weight I would be going straight to a 80L wave board for the 25 Knot+ days.

Im the same weight as you and go from the 96 3s down to an 83 Single Thruster which works for me.

I did sail the 80 L pocket at Kanaha last year for a few weeks on sails from 4.2-5.3 and was very happy with it.

I've got an older Pocket wave - 2006?
I used to hate it as I couldn't get it to plane until 25kts ( I weigh 64kgs) but I've improved a bit and got a bigger fin so I can use 4.8m sail on it and I love it!
Got my PB of 31.69kts on it too.. It's a bit big for me in 25kts but recommend them! It's now my favourite board ( more than my Tabou Rocket).
Can't comment on the Tabou 3S but they get rave reviews from owners..

As others have suggested, once it is 25kn+ you will probably be better off -> I use a 74L wave board.

*However*.... your current board is pretty big (given your weight) -> a wave board sails/rides very differently. For example, the fins are usually *much* smaller, the rocker causes the board to pitch and yaw in ways you haven't experienced, and so on.

I'd suggest trying out both types before spending your money.

Thanks to SHQ, Tomorrow I'm testing a 2013 jp quad 82l at pookipa. I'll let you know how it goes.

I have to say I have low expectations. My guess is it will spin out easily and be hard to get on a plane. Fingers crossed

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Yuppy said..


Thanks to SHQ, Tomorrow I'm testing a 2013 jp quad 82l at pookipa. I'll let you know how it goes.

I have to say I have low expectations. My guess is it will spin out easily and be hard to get on a plane. Fingers crossed

I think you'll get 35kts tomorrow. You might find the board too big . . . . .

i got everything from 35knots to 16 and back again. it was crazy wind.

sputnik - i did find the board our of control in 35 knots. (albeit with a 4.7).

the quad was nice on the waves and didn't spin out. but i feel its missing something.