Hey,

Not long sold my Go 155, served me well for 3 yrs as a complete beginner. Hope I qualify these days as an intermediate to earn my stripes, can waterstart, plane and the odd few random gybes.

I'd bought an S-Type 104 a while back but have to admit it may have been a bit premature. I improve each time I use it but as soon as I get planing the thing just turns into a NASA rocket and heads for Tazzie, at this point I think '**** this is fast' shortly before being launched. I have managed to get my rear foot in the strap a few times but it really upsets the board which starts twitching like a rabbit on ecstacy.

I'm beginning to think I should have gone for something half way like 120 litre a bit more stable.

How do most people progress, am I going the the norm ? I'm sure it gives the people on the beach great entertainment but now feel it's somebody else's turn !! Should I stick with it or get a slightly bigger board ??

Great fun though

depending on your weight 104litres sounds like a reasonable intermediate board.
What happens if you use a smaller sail?

Sounds like you aren't putting enough weight on the rig when you go for the straps, and you're sinking the tail too much.
You could try moving the straps and mast forward, that may slow it down a bit and make it less twitchy

As long as you are not put off by it then you can stay on what you are on, but you have bought something that is at the fast end of the freeride market. That board is pretty much as close as you will get to the one board does it all sort of thing. The alternative is get something 120-130L which will bridge your learning gap a bit now, and which you can keep as a light wind board later where you can get a second 90L ish board.

If you stick to the S-Type move the straps inboard/forward for now and it will slow everything down a bit and make it easier.

thecat,

I went from a 165lt - to a 135lt (could've gone smaller....hindsight eh?)

I've worked out from trying other guys' boards out that around 100-105 will prob be the smallest I could go for our conditions, (and my weight) for a few years. If you're looking at <110lts, look for a board with a bit of width for easy transition (*board kombat, or similar?!?)

try a JP excite ride 110 or 120, with the straps inboard.

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mkseven said...

you have bought something that is at the fast end of the freeride market

haha that explains a few things !!

good suggestions guys, thanks

I had already moved the mast fwd a little which has helped a bit, now I'll try moving straps in

Hadn't tried a smaller sail as I don't think I'd get out the water or planing, board just seems to really bog down initially. Went out the weekend in around 25knts with a 5.8 and loads of downhaul, still had to use quite a lot of effort to water start but once I was up the thing just took off.

Think I'll take all suggestions, keep the board and experiment with settings and also look for a more stable 120-130l.

Cheers

Mr Cat , As the other posted have stated the volume of the board is not really the problem.
The S Type is what was a few years ago could be described as a "detuned" Slalom Board . Very fast rocker line but tucked rails which make it more user freindly. A great board, very exciting to ride , but I suspect at your level maybe a touch challenging?
As Mkseven suggested to tame it down move your straps to the inboard/forward settings. Definitely !!!!Do it.
I am not sure what fin you have ? but if you can put in a Freeride fin in rather than a Slalom oriented fin (try something a bit more swept back, curved outline ) it will help settle the board down.
Try setting the mast track forward of centre, maybe 2/3 forward. That will keep the nose down and take away some of that "twitchyness".
Then sheet in, grit your teeth and go for it!!!!

and get more of your weight into the harness and off the board. You will find that the board will settle heaps with less weight through the feet. Try to keep soft knees to "absorb" some of the movement.

I was in the same "flying but out of control "situation and sought and recieved great advice. It really helped me to settle my board down in chop whilst going faster each time.

look dude, get ya self a jp excite or star board funtura 120 litres cant go wrong theres heaps of shops online you can sheck out. i think wa has some good online shops. i have a jp excite 120 its a dream dude to sail

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thecat said...

mkseven said...

you have bought something that is at the fast end of the freeride market

haha that explains a few things !!

good suggestions guys, thanks

I had already moved the mast fwd a little which has helped a bit, now I'll try moving straps in

Hadn't tried a smaller sail as I don't think I'd get out the water or planing, board just seems to really bog down initially. Went out the weekend in around 25knts with a 5.8 and loads of downhaul, still had to use quite a lot of effort to water start but once I was up the thing just took off.

Think I'll take all suggestions, keep the board and experiment with settings and also look for a more stable 120-130l.

Cheers

Not sure how much you weigh. But if you are anywhere near my weight (70kg), 5.8 is a fair bit of sail to be hanging onto in a genuine 25kts.