I saw Peter Thommen's interview at Windsurfing TV YouTube Channel and he spoke about boards that feel so god they are magic. Do you have any in your memories? Do you keep them?

JP Slalom Pro III - 69l, 53 cm wide: my best speed days in flat water. Easy to get going and jibe, as fast as a speed board, amazing across the wind

The right one for the conditions the 2 hours I'm out.

*2014 Tabou Rocket 135 LTD *

Magical depends on your own definition but I've spent more hours blasting around on this bad boy than I can remember and those days will forever define for me the "magic" that is windsurfing.

Doing powered up bearaways on my Windtech57 ( 90ltres) in 15 - 20kts in chop with a 7m Severne turbo..

had an 83 JP radical quad, loved the board, it would drive through turns and carry speed, but the fins started to crack out so it was replaced on warranty. the next board whilst it was supposed to be the same shape just wasn't the same, and nor has any been since

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sboardcrazy said..
Doing powered up bearaways on my Windtech57 ( 90ltres) in 15 - 20kts in chop with a 7m Severne turbo..

I'd go along with that.

JP MagicRide 142 (2016), name says it all!

I'd say my Blast 145

In the year I've had it, I've gone from not having a clue about how to get in the straps, to riding it in both straps fully powered, to foiling fully powered in both straps.

I've got waves with it, and even though it's not great for it I still had a good time.

It's durable, haven't poked a hole in it yet, and it's seen lots of abuse and days. I got out on it A LOT. If I want to go on fin or foil, I've ridden it with everything from 5.0 to 9.5 and just change fins. If there's any wind at all, I can foil.

Now I'm experimenting some with footstrap position to squeeze better performance in chop and more speed with it, as it only starts to be unfun when lit up in disproportionate swell/chop and that's when it's time to step down to a narrower board with more vee.It's not the best pumping board for foiling but after lots of time on race gear I've learned to successfully pump both the fin and the foil on this board.

Just a solid board, perfect for what I needed.

Mike's Lab L10 formula board. Stupid easy to blast downwind in the outside straps. I have had 7 other formula boards over the years, and nothing else even comes close to the L10.

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JPBARNA said..
I saw Peter Thommen's interview at Windsurfing TV YouTube Channel and he spoke about boards that feel so god they are magic. Do you have any in your memories? Do you keep them?

Anything after 2008 worked good to very good for me. Exceptions were the Carbon Art Slalom that were lagging behind in development.

Favorites/very good: 2008 RRD FSW 85, 2018 RRD FSW (84 and) 90, 2018 Starboard FSW 81, 2021 Starboard Futura 71
Good: 2008 Isonic 111, 2016 Patrik Slalom 100
Not so good: 2008 Carbon Art Slalom 52 and 58

Waiting for my 2022 AV Slalom Modena 60 wide! I bet is going to be a favorite.

I've had three magic boards.

A 69/70l custom from Antoine Martin that worked an absolute treat until I got too heavy for it, an 80l Starboard Nuevo by James Hooper and my 79l Goya Quad.

I fell in love with the Nuevo using it a few years ago in medium, messy waves and slightly cross onshore winds. It worked an absolute treat in down the line too, but it had its limitations in mediocre conditions and very strong winds (entirely understandably, given its design brief was a loose, surfy feeling). The thing is I've spent years trying to find a board that feels similar but has a wider range of use, and I found it in the Goya Quad. It has a slightly more conventional feel in proper waveriding conditions than the ultra-surfy feel of the Nuevo but in all other aspects it's even better, as it has more drive and more control (although I suspect the latter has to do with the addition of front fins). Anyway all three of these boards have made me very happy and I'll treasure the memory of the sessions I've had on them for years.
special mention to my old 60l pro kids Starboard Flare which, whilst having enough repairs to be comparable to the Ship of Theseus, was an absolute riot to sail as a kid when it got windy. I was really sad when I got the 47l Acid from the same range as I was too heavy for it and it never got any use :(

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RuaraidhK257 said..
I've had three magic boards.

A 69/70l custom from Antoine Martin that worked an absolute treat until I got too heavy for it, an 80l Starboard Nuevo by James Hooper and my 79l Goya Quad.

I fell in love with the Nuevo using it a few years ago in medium, messy waves and slightly cross onshore winds. It worked an absolute treat in down the line too, but it had its limitations in mediocre conditions and very strong winds (entirely understandably, given its design brief was a loose, surfy feeling). The thing is I've spent years trying to find a board that feels similar but has a wider range of use, and I found it in the Goya Quad. It has a slightly more conventional feel in proper waveriding conditions than the ultra-surfy feel of the Nuevo but in all other aspects it's even better, as it has more drive and more control (although I suspect the latter has to do with the addition of front fins). Anyway all three of these boards have made me very happy and I'll treasure the memory of the sessions I've had on them for years.
special mention to my old 60l pro kids Starboard Flare which, whilst having enough repairs to be comparable to the Ship of Theseus, was an absolute riot to sail as a kid when it got windy. I was really sad when I got the 47l Acid from the same range as I was too heavy for it and it never got any use :(

You must be a pro level sailor for the stuff you love. Reading the opinions we can see how broad and big is windsurfing. I hope it revives someday as it was before.

My first board when Adam was a lad, the original Windsurfer with tie on boom, that was magic, cruising on the ocean. That's what got me so excited to be on the water and take up windsurfing.
My 4 year old 87L Carbon Art slalom is my latest magic board, it's going on the wall when I update

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firiebob said..
My first board when Adam was a lad, the original Windsurfer with tie on boom, that was magic, cruising on the ocean. That's what got me so excited to be on the water and take up windsurfing.
My 4 year old 87L Carbon Art slalom is my latest magic board, it's going on the wall when I update

I remember those feelings, I had a Sodim Eclax back then. That incredible feeling that finds you thinking "all this joy. almost for free?" Once you have the equipment, everything seems like free life enjoying. I frequently find my self shouting "I AM ALIVE!" when out there sailing.

I guess it's still Tabou Manta 98L. It feels like a soft board under your feet with a sharp fin (I use Select). Really nice sensation and also a huge range of the board.

Still learning to master it though.

Gonna make it now a single footstrap in the back so that I get in quicker. I bet it will work nicely with my no cam sails.

One suspicion I have is you must not use fins below 33cm on this board no matter how small the sail is. Or else it lacks power.

In 2004 I tested all of the Starboard Acid sizes and just couldn't find the right one for me. The larger ones were made to turn well, while the smaller ones where more and more like speed guns. I then tried a 62 liter Evo and it was something of a revelation for me. Finally a low volume board that would turn on a dime, I bought it on the spot!

I still have the board, and just recently replaced the DaKine contour straps with new ones. The old ones had gone all rotten and simply fell apart, never seen that before...

Ultrasonic, just a joy to sail with a 9.2 or 8.6. Shame they don't make it anymore or I would buy another as mines showing it's age

My trusty old 2010 Starboard W58 speed special, wood version, had it from new in August 2009. XL speed board with a massive wind range, 5.4 to 7.7, even used it with an 8.6 on flat waters. Gave it a full refurbishment last year and it still does 40 knots. You don't always need latest and greatest to keep on smiling, I'll be keeping this until it falls apart.

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firiebob said..
My first board when Adam was a lad, the original Windsurfer with tie on boom, that was magic, cruising on the ocean. That's what got me so excited to be on the water and take up windsurfing.
My 4 year old 87L Carbon Art slalom is my latest magic board, it's going on the wall when I update

Still riding my 09 87lt Carbon Art and loving it as well as the new ones. Could never bolt a live one to the wall .

My first board was a ~2003 Fanatic X-ray 155 and looking back I shouldn't have solid it. Amazingly early planing, easy to sail and really wide range. Took me from uphauling to blasting in a couple of months.
I remember planing on nearly dead flat water across the shallow estuary I learned on. Like a magic carpet ride.

2008 124 litre Mistral SYNCRO, still have it but a little soft now from jumping ocean swell ,
best ocean going board ever for my 97kgs ,with a 7,0 .it just behaves .moved onto a 2015 125 tabou rocket now for ocean
next best is a 110 V3 Patrik .

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Ben1973 said..
Ultrasonic, just a joy to sail with a 9.2 or 8.6. Shame they don't make it anymore or I would buy another as mines showing it's age

Last summer was my Patrik 150 Slalom. 4 US boards here and this board gave me a PB on its second outing. New one arrives in a month, WooHoo! patrik available soon lol

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Tardy said..
2008 124 litre Mistral SYNCRO, still have it but a little soft now from jumping ocean swell ,
best ocean going board ever for my 97kgs ,with a 7,0 .it just behaves .moved onto a 2015 125 tabou rocket now for ocean
next best is a 110 V3 Patrik .

I saw some cheap old Syncros here but was an incognito for me. Glad you love it!

I would have to go with my 2016 Naish Starship 115L. I just love this board. I got it new in 2016 and is still holding up strong. Zero soft spots! I love that rush of just blasting, then coming up on a wave, then I'm in the air, land and carve into a fast gybe. Just love it!!

I'd get another one in a heartbeat!! No questions asked!

Second vote for the Fanatic blast, not top end faster but no slouch (36knots my best still chasing 40) but such a fun board, easy to rip on, easy to gybe, forgiving (stomp all over it like a baby elephant and it still blasts forward) great in chop, not a bad bump n jump (no not a wave board though) easy to uphaul, and wet start, much tougher than any slalom gear I've had so no repairs, and you can foil on the bigger ones . I have a 130 and a 100 both equally fun and their range overlaps hugely so I probably don't need both.

It evolved along the years. I loved my starboard formula 156 from 2002 (?), max efficiency from 7.0 to 9.2, my wife also learned windsurfing on it!

Then the Goya FXR from 2006 in 105L, not a fast board and prefer smaller sails but amazing in the turns and super easy to sail and handle.


The Tabou DaCurve 2007(?), amazing light and fast single fin wave board that has good pop, planes early and carves hard! Big sail range.


More recently the Starboard Kode Wave from 2013 in 87L. A fast, efficient twin that can transcend crappy conditions, yet handle big wave days. Stable, early planing, can handle strong winds, good for novice to advanced.

I have many more tested too: windsurfing.lepicture.com/board-tests/

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JPBARNA said..

Tardy said..
2008 124 litre Mistral SYNCRO, still have it but a little soft now from jumping ocean swell ,
best ocean going board ever for my 97kgs ,with a 7,0 .it just behaves .moved onto a 2015 125 tabou rocket now for ocean
next best is a 110 V3 Patrik .

I saw some cheap old Syncros here but was an incognito for me. Glad you love it!

90 lt synchro still my hi wind go to board -- probably should move on to something newer, but it refuses to die and just feels like an old glove (in a good way)

My 2012 Starboard Flare 116l for those fluky wind days. The thick tail gets planning early and holds on the plan in the lulls.

My fanatic skate 100 was so much fun. Freestyle,blasting, planing in piss all wind, small waves. I replaced it with a skate 99... Way more freestyle orientated but not the same.

Anyone want to sell a fanatic skate 100 2010-2016?

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JPBARNA said..
I saw Peter Thommen's interview at Windsurfing TV YouTube Channel and he spoke about boards that feel so god they are magic. Do you have any in your memories? Do you keep them?

Just finished my new board today. Waiting for wind to see magic.