Haven't bought a new slalom board for over 15 yrs. It seems they have changed a lot since my Wind Action Super Slalom was hand crafted by Billy.

I want to get back into racing, so looking for something that is competitive in slalom racing, but would also be a good all rounder to take on my yacht, etc.
Rider weight is 80-83 kgs.

Any recommendations on brand / type / etc ?

Pretty much any of the major brand production boards will be fine. They are tested so much pre- production. You really need to try a few and see which one feels best.

Personally 75-80cm wide for up to 20 knots
62-67 wide for 20 knots plus.

I also had a wind action slalom, great boards!

Select to expand quote

blackattack said...

Pretty much any of the major brand production boards will be fine. They are tested so much pre- production. You really need to try a few and see which one feels best.

Personally 75-80cm wide for up to 20 knots
62-67 wide for 20 knots plus.

I also had a wind action slalom, great boards!

dont you have a good slightly used slalom board for sale Bart ?

agree with blackattack around the 75w to 80w board if you want to be competitive . my biggest has always been 75w, this year im going 80.5 wide Im around 85kg. should have it next week. sail wise around 8-8.5m.
bring on those seabreezes

i third the recommendation of going to at least 75 wide. Volume anywhere between 115 and 125 litres will see you comfortably competitive in the sub 20kt breeze category. A board of this size could get by as a one board solution for most of the racing in Qld. Will carry sails up to 8.5 easily and down to 7.0 if needed.

For 2 boards then you just add the 65 to 67 wide 100 - 110 litre range. Just don't get caught out thinking small is fast. May be when you are free sailing but once your in the middle of a pack with dirty winds, or trying to plane through a messy gybe mark, you need the width and volume, with big sails.

hope to see you racing in the near future.

BTW - if you haven't already done so, give simon at boardcrazy a call. By far the leading slalom shop in SEQ, and a very experienced racer.

Did the same thing this time last year and upgraded a 15yo Strapper Rocket Slalom to a 125L Fanatic Ray (w:70); Fantastic board - I weigh about 83kg and can uphaul it with ease. Use it with 7.8, 6.6 (and 5.4). New boards are a lot easier to sail, tack and gybe, and this board just eats through the chop
Definatly go and see Simon; he has helped me a lot with new stlye gear.

I often buy gear against Simons advice and pretty much always end up returning it within weeks!

He knows his product!

ps worst board ever bought was a bombora zot, from Goodtime, late 80's. Simon also told me not to buy it! I thought he wanted for himself!

THINKING OF SELLING MY EXORCET 96LTRS ABOUT 69WIDE I THINK, FAST AND GOOD ALROUNDER FOR THESE WATERS.............THINKING..........???????

Select to expand quote

ps worst board ever bought was a bombora zot, from Goodtime, late 80's. Simon also told me not to buy it! I thought he wanted for himself!

I love that post Bartman. You and I are the same in that we go into a shop buzzing with anticipation and ready to ditch that coin burning furiously away in our pocket, make a decision based purely on heart and then get home to a massive buyers regret as we start to engage our brain. Awesome. Lucky Simon is so forgiving or I would be broke.

I actually listened to Simon on my last purchase with the Fanatic Falcon 122 and am absolutely sold on that board. It is a cracker in the chop and feels really controllable in high winds despite the width and at no compromise to the top end speed. I found it worked best when matched to the select fins.

Wardm, if you are looking at something to carry around on your yacht it might be worth stepping down a notch from a pure race board to the free race range. These are a bit more durable but loose very little in speed. I know they can get a bit bashed about on deck.

Don't you love that feeling of money burning a hole in your pocket


96 litres and 69 wide would struggle to compete is a breeze of 12-15 knots. Unless you weighed sub 70 kgs and were really talented.

It is surprising the difference in gear needed to race and to free sail. You race completely overpowered the whole time, because if you drop off the plane - you get passed, if you are slow to get planing at the gybe you get swamped by everyone else, and get dirty wind - you get passed.

For 90% of racing i would not be on anything less than 8.0 with 75 wide and 115 litres. I weigh 80-83 kgs, and classify myself as an advanced intermediate sailor - basically i get most but not all my gybes during the race

Thanks for the feedback Guys. Should help put my on the right track.