Just about to trade in my FSW for a new fanatic skate 100. Had a few goes on one now, and sold on the shape. Will mainly use the supplied fs fin, for light wind bump and skating around.

The cheaper glass board comes with the option of running the straps outboard, do any of the freestyle board owners ran their straps like that (with an appropriate fin) for a bit more speed? How did it go?

If you want just a freeride blaster don't go the skate. The FSW you have is probably better suited. If you want a freestyle board for freestyle and a little bump & jump and a bit of freeride blasting here and there then yes the skate will be fine. Other good options that do all things well include the JP Freestyle and Starboard Flare. Most of the other freestyle boards are just good for doing freestyle and nothing else in my experience. Having said that I have never seen anyone use a freestyle board with the straps outboard.

^^^^^I actually disagree with ya

I use my Skate 112 as a summer light wind small wave and general B&J and its great fun and takes from a 4.7 - 7.0m - and you can uphaul - only has single strap at the back though and it can seriously do your ankles/feet in cause the tail is so wide for flat water balsting - be great with wide straps .

I would certainly be happy to have the new model as a general light winder as they plane sooo early and are as light as a feather and quite good fun in small waves - and the new ones are more allround than the 2006 one I have

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russh said...

^^^^^I actually disagree with ya

I use my Skate 112 as a summer light wind small wave and general B&J and its great fun

Definitely for the few demos I did, the skate 100 was much more fun in the light wind range against my similar sized FSW (which is a 2010), which is what I want it for. It did not seem as fast, at least with the little 22cm freestyle fin on a beam reach, but fast enough for me!

Anyway, happy with its intended use. Just wondering how it would work with a slightly bigger fin and the straps outboard, probably not worth the hassle of moving them though.

I got the '10 100L Team Edition which I use as my light wind do everything board. I came from a FSW, 2009 JP pro edition to be exact, and as a light wind blaster skate is much better in every way, planes earlier, carves better. I've even used it on a wave or two and I reckon its better then the FSW, thou I suspect that the FSW was slightly held back on waves by the absolutely abysmal fin that it is supplied with. The only area it doesn't win is probably once it got solid 20kts+ and choppy the FSW was a bit easier to handle.

I don't have any difficulty with the smaller fin either, 22cm vs 27cm in the FSW. I'd say buying a bigger fin would pretty much be a waste of money.., though if you already own one stick it in and see how it goes. I don't see that you'd ever be bothered to move the footstraps, unless your one of those people who spends more time adjusting gear and spend half your sessions debating whether a 5.8 or a 5.9 is a better size sail for the conditions, rather then... well sailing.

I think you will find that the skate will more then happily keep up with a FSW, wouldn't suprise me if it was a touch faster.

Also, if you are fairly light i.e. 75kg I wouldn't bother with anything much bigger then a 5.7m sail.

Friend of mine put the 27cm fin from his 95 Fanatic FSW in the 110 Skate and kept the inboard straps. Said it improved the freeride a lot over the 22 freestyle fin with a 6.4m.