Looking for a wave board that will float me (85kg...upto 90kg in thick winter wettie and boots) for float-n-ride, as well as powered up 5.8 - 5.3 days, for perfect cross off DTL logo high, down to cross on knee high crumbly stuff.

I read the Boards forum and read with interest the tri fin config has made the freewave wavier? I know this would be perfect for bump-n-jump....but how would it work for decent clean cross off conditions as well?

The Quad would be the more obvious choice...but which size you reckon?

I tried a Goya 92 (59cm width) recently, and spent half the session with my back foot upto the knee in water! (albeit it really was very light cross off).

FYI -
I have been using a 2009 Mistral twinny as my "go to" board (63cm width but pretty gunny tail?) for 70% of my sailing with 5.8 and 5.3.

Would the 101 makes sense?
How does it compare to the 2013 tri 95 Fwave?

it really depends on what your preference is DTL wave or Bump and Jump. The Freewave 95, is good Bump and jump with OK wave performance. It is the same shape as it always has been as a single fin, just with a thruster option which gives it a looser feel, but by no means up to a dedicated wave board. I have been lead to believe that the fanatic 93 Tri wave is the twinny rocker just as a thruster (option?). So should be much better in the waves. As a float and ride for your weight i reckon they are both a bit small.

I used to use 105 FW as my float board, easy to get out and get onto a wave, but not that flash once on the wave. I know have a custom quatro 94l, 60 wide quad, based on the goya rocker, chalk and cheese. I would look at the 101 fanatic or the goya 104 for true light wind wave performance. if you think thats too big, check out the you tube clip with JP and Robby swift in chile. Swift was on a 100l and JP an 88L. Swift caught twice the number of waves, and JP is prob low 70kg. Food for thought.

Cheers Dam71 - i guess thats the crux - how much bump and jump Vs waves. For me the answer is mainly waves (at least thats the aim) so sounds like a quad is the way fwd. Thanks again!

Northy-let us know how you get on with this one. We're having a rather light wind summer over here in WA, and I've never used my 92l Mistral Twinny so much. I think that it is an awesome light wind board because that generous width keeps you floating in next to nothing, while the board is still plenty loose enough to deal with the waves, even when these are steep and very offshore. It's going to be hard to beat I reckon, so if you find a better one, let us know.

Cheers, Jens

Woow, hard to answer, get both i guess!! ;-)

When you are talking about small waves and side-on i picture windswell and a 45deg wind...not a 90deg wind like maui where the swell is not NW and than they are depressed because it's side-on...that's not side on to me. So in those condition you need power, speed and a quick get and go and the freewave will do this better. In DDL, light wind...floaty wave board and the quad will give you that. Now, play with your % off DDL days vs side-on...and fun factor(i prefer to have a good wave board for 2 days out of 10) because those 2 days will stay in my memory and i live for those....but that's just me!
Good luck!

Dam71-the 100l board in the video certainly passed the big swell test. It would be nice to know what it was...

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Jens said...
Dam71-the 100l board in the video certainly passed the big swell test. It would be nice to know what it was...

For sure!!

i wouldn't be surprised if it was a Keith Teboul custom. I was really surprised how many team riders actually have KT's boards just stickered up in their specific brand.

Nord roi, regarding get up and go and speed, i don't think you need to go down the freewave line to get that these days. The goya rockerline is pretty quick, and i really don't have much trouble getting my big quad moving. It's 94L 60 wide (me 76kg). Most of my local conditions are cross on.

what i found surprising in the resent redbull storm chase the guys were using 80L boards in 60knots plus! i use an 85 for everything but this makes me think if those feather weight pros are using bigger boards maybe we all should

I agree about board size. I really think the shapers have evolved shapes with fin set-ups that are just so easy to use, that you can really hang on to bigger boards for longer.

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DunkO said...
what i found surprising in the resent redbull storm chase the guys were using 80L boards in 60knots plus! i use an 85 for everything but this makes me think if those feather weight pros are using bigger boards maybe we all should

Yeah I came to this conclusion a while back and it's even more pronounced these days with the multi fin boards. I run an 86 fanatic quad and I weigh 70kg in everything from 10kts to 50kts. It's only over about 35kts that you feel...could probably use something a bit smaller haha. On a bigger board you are so mobile around the break, plane earlier, it still turns ridiculous...I just reckon you get much more out of our east coast conditions.

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Jens said...
Dam71-the 100l board in the video certainly passed the big swell test. It would be nice to know what it was...

I saw one of R.S's boards in Maui last year at 100litres and indeed it was a KT custom. Had faint wingers and a pin tail.

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Yeah I came to this conclusion a while back and it's even more pronounced these days with the multi fin boards. I run an 86 fanatic quad and I weigh 70kg in everything from 10kts to 50kts. It's only over about 35kts that you feel...could probably use something a bit smaller haha. On a bigger board you are so mobile around the break, plane earlier, it still turns ridiculous...I just reckon you get much more out of our east coast conditions.

I was on maui first 2 weeks of Jan and we had a stretch of balistik wind, most of the time over 35 and i came at the same conclusion with a Tabou Dacurve 79L! When it's super bumpy, need smaller!! Even the last wave of the set wasn't cleaning the bumps!!

As for the Redbull Storm Chase, I don't know what volume they were using and they are probably all custom boards anyways....but a lot of current, no channel, closeout...you take something floaty for sure!

Quads make big board turn sooo muccch! I aggree, I used to ride 70 - 74, now 82L...but if big board turn sooo mmuuchhh more, imagine a 70 - 74 how it turns!! ;-)

Another that might be worth considering- the 2013 Starboard 100 Quad

Got one a fortnight ago and after half a dozen sails - its very floaty for puttering when the wind drops - not too wide and feels great in the waves - sweet bottom turns and easy to release the tail in a cutty - needs a little to get up and going but comes with 14cm rears. It seems to handle some solid wind without getting out of control

I'm around 88kg's and have been using a 5.5 blade - after a 6.2 Blade to go with it for those lighter days

How are you going with this Northy? There are a bewildering range of light wind options available nowadays. KT alone has 3 options >101l in the Quatro and Goya ranges, and then there's SB, Fanatic, JP, & custom options like Stoney's Quad Keel. Seems like there is a real need for a light wind wave board test to me. I'd be interested to see how Quatro's new 110l LS goes, it certainly seems to attract good feedback on the web.

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Jens said...
How are you going with this Northy? There are a bewildering range of light wind options available nowadays. KT alone has 3 options >101l in the Quatro and Goya ranges, and then there's SB, Fanatic, JP, & custom options like Stoney's Quad Keel. Seems like there is a real need for a light wind wave board test to me. I'd be interested to see how Quatro's new 110l LS goes, it certainly seems to attract good feedback on the web.

I've got the new LS 110 L quad. Only sailed it 4 times so far and only in cross onshore conditions, but I really like it as a light wind slog and ride board. At 85 kg, I can go out as soon as the kites are flying, and when the kites drop out of the sky I can still catch a wave back. Feels very comfortable to slog over white water. Initiates bottom turns easily, keeps speed well through the bottom turn/top turn combo, and easy to redirect mid turn if the wave jacks up faster than expected. A lot looser on the wave than the 95 L Naish Pro Wave I sailed a few years back.

Hi philn,

what do you think will be the smallest sail at your weight on the 110 LS ?

thanks in advance

Uweh, I own a 5.0 but have never used it as the local wind is usually too light.

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philn said...
Uweh, I own a 5.0 but have never used it as the local wind is usually too light.

Phil-that sounds very light indeed. Does that mean your LS110 is your go to board? Presumably there's no need for anthing smaller? What about bigger? Do you have a SUP or Kona to slog around on, and if so, how light does it have to get before your LS110 is too small?

Here in Western Australia it's much windier than that (usually!) and my standard boards are Mistral 84 & 92s. When it gets glassy but there are still waves to sail I use a Kona Minitanker (120l). While this is fun, it's much heavier than the M92, so I'm reluctant to go that way until it is really unavoidable. I'm thinking that the new generation of larger waveboards might extend this even further.