Getting back to windsurfing after 10 years out and want to get some views on the pro's & con's of these 2 board brands ....

looking to start on bigger volume boards & hope to progress back to small boards

Also any thoughts about ka sails ??

A lot has changed in 10 years need to catch up again

Starboard and JP are both very good manufacturers. Which graphics do you like better?

If I where going to choose between JP & Starboard I'd choose EXOCET.

AB...

or kinetic

I would choose Starboard over JP anyday, construction is generally better on the Starboard. Both have nice shapes.

Also KA you cannot go wrong with; they certainly work, are well constructed and the new range looks the goods.

I disagree. JP construction is very good.

(and I ride Starboard so no bias there)

Have to wonder when people are so biased to one brand or another. I would have thought that board design development has reached the point where any of the major brands are good

More interesting to me is the trend down here for guys to get rid of the type-S or slalom boards and get a super-x or freestyle wave board. Seems everyone is sick of chasing that last knot of speed, and would rather have something more fun to ride.

Hi Active feet.

You can not go wrong with any of the two brand you are looking at.Both are solid minor differences in the tail but you will not notice this if your getting back into it.

Personally I just bought a Tabou Rocket 69 (125 Volumne). Was looking at Jp Super sport 126 volumne and the Fanatic Eagle 126 volumne but choose the Tabou for its Looks and graphic yeh I know very shallow but also the rocker in the tail to me anyway is verypivoting rocker and two noticable concaves in the lenght bottom, this will take the water in instead of bouncing on the water. Any questions you can email me.

hope this helps alittle.

Kind Regards
Walt.

PS Hey Harrow your picture scares me.

hi active feet,

i am a huge fan of KA.

i've got an 8.5 formula, 6.4 kult, 5.7 kaos and 5.3 kult. i can't fault them.

the new 2007 shapes i think are the best yet. i know a lot of work has gone into both the shapes and the graphics. a couple of my mates have 2007 model kaos and kults and i can say that they are superb.

my 2005 model formula which i sail almost every weekend is now 1 year old. people still ask me when i got my new sail when i rig up at the beach. i use it from 8 knots up to 20+ knots. it is the most tunable sail i have ever owned. pity KA don't make that size anymore.

my kult is now 4 years old and still going strong. i have absolutely bashed my 6.4 and have never busted a panel or damaged it at all.

and as for the KA Koncept, well they are almost the fastest in the world.

i would definatley say that in the last 3 years KA have made vast improvements.

from my own experience the thing i like the most about KA sails is the feel. also bear in mind that a lot of the major sail manufacturers use the software that the KA guys developed to design sails.

the reason i have a lot of KA sails is purely because the shop i get my gear from sells them. so that's what i bought. but now i have them i am a convert.

i am not saying they are better than the other guys like simmer, loft, gun, aerotech etc etc but i honestly believe the smaller manufacturers generally have the quality right.

Have to agree with Harrow. I recently bought a Fanatic/Goya 2004 85L FreeWave. It rips!!!

When I was looking at boards the guys at WindSurfnSnow, Collaroy, NSW offered to let me test out a few boards to see what worked for me. Maybe try before you buy - it works with women!

quote:

---

Originally posted by Leech

I disagree. JP construction is NOW very good.

(and I ride Starboard so no bias there)

---

Fixed

true, true.

Hi Harrow, it's only the slow guys that have gone back to FSW boards! I'm chasing that extra 5 knots and loving it.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Harrow

Have to wonder when people are so biased to one brand or another. I would have thought that board design development has reached the point where any of the major brands are good

---

And in a perfect world all the goods & services you pay for would be similar quality and value. Unfortunately the $ rains supreme and if the bean counters convince Mr. Pryde that they can save $25 per board by omitting a layer of carbon without raising warranties then thats what you get.

quote:

---

Originally posted by mkseven
...and if the bean counters convince Mr. Pryde that they can save $25 per board by omitting a layer of carbon without raising warranties then thats what you get.

---

Do think Pryde's bean counters think different to those of other companies? It's a called a business for a reason... otherwise they would call it a "not for profit organization".

Yes, yes I do. For example Nike in years gone by.