You can not live without a freestyle wave - well at least I can't... last year I decided I had too many boards so I dropped the Freestyle Wave from my collection thinking that my other boards would cover the bay conditions well enough... and although the quads and twins were ok I found I was really missing the speed, early planning ability, pop on the jumps and freestyle potential of the FSW... all the things you want to do on the bay - and since it's right on our doorstep that's where most of us sail the most - so why compromise?

I was lucky enough to be in Hawaii earlier in the year testing the 2011 gear side by side for 10 days straight in winds from 20knots to 35knots. The absolute standout for speed, smooth ride through the chop and pop plus control in the air was the freestyle wave. I kept wanting to go back to that board and it was this that really made me realise I needed the FSW back in my collection!

I finally managed to learn the Flaka using a Freestyle wave and the round rails in the mid - front of the board makes the spinning freestyle moves like spocks and grubbys a breeze - the rail never trips you up mid move. The boards are super fast and will easily leave all the other wave and crossover boards in their wake - they'll even give the x-cite rides and super sports a run for their money. The key design feature that gives them this speed while still having manoeuvrability for tight carves, freestyle and waveriding is the channels in the bottom of the board - this allows for the center section to have a straighter rocker ideal for speed while on either side of the channels there is more rocker for manoeuvrability. Other design features on the boards this year are a thinner drawn out wave style tail and the new fin shape which both make the board more responsive and manoeuvrable - great for the waves!

Don't underestimate the impact this new fin shape has on the board - when sailed back to back I could really feel the extra speed and drive of the new fin shape especially through tight turns and they definitely get the board up and planning sooner - for me that means I take a smaller fin which makes freestyle even easier.

The real area where these boards are unbeatable is their jumping ability. The speed gets you high - the pop gets you out of the water easier - the compact shape gives you lift but allows you to easily throw the board into all sorts of rotations and the mega beefy deckpads (they've never been this thick) make landings soft and comfortable. The 85L I ride feels great in pushloops and forwards and the carving ability makes aerial moves like shakas and shove-its flow really easily. I'm confident that this board will get me doing the Ponch this year.

I really can't convey enough how awesome the FSW is. I'm so happy to be back on one and don't think I'll ever be without one again. Try the new pro editions with the new fins and I'm sure you'll agree... you'll want one!

Mmm...have you tried the JP freestyle wave in 2009...the lack of freestyle in it made me switched for a pure freestyle has my biggest board. Can you compare those 2 board(2009 - 2011), that would help me a lot.

So in 2011..basic freestyle can be done properly on the freestyle wave. I would love to have a freestyle wave instead of a freestyle...but it need a board to be good in freestyle...according to you it is good... Talk a bit more of the freestyle side of the board. Thanks in advance!

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NordRoi said...

Mmm...have you tried the JP freestyle wave in 2009...the lack of freestyle in it made me switched for a pure freestyle has my biggest board. Can you compare those 2 board(2009 - 2011), that would help me a lot.

So in 2011..basic freestyle can be done properly on the freestyle wave. I would love to have a freestyle wave instead of a freestyle...but it need a board to be good in freestyle...according to you it is good... Talk a bit more of the freestyle side of the board. Thanks in advance!

It really depends a bit on what you're focussing on and what conditions you're predominantly sailing in I think. There's no doubt that from 2009 the FSW got a lot more wavy and a bit less freestyle than previous years and I think the 2011 board is along the same lines in that respect with a bit more emphasis on manoeuvrability. It’s always a tradeoff and generally when a board gets better in one aspect it’s at the expense of another aspect. The freestyle wave is a great all round blend ideal for choppy bay sailing freestyle like what we get in Melbourne. I think the new fin is better allround for both waveriding and freestyle – a smaller new style fin gets the board going and smaller fins make freestyle easier. The deckpads and stance are an improvement to 2009 as well…

If you’re mostly sailing flat water under 23knots and you’re focussing on freestyle then I think a freestyle board is better – I actually have the 98 JP Freestyle as my biggest board for flatter days as you just can’t beat a freestyle for early planning and doing tricks. However once it gets over 23knots I’d much rather be on the freestyle wave than the freestyle. From a freestyle perspective in my opinion the FSW is much better for the carving freestyle moves like shakas and flakas and way better for top speed, jumping ability and manoeuvrability in the air. For sliding freestyle in stronger wind I honestly think the FSW are great and way better than other wave and x-over boards but I definitely agree that although they’re good they’re not as easy as a dedicated freestyle for grubbys and spocks etc. but I think the gap really narrows as the wind gets stronger and the water gets choppy.

My opinion is if it’s your biggest lighter wind board and you want to focus on freestyle then stick with a freestyle. If you want a higher wind board for freestyle plus all round ability for speed, jumping and waveriding then the FSW is the best option… It’s horses for courses which is why I’ve got both… haha

Thanks alot! I think I will stick with the freestyle.
I have a 75 Wave board and a 98 Freestyle, usually I'm ok, I usually do flat water and when I travel to the coast, it is full windswell, so the 75 works great. But when I go wave sailing in better spot where I can found ground swell..no channel...I need a bigger wave board sometime. So, the choice was adding a 85 wave board...and carry 3 boards.....and I hate it. Or, keep the quiver small, and have the freestyle wave 92, not the best in wave or in flat water, and the 75 wave board. Thanks

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It really depends a bit on what you're focussing on and what conditions you're predominantly sailing in I think. There's no doubt that from 2009 the FSW got a lot more wavy and a bit less freestyle than previous years and I think the 2011 board is along the same lines in that respect with a bit more emphasis on manoeuvrability. It’s always a tradeoff and generally when a board gets better in one aspect it’s at the expense of another aspect. The freestyle wave is a great all round blend ideal for choppy bay sailing freestyle like what we get in Melbourne. I think the new fin is better allround for both waveriding and freestyle – a smaller new style fin gets the board going and smaller fins make freestyle easier. The deckpads and stance are an improvement to 2009 as well…

If you’re mostly sailing flat water under 23knots and you’re focussing on freestyle then I think a freestyle board is better – I actually have the 98 JP Freestyle as my biggest board for flatter days as you just can’t beat a freestyle for early planning and doing tricks. However once it gets over 23knots I’d much rather be on the freestyle wave than the freestyle. From a freestyle perspective in my opinion the FSW is much better for the carving freestyle moves like shakas and flakas and way better for top speed, jumping ability and manoeuvrability in the air. For sliding freestyle in stronger wind I honestly think the FSW are great and way better than other wave and x-over boards but I definitely agree that although they’re good they’re not as easy as a dedicated freestyle for grubbys and spocks etc. but I think the gap really narrows as the wind gets stronger and the water gets choppy.

My opinion is if it’s your biggest lighter wind board and you want to focus on freestyle then stick with a freestyle. If you want a higher wind board for freestyle plus all round ability for speed, jumping and waveriding then the FSW is the best option… It’s horses for courses which is why I’ve got both… haha

My review:

I have 2008 FSW in 77 and 107.

They are nice and they are light. The little one does big jumps when it is windy. It is scary.

I tried my new 85L JP FSW board last Monday. It's awesome . It's the first JP I have owned, and the first time I have sailed a board with this small volume. Gybes are extremely easy, and jumping it easy too. I'm very happy.

I have a question about foot straps. I am currently using the recommended foot strap settings, but I would like to have a go at setting it up for freeride sailing. Most of my sailing is cross to onshore in chop and rip. I'm used to outside strap positions and freeride fins so I can blast upwind when I want to. I was wondering if my board has outside front strap positions ? (ie: hidden underneath the padding). I can locate the rear outside positions, but not the front positions.

J

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sharkbiscuit said...

I tried my new 85L JP FSW board last Monday. It's awesome . It's the first JP I have owned, and the first time I have sailed a board with this small volume. Gybes are extremely easy, and jumping it easy too. I'm very happy.

I have a question about foot straps. I am currently using the recommended foot strap settings, but I would like to have a go at setting it up for freeride sailing. Most of my sailing is cross to onshore in chop and rip. I'm used to outside strap positions and freeride fins so I can blast upwind when I want to. I was wondering if my board has outside front strap positions ? (ie: hidden underneath the padding). I can locate the rear outside positions, but not the front positions.

J

It feels a bit unusual at first to get comfortable with inboard footstraps when you're used to sailing with straps on the rails - but persevere - it's worth it - the board will still be super fast but way way more manoeuvrable/controllable with footstraps inboard and a single back strap. Bigger fatter boards need footstraps on the rails but thinner manoevre oriented boards perform much better with a single rear strap. Try doing some turns on the onshore chop and you’ll see how much better the single back strap is.

Before you go digging up the deck pads I can confirm there is not another set of footstrap holes hidden under there… Try and stick with the single back strap for a while – if you decide you’re still not a fan then add the second strap but I reckon you won’t want to once you’ve gotten used to it.

Great that you love the board – the 85L is an awesome size!

Thanks for the tip Fletch. I'll try your advice and persist.

J

Hey J, just use the straps inboard and single back it will be way easier to control when in the rough stuff, I only use this setuo at all times, use your other boards if looking for just faster speeds, try and get down to Brachport for a weekend over the summer ans I can spend a couple days sailing with you in cross on to help get you setup and sorted, will have spare room in the van.....Jimbob.

Thanks for tip JB

yeah, I'll have to round up the boys and see if they want to come down for a Beachport Experience 2

J

Anyone use these boards in more of a freeride configuration. Outboard straps, freeride/race fin & sail. Would it work with the 90 litre version? Cheers.

I have a 2009 FSW 92. I do not do any freestyle or wave sailing. I use it for sailing Botany bay as a freeride/bump and jump board. My board has outer footstrap positions, and it is almost always set with the straps all the way out and back. I am probably the more typical freeride user of this style of board.

Most of my sailing is 15-25 knots with a 6.2 Hellcat sal and a freerace 32cm fin. The board is fantastic for this sort of sailing. I use it for general blasting, and it is very fast... I regularly get this setup over 30 knots (max of 32knots in medium chop) with my GPS and am mostly within a knot or two of the guys with race gear. But the benefit with this board over a more slalom style board is that it is so lively and loves to gybe fast in chop. It gives very little in speed to the race gear, but it is so much better at gybing and jumping in the rough stuff and general fun factor. It is also alot more lively, which feels great most of the time, but can be a bit grating in uneven random chop if you are heading upwind straight into it. Also, I like to do a bit of jumping, and this board releases off small chop way better than any other board I have ridden.

A few sails a year I might get out in 25-35knots on it with my 5.0. Unless the water is very flat, the board can be too fast when setup with outboard straps and a fast fin. In these conditions I normally put the straps inboard and stick on a wave fin, and go for blasting and jumping. The board is actually really nice in thise setup and feels a little more balanced with the smaller sail. It is comfortable to sail, and I have sailed 5-6 hours and over 100kms in conditions like this that on my old equipment I would have been wrecked in an hour.

A couple of times I have stuck a 7.2 hellcat on this board. It works... just. I have to put the mast base right forward to get a near balanced feel. Not recommended, but it did give me some fun sessions in 12-15knots. I would normally choose a bigger board if going much bigger than 6m in the sail.

Cheers,

Adrian

Thanks Adrian. From your description the JP Freestyle Wave would suit the conditions I normally sail. I also have a larger board for my 7m sail so the biggest I would be using on a 90-ish litre fsw board would be a 6m. Cheers for your feedback on the JP!

When I bought the FSW I was after a blasting board... something for bay conditions that was fast with a racey sail, and something that gybed in chop well and was lively and pops a jump with minimal effort. I did the research and at first was scared aware by the name since I am not into FreeStyle or Wave, but all the reviews said it was a great all round board and a little more advanced that the Xcite series, so I went with the FSW. I think the name is a bit of a misnomer. I think it is a general all round board for anything, and seems to be the better at freeride/B&J possibly than it is at Waves/FreeStyle.

I certainly cannot complain about the speed of the board. I keep up with the fast guys unless underpowered. I also scream upwind wind powered up. My only comment would be that the board requires some technique particularly when sailing with bigger sails (6-6.5m) underpowered and upwind/reaching. It has not got as much width/volume in the tail as the Xcite and similar, so you cannot stand on the backfoot like you can with some other boards... or it will just lift the nose and be slow (struggle to plane) or spinout. So it takes more effort to get the most out of it in those conditions.... but my technique has improved and I can get out and have alot of fun in marginal conditions now... just tire out quicker than with a cruisey board that you just hang back and cruise in.... but one there is 15, I am all good.

I just raced a 2002 JP FSW 94L in the Lancelin Ocean Classic witha 6.6m KA Koncept race sail, and JP 36 weedy. I am 80kg medium ability, 5'11"
It was a handful but the nose shape gave me confidence on every deep downwind run in the 20 -24knots and 2 m swell!
I had single strap back, front straps inboard, mast foot foward so mastfoot disc just touches the serial numbers.
I went for safety half way and stood more upright and sail eased and speed dropped but I was into survival and finishing.
The board performed great and I even got 1 gybe out of 7.

Generally I find the board ok upwind but not a slalom board, maxed 2sec 27.63 with a 5.5m sail,JP 27 super x fin. Needs 15 knots to go with a 7.5m and all round easy riding. I have a friend who has hit 35 knots on his 2006 91L JP FSW.

Just hit 30.5kn , 2 sec pb at Point Walter with 2002 JPFSW 94 L double back strapps and Vector 30 Freeride xx19- wooo hoo!! (will do more with wind and bigger sail I reckon.)

I'm thinking about getting one of these boards but not sure what volume i should get. 93L or 102Lt??
I weight 90 Kg (and not getting lighter any time soon) and sail with 4.7 and 5.8 m sails in 15 - 30 + Knots.
I don't need something that i can uphaul but getting though lulls on gusty days without sinking up to my nuts would be nice. Like i tend to do when i'm trying to sail my much to small 85lt!!
Any thoughts would be great
Cheers.

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seaandvines said...

I'm thinking about getting one of these boards but not sure what volume i should get. 93L or 102Lt??
I weight 90 Kg (and not getting lighter any time soon) and sail with 4.7 and 5.8 m sails in 15 - 30 + Knots.
I don't need something that i can uphaul but getting though lulls on gusty days without sinking up to my nuts would be nice. Like i tend to do when i'm trying to sail my much to small 85lt!!
Any thoughts would be great
Cheers.

You should also look at the 2003 JP FSW. This was a super fast board, smooth (much better in chop than 02) and also good to carve with a 3 strap set up. It was one of my favourites.

I my own opinion, unless you have freestyle and wave riding in top of your priority..go for the bigger. For freestyling, 102 L is just fine, but the Freestyle Wave 102 is a bit big...you can't compare it to the 98FS for example...and waveriding a 102 VS a 93L..a big difference in the fun factor. So...for cruzing and all arround performance in lighter wind, go big or go home...for specific needs...think twice!

Just been test driving a 2010 pro edition fsw 102 ltrs, im used to sailing a 100ltr jp freestyle 2007. Took both boards out at the weekend in 20knts choppy conditions. Although both boards are a little big for my weight 68kgs ( before burgers ) i really thought that the fsw would handle better but i really struggled with it, sure it jumps just by thinking about them, tacks really easily, points really well and is pretty comfy to blast on but the deck is so slippy, trying to jibe without sliding off was really hard, ( although it was really choppy ) Has anyone else had a problem with the deck??

I have the '09 model, though not the pro edition. The deck's non-slip is really good, never had any slips or related crashes.

If you like the board, I'm sure you can get the non-slip side sorted out. Do a search, I'm sure there were some recent topics....

Message for "seeandvines"....about the freewave...
I bought the latest 105l fanatic freewave team edition as my light wind wave board..I am 93 gk and find it way too big for even small waves...ok for harbour blasting and chop hops though......I have since tried a freewave 95l in the waves and thought it was spot on for light wind.......

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seaandvines said...

I'm thinking about getting one of these boards but not sure what volume i should get. 93L or 102Lt??
I weight 90 Kg (and not getting lighter any time soon) and sail with 4.7 and 5.8 m sails in 15 - 30 + Knots.
I don't need something that i can uphaul but getting though lulls on gusty days without sinking up to my nuts would be nice. Like i tend to do when i'm trying to sail my much to small 85lt!!
Any thoughts would be great
Cheers.

I think a 104 fanatic freewave would be perfect - come to think of it I have one in my shed thats screaming for someone to ride it!!!

Hey Guys,

Ive got the 102L 2010 pro model FSW and i must say that i absolutely love it, for blasting around and trying a bit of freestyle they are perfect.

The only time i find that i need a smaller board is hen the wind picks up over about 28kts (im nearly 100kg)

The one thing that took me a while to get used to with the 2010 FSW's were how short they felt compared to anything else i had sailed but after a couple of sessions grew to love this about them as they are very manouverable when in the air.

I would definitely recommend this board and those of you who want a bargain, JP have kept the FSW shapes identical to last years so buy a 2010 if you dont mind last years paint job.

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lee1972 said...

Just been test driving a 2010 pro edition fsw 102 ltrs, im used to sailing a 100ltr jp freestyle 2007. Took both boards out at the weekend in 20knts choppy conditions. Although both boards are a little big for my weight 68kgs &x28; before burgers &x29; i really thought that the fsw would handle better but i really struggled with it, sure it jumps just by thinking about them, tacks really easily, points really well and is pretty comfy to blast on but the deck is so slippy, trying to jibe without sliding off was really hard, &x28; although it was really choppy &x29; Has anyone else had a problem with the deck??

Yeah bro, I got a fsw 2010 pro and its a bit slippery, more so on flat estuary water where theres more mud,silt or muck in the water.Fiberglass hawaii sells a good nonslip application. I think the board points pretty average but turns on a dime.Fair trade off!

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seaandvines said...

I'm thinking about getting one of these boards but not sure what volume i should get. 93L or 102Lt??
I weight 90 Kg (and not getting lighter any time soon) and sail with 4.7 and 5.8 m sails in 15 - 30 + Knots.
I don't need something that i can uphaul but getting though lulls on gusty days without sinking up to my nuts would be nice. Like i tend to do when i'm trying to sail my much to small 85lt!!
Any thoughts would be great
Cheers.

I am also about 90kg and I am on FSW102. Love it for general blast and light winds, best set up is with my 6.2 Alpha & 28 weedy. I have sailed it in waves up to 3/4 mast high was ok but didnt turn as well as would have liked, but hey cant have your cake and eat it too. My small board is a 87L Nash Wave and love it above 23 knts.

JP 93 Freestyle wave . . .do it! Does everything, something to really grow into - I sleep with mine . . .