Looking to trade my JP Excite Ride for something FAST. Have sailed isonic & JP slalom before and loved both so am heading that way. Hoping for something round the 110 mark for 6.2 to 8.5 ish. I'm (usually!) around 65kg. I have 93 freestyle wave that I love for smaller gear.

Bit worried by JP slalom's small recommended sail range. 108 JP is 6.2 to 7.8. 107 isonic is 5.8 to 9.0. Is anyone able to please shed some light on this?

Also bit mystified by range of 3 for light weights and range of 3 for heavy weights. At 65kg, does that mean I should avoid the boards in the heavy weight range, even if the volume is what I'm after? Does anyone have any comments or experience on the light v heavy ranges?

Any advice greatly appreciated!

Well if I was 65Kg, I would have I97/7.0/6.2, wouldn't bother with 7.8/8m size. Otherwise if you must have a larger sail, then I107, or Jp108, would work better with 7m up, and ok with 6.2. As far as the recommended sail range goes, the size in the middle works best, so make your choice around that one. For example which size will you use the most, then choose the right board.

Recommended sail range is not always what will feel good to you!
I had a mistral SLRD 95l (more like 85-90l) 59cm wide, quite thin at the back footstraps. Max sail was quoted as 7m, my 7.6 tushingham x15 was perfect on it, almost made for it.
I now have a quiver of Exocet RS boards, the RS2 (90l/59cm) max sail size is 7m, my 7.3 hot sails GPS is amazing on it and that sail has a lot more power than a 7.3 other brand as the sail has more cloth down low with a smaller top...i would say its closer to a 7.6/7.8 equivalent.
The Exocet RS4 max is quoted as 8.4, works well with the 8.8, although its not fun on a smallish board with that size sail.

A 69cm wide board will take over 8m, and 59cm board will take up to 8m generally. Your weight perhaps look halfway between - 65cm, 105ish litres.

Thanks so much. Have never properly understood the significance of width. This is a huge help. Thank you.

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needsalt said...

Thanks so much. Have never properly understood the significance of width. This is a huge help. Thank you.

The tail width and shape also plays a big role in sail handling capacity. I had an Isonic 111 which is the equivalent of the current 107. The bord was 68cm but with a powerful tail (52cm from memory) I used to use an old 9m formula sail on it in light wind and it worked ok. I then got an Exocet RS5 at 73cm and it really wasn't happy with the 9m. The tail on the Exocet wasn't any wider and felt softer. At the time I tried a number of slalom boards and while they were all a similar size they rode and handled the sail power very differently.

Demo the boards if possible.

So not easy! Maybe you're right and demo is the only way to go...

Since I first posted I've had a bunch of people tell me I shouldn't be sailing anything bigger than 95L for my weight. But 110 has never felt big to me. My local area is often very light and gusty. When on something smaller, I really miss the early planing and comfort of getting back in without a fight in next to no wind.

Am I a lunatic for contemplating something around 110 for bigger gear at my weight?

Sorry to post again! More questions! What is the effect of having a board that is too wide for your weight? If I was to go 112L and 68cm, at 65 kg what would I feel compared to a narrower board? Or does it depend on tail width too? Thank you!

you start to become very uncomfortable with a wide board in overpowered conditions, and wide boards are made for lighter winds, so you will use a large fin, it will get you going easy though, but downwind runs in chop and slop might be uncomfortable, and the wider boards generally speaking arent as quick as a narrower board

Last year in a strong morning easterly averaging 20 knots plus, i sailed my 69cm Fanatic 111 litres and my F2 x-speed also 110 litres but narrower at 64cm.

Used both boards with a 5.6m. The wider Fanatic was a complete nightmare, especially in the rough stuff,also slower for topend. The narrower F2 was nearly perfect,could put the foot down in the rough stuff instead of backing off. The wider tail of the Fanatic made it necessary to use a bigger fin which resulted in my back leg being overworked.

The 107 litre sonic might be a good compromise for 6.2 and 8.5

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needsalt said...

So not easy! Maybe you're right and demo is the only way to go...

Since I first posted I've had a bunch of people tell me I shouldn't be sailing anything bigger than 95L for my weight. But 110 has never felt big to me. My local area is often very light and gusty. When on something smaller, I really miss the early planing and comfort of getting back in without a fight in next to no wind.

Am I a lunatic for contemplating something around 110 for bigger gear at my weight?

These wider and shorter boards seem to need less volume to offer similar floatation to larger volume boards. So that is one factor. The board size you choose would also depend on how choppy or smooth the water is where you sail. For example if you sail in a river then a bigger board would be managable where in the open ocean it would be bouncing around. Also consider how consistent or gusty the wind is when you go sailing. If its gusty then a bigger board will generally be more fun.

You live up near South West Rocks don't you? I guess you are looking for a board to sail in lighter NE seabreezes in the bay and ocean, up to about 20 knots. Sometimes the seabreezes lack a bit of oomph so a bigger board would be handy. I think even a smaller slalom board would be quite a handful in the open ocean when the wind gets stronger than 20 knots. It would be going so fast and bouncing around. However the same board should be fun in flat water up to 25 knots or more.

I too am thinking of getting a slalom board. Either get one around 120 litres to replace my two Tabou Rockets of 105 and 135 or perhaps even get a small one of about 80 litres to be used in strong westerly and southerly winds at Canton Beach. I reached a speed PB the other day of about 31 knots and am keen to go faster! Low volume doesn't matter there coz if the wind drops away you can just walk back to the shore.

Thanks so much for all this advice. Back to the slalom drawing board with more consideration of width I think

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needsalt said...

Sorry to post again! More questions! What is the effect of having a board that is too wide for your weight? If I was to go 112L and 68cm, at 65 kg what would I feel compared to a narrower board? Or does it depend on tail width too? Thank you!

Before you buy anything, try my 113 Falcon (69cm wide) and 99 Falcon 62cm wide back to back and see for yourself what diff width makes. I rode the 113 yesterday in 5-15kn and at 90kg it had plenty of float even with a heavy 7.8m rig on it. These things are like boats, and quite literally the deck is carved out where the mast goes so with this and the width it feels so bouyant (like i am standing in the board rather than on it - you will know what i mean when you ride it), even compared to my Skate at 66.5cm wide (same length but with a bulbous deck - chalk and cheese). I think if you had a crack at the 99 you would find it plenty bouyant enough for your weight, and certainly enough to float you home after a gusty Queens sesh.

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Mobydisc said...
[ I reached a speed PB the other day of about 31 knots and am keen to go faster! Low volume doesn't matter there coz if the wind drops away you can just walk back to the shore.

Congrats Karl, you are over the hump! Saw your stats, what a great outcome for you! Would like to make a trip to Canton soon and over-rig so I can get some max speed.....looks like a great spot!

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needsalt said...

Am I a lunatic?

um.................YES

Hope we get some good wind soon NS - we all need a fix!

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AJEaster said...

needsalt said...

Am I a lunatic?

um.................YES

Hope we get some good wind soon NS - we all need a fix!

Oh! So it's not enough to just tell me that I'm a big girly chump anymore? You have to declare it publicly?

Looking forward to a blast on that Falcon. I haven't seen you this excited since you found a stash of windsurfing gear in a magical cave

i found the RRD fantastic across the wind, really fast, but i got a 121 and have tried the 134 falcon and they are really good when more powered up, however we can only use then with weed fins here and could be a complete different story with REAL fins....

dam weed

If you are 65 kilos then you should consider much smaller board, i am about 70 kilos and i could use my 90L 59cm slalom board from 14-15 with a 7.0 up to 25 kts with a 6.0 and a 2cm smaller fin. you will find you have a lot more fun on a board that size as well. i also have a 112L/70cm slalom board and even with a 8.0 it only really extends the wind range down to the 12/13 kt mark but the top end loss is substantial, probably anything over 20kts even with a smaller fin isn't comfatable at all. If i had to choose one board it would be the 90L no questions asked. However a good size for you considering the lighter winds over east would be the 100L/65cm size as this would be a good compromise, between early planing and good top end. also one thing about your other board your 93, i would also consider getting a smaller board as that is a big board for you, that style of board as well will be a real handfull compared to a 70 ish/ 53-5cm board.
just some thoughts, i'm sure others will dissagree