Lots of good memories of this size board from Fanatic and it's coming back. Mine is here in the next 2 weeks and I can't wait. http://www.fanatic.com/content/news/2012/march/new_falcon_slalom_79/index_eng.html Will give some feedback once it hits the water. Sam.
You should come up to Canton Beach when we get a big westerly or SW wind. A board like that would really move there in the consistent wind and flatish waters. Perhaps I'll save up for something like this rather than getting a bigger slalom board.
So the 79 refers to the board's volume rather than its width? Its so confusing with the measurement of some boards, some are referred to by volume and others by width.
i remeber the first time i used this size, was the first time i attempted speed sailing and was getting 38 knots, holy balls, scared the crap out of me
Got the 79 on the water with an RS Racing Evo IV 6.4 yesterday in about 0-25 knots and a fair bit of chop. I was running late and just caught the back end of the fading storm which meant plenty of drifting broken up by a couple of solid squalls which let the 79 show some of it's potential. Fin for the day was a borrowed Kai Hopf 29 slalom. Nice Fin by the way but maybe a 30 would have been better in the light stuff.
First impressions was how good the planing and acceleration was. Board fired up and unstuck nicely in the lighter 15-20 knot bits but then stepped up nicely when the bigger 20-25 knot bits hit. Whilst the water had steep, ugly short period chop on it the board was doing it easy both in the reaches and turns.
Speed was I thought good for the day with 2 10sec runs over 36 and a peak of 36.91. Not amazing I know but given the conditions I was happy. If I was trying punt my speed board around I just wouldn't have hit the water
Sail range. As the 6.4 felt perfectly balanced on the board and fin combo I'd say a 7.0 would still be easy with a 30-32 cm fin. On the small side of things I'm guessing a 5.5 would still be perfectly balanced on the lower limit but down to 4.7 -5 ish possible.
If you want to give it a spin Des, just let me know and we can set it up.
