Weight...feels lite. Maybe around 8kg.
Don't have a matching fin. 36cm weed will have to work. So will 7.5m...

Btw, I am a perpetual intermediate, so my evaluation won't mean much.

Obelix said..

>>>Sboardcrazy...I need to convince my partner that I really DO need a speed board.

My boards just appear on the pile of other boards...
Some months down the track it gets spotted "when did you buy this board?" - "... oh, that old thing, ..last year..I told you? ...remember?...

Joking aside, I took her to Windsurfing Perth to pick a rashie for her, and after "splashing" $45 on her, I spotted this Guru and left the shop with it on the roof...
She never complained.

The brakes are with me. $2500 for a brand new board is a lot of money, so it has to be the board I would use a lot.

re: chubby
I like to look of Exocet ...like looking at the mirror

My problem is lack of space to store them- any new one is very obvious!Talked him around - he's even contributing a fair bit towards it as birthday gift.. Wonder if we'll ever get any wind..

My first outing on the new board yesterday.
Tabou Rocket Wide 138, Severne Turbo 7.5m and JP 36cm Weed.
I’m 103kg (should be 93 ) – 193cm. Add the wet suit, harness, impact west, shoes, gloves… heavy…

Conditions:
Pinnaroo Point. Open ocean, only marginal winds (more yellow than green on Seabreeze) but still quite choppy.

Disclaimer: This is not a board review. I'll leave that to the experts. Only summarising my experience for other "intermediates".

So I'm on the board with not enough wind to get it going.
The board moves too much around the mast, has a tendency to turn nose into the wind and requires a lot of correction.
Wishing for more of everything. More fin, more sail, more wind, more board... the only thing I needed less was the chop

Stop, release the outhaul – OK works now - just.
No problems getting into the straps.
Pushing the edge, while the board moves through the chop at 16-17 knots speed. A lot of ankle work.
(It was a weird feeling, having the straps so far out – definitelly not an “intermediate” thing.)

Glides through the lulls, no stopping - nice.
Picked up the speed a bit – around 20 knots. The boards is very soft in the chop, and does not flap around.
Going over the wave crests and stays down. A relief...

Upwind, - not much luck. I think it requires more wind, more fin, less chop.
Gybing... not a chance in that chop with the board so wide.

Back to the shore, getting too close to the shore break, press on the rear and the rail to stop it… not quite, almost ended up on shore.

Summary of impressions:

Good
It planed sooner than the Rocket (Guru) and stayed on the plane longer. It would work even better with a 46cm G10 dagger.
Getting into straps was not a problem.
The board was, a sort of, gliding over each wave, even after I picked up the speed. Very soft in chop.
The acceleration from 18 knots to 23 knots was instantaneous, and it felt very promising for the flatter water.

Concerns
In sub-planing conditions, the board felt unusual so wide, and yet short. It moved around the mast a lot and constantly demanded correction.
The rig felt too big for the length and felt too far forward, and yet too far towards the back...Weird... Can’t imagine even bigger gear. 7m would work better.
The board didn’t feel “ like 15 litres more in volume due to the width” - if anything it felt smaller, fidgety.
Needs “Brakes”
Uphauling… probably not, but who cares, I never carry the uphaul rope anyway.

Neutral
Ocean - it, a kind of, works… Soft in chop, yes, glides and does not flap , yes... yet I don’t’ think it was really meant for these conditions.

So, all the goods are good, and all the concerns can be addressed by improving the skills and learning to deal with the straps so far out.

The board is in the car, and I’ll try it on the river this afternoon. I believe it will work much better on the river. More to come.

elmo said..
you've wet the babies head, nice one, maybe now we can have some breeze

Let me jinx this arvo's session for you

I should have added, the Atom gybes just fine, handles chop easily, it wasn't all about straight line speed. I'll see how the alphas look when the conditions are suitable!!

i will try to remain positive (am a heavyweight skeptic of these boards)
check this ... yes, some intermediate riders have different "issues" - they suggest patience and technique

www.windsurf.co.uk/130l-freeride-board-test-2015/

"some intermediate riders were really struggling to get these wide thin boards to release onto the plane. Such is the width in the mid-section and shoulders of the boards that they really need to be stuffed deep off the wind to rise up with any purpose. And the big issue is that this is a principle that instantly conflicts with the intermediate rider’s inner battle to maintain ground upwind. The other more predictable problem was moving out into the straps, with their position being right out on the rail – a leap too far for some who tried.However, with some gentle tuition and technique adjustments to get their heads around this new style of riding, they quickly realized the benefits and rewards of this wide-thin generation."

Thanks guys.

After re-thinking the experience...

The straps outside was a new thing for me, but it wasn't painful. It worked fine.
The board gets on the plane easy, and stays on. So that's not a problem either. If anything, it wants to keep going. Even when I try to stop it.

So I figured the purpose of the board is to sail in flat water and low winds for long time.
And for that, I should have listened to Azymuth, and gone 15-20L up.

I think the boards either work for you or not.

Some years ago I had a Fanatic Shark 160 and loved it. Sold it to go smaller (still kicking myself for that) and bought a Carve 131.
The board had a great reputation, and yet I could not work it out. Had to sell it.
Then I bought an F2 XTC 115, and everything was great again.

The Futura 101 was great, but rarely used. Maybe I should aim for a 140L+ Futura instead...

This Rocket Wide is for me a bit like that Carve. A great board, but a mismatch for me.
May try to swap it for a Futura of similar size...or Shark 150 of the same age.

John340 said..

Obelix said..

If anything, it wants to keep going. Even when I try to stop it.

This is a problem we would all like to have.

Sue is right, don't make a rash decision, give it a good go before changing the board. Different boards require different techniques to turn and hence slow down, because turning onto the wind is the easiest way to slow down. Often, when you master a new technique it provides opportunity for more enjoyment. I have not sailed the rocket so can't provide any practical advise. I suggest you speak with someone like Elmo, who has the board and really likes it.

Especially with the lack of wind we've had lately!

G'day Hans

on the 128L I use a 45cm Carbon version of JP supersport fin

If I use a weedy I've got a 46cm Pepe weed and 36cm JP weed, still yet to rebox my 42cm JP weed to PB, I'll get around to it one day.

I tend to "bounce" the board out of the water to get on the plane
Alternatively bit of weight on the back foot on leeward side and point downwind

I use a NP mast base (for size reference)

The back of the mast base leaves about 8mm of mast track exposed in front of the rectangular mast track entry point

elmo said..
I use a NP mast base (for size reference)

The back of the mast base leaves about 8mm of mast track exposed in front of the rectangular mast track entry point

I think when the mast base is to far back what Obelix says he wants to turn round the mast he wants to turn in de wind and not downwind, my mast track and then the Centre is 1/2 inch in front of the middle.
Do you think it has to go more back or explain where the middle of your mast track is that we understood each other :)

And what is the smallest sail you use?

Obelix said..

Affter spending several hours in underpowered conditions at Pelican Point last Saturday (all "yellow arrows" on th egraph), I learnt to appreciate the fact that I was the only one planing and going accross the river.

Once planing, it wants to keep going, and it was only on 7.5m and 36cm JP Weed.
So figuring out what the board is actually for

Also managed to turn it a few times following John's (John340) advice on where to put my back foot in the turn.
It's slowly growing on me...

May set myself up with an 8.6m too.

Better take it off the buy & sell then!

Hi All,

Thought I would add to the post after my days sailing today.

I am 73 kg's and I have a 95 litre ray (few years old) which I do enjoy with freeride sails 4.7, 5.5 and 6.4. The ray with those sails get me coverage from about 15 to 25 or so knots. I have tried a bigger sail on it in lighter conditions but it does not carry it well. Also when the wind drops out it is not big enough for me to uphaul.

I have been looking for a free ride board that I can get happening from the 10 to 15 knot range. I looked at a number of boards and sailed an older 110 litre hawk which I was happy with but it was not in ideal condition. I would have bought a new one (113L) but apparently school fees are more important. I had a go at a Gecko 105 bamboo about 6 months ago. It was in good nick and at the right price so thought it may just be the ticket so added it to my shed.

Unfortunately the wind over the winter months has not been ideal so today was the first day that I got to give it a good go. I had a 7.2 freeride on it in about 12 to 16 knots. After a little trial and error with set up I had a great session. Two things surprised me in comparison to the Ray - 1. how far off the wind I had to go to get it on the plane - could have been due to lighter breeze (but as soon as I bared off out of the water it popped - and I could point up easily) and 2. How much softer under foot it was compared to the Ray.

One other advantage is that compared to the ray it is easy to gybe - still need to be planing but with the extra width it is so much more stable.

All in all I am very happy. This was about giving me a board to give me more time on the water and it has done just that. I would not have gone out on the Ray today so the Gecko has given me an extra day of sailing already.
cheers

>>if I lived over west I wouldn't own any thing over 130 litre
Its' a bit of a hype that the "Seabreeze Arrows are always greener in WA"
We have plenty of "yellow arrows" days where large boards are handy.

I sold the board yesterday. Still selling 135L Guru, and once sold, I will go larger.

After this experience I learned to appreciate the advantages of the wide chubby, however, also understand the shortcommings.
A bit more length and a bit less width for me.

Looking for a Futura 140L+.
..and guess what, the latest Futura has gone chubby too...
so it will need to be 2-3 years old.

Tardy said..
I would maybe go 145 litre .as jumping from your 138 to a 140 ,might not be enough of a jump for you .

I had a go on a 145 JP ..not so long ago ..I liked it .maybe worth a look.

Thanks for the feedback Tardy.
Futuras...the size will depend on the model year. They made 141 to 144. Then 10L up. But the 150L+ models are again getting very wide.

I like Futuras, but not really insistent on it.

Which JP 145L model was that?