Author Topic: Fastest sailing WindSUP?  (Read 40729 times)

FloridaWindSUP

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #15 on: February 08, 2015, 09:02:35 AM »
Are there any WindSUP's out there that could be considered an "early planer"?  I tried my Starboard Avanti, then a Formula Windsurfer, now I'm wondering if there might be something half way between the two that's worth looking at?

I have the Exocet WindSUP 11'8". It is definitely an early-planing and fast board that is the closest I think anyone has come to makeing a true combination of a SUP and a great-planing formula type windsurfer. With the powerbox finbox and outboard footstrap positions you can put a big fin in it and sail it as if it were a slalom or formula style windsurfing board. With center footstraps or strapless it's good as a windsurfing waveboard (in mellow waves) and it sups pretty well, too.

Here's a video where I'm sailing it fast in flat water with a 9.5 sail. http://jimbodouglass.blogspot.com/2012/10/got-new-tractor-wheeeooo-doggies.html
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maxsonic

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #16 on: February 08, 2015, 09:23:40 AM »
Are there any WindSUP's out there that could be considered an "early planer"?  I tried my Starboard Avanti, then a Formula Windsurfer, now I'm wondering if there might be something half way between the two that's worth looking at?

I have the Exocet WindSUP 11'8". l

James, I've really enjoyed following your Blog over the years...your foray into kiting, then back again to windsurfing and SUP... 

Welcome to the Standup Zone!

MAX

flathead

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #17 on: February 15, 2015, 08:24:41 AM »
James, really like your blog. If you had to choose 1 board for wind sup would it be the 11+ Exocet? Supplementary question, has anything better come along to sup sail in your opinion? - Cheers!

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #18 on: February 15, 2015, 09:17:52 AM »
Looking forward to some good sessions on my 8'11" Hammer WindSUP...
This was a SUPer lightwind sesh...rigged a 5.3m2...would have preferred my 5.8m2 Superfreak...but, was in my wifey's van...
Regardless, I think most all of the kiters packed it in...or, were in the process...

http://youtu.be/fS1wKahAK5s

Effortlessly goes to weather...pops on a plane...feels fast and slippery...and, on the wave face...well, quite frankly, there's nothing better that I have been on...
BTW, I've ridden the Exocets...I personally would rather have 3' less swing weight and don't need that length waterline...but, we can certainly build a custom Hammer at any length with a mast track that i know would give anything out there a run for it's money...

http://supsports.com/standup-paddle-boards/hammer-series/
Mahalos...{:~)

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FloridaWindSUP

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #19 on: February 16, 2015, 04:15:47 PM »
James, really like your blog. If you had to choose 1 board for wind sup would it be the 11+ Exocet? Supplementary question, has anything better come along to sup sail in your opinion? - Cheers!

James, really like your blog. If you had to choose 1 board for wind sup would it be the 11+ Exocet? Supplementary question, has anything better come along to sup sail in your opinion? - Cheers!

Hey Flathead,

The 11'8" is a heavy beast, but I think it's still the best all-around windsurf paddleboard out there. If I had to switch boards I'd probably just get the same board again, but in the lighter wood construction.

The length gives it lots of glide so it's smooth and fast in flatwater SUP and sub-planing windsurfing conditions. With the daggerboard down you can sail a very high angle into the wind, which is useful in a variety of situations such as "explore the lake," "get back upwind to catch another wave," "prevent beginner from drifting downwind," and "return to the beach when the wind shifts offshore."

The volume, width, rail shapes, large fin option, and outboard footstrap setup make it plane early and let it sail in full-speed "locked in" style over flat or bumpy terrain. Yet with a small fin and inboard footstraps it's loose enough to do fun turns on a swell or wave. Footstraps help a lot with the awkwardness of carrying a big heavy board and sail into and out of the surf.

It's nearest competition, which might be superior in some situations, would be the the Exocet Curve 11'5", which is 10 cm narrower and 50 liters less volume with no daggerboard. Very fast planing, nimble, and good at catching waves with sail power, but reportedly doesn't pick up waves as naturally with paddle power.

Another similar board is the 10'0" windsup, which I have yet to try. Same construction, footstrap setup and daggerboard features as the 11'8" but a lot shorter. Should have reduced swing weight and do better turns on waves.

Exocet has a 10'2" and 9'2" windsup with thruster fin setups and no daggerboards that some people love but others who like the 11'8 and 11'5 aren't as crazy about. Apparently they're really good on the wave but not as good at early planing and upwind sailing. I'd like to try one for myself.

Then there are a bazillion different sailable sups that have a more typical "surf rocker" tail without the exocet stair-step tail to enhance water release for planing. Some of them have flat enough rockers to plane when given a good breeze (AHD SeaLion and Wardog's Hammer look interesting) but my experience has been that they're pretty sluggish about going upwind and planing, so they're not really fun to sail unless you have good waves and/or lots of wind. And if you have lots of wind you might as well be on a true windsurfing shortboard.
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SUP Sports ®

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #20 on: February 16, 2015, 04:48:18 PM »

Then there are a bazillion different sailable sups that have a more typical "surf rocker" tail without the exocet stair-step tail to enhance water release for planing. Some of them have flat enough rockers to plane when given a good breeze (AHD SeaLion and Wardog's Hammer look interesting) but my experience has been that they're pretty sluggish about going upwind and planing, so they're not really fun to sail unless you have good waves and/or lots of wind. And if you have lots of wind you might as well be on a true windsurfing shortboard.

Aloha FWS,
I hear what you are saying...
I have over 3 decades of what speed, early planing, beating to weather, & windsurfing fun is all about...etc...;-)
I don't enjoy shlogging...stuck in molasses...holding up the laundry...pumping to fall off of a plane...etc...
I wouldn't have even bothered to mention my Hammer SUP design if I didn't think that it was a better mouse trap than what I've been on...not sluggish...and, it is very pleasurable to sail...let alone surf...seriously, this board is full of magic mojo...;-)

FWIW, I have been involved with WindSUP boards for 10 years...starting with prototypes before the 11'11" "Big Red"...the first production SUP with a mast foot option...

http://surfingsports.com/isla_vista_waves/index.html
http://surfingsports.com/longboard_wavesailing_cali/index.html
http://surfingsports.com/cali_longboard_wavesailing/index.html
Mahalos...{:~)

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flathead

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #21 on: February 17, 2015, 06:39:53 AM »
Thanks James. I sup sail a 2014 Fanatic Fly 11 6 (edit) in choppy conditions need an 8.6 (Aus. based in Singapore) - it works well handles chop and gybes easily. The only thing it does not do is release at the point that it feels it should when reaching full plane speed (fin) - not surprising given fin and tail lift. The Windsup looks like it does do this though - that would be a winner for me. I have several other sup boards and I really only want to sail a board of this style (did think Kona for a while) as I find myself in a location where this is really the only option to getting out every day/other day. I would not need the dagger board - but I can see it would be useful at times. Once again you are a wealth of knowledge and greatly appreciate you sharing what you know.

*Hammer board looks impressive also SUPsports.
« Last Edit: February 17, 2015, 06:42:45 AM by flathead »

flathead

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #22 on: February 19, 2015, 09:18:42 AM »
Windsurfing the Fly 11'6"


« Last Edit: February 19, 2015, 09:20:56 AM by flathead »

spookini

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #23 on: February 20, 2015, 07:32:44 AM »
Hey flathead... +1 for Vinniecam  :D
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flathead

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #24 on: February 21, 2015, 05:55:57 AM »
Ha! thanks spookini - great little supping dog.

flathead

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #25 on: February 21, 2015, 06:00:50 AM »
James, just made noises to the supplier here to get a Windsup 11 8. Let you know how well it sails in Asia :-)
« Last Edit: February 21, 2015, 06:06:16 AM by flathead »

J-Bird

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #26 on: February 21, 2015, 07:30:42 AM »
The first SUP I ever bought was a slightly used 9 foot Starboard Extremists, I think it was Wardog's personal board.  It was my intro to sup and I got addicted to surfing it, was so fun.  Unfortunately for me, I couldn't get the thing to work so well as a windsurfer.  It would hang in that annoying area between planing and not planing, you know, it felt like it was just about to jump on a plane and in light winds I couldn't get it "over the hump" to planing, even when there was enough wind where I could my real shortboard board to work.  So I gave up on windsurfing SUPs, but it sounds like Wardogs Hammer may have overcome the hanging up problem and jumps on a plane.  May be time to try windsupping again.

SUP Sports ®

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #27 on: February 21, 2015, 08:58:28 AM »
Aloha J-Bird...
That SB was fun back in the day...but, agree with how annoying it's stickiness to plane was...felt to me that the mast foot connection was in the wrong place...
Forget the foot strap locations...not that they were needed...but, I did test them out...plus, the 50/50 soft rails had little bite...which hurt it's AOA...

The good news is that the Hammer blows it away as a SUP and a WindSUP...
I have the mast track location dialed...plus, as you know...1/2" of adjustment can be huge...

I have actually sailed it as a quad + 1...and, even in side-on breezes, it went to weather well...a real pleasure to sail...
The Hammer's SUPer deep concaves almost gives it a Hypersonic quality...really helps to get it up and going...nice acceleration...;-)

The rails are also totally dialed...one of the reasons that it nose rides beautifully with such small fins...

Spring is officially 4 weeks away...and, I have a couple of new GoPro mounts to capture some of the upcoming WindSUP action around here...
Mahalos...{:~)

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spookini

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #28 on: February 21, 2015, 05:24:20 PM »
Dubya-Dog:

As the Hammer's gets shorter, does the rear rocker profile change / increase?  Just wondering if the 7'11" would get up under sail as well as some of the longer lengths?  What about goin' upwind under low power?
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SUP Sports ®

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Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?
« Reply #29 on: February 22, 2015, 09:32:36 AM »
Dubya-Dog:

As the Hammer's gets shorter, does the rear rocker profile change / increase?  Just wondering if the 7'11" would get up under sail as well as some of the longer lengths?  What about goin' upwind under low power?

The 7'11" Hammer ends up with ~ 1/2" less nose and tail rocker than the 8'11" Hammer...very fast rocker lines...
You can see a couple of pretty good profile action pics below with Alyson riding the 7'11" Hammer...also. Rick on the 9'5" Hammer...

I have my Exocet Mini-Tanker down at the shop...260cm x 65cm @ 120 liters...8'6" x 26"...riding it and the 10'5" Kona in the pics...
I'll try and shoot a couple of comparison rocker pics...

http://surfingsports.com/exocet_konas/index.html
Mahalos...{:~)

WARDOG ®
Owner/CEO  StandUp Paddle Sports®  &   SurfingSports®.com, Inc.

(805)962-SUPS (7877) store
(888)805-9978 toll free

Retail Store:
Standup Paddle Sports, LLC
121 Santa Barbara St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

 


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