Rider: Weight,Level (advanced)
Style: Race
Weather:10-13 knots (Kite 11m Ozone Instinct Sport +)
Build Quality: 10/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Disclosure: Own a shop and School
My Comments:
Hi Guys,
With all the hype around the racing series we are hosting and also the fact that we have been using the 2009 North Race LTD as a benchmark for other reviews on other raceboards, we though it only fair to buy a new model and give the North 2010 Race LTD a decent Fang too! [}:)] I mean, it's only fair!
The new 2010 Race LTD is quite a bit longer at 175 and wider in the nose than the 09 sister board. It has a bit more concave and 4 fins instead of the two and also with less cantilever in the back fins. Front fins are smaller and have less cant.
The bottom of the board is the latest Carbon layup known as TeXtreme which is lighter and stronger than regular carbon fibre and it feels that way when you lift it up. The new board also has a bit more volume than the previous board especially in the nose and along the rails. Final obvious difference is the three strap config similar to windsurfing boards. The tail on the 2010 is also batwing unlike the dead straight 2009 board or the shallow V of the Monaro.
The two North boards couldn't be different to ride with the newer board feeling much more locked in due to the forward fins which makes gybing a bit more tricky as you must cut a wider arc but once you get the arc happening , the gybe itself is easy. And it seems to be harder to find the sweet spot to make it run like on bearings. The 2009 is still as fast when both boards are on their sweet spots and I'd say it's easier to find it on the 09 than the 2010 but maybe this is just technique and practice will make fastest. 
Biggest differences are the stability has been improved dramatically at speed and also when running flat downwind, the 2010 has lost it's instability and squirrely nature when riding it flat. The upwind ability has also been improved as has the light wind ability. So I guess you could say this board has been improved in all areas: stability when riding flat out, light wind planing, upwind, and downwind stability and it is also a bit more comfortable to ride when cruising off the sweet spot.
The negatives are that it is still a burn on the legs to get that sweet spot happening to go hyper fast. As soon as you find the spot, it's like the board is suddenly running on ball bearings, the accelleration is so dramatic and control at speed is much better.
Other negative is that there seems to be a fair bit of water that hits the front foot when at lower speeds or when under powered.
The 2010 needs to be ridden much flatter to attain it's top speed and sweet spot which required weight on the back foot and pressure on the toes to flatten the board out.
But guess what? It's a friggen' hoot 
This will definitely be the board to beat when racing.
See ya at the finish line [}:)]
KH
