Hi all,
After four days on my Sector 60 V3: Awesome. Fun and easy at the same time. Surprisingly fast, never gone upwind like this before.
Finish is good, but some details were surprisingly sloppy, like 2 of 4 fins not really fitting flush in the boxes and a bag of bolts/plugs with a mix of metric/English threads.
Pardon for breaking in (from Norway) to your AU-based forum, but it looks like you guys are among the few going public with in-depth experiences from the Sector.
Can't fully figure out the footstraps.
Actually, I'm rather new with directionals, used a Kontakt now and then for a year. (should of course have started with a Sector, at least I'm much more confident doing gybes now)
Tried both the 4 and 3 strap setups, back to 4 as it definitely is more racy and makes me go upwind far better. I will of course consider a 3 strap setup for a day primarily doing downwind racing/cruising. Then again, I also consider buying the Sector 54.
I realize that my question might come from lack of general experience with directionals, but having the straps relatively tight would be a good idea to counter the off-center stance if going broad reach with a 4 strap setup, right?
At least I feel I can go a little more downwind that way, without taking the rear foot out.
Anyway, I think the comfy straps are too soft and bend too easy when I kick the rear foot in quickly during chop.
Has anybody tried replacement straps? Recommendations?
And from this thread I see that the thin plastic rings in the straps probably are meant for on the fly adjustment. I can pull the rings 2cm before I'm pretty sure they will snap, but absolutely no adjustment can be felt, trying to pull both straight and outwards. No manual, nothing on the Airush site. Just decoration, or am I missing something?
Thank you guys.
(planning a trip around Christmas, can't wait to see your coastline)
Pm a guy called mike birt on kiteforum, he knows all about them. A guy called pilot Pete on this forum also has experience or a guy called Damo on this forum ( airush dealer).
Mike birt is very experienced and will answer ya question.
Love my 54 V 3 already had 5 extra session this month in the crappy setting of winter I would not have normally got.
Footstraps, I just tightened them on land using the ring thingies, but careful they can break as shown on this forum.
Never been a fan or airush Footstraps, been on their boards since 2002 love the boards hate the straps. Would also be looking for a different kind.
Got my 54 with just two strap setup for carving and the surf so can't help ya really. I did tighten the farq out of them using the rings and they worked, but yeh they move to much for my liking. They are still using those stupid metal clamp thingies they had way back. They eventually wear thought he fabric of the strap. Yeh ****. But the board is damn amazing. Wish I had bought one long time ago. Enjoy our coast.
Guys,
I want to start getting in the surf this year. Just small waves etc, nothing hardcore.
I'm around 90kg, currently have 13m and 9m ozone edges. 9m soon to be replaced by 10 and 7m C4s.
Apart from surf I just want a allround light wind fun. 12knots and up.
Which one will work better? 54 or 60?
Cheers,
I am 80kg, my mate is 90-100kg depending on the time of year.
We both ride Sector v2 60's. Lots of coast runs. Lots of blasting around in small bay wind swell. We love our Sector 60s.
If I didn't have a surfboard for stronger winds I might have a 54 as well.
What would be the difference in bottom end between 54 and 60?
I'm leaning towards 54 as I'm sure it will be more fun when the wind picks up a little.
Who stocks them in melbourne? Looks like this board and a couple of new kites will be an early xmas present for myself :D
Dusta will hate me ( I think he already does), I have a 54. Wouldn't even consider the 60 in the surf but a good rider could make the 54 work on those ligt days. I'm considering trying it smaller fins at some time to see how she goes when wind picks up and I wan to have functional sesh in the surf. It does rail to rail really well, crack onto your toes real quick. But hard to break the fins in the surf, it's not a snappy board nor should it be, slowish carve turns is the order of the day.
Also consider getting some different Footstraps, looking into nobiles and north entities right now, leaning towards the entity, gotta work out if they fit. But if you ride strapless on a SB the airush straps will do fine. Not connected enough for me also want to move a plate closer the the heelside. I ride on my toes as can't be stuffed switching. But also if you do switch feet the airush straps will do also as you will ride more on the heelside with both straps in.
Give me your weight, experience and kite make and size and I can advise on the 54 or 60 and what is your target low end.
Ah sh1t just read you have given this info. 12 knots and your biggest kite will be the 10m C4, well forget the 54 you will need a 60. I weigh 78 ish, and use a 12m bandit(bigger kite and better bottom end than c4 per size) and 10/11 knot would be my lowest if need to stay upwind. Basically anytime it falls in the red on the charts I'm stuffed. Unless I want to do a downwinders then could go lower. yeh 60 for you unless you get a bigger kite, but forget surfing it, but a cruise downwind, down the line on a wave the 60 would be okay.
Awesome boards man, just don't dig the Footstraps.
Keep ya 13m edge man if ya can, that would be a sweet combo on the 60 or 54.
Thanks eppo,
def keeping 13m edge. Only 9m is getting replaced and I am still trying to justify keeping it. I just wonder how much use I will get out of it once i start riding the C4s. I might keep it for a few months and if i don't use it I'll sell it.
Since i never surfed nor kited in the surf I am only planning on getting out in small waves and the rest of the riding will be the usual bay swell. I just want a board to have a crack at the surf and that will allow me to get out there on the bay in less wind. Sounds like the 54 will fit the bill. If I start getting out in bigger waves I'll consider full on surf board.
Cheers
Yeh true but it's not like a SB, it is a freeride race board, and it takes some getting used to. Yeh if ya keep ya 13 then the 54 is a goa. Keep ya 9m for those high wind flat days in summer for a big ass boosting session. Your c4 won't touch the edge on the boosting department. But yeh always hard to justify keeping a kite that sits in the same wind range that is covered by others.
Let us know how it goes.
SpaceCoyote,
Airush did make a light wind waveboard of about the same size.
www.airush.com/2012/Board.php?l=en&id=1&d=2
www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Kitesurfing/Boards/~a9rz_/2012-Airush-Choptop-510-Lw.aspx
Airush foot strap adjusters; the ring pulls are not well designed and do break. To adjust, you need to pull and move side to side, left to right but after a short while they will break! Airush know this but do not seem to want to do anything about it ...I will expect an other call from 'the powers that be' to tell me off! ITS only MY OPINION. To over come these problems you can purchase from Bunnings 35mm stainless steel rings, you will need to split the ring with a hack saw, then remove the old nylon tube/rope affair and fit the 35mm ring in with some Tarzan grip glue again from Bunnings wait 20 mins for glue to go off and away you go!
Had to dive deep into the R&D budget to come up with that!
Have done many hours with the 60 v1.5,V2 and V3 (well over 100 hours) they are a great board but the company do need to listen to their customers concerns.
See Pics
Yes I have been careful pete since reading your posts a while back. But i question the actual mechansim itself, I find even if you pull them tight, they loosen as you ride. So someone who wants to feel more locked in its a pain, literally for me with suspect ankles. Looking right now into alternatives. Did chuck some CB wave straps on, sure you are raised a bit, but at least i felt more locked in. Need to have a plate though that will adjust as far as I can to the heelside. Looking north entity or nobile straps at moment.
Yeh board is unbelievable, straps average. Never liked their metal locking mechanism to connect the strap material either to a plate or board in this case, eventually they wear and the straps are to 'floppy'. When i rode airush boards years ago they had the same system and didn't like it back then!
Again like pete this is my opinion but after using several different mechanisms since the early days I feel I have some justification for saying they aren't the best. But like nob heads who buy kites based on the bar set up?, you don't avid buying a board for its straps!
hey eppo guess what has landed in osborne park and is on it's way over to me :)
FINALLY AIRUSH FFS
Awesome news man. Happy sailing. The lighter seabreezes will be here soon and probably some easterlies as well. Probably perfect timing. Lol.
well after having slept with it last night i snapped off a few quickies this morning . I must say the graphics on the board in the flesh look awesome . Hopefully we get some wind this weekend so i can get out and compare it to the old v2 . Big thanks to Damo at airborne for getting me a v3 as replacement , even though i had to wait 6 months :P
Yeh go the same on mine? Not sure hey?
Dusta ya on now buddy! No more hate mail please...lol
Went out today, 11-13, gusting to 14 (woh!). I'm 78kg, riding a 12m bandit 5.
Cranked at least 500m upwind, doing a few jumps, rolls as well - but mainly a upwind meditation session. Still not the smoothest switcher of feet, but kept hair dry!
By the end i was doing front and back roll transitions, with a kite loop chucked in as well as taking in a few waves here and there...well more swell lines that kind of broke. Also cranked some small rolls with looping the kite the same way (obviously down loops - not sure I'm gonna do a horizontal loop on a race board!).
But stuff me, that is fun. What a board (and kite by the way). stoked and still had enough power to just get in when the bloody wind went south east on me.
If ya don't believe me check out the mandurah graphs from 430 to 530pm - all in the red baby!
.
Hey Guys,
Any recommendations where to get one online? Can't find a store that stocks them.
Kitepower are supposedly a dealer but don't list any on their site. Might give them a call.
Cheers
Select to expand quotedusta said...
well after having slept with it last night i snapped off a few quickies this morning . I must say the graphics on the board in the flesh look awesome . Hopefully we get some wind this weekend so i can get out and compare it to the old v2 . Big thanks to Damo at airborne for getting me a v3 as replacement , even though i had to wait 6 months :P
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Let's is know she goes dusts. Damn nice easterly at moment but wife has to go to a quiz night so got kids. A quiz night!!
Gidday,
Currently have a Sector 52 v1.5, thinking of upgrading to a 54. As an ex-windsurfer I am drawn to the feeling of blasting at full speed on broad reaches, occasionally the quad fin 52 can get a bit squirly near the limit (a bit over-finned for broad reaching?), was wondering if anyone can comment on the 54's stability at warp speed (with the carver fin set)?
In windsurfing you would choose a smaller fin (lower drag, less lift) for high speed reaching if the wind was strong and you didn't need so much upwind ability. Thinking that the tri-fin option on the 54 would be just the ticket - want to crack the 30 knot mark in open water, it will be all about board control I reckon. Best effort so far is 27 knots in 15 or so knots of breeze, as water was reasonably flat.
My two cents re using it in waves? Rocker is too low, rails a bit too hard, a surfboard would be miles better and designed more for the job. Good to hear that the carver fins loosen it up a bit though. And re footstrap options - never liked the Airush ones, found they arch too high when I have them the right width for my feet so replaced them with Dakine windsurfing straps , miles better.
Cheers
Not sure on the broad reach at those speeds but it does downwind fast and controllable for me anyhow. It was never meant to replace a SB so that comment is obvious enough. Agreed on the high arch problem although been stuffing around a fair bit and have got them to work okay now. Honestly what I have found it you want to have the ability to get out of the straps quite a bit for foot positioning so works well now.
