anyone tried out these boards yet for kiting and just surfing would love to hear thoughts about it.
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The Drifter is up on the BWS website now...looks like a great small wave groveler.
www.benwilsonsurf.com/
I'll be interested in an independent review of this board and not the promo marketing hype around it, any takers on trying this board first and posting up a review?
I managed to get my hands on an early prototype of this board about 18 months ago, I had taken a 6'4 kite surf board with me to Indo and had creased the nose.
I borrowed, then because I loved it so much, bought a drifter board off Ben that was the same specs, shape and size wise, but possibly a lighter construction. (I am on it in my avatar)
The board got going very early, went upwind like nothing else I had ridden and was very smooth through the chop.
It is has very little rocker, especially in the tail so it does take a while to get used to the way it turns and I preferred the way my firewire turns when actually on decent size waves but found that because I love the speed and upwind ability of the Drifter (and I live in Perth home to small grovely waves) I would always use it.
It holds quite a bit of width and volume right through so it is very stable and easy to learn gybes, tacks,floaters etc on.
Although I had another couple of boards this was pretty much the only board I used for the next 12 months....loved it.
I eventually snapped it when learning to do strapless jumps (not uncommon for me I have snapped tufflites, converses etc so not a fault of the board), I managed to get a lot of air one day and because I was holding the board in one hand, I didn't control the kite very well and came down very hard.
I tried to get another one but BWS wasn't selling them at that stage so I had a custom board made that is a similar size, shape etc with a few personal tweaks.
I love it for kiting but at my age, paddle fitness (or lack of) and weight I usually surf a much bigger board.
I tried to surf it in Mauritius because it was all I had with me but struggled to catch waves, I was probably near on 90kgs at the time so was surprised I actually caught anything.
For people lighter and fitter I think it would pick up waves easy and could be used for kiting and surfing for me I will stick to having a 5'9 kite board and a 6'4ish+ surfboard.
heres some more info. this board was actually suppose to be the first board released by BWS over 18 months ago but has now taken about 2 years of refining and testing the best construction for durability while maintaining the best performance and feeling.
Specs:
5'9” x 18'3/8” x 2'1/4”
2 x 6ox deck, 1 x 6oz bottom, 4oz feet and fin patches
Polyurethane Blank (PU) Standard surfboard density
4mm Stringer 3-hole extruded PVC block inserts (metric thread)
FCS Fusion fin boxes
FCS Ben Wilson Fins
I have also managed to get hold of a proto Drifter & have had it out a few times now both kiting & surfing.
Seems to be the prefect board for me, surfed it this morning in a crappy 1-2 foot beach break & kited this arvo at the same break & it surprised me how well it goes in both disciplines. Might be a bit big for me in high wind but I have a smaller strapped board for that.
I,m 45 YO & 72kg.
