First ride of my new Mark OZ custom board yesterday. This board is a subtle development of the last one, same length, width and rocker with the difference being the volume distribution, a touch more V in the front and more aggressively tucked under rails. With the volume I added more in the nose to help slogging and uphauling ( and hopefully I can now tack it).
So yesterday it started light, struggling to get on foil and finished overpowed, there was also a fair leftover swell as it had been windy all night. Despite the subtlety of the changes I could notice the extra volume in the nose, it was more balanced slogging and when I got a gust I feel it did get up easier, whether the reduced wetted surface area of the flat part of the bottom due to the bevelled rails was a factor I am not sure but it did release well.
Its a keeper for sure and I am going to have lots of fun on this board.
Martin still worn out from Christmas cheer and sailing 
so I'll have a stab at it from memory - 195 x 74 - 129L
Yep Marks spot on.....its 195 x 74 129 Liters. Almost the same as the last one but the difference being the volume distribution, there is more right in the nose to help stop the nose sinking when sloggin and uphauling. Then the bevelled rails. They let me cant the board over more upwind and I am suspecting the board releases a bit early when getting on the foil, but maybe my imagination.
Its a great freeride board, had a fantastic session on it yesterday in 18-22 knots and classic Port Phillip Bay wind swell. Was linking wave after wave and carving hard, so much fun...
Select to expand quotemr love said..
Yep Marks spot on.....its 195 x 74 129 Liters. Almost the same as the last one but the difference being the volume distribution, there is more right in the nose to help stop the nose sinking when sloggin and uphauling. Then the bevelled rails. They let me cant the board over more upwind and I am suspecting the board releases a bit early when getting on the foil, but maybe my imagination.
Its a great freeride board, had a fantastic session on it yesterday in 18-22 knots and classic Port Phillip Bay wind swell. Was linking wave after wave and carving hard, so much fun...
I am not yet foiling in the short period (wind)swell we gete here inthe Northsea but wondering why you ride the front straps in freeride stance (as I also still do) instead of centered like on a waveboard?
Hi Tom, Really good question. My windsurfing background is varied but I never did proper wave sailing and had a preference for Speed, bump and jump and did some Formula racing back in the day. I have always had my boards setup with reasonably outboard straps as I like being able to crank upwind.
When I started foiling I started with more of a race setup, wider board and outboard straps. I had an ambition to go fast once I was good enough. However where I sail does not favour going fast on a foil as it gets a really steep and pretty large wind swell, in 20 knots it is over a meter. I quickly learned I was going to kill myself if I pursued my speed ambitions and started to really enjoy chasing swell. The more I did it the more I enjoyed it and came to realise that this is what foils do best, using the wave energy. However I still love blasting upwind .
My setup is a real compromise, I would be better off probably if I had the front straps more inboard. I have only recently taken the rear straps off, always had them but thought I would try it as I was finding they got in the way a bit downwind. So I have ended up with this sort of hybrid setup which suits what I like doing. My downwind stance is less side on like surfing and I face forward a bit more...maybe because i am a skier not a snowboarder...Ha. I have just got used to it.
The downside is gybing. They are too far apart to leave my foot in the strap until after the rig flip. I have tried it but it doesn't work for me. So I have to do a racing style gybe with the foot switch earlier, before the rig flip. Definitely not as good when chasing swell and I would like to be able to flip the rig and sail switch but it is the compromise I have ended up with. I don't find it a problem carving, actually like that I have a bit more leverage over the foil when doing the bottom turns.
So yep....a bit weird but thats where I have ended up...
Miami....I have a larger foil slalom board I use on the lighter days which has large cutouts. Its a Tribal Atmos 78, really nice board for me when the water is flatter but not enough nose rocker once the swell gets up. I didn't feel the need for them on this freeride style board as I am not doing those high speed touchdowns where the cutouts definitely help. Perhaps they may help unstick the board but I don't generally use it until its 15 knots and then don't have any issue getting up on foil.
Cool board Martin and Mark! High performance but user friendly, looks like something I would enjoy!
We have had some solid SW winds and more coming in the next few days. 20-30 knots and up to 1.5 meter steep wind swell. I am loving the board and having so much fun....
If you were going to try for a smaller volume high wind board what do you think of making the same board shape but narrower. Or would you scale the whole shape down. Sounds like you're happy with that size even for high wind. I have the old (maybe v0) board and loving it. Went back to the slingshot wizard for a short time while the moz was drying out after some damage and actually was enjoying that. It was a bit easier but very different geometry.
For my weight and age the size is good.....if I wanted it to foil earlier I would go narrower for sure but i didn't want it to be too hard for me to uphaul in chop...
It would be interesting to do a board more like a mid length wing board, longer and narrower but the length out the back. Could be a great lightwind board as the displacement speed would be higher making it easier to get on foil...
Select to expand quotemr love said..
It would be interesting to do a board more like a mid length wing board, longer and narrower but the length out the back. Could be a great lightwind board as the displacement speed would be higher making it easier to get on foil...
Coming up
Mark's on to it 
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
Yeah
Sorry man I just had to 
JJ's recycling is fair 
Wait, that board again? Is that Simon's then JJ edited like twice? And now you are kicking it some more? If so, it needs a funny Frankenstein type name or a play on terminator Let's go!
