Hi,
85 kg, 190cm, now Excocet 140l freerace board (140 litres| 244 cm| width 80 cm| nose 54 cm| tali 55 cm| 8.6 kg| 46 cm Deep tuttle freeride fin| range 5.8 – 9.8 m2)
Let's take my Loft Switch blade 7,3, with it, let say I can plane at 15 knots wind.
If I buy some slalom (expect to plane earlier so choose slalom) board around 115-120l with slalom fin will I still plane at 15 knots or I need more?
I'm worried about low wind situations during summer, winds from 14-20 knots.
I want something more forgiving during stronger winds with lot of waves but also dont want to loose ability to plane at winds around 15 knots.
Please will 20-25 less litter board with "better" but still shorter fin do the magic in low wind situations? Can I do some kind of maginc with some magic slalom fin to plane as early as my current setup?
thank you !!!
Hi noobex,
I'm a few kilo's lighter (82kg) but easily get going on my 111 litre board (freerace), 7m (no cam) freeride sail and a 40cm C3 Venom fin in 13-14 knots. This is generally my most used setup for our seabreeze season (14-22 knots). I realise the above is not slalom gear but I wouldn't imagine it being too much different in terms of early planing.
Good morning, Noobex,
I'm with ej on this. I have a similar setup to your current board, then I drop down to a modern slalom board that is 115L/66 wide, and 43 cm wide measured 30 cm from the tail. My most-used fin in this board is a 36cm slightly-swept back type (used with 6.0m to 7.5m sails). Over the years, I have gathered 38, 40 and 44cm fins and I have extensively played with various combinations of fin and sail, trying to optimise a configuration for low wind sailing. Without a doubt, you can get planing at almost the same wind speed as your current board and, IMHO, the biggest factor (setup for setup) is the drag difference between a (say) 38cm fin and your current 46cm fin.
If you look at the specs of the 2011 JP Super Sport models, you will see that the 118 and 109 models are close to the specs I have nominated above and ej's experience with his 111 L model gives you a good guide (if you care to go to the 109 model). If you are looking for a new board, you might make a note of the JP specs and look for something similar in other brands.
IMO, the 109 model would have a better top end wind range than the 118 model.
Apart from fin changes, you might also learn to alter the outhaul settings of the sail (completely “bagged out” for power), use an adjustable outhaul, vary the downhaul settings and vary the position of the mast base (moved forward in the track, with a corresponding lowering of the boom on the mast) to really maximise low wind planing. There are other tricks, like rolling the board off a wave to help planing and varying the boom height for better pumping efficiency.
A voyage of discovery and I wish you well.
Thank you very much for your answers!!!!
Please if someone else got anything to say please do so :)
regards!
I am 80 kilos and have an Exocet Scross 115 which I match up with a7.5 aerotech two-cam sail and a 40cm fin. I never feel that I need any equipment larger than this. I'm in Queensland which isn't the windiest place but this equipment satisfies me entirely. I don't know the wind strength I get going in but it's probably around 13 kts.
With your slightly heavier weight you could go to 8 metres and have a sweet light wind setup.
I believe the Scross are replaced by the "Sting" now and there's a 114 litre model.
