I would love some advise as to what board to progress to. Currently I am using a Futura 144 with sails from 4.5 to 6.7 and weigh 98kgs.
I am almost carve gybing and can water start, but where I windsurf the breeze can regularly get over 25 knots plus, so was thinking of a carve 111.
Hope someone can help
The 111 carve sounds like a good choice for your weight, only 13 more liters than your kg weight. The 144 Futura has a recommended sail range of 6.5 to 10 m so your smaller sails wouldn't be working too well with it. Go the 111.
i sail the 111 Futura which is an awesome board but it's my 15 to 18 knt board as I only weigh 65kgs. Carves we're popular for a long time but I have not tried one.
If you can waterstart and are sailing in 25 knot winds, you certainly want (need
) a smaller board.
I reckon weight + 10 is a good guide for a small board, so you're in the ballpark with the 111 Futura. Also, it's a decent reduction from the 144 you currently have, so there's shouldn't be any danger of thinking that you haven't stepped down enough, and you will certainly appreciate the difference between the two. Don't go any larger than the 111 though, and possibly marginally smaller.
A 2nd hand Tabou 105 Rocket might be worth a look if you can find one cheap.
I'm identical in weight to you.
Very happy with a 104l Slalom Board (Fanatic Falcon) with sails ranging 6.3, 7.0 and 7.5. While it is technically a sinker if the wind absolutely drops, as long as their is some wind about, it schlogs very comfortably. It would be very difficult to uphaul, so you need to be able to waterstart.
For context, my big board up is 158l Free Formula with 8.0 and 11.0's, and if there's any doubt about the wind being strong enough to waterstart, I will defer to this bigger board. My small board is 80s with 5.8, 6.3 and occasionally the 7.0.
If you intend on keeping the 144 and having a multi-board quiver, then push yourself a little and go smaller - for something 105ish for those seabreeze days of strong, reliable wind. You won't regret it!
Eckas.