I hear all good things about the Rockets and was wondering if any owners can give me some insight on the Tabou's ability for bump and jump ocean / bay blasting? I've got a 111 Futura and mainly use that out on the ocean. Works ok. The width and volume make life pretty easy- albeit a little bumpy and racy at times. So was thinking maybe the slightly smaller volume and width of the Rocket may help have a more planted feel?
PS- Part of the reason I was thinking the Rocket was it's good speed on flatwater also. Would be sweet to have a board that could a few things well.
How wide is the Futura 111? My Rocket 105 is 61cms wide. Perhaps more recent ones are wider? My Rocket 105 does not feel or look especially wide. I think it's an 06 or 05 model.
We will be coming up over Christmas so if the wind blows we might come down to SWR. If we do you can have a go on my board to get some idea of what it's like.
Karl, the Futura is 68 wide, 240 long. The newer Tabou's (105) is 63 wide. I like the volume- as I can up-haul no probs on boards around 100 litres- and feel I don't really need the extra width that the Futura has as I've progressed a little lately. But still want something that can chug out through our annoying wind shadow and get going in 14 -15 knots with a 6.6. Does this sound like the Rockets?
Yep, very keen to have a go on yours. Will be good to catch up. :)
Yeah the 105 works fine with a 6.6m sail. It's nicely balanced with it. It works fine with a 5.5m sail too. Its a good board.
I can up haul it and I weigh around 10kgs more than you. Its not too bad slogging either. Last weekend I tried a 84l JP slalom II and the Rocket is a very easy board to sail when the wind drops in comparison.
Definitely one of the best all rounders i own particularly in short steep chop.
Cant quite match the speed upwind of some wider boards in the fast free ride category but really excels off the wind.
In the past 3 years i have progressed throughout he 95,105,115,125 and currently the 135.
The concaves running well forward and the narrow profile give excellent stability and control.
Absolute dream to jibe, and can run a variety of fin sizes and sail types depending on your style.
If you are in the middle of two volumes i would advise going to the bigger size and go the ltd edition, much stiffer.
As a guide 10 litres more than your weight.
These are true plug and play boards that are right at home dropping off ocean swells to smoking the local speed run.
Highly recommended
I've got a 95ltre 2008 model and really like it. I tend to use a bigger board for my weight than most people so I probably get thrown around a bit more.I've been thinking about getting something more slalomy for GPS but I like the comfort of the rocket in chop.Mines 58cms wide .I think the newer ones might be a bit wider? I've only just started using a 6.6m KA Koncept on it ( used to only go up to a 6m) and it goes great!
I only use it on Lake chop but where I sail can get quite choppy especially if there is a yacht race in the area.
I've got a Rocket 105 2009 model (61.5cm wide) and it's my favourite board. Had it as fast as 35knots at Sandy Point inlet but use it mainly in Port Phillip Bay, with some occasional ocean sailing. I sail it from 5.5m to 7.5m cambered, Great board for the chop with the dbl concave in the front. I'm 95kilos and it's a very good allrounder.
Select to expand quotejakranz said..
I've got a Rocket 105 2009 model (61.5cm wide) and it's my favourite board. Had it as fast as 35knots at Sandy Point inlet but use it mainly in Port Phillip Bay, with some occasional ocean sailing. I sail it from 5.5m to 7.5m cambered, Great board for the chop with the dbl concave in the front. I'm 95kilos and it's a very good allrounder.
so i could get on the 105ltr with my 7.7 and smash it? (i weigh 76kgs)
i always use my big board (121ltr) with the 7.7
Select to expand quoteSputnik11 said..jakranz said..
I've got a Rocket 105 2009 model (61.5cm wide) and it's my favourite board. Had it as fast as 35knots at Sandy Point inlet but use it mainly in Port Phillip Bay, with some occasional ocean sailing. I sail it from 5.5m to 7.5m cambered, Great board for the chop with the dbl concave in the front. I'm 95kilos and it's a very good allrounder.
so i could get on the 105ltr with my 7.7 and smash it? (i weigh 76kgs)
i always use my big board (121ltr) with the 7.7
I would say that would be a light wind combination for you. I sail a JP Xcite Ride 135 with an 8.5m Ka Koncept as my light wind combo under 18knots. With the 105 Rocket and the cambered 7.5m NeilPryde V8 I use a 38cm C3 Venom Fin in the chop to combat spin-outs, works a treat up to 20knots and is very fast. The standard 32cm Tabou fin that came with the board is a little small but last season it even worked for me most of the time. I guess the ideal sail would be up to 7m, but the board is so versatile it can handle larger sails easily.
The 105 rocket is a perfect ocean/bay blaster. It does everything easy. Not quite as fast as the slalom boards, but so easy to sail and just a lot of fun.
I sail 5.3 to 7.4 on mine (use a 38cm fin with the 7.4)
Cool. All keen to ride one- hopefully in the next week or so. 
Harrow, just curious as to what you weigh? I'm 76 kg and like a bit of float under me. All those sail sizes are pretty well what I was hoping to run.
I'm hoping this one board can reduce a few others I have sitting around- like my JP 101 FSW and 93 Starboard S type. Both good boards, but one slightly bigger that's fast and jumps sounds simpler / better to me. Got a sweet wave board so that's covered. May even palm off he Futura as it sounds like the Rocket is a bit of a rocket!
Thanks guys!
I'm 67kg. For my size, the 105 Rocket is the board I use when the wind is variable to keep me planing through the lulls, or if I think I might need to uphaul. Otherwise I ride a JP 78 FSW. I used to have a couple of others in between, but found I get by comfortably with these two and got rid of the rest.
I think the 105 would be perfect for your weight. You'll still be able to uphaul okay (I could do my 78 if I absolutely had to). The rocket is less wide (61cm) than other boards of 105 litre volume, which is why I think the step from 105 to 78 is not as big as it might sound. It gets the volume through being thicker instead of wide, so it perhaps rides a little more like a 95 litre, but still floaty for when you need it, and the extra thickness gives a nice rounded deck that I find really comfortable to wrap my feet over.
I'd say 7.5m is the limit for sail size, which it does okay in moderate wind.
The rocket went from 61cm wide to 63cm in 2012 I think?
Select to expand quotePhilSWR said..
I hear all good things about the Rockets and was wondering if any owners can give me some insight on the Tabou's ability for bump and jump ocean / bay blasting? I've got a 111 Futura and mainly use that out on the ocean. Works ok. The width and volume make life pretty easy- albeit a little bumpy and racy at times. So was thinking maybe the slightly smaller volume and width of the Rocket may help have a more planted feel?
PS- Part of the reason I was thinking the Rocket was it's good speed on flatwater also. Would be sweet to have a board that could a few things well.
I've got a 95 Rocket and IMO wouldn't rate them highly for bump and jump sailing, certainly not like a FSW or other more 'lively' fast freeride boards such as the Fanatic Hawk (which is a brilliant jumping board, albeit a bit on the fragile side!).
Worth mentioning fin choices - not sure what year Rocket you're looking at but in my opinion some of the fins that come as std equipment with Rockets are pretty ordinary. Worth trying different fins if you can to extract more performance from the boards (I use JP Supersport as well as Choco Weed Freerace fins in my Rocket).
