boards.co.uk has some really great speed articles on there site at the moment..
Looks like they have really uped there game and having fresh updates daily..and plenty of good articles to read when I'm slack at work.
Looking forward to there speed fin test next week.
Should bring a smile to Slowy's face
Boards Review
"When testing, you occasionally come across a gem; a product that simply works so well and feels so natural to use that you wonder why they aren’t all made like this and the Mistral speed is one of those. It just works. It somehow possesses an amazing blend of feeling radical and exciting, yet still being one of the easiest, most controlled and ultimately the fastest boards to use.
Read more at boards.co.uk/equipment-tests/tested-equipment/2015-50cm-speed-board-test-mistral-speed.html
"
If you read the reviews of the other boards they also are full of praise. I think such magazines are under pressure to always publish positive comments.
Select to expand quotepowersloshin said..
If you read the reviews of the other boards they also are full of praise. I think such magazines are under pressure to always publish positive comments.
Not sure I agree entirely, I thought they politely bagged out the Fanatic. Well done Chris, reading those articles too me there would be no doubt that the Mistral is the best board.
A related question is : do you need a speed board to go over 40 knots? it would be great to hear from people that have done 40 ....
No but it helps!
I have done 40 on a Mistral SL 91 which has potential for more (5.6 Loft blade/ MXR22 SW) and a 40 display on an starboard iso 90 (6.3 Loft Blade / Goldwing 32) +5kg lead for both @75kg
Very different conditions
1. very flat and shallow
2. small area of flat behind sand bar in to heavy chop
Both gusting 30+ wind
Select to expand quotepowersloshin said..
A related question is : do you need a speed board to go over 40 knots? it would be great to hear from people that have done 40 ....
Depending on your bod size, I reckon the biggie is that you feel much safer on a smaller board and the chop won't bother you so much.
Besides they are exhilarating, get a speedy, you'll love it.
No, you don't need a speed board to do 40+ knots.
In many circumstances a small slalom board is faster. For speedsurfing I use 2 boards:
-Tabou Manta 54 (54 wide, 74 litres)
-Tabou Manta 49 (49 wide, 63 litres)
I used to have a Missile XS (43 wide) but swapped for the Manta 49.
Couldn't get enough TOW in on the Missile XS due to its small size, so didn't get the time to get the trim right, before the BIG day arrives. Family, work etc.
It's better to have a board that is capable of 45 knots and then utilize 90% of that (ie 40 knots) then to have a board capable of 50 knots and only use 70% of that (35 knots).
As long as there's a little bit of chop, the Manta 54 is much easier to go fast on than the 49. Same goes for other brands. The wider surface helps to "smooth out" the chop a bit so you get to fly over it, where the narrower board tends to tilt around the longitude axis.
Just for proof, the figures of my last tuesday night "heavenly" speed session on my Manta 54
www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=188394&uid=81
Must admit this was the 2nd session on my new Gun sails GSR 6.3, and the first time I did get both the trim and my stance right.
This sails is a SERIOUS improvement over the 2013 models. I'm not sponsored, but have been using gun sails for quite a while now. This years GSR range is a leap in performance. I know sail brands (and boards too) say this every year (to boost sales) but this time it's true ;)
Select to expand quotepowersloshin said..
A related question is : do you need a speed board to go over 40 knots? it would be great to hear from people that have done 40 ....
Nah, small slalom board is fine.
At Lake George (cockies launch) this year I rode the Falcon Speed 45 (45 wide and 53 litres) and Falcon Slalom 79 (56 wide and 79 litres), and almost got identical 2sec speeds (just) over 40kn and similar 5x10 using a 6.3 in similar wind and conditions......and using a much bigger fin in the slalom. Both felt comfy to ride through the chop and never felt too on the edge on either board.....although I am 90kg. The water state at LG was quite rough this year though, and probably favoured a slalom board down where I preferred to sail on starboard at Cockies......I imagine if we had the same wind on flat water the speeds on both boards would have been better, but the speeder would certainly be faster.
You will find that there will be many examples of small slalom boards doing 40+ 
Select to expand quotepowersloshin said..
do you need a speed board to go over 40 knots?
Na, you just need the right conditions. No I haven't gone 40 but I have gone 39.5 on a 58 wide slalom @ LG, I'm fairly confident it'll go over the 40 easy on the right day right place. From memory one of the boys at Sandy has gone well over 40 on a freeride. I don't think I'd ever get a speed board, I just want to go as fast as I'm capable on what I've got, makes a good excuse anyway 
Select to expand quotepowersloshin said..
A related question is : do you need a speed board to go over 40 knots? it would be great to hear from people that have done 40 ....
Not at all, but it sure makes it a lot easier.
Basically, it's the wind and water conditions that determine if you can go over 40 knots. EG. Spotty did 40 knots on a huge wave board at Sandy a few years ago, but on that day many of us much smaller guys did well over 40 knots on our speed boards. If Spotty was on his speed board he would have done mid to high 40's no doubt.
I have hit 40 knots peak on my 2002 Acid73 Wave board and 3.7m KA Kaos wave sail. The board even had the stock wave fin in it. Wind was Easterly gusting 35 knots! But in those conditions on my IS50 and 4.4m Koncept I would have been pulling PB mid 40's.
I did a 41 knots peak on my IS87 slalom and 5.8m Koncept one day when I was caught in the middle of a 1hr by a squall as I gybed down the speed bank. I had no choice but to hang on and **** myself until I got so far off the wind I could slow down and stop.
Yeah, it's quite possible to do 40kt + on a slalom board, but it's certainly not my first choice!
PS. Lake George has a special set of conditions. The wind is not very strong there compared with other places we do 40 knots. It is the flat water, steady wind and salinity that helps us punch above average there. Winds under 30 knots is one place where small slalom boards can go well. But even there, a small speed board is faster. Actually, it is much easier to ride a small speed board and small fin there because of all those factors. Look out if we every get slick water and 35+ knots of wind there!!! 
