this is my first board review or let say feedback for the cross 104 after 4 sessions. will update it on regular basis as i am still trying different set up
also worth mentioning, English is not my native language so excuse my French if it happens
First this is for me a freeride / bump and jump board. I am trying to learn how to jump and all my set up so far are with 4 footstraps
my typical conditions are in open waters with very choppy water with some big swell sometimes.
i am 90 kg and 1.92m (or 200 lbs / 6'2) and would qualify as an average joe windsurfer.
i would usually use this board when wind is at least 15 knots average and up to 20 knots. More wind and I would move to my 95 l Goya one board. so far i ve used the board with an e pace 6.6m and with 36cm fin (MFC Liquid pro)
finally i just got the new cross to replace a starboard kode freewave 103l that i ve been using over the last 2 years. (with several quality issues hence the change)
Now after this (too?) long introduction my first impression off the water is that it is very light, the width on the first half of the board is significant and the rails are softer than i expected.
once on the water super easy to get the planning, really easy to get in the straps and as expected it goes pretty fast. first session with big swell i coud get over 25 knots.
I found it very comfortable over the chop but got a lot a spin out in my first session. straps were far too loose and mast track too far back
i could feel the board can jump pretty easily but with the loose strap did not risk it too much.
next couple of session were great with straps on the outside and as back as possible, however still struggling the get the perfect straps position (either they are too flat or too high/round) and they twist a lot.
no more spin out , good comfort and still very fast. jumps are super easy but as i am still learning my technique is pretty bad...but lot of un too feel i can let it go
the area i am struggling the most for now is the jibe. compared to the kode freewave it require much more commitment, and back feet push to make it turn. need to find the right balance but thought it would be much easier than that. Fact that i used quit a bit the gyoa one during the winter is certainly a biais
i still haven't find the perfect mast track position where i feel perfectly balance and comfortable, but it is clearly forward for me.
also i am struggling to lift the board a bit further and will probably have to try different fins when i'll have the opportunity
so far 80% aligned with my expectations but still need to spend more time to get the right set up.
any advice or feedback would be appreciated and i'll try to give you some more update
I've sailed previous Exocet Cross versions, but not the latest. Its good to read reviews, especially if they give the good points and the bad points. Too many 'user reviews' seem to ignore any bad points.
The earlier Cross boards are good for gybing but you cant gybe them in a tight turn like a FSW as they dont have tail rocker. A slightly wider arc is required.
I'm wondering if the reason you dont get enough lift from the 36cm fin as you have the mastfoot too far forward.
I put the mastfoot at around 130cm, which is very near the back. Ignore the marked settings as they always seem to be wrong, get the tape measure out. What distance from the tail does the mast track start? I use Ezzy sails and am lighter than you at 80kg, so its not necessarily the same setting as you would use.
I've never had a problem with Exocet's straps twisting. Do you have the metal tab under the screw? I dont use the anti twist tabs, the dealer said they sometimes break. You have to tighten them hard with a screwdriver though. Pozi 3 iirc.
I'm keen to hear your views when you've sailed it a bit more. I'm a big Cross fan.
In respect of gybing, the Cross is right in between a wave board and a slalom board, in terms of rail pressure required. You will get used to it fast. They are beautiful boards to gybe in all conditions (though perhaps a little unexciting on super-flat water).
