Seabreezers
I'm in the market for a second hand wave board in the price region of $700 to $1000. I'm not sure what to buy at the moment - whether or not to go for a real world wave type board or a down the line board. At the moment I have a Naish Wave 85ltr from 2005 and I just don't get on with it (i wave sail a lot better with my 100ltr RRD FSW and I'm sure it's not a volume thing). I want a board that I can engage the whole rail in a bottom turn (can't do that with the RRD - it looses grip) and try to stay as close to the critical section as possible. There is an Acid 88 from 2004 knocking about but i can't find any reviews.
What do people suggest for a 95kg wave sailor, learning looping, generaly sailing in down the line waves but isn't going to break the bank!? IE any boards over 2 years old (meaning don't tell me to get a 2008 JP/Quattro/Goya etc!!).
Cheers
hello mate,
I have a 2003 acid 88 and a 2004 Evo 92.
I am from a uk high wind coastal sailing backgroud and enjoy the fast feeling and rail carving of the acid.
In real wave conditions my peers here in WA tell me that for my weight (95kg) the Evo 92 should be the go. However, i think due to my early years of sailing ( general blasting ) in tricky UK swell i have developed a style that favours, ie enjoys fasts straight line work.
I found the Evo very hard to dial into and in fact have had it on the market for a while.
My advise would be its so difficult to get the right kind of advise about which board to have because its such a personal thing ( riding style. weight, abliity etc...) The next time i am in the market for a board new or 2nd hand i will certainly make sure i sail the board before i buy. Otherwise for my riding style, i could be stuck with another lemon.
NM
Hi Crash,
I've done little wave sailing but have had an Acid 77 and thought it was a great rail to rail board, very slashy. You could bury the whole rail and it holds on. It was also one of my favourite boards in the air, seem to require no effort to keep it flying straight. I did have a brief run on the Acid 88, which felt faster and smoother and also a bit big. Not sure what sail range you want it for? I have tried some late model RWW and Evos,liked them both but they'd probably be out of the price range, I didn't like the earlier Evo's or RWW though.
I got rid of the Acid 77 because I used it as a B&J board and didn't find it great for that, had to work hard to stay up wind. I curently have an Exocet Original Wave 85l which is in between the RWW style board and traditional wave board. This is great compromise for what I use it for but a little stiff. With a wider style board you could get away with less volume as they slog better.
There seem to be quite a few used wave boards in the WS shop your best bet is to try a few out, it's much easier to demo used gear. You can even take mine for a run, I just bought a new FSW board and with 5 boards in my fleet the Wave board doesn't get much water time.
Hi Crash
I had an '03 Acid 88 and now have an '05 Acid 88. Both are great boards. I weigh 93kg and have a 97l fish for light wind waves. The '05 acid takes more wind to get going and handles more wind at the top end, and its looser on the wave. The '03 planes earlier. I don't sail the '05 as frequently but am always stoked when I do. Fast, loose and feels great in the air.
I think for Sydney's generally inconsistent winds and particularly the fact that most wave sailing spots are rather light on the inside, the most suitable boards are wide style waveboards if you only want to have one waveboard and unless you are a lightweight.
I can't speak for Evo's but a number of widestyle boards are unfortunately not that great allround boards in the larger sizes as they are more geared towards being lightwind boards which loose control early once it gets windy. I tried quite a few different waveboards and whilst there were some which I liked sailing more, I ended up with a RRD Wavecult. It is the best allround board I tried (I didn't try Evo's) with hugh topend and still planing early enough to get me to through the break. It is also quite fast and jumps well, so still fun to sail in Botany Bay when the Ocean is washed out. If I was living on the West Coast my decision would have been different, but for East Coast as a one waveboard solution I think its one of the better ones. The Carbon Kevlar Construction is also very strong, so if you are looking for a board that is around 2 years old, you have a better chance of it not falling to pieces....
That said, ECB have quite a few boards in the shop at the moment and you might try a few to get a better feel of what suits you...
CC
