We have a bunch of kids around your age sailing BIC’s back home and we stuck them on formula kit for the first time at our Formula Nationals last February… they all had no problems making the switch (and some of them were pretty fast!).

We put them on everything from old 147′s up to current boards like the HWR.

There is a smaller board Starboard makes, the LWR, which is a little bit easier to sail, but with your weight I would recommend the HWR as it will give you more performance in light winds and you could keep it for a few seasons and still be competitive. The LWR isn’t as fast in all conditions so the resale value probably won’t be as good.

The HWR is a super easy board to use so it should help your progression in formula, rather than starting with an older board that is more difficult – make it easy for yourself!

Don’t worry about being too heavy for the HWR. I know a lot of guys +100kg who race on it. It’s a 163L so you aren’t going to sink! The board should be perfect for all wind conditions also…

But other than that, I don’t have too much I can share on it as I’ve only sailed it once or twice.

I will try to ask some of the good guys next week in Riccione for the first big formula event in Europe this year!

I just bought the JP and I was wondering where I can find some tuning tips for it… Do you know some like mast-foot and footstraps positions or anywhere I can find it?

While I did like the LWR the first time I sailed it; after testing it a bit over the year I can comfortably say it’s just not in the ballgame compared to the other boards on the market. I think it’s simply just not wide enough in the tail. I haven’t got specs in front of me but I would guess the JP is 8-10cm wider at the one-foot-off mark! That is A LOT!

The JP is a great board. Might be a little on the big side for a little guy as it’s pretty wide and likes a powerful fin, but for a heavy sailor in light winds it’s probably the best board on the market!

It likes to run a 12m in light winds though… 11m may be a little small; needs a lot of juice to get the best out of it.

Y buyed a slalom Manta 69 this year. ;)

Regards!

Thanks for checking out my site!

The HWR is definitely a better board; but the question is “how”
much better and is it worth the upgrade?

Each year, generally speaking, the tail-widths of the boards have increased and (I haven’t got any specs of the 159 handy) I believe there is around a 5cm difference in tail width between a 159 and a HWR, measured at the one-foot-off mark.

What the extra tail width gives you is:

1) more leverage – so you can hang on to a bigger sail longer and run a bigger fin
2) more control – as part of the extra leverage, you’ll actually get more control in stronger winds as the extra leverage lends itself to keeping the board more in control when you get powered up.

The HWR has quite a refined body shape for the starboards and has finally put to use some concave and a new cutout shape which makes the board a lot more friendly to use.

That all being said, the 159 is still a great board and if you gave it to a top sailor, you’d probably find the performance differences are not as big as you think. Only “small” improvements have been made each year.

If you can get the HWR at a good price I think you will enjoy it a little more than the 159 for the above reasons and also in the lighter winds around 10 knots the board should feel a bit “looser” than the 159 and more comfortable …

Hope that helps! Let us know your experiences if you decide to get a HWR.

Is a reference for me in the formula tunnings and tecnique.

I’m planing to change my old 2005 starboar 159, for a new HWR, but not sure at all.

The 159 works very good, is the hwr better?

Usually sail in a 10-16 knots with a 11mts sail , and a spot with a lot of chopy.

Is relly beter in low winds the 2010 hwr or the 159 is good too?

Regards!