The boards have changed a lot since the 175 days so I think you will find if you tried the 10m (or even the 11m again) on a more modern, wider-tailed board you will find it is much easier and less physically demanding.

I always like to recommend people the Starboard boards if they are more intermediate windsurfers. The thing is that the last 4-5 boards Starboard have produced have definitely been the most user-friendly in terms of handling highwinds, gybing maneouverability and early-planing. I always found the F2, Fanatic and Exocet boards a little more technical to sail and took a little more effort to enjoy them.

Since you are not sailing professionally, why spend time trying to “learn” how to sail a board when you can just get one that is easy to sail in the first place!

You don’t need to buy the latest boards if you are not seriously racing (in fact, a lot of Pro’s win races on last year’s boards). I would suggest you buy whatever Starboard you can find later than 2005. So you have the options of the F158, F159, F160, F161, F162.

The reason I don’t pick any boards earlier than this is the F158 was a substantial leap in design/direction from the previous year’s F147 board whereby it was far wider in the tail with more overall board volume. Each year since the F158, the boards have got slightly wider in the tail and thinner through the front. So the ‘newer’ the board out of those options, generally speaking the more user friendly it will be and handle bigger sails better. I would just buy the one you can get at the best price that is floating around second hand (unless you want to buy a NEW board, then a F162 or Gaastra Vapor, Exocet WF08, F2-FXVI will do you fine!).

I imagine there would be plenty of Starboards lying around in Switz or nearby Italy/Germany etc.

Good luck and always feel free to post ANY questions on this site! That’s the whole point of it ;)

Since then I have been trying some new fins from Hurricane and also I have found a very nice R13 from trying many diferrent R13’s. The Select fins were very nice upwind but they were a little uncomfortable downwind. My Select fins were early prototypes and so its possible that Select have worked on this problem and the newer fins are better - would love someone who has one built since December 2007 who could comment on this?!

I am seeking to try as many fins as I can before I come back to Europe again this season so feel free to email me later in the (Australian) summer and I will comment on what fins I have tested.

Cheers!

JW

I reviewed the Gaastra board mainly because:

1) I own one
2) I’m planning to sail it this season
3) They’re new and most likely nobody has sailed one yet; people might like some insight into the board before they order one

If someone wants to lend me a Lorch, F2, Mikes Lab, Exocet, 162 or whatever for 2 weeks then I’ll surely give a detailed review.

I was hoping that by me writing a detailed review it would encourage others to write something ‘indepth’ instead of the hype that each brand attaches to their boards in the press… (not discrediting the brands, but every board is different and needs different setups to trim it).

Thanks for reading anyhow!

Best regards and sorry about my English.

Ok, I just realised you wanted the scoop at the 2mm and 20mm point, but I had it in my mind to measure the 2mm/12mm point so I’m giving you that now…

161:
2mm = 980mm
12mm = 1360mm

Vapor:
2mm = 1010mm
12mm = 1320mm

Not a huge difference, but enough. I don’t own a 160 anymore and also don’t have access to a 162 to measure it also.

I did have a sail on a 162 a few days back and was really impressed. It has an almost identical nose with the concaves all the way to the front (great how both brands can come to the same conclusion without actually having seen each other’s designs - as the original Vapor prototypes did not have this feature). The 162 feels a little stiffer under your feet than the Vapor but that’s a nice feeling actually. I couldn’t really pick the difference in upwind/downwind angle/speed; I think you will be safe riding either board this season.

The Exocet I probably can’t test. There’s only 1 in Australia so far. Its nice looking but in actual fact its not very similar to a Starboard as other’s have suggested. Its a lot thinner in volume throughout the board and looks to have a little less rocker. The big thing about this board is the weight, they are over 1kg lighter than any other board on the market, that’s a great advantage.

As far as weights go, I haven’t got a precise set of scales at my house so I shouldn’t comment on the official weight, but it weighed in at 9.5kg-ish (with straps) which is exactly the same as my 161 and my 160 was 9.2kg with straps. So I think the weights of the Vapors will be acceptable and on par with the Starboards. Haven’t seen any of these new F2’s yet - anyone out there got one and could write a comment ??