I wanna buy a freestyle board for me mongrel. He's interested, he's got the basics, why not? I mean flat water freestyle, like Balmoral kinda sailing.

A bit of background: he's 14 and only 125 pounds at 5'10". I'm pretty much set on a 100L or so, and he'll grow (weight-wise) into it. Since I wrecked my own 100L, we've got nothing. Sails: I got a few, we'll see later. And no, I don't want a generic freeride board or a wave freestyle board in this case.

Question: what are the boards in that range. Now a truckload, that's for sure.

I find people even manufacturers confuse wave sailing and waves freestyle with flat water freestyle. In fact, the Flare seems to be the only board explicitly targeted at that market by a manufacturer. JP a close second.

Comments?

Not sure about the ethics of getting a 14 year old a "Free sex" anything, Mark......

Ahhhhh parenting in the 21st century..... sure aint what it used to be!

nah the freesex 96 were a **** board for freestyle. no pop. dont bother. the sex96 was sweet for light wind wave sailing and freeride blasting though. I had some sweet sails in particular at gnaraloo on mine.

I'd look for a jp freestyle or an F2 chilli in the 100L range.

I have the "09" 98 litre flare, bought it to play around on flat water when there is no surf, love it, even sailed it in the surf a few times, but i did notice it is definately a full blown freestyle board, waveriding was limited to mainly back side.

One flat water it's heaps of fun, i havn't started all the Vulcans, Flakka's etc. yet but even blasting around trying new gybe moves, helli tack etc. is good they are heaps stable and slide when you want it too, running a 19cm fin but the board is still quite fast, quick to plane and cranks up wind..

A mate is thinking of selling the same board as mine if your interested message me and i'll give you his number.

Mark _australia said...

I'd get an old Starboard FreeSex 96.... just as good as the new bellsnwhistles freestyle boards (for a freestyle newbie that is) but maybe $400-$500 rather than $2500 ++

I've got one in the garage for sale :), new dakine footstraps, and a maui fin company freestyle pro fin.

let me know if you are interested :D

Back on topic thou, I believe that i think one of the online mags recently reviewed the current freestyle board models. I think the mistral joker rated the highest for being a pure freestyle board, and not detuned for freeride/waves.

Found the link, here you go:
http://www.boardseekermag.com/windsurfing-equipment-tests/freestyle-test-introduction-2009.html

at 14 his interest is probably going to go from this to that back to this, so a pure freestyle board would probably be easiest for freestyle But with some of the shapes i have seen, not as good for taken it out into really good bump and jump conditions and even just ocean sailing.

the GOYA X1 is full on freestyle board, But it has the ability to be good in B&J, smaller waves, and ocean sailing.

http://windshack.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_new.tpl&product_id=6&category_id=2&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=40

that being said

My freestyle board is the RRD twintip 102L version, If you could find one i would go for it handsdown over anything, just because it is a classic shape, has heaps of pop, and catches the water after the sliding moves (but doesnt bite in), along with the the tail shape is just one that you can look at all day, and think WOW!

anyway hope this helps

Thanks all for replies, most appreciated. You've turned this into an interesting thread.

Just for background: he's been sailing for a few years already, and he's seen me freestyle all of his life (both 100L Exocet and longboards). We're inland here, away from beloved Sydney and wavesailing, so flat-water is all that matters - most unfortunately.

I broke the small board 2 years ago, so he's been freestyling the big one, and doing OK if not great. That's all he wants to do, but I can assure you I'm not pushing - as long as he gets out and is away from the computer. I don't think he'll be great at it, and I don't care. I've brought him to local FS comps I was in, he likes it, he wants to do it.

He gets bored sailing in a straight line, just like the old man. One positive side with him is the attitude: last weekend he spent about 20 minutes in +7C water. After that, he still wanted to go out: I thought he was tough... I could barely take the frigid water myself.

I've also been working with him on out-of-harness sailing and intervals. Builds stamina, and it's starting to show (slowly) in his upper-body strength.

Problem here - inland North America - is that there are few people freestyling here, and few true flat-FS used boards around. Makes the new gear expensive.

Again thanks all, comments welcome, I'll mull all this. Plenty of time until the water gets beyond 15C anyways.

Got Fanatic skate 112 - can highly recommend them for all-round lighter wind sailing and I wave sail mine quite a bit (small to head high) and as long as you don't bottom turn to hard they are good fun.

I am out there and planning quite often before most with a 6.4 freestyle sail and they allow you to stay in the straps when almost stationary after jumps etc.

I am no freestyler so can't comment on the flicky spinny sail chuckin stuff - but I'd say from the magazine write ups they are one of the best going around - the thing is super light - pops easy and has been a revelation for jumping small wave riding and sailing in light winds.

Useful article. Thanks mate.