I just bought my first slalom board ( JP VIII 118L)

What could be different in comparison to my all other all rounders boards ?

What is specifically distinctive about slalom boards ?

Ride em like you stole em

Windxtasy said...

Macroscien said...

I just bought my first slalom board ( JP VIII 118L)

What could be different in comparison to my all other all rounders boards ?

What is specifically distinctive about slalom boards ?

Slalom boards go upwind better, are faster (in the right hands), more technical to sail, less comfortable in chop.

Mmm I like to idea of getting upwind better but less comfort in chop would be a deal breaker for me..

Disclaimer: I've ridden one once. Which might actually make for a good comparison.

They are light. Holy crap they are light. You'll start planing before you are even ready to get your feet in the first time. It's like they take off without you. Then they accelerate away like nothing else I've ridden. Definitely power up wind faster and higher than a FreeRide or FSW etc., I think it's the lack of drag that keep the apparent wind pumping through and you can really push on the fin. GET A DECENT FIN, if not already. They fly upwind really high, really easy.

And then off the wind... sheesh! This was at Kyeemagh (SYD airport) by the way on a NE so I got the full flat run down the side of the runway. NEEEEEeeeooooooooooowwwww!!!!! K-kk kk-k -k k -kkkk -k k k k WHoooooooosh!!!!!!
Does that explain it?

I found gybing to be a non issue after some apprehension about how technical they were. I don't know what you're talking about.

I found it a little rough in the chop, but, because of the speed you could simply put more weight under the sail and kinda float over the worst bits anyway.

Overall: A lot more fun than it may appear. I think mostly due to being able to be powered up a lot more of the time than on, say, a wave board. For blasting in a straight line there's nothing like it. More exhilarating than a fast car.

Could you learn on one of these boards if it had enough volume?

Windxtasy said...

doggie said...
Could you learn on one of these boards if it had enough volume?

As Panda says, it's like they take off without you, so not the best for learners. You need to be able to get hooked in and get your feet in the straps quickly.

Or get in your straps first and then hook in!

doggie said...
Could you learn on one of these boards if it had enough volume?

Aside from anything else they tend to be expensive and fragile. A beginner is pretty likely to do some serious damage to the nose.

jmetcher said...

doggie said...
Could you learn on one of these boards if it had enough volume?

Aside from anything else they tend to be expensive and fragile. A beginner is pretty likely to do some serious damage to the nose.

Agree with ya but they are just sitting there not being used, they look very old maybe 10+ years.

A bit of exaggeration going on here, one or two knots in it at most. The placebo effect will however have you sailing five or six knots faster.

Ian K said...
A bit of exaggeration going on here, one or two knots in it at most. The placebo effect will however have you sailing five or six knots faster.

I don't know Ian. I bought an s-type in WA one year and went from 25/26 knots to 30 something, sailing in the same spot. Maybe it was the placebo effect, but those placebo tablets sure seemed to make a difference :)

This year I took a 125L iSonic that I bought from Pete, over to WA, and it was my light wind board. It felt like it planed in next to nothing, whereas my 138L freeride board just couldn't seem to get over the non-planing hump. It really felt like a small Formula board to sail, and went up wind like a champion.

Then again, maybe Pete trained the iSonic to sail, and I was just along for the ride?

there definitely a few knots faster but it feels like heaps more because they skip along the top of the water alot more the up wind is heaps better too. Just make sure you use the rite fin and sail with it , thats a big sail with lots of down haul .

Macroscien said...
What about sails for slalom board ?
Should I use cam racing sails ?
I have 2 in bigger sizes - 8.0 RAM and 6.7 Severne then 5.0 KA
or camless will be as good ?

To be fair found the big RAM a bit heavy when gybing, means a bit more difficult to flip, but that could be also TOW issue.

Before I got a Hawk I was successfully using a 5.4 x-type(no cams), 6.6 s-type (cams) and 7.8 GP(cams) on a Fanatic Ray 125L with appropriate size fins.
You'll find as soon as you get in the straps it's like putting the pedal to the metal on a sports car. I'd recommend putting the straps all the way out and back - it gives you more control and you can feel the fin when it starts to spin out when pointing hard up wind. If you find you start spinning out a lot when pointing high up wind move the back straps forward a touch.

It can be costly jumping them Mac,but once you master jumping them Mac,it can still be costly but not as costly Mac,,,its like walking on air and floating like a butterfly,,,they can turn on a sixpence,,,sharp rails going in to slightly rounded rear end works,,,selective ramps plays a big part in not snapping them in half..Throttle on throttle off, hold the head up high and look ahead.

gregwed said...
I agree with the first comment "You will see"
I just did the same as you, have had freeride boards for the past 15 or so years, and just brought a 90L Exocet Warp Slalom (2008 model). Main board has been 2010 JP Xcite 110L, so moving from that to a 90L slalom at 62 yrs, is a big step. But I think its been a positive one - its faster and more exciting, but how much, dunno as I don't have a GPS. I think fin and sail combinations make a bit difference, so you may need some trials to work out the best combination. I've only had 3 sails so far then stacked the board with a harness hook through the deck due to hitting some flood debris, so board is still in for repair. Can't wait to get back on it to continue my learning path. Will have to say its tougher on the legs/ankles but that could be my age!!
Good luck, you'll enjoy it, takes sailing to a new level!
Cheers

I am returning to the sport and had an Isonic........ was too hard for me to enjoy sold it and got an Xcite how did you find yours??? mine is a 160 as I am now a bit fatter than when I was surfing way back!

ejmack said...

Macroscien said...

I just bought my first slalom board ( JP VIII 118L)

What could be different in comparison to my all other all rounders boards ?

What is specifically distinctive about slalom boards ?

I think the biggest difference is being so far out on the rails. I guess as many have said, being well powered up is the key as I find if your under powered it can at times be an uncomfortable stance to hold. I find my board handles the chop rather well as long as your powered. I came from a freerace board. I don't think my speeds have increased much but I am always sailing in rough conditions where a freerace board is probably just as quick. I've had some of the BEST days on my slalom board, they just feel fantastic when you get it all tuned right, and some real shockers where nothing feels right!

I agree sailing underpowered in chop is very uncomfortable, and you don't really want to be too overpowered in chop either. Does it justify having sails 0.5 metres apart?

Hey Felix - re the JP Xcite - I really like mine, being the 110 its pretty light and gets me up planning pretty quick and its very stable in most conditions. I have tried the bigger models but find them a bit sluggish. Maybe when I get older and can keep up this sport, I may revert to a larger size, time and body condition will tell!!!
Cheers