I bought the Da Curve a few years ago, for those big wind days but last year's season I did not ride it as the wind was not that great.
A mate gave me a Wave Slate 95 which I have been trying to ride and I also have a Fanatic Freewave 105.
I was going to sell the Da Curve but thought I might give it one more go. Went out on both Wave Slate and then the Da Curve same 3.7m sail with the wind howling. I find the wave slate dam hard to get upwind it seems like it is two boards in one and I am constantly trying to keep speed up and keep pointing to get upwind. But the Da Curve is just amazing. With it, I have lost my phobia of ending up downwind, something that has been bugging me since I changed over from slalom to wave riding.
Today was a little bit less wind and I went out on a 4.2m and I am still blown away by the Da Curve. I am like a completely different sailor. I was jumping higher, going upwind, catching the small waves, and being able to play on them.
Compared to the Tabou, I find both the Freewave and Wave slate absolute pigs to ride. They don't seem to get through the lulls very well, and I am constantly battling to stay upwind which results in good leg exercise but really I would prefer to use my time better.
I have a few questions regarding designs if you all would not mind chiming in
* Do I need to ride stubby boards differently to keep them upwind?
* What is so special about the Da curve shape when it comes to upwind?
* The Da curve did not seem like it was a sinker, I think me+wetsuit+rig would be 95kg+, Is there more foam between the staps and mast track to keep everything buoyant? (I don't think I could uphaul on this board though)
* I was watching Cedric Bordes talk about the Da Curve and he said he is 90kg and his favorite board is the 86L Da Curve. Doesn't that go against the new style of wave riding where we are no longer using sinker boards?
)
* 86L Da Curve recommends sail size from 4.2 to 6.1 do you think that I could get away with using a larger size sail and just using the Da Curve?
* What's going to happen in gusty conditions when the lulls stretch out? Am I going to end up non-planning?
I know some of these questions are going to be answered over time. But most of you have been around for a long time in this sport and
well, it might take me seasons and seasons to figure it out. Thank you very much for reading.
