Have the laird 10'6" 32"wide surfer and it is a great board - also a laguna bay for beachies(9'1"), this board goes really well for me in good surf - even got a few hoots from shortboarders occasionally. BUT, because of my ability level I cannot get it to go very well in ordinary surf -- bit choppy and fuller waves. I need to get a board that will work in these conditions. I am 87 kilo and 5' 10", reasonably fit for a 64 year old but not real flexible. Stability and speed is needed I think.
Looking at the range of manufacturers and surf boards on the net has led to the "starboard airborn"
Do any of you have one , and how does it go in east coast beachies (Woolgoolga area/mid north coast/nsw)
thanks Steve
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/SUP/88-Airbourne-Photos/
I reviewed the airborne on this post. About halfway down. 
Hi Steve, I rode one down in Merimbula in really sloppy onshore conditions and was pleasantly surprised. Very stable and easy to surf (also 87 at the time).
Thank you Zeusman and others -- info provided tells me this is the way to go
Steve
Did you consider the jp surf wide body excels in sloppy conditions I'm same weight and riding the 8'2 check the 360 helmet cam post in general topics for a look
Here is the review I did on the 8-8 Airborn Hope this helps...
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/8-8-AirBorn-review/
Hi gjbsup great review on the 8'8" airborn, so you previously had a 8'10" widepoint - I would be interested in the difference performance wise between the two because I have resently bought an 8'10" WP and am thinking of buy a nice new 8'8" AB also (and is it maybe better to have the two for different conditions or just keep one ?:-)
Hi JohnDesu
I had the 2012' WP in Silver and BC . I loved the board back then. Was a very stable board and floated me well especially in my smaller 'get what you get conditions' here on there EastCoast USA.. Has a wider nose with the pulled in rounded tail (32'') . Lot more volume with most of it up forward. The rails were thicker and boxer as apposed to the new thinner railed 8-8. But back then I had now clue or anything to compare it to.. The board performed well for me and was a great board. Now that I'm on the 8-8 you can feel the subtle differences in the two boards. I did like the 2+ 1 fin combination on the WP and fit my surfing. (Bury the tail drive the rail ) 8-8 lacking in that . The narrow tail allowed for projection off the tail into the pocket. Was a good flowing feeling. The 8-8 set as a quad is fast with a skate feeling but I'm getting use to the board. Making it around sections and staying in the middle of the wave. That WP was a great board for me and I still ride it from time to time ( friend owns it now) ..the volume difference between the the two boards 143L WP and 123 L on the 8-8 . AirBorn has less volume I sit in the water more , but its flat fish shaped design allows for great stability. I would say the WP has a bit more float and is more stable sitting higher in the water..
Now, the new 15' WP seems updated to be a bit thinner (thickness), took some volume way, flattened the rocker and made it a squash tail. The board is not so wide up on the nose now and looks like they took some of that volume and moved it back some . Ive seen it but not floated it.. I'd like to try it someday. Both are great boards but I like the new 8-8 a little better for where I live and my conditions I surf..
Hi gjbsup,
I agree with what you said about the about 8'10" WP (I have the same silver one) - also did you notice that the rear quad fins boxs on the WP are set really far back (compared to other boards like the AB) so when you but your weight back and bury the rail I think that this gives it more drive, and the AB does not do this - it should drive from the get-go. The AB does look more refined so I will try to get a demo soon, anyway thanks for your feed back and if you any other comments they would be welcome, I will comment on the AB as soon as I have ridden one,
thanks regards John :-)
Just picked mine up. FROTHING!!!! Won't get to surf it for a few days though. Will report back.
Got mine this morning and heading to the coast tomorrow to see what is left of the swell. STOKED
Just back from a day of playing with the new Airborn. So if I can just set the context (and I will do a more thorough job on the gpschallenge website).
I have just picked up the Airborn (8'8" x 31.5 123 litres) and have for the last 2 years been surfing a 8'10 Starboard Widepoint. The swell this morning was reasonably lumpy and I choose to surf a slightly more protected beach so the first test was in waves that went from waist to overhead, a bit fat and it was seriously messy.
As I dropped 20 litres in board size I was expecting it to be a pretty crappy time getting used to the new board in the surf today. That was my first mistake, the board is, if you can believe it, more stable than the 2013 Widepoint. I put this down to a couple of things, first is the tail, a swallow tail vs a rounded pin, the second is the better volume distribution. Certainly the Airborn felt less corky and therefore allowed me to get pretty comfortable pretty quickly. I also expected the AB to push water, as I found my WP did, when I was paddling for a wave. That was the second thing that I was proven wrong on. The AB was super easy to paddle into a wave, to the point where a couple of times the board sort of got in front of me and I found myself surprised by where I was on the drop.
The funny thing was though that the board sort of 'stuck' just as it dropped in. I had to kind of give it a little wobble and all of a sudden it came to life. The AB is so easy to fling around on a wave I found myself doing little floaters and smacking the lip anytime I had the opportunity and it handles whitewater so well. Heading out after each wave was super easy as the board just punched through oncoming waves.
The deck pad is superb, super comfy and heaps of grip without getting hard on your feet. The new handle is awesome, super comfy. The finish of the fins is first rate and the overall finish of the board is exactly what you expect from Starboard.
I will do a bigger review on the website but overall super pleased with it.
I,m just back from a month Capetown where I did a lot of windsurfing and SUP on my 8.5x29x112 Pro in clean nice waves from hiphigh to 3m+.
Last friday we returned home and had sunday I had a blast on my Airborne8.8 in conditions not a 20% as good as in Capetown ad 30degree colder.
Overead waves, but with a really short period, every wave was a suprise where it would break and in what direction..... and still the AB delivers.
Its stable, really easy to padle and to drop.
It doesnt turn as tight as the 8.5 and te turn feels less supple but it keeps speed where the 8.5 wouldnt and i,m 100% sure that the conditions would be too dificult to paddle it while on the AB8.8 its easypeasy.
IMO the AB8.8 is a perfect board for non perfect conditions where the 8.5 is awesome in the good stuff.
And..... Happy?I was a kinda suprised seing you paddling with just a padle instead of lightning bolts
I run my board now with a little shapers Darc Drive. Ads more drive while still being loose enough for me.
Select to expand quoteJeroensurf said...
And..... Happy?I was a kinda suprised seing you paddling with just a padle instead of lightning bolts
I run my board now with a little shapers Darc Drive. Ads more drive while still being loose enough for me.
It was only 2 foot so left the lightning bolts at home.
I'm trying it just as a quad for a while but will prob add the dark drive when the winter swells arrive.
I was planning to buy the 8.8 , but I am gone for Wp 8.10 and am very happy with it , with my 92kg+ wetsuit
The Wp 8.10 /2015 is very different than the old Wp 8.10 /2014, 2013, 2012.
For example, the rocker is now 8.5cm the old 5,5cm, the rail is much thinner, 3cm 
shorter (8'9") and 140L
I think i would die with out my AB-8.8 now ... Takes a bit to get used to the slower paddle, but soon as she takes off its game on ...
This board rips hard ... Im a pretty ave surfer but can get the board up & out on cutback s now, while landing 1 every now & again .. No chance on my WP.10 just to boxy rails ..
Really easy to pump as well ... Had it out at posso's a couple of days ago and had to keep slowing it down ..
On Fatter waves tho you really need to be paddling a bit too .. Well at my weight 93kg i do ..
Thanx Zeusman for making me stick it out on it !!! So lucky it didn't sell ....
Ok , I added a fin box to the 8-8 AirBorn just above the the back FCS box. I did not want to cut it out and create a bigger issue.. The new box was installed and I had a lot of room to insert the box. I have a 6.5 TK Flex fin with many sides to play with. I like the new feel of the board. I was able to bury the tail and drive the rail. I do like the leverage I get on the bottom turns and projection with it has plenty of hold. I like pumping the board instead of a skate feel. It will be a few sessions to figure it out and I just created more options for the board. Quad,quad trailer, tri, twin and now 2+1 with multiple options now. To be continued……..
