eppo forum posts in last 60 days

Yeh for sure - 75L is a big wing board. Must admit I found the 65ML V2 a really nimble wing board especially as using the PMX 795 mast I’m running it at 11 in the tracks - so not much board in front.

Honestly we had the 75Ml V1 and the 65MlV2 side by side for inspection and it might as well a new board line it’s that different. I’ve had it side by side with a 60L dart (which is a great board) and we all said how well they’ve done with the thinness of the new ML, much lighter and not as much volume in the nose - which the Dart over did a bit as it was what everyone was asking for.

Yeh I got up on a 4.5 frigate the other day in 12/13 knots on the 65 … at 81kg. It wasn’t easy but doable. Kinda need to run two para boards really.

yeh makes sense the numbers above from watching and riding albeit subjectively.

djdojo said..
Eppo, what sizes Frigate V2 and Afterburner were you guys riding? Any thoughts on low end and top end comparisons for similar sizes? Cheers

Hey mate long time no hear … man we have been at this for a long time hey!

Ah 3.5/4.5 frigate (and a 3.5 quest), a 5.7 and 4.3 afterburner and 4.3 and 5m PRV2 and Inwas also running a V1 3.6m PR for good measure.

The afterburner is a seriously good wing, flies upwind like a bat out of hell and has an enormous wind range. Did a few runs where we were well powered on 3.5 quest, 3.6V1 PR and someone was getting his arms pulled off on a 4.3m PRV2… and this guy was on a 5.7 afterburner !!

He had no choice but to cranking as any lost of traction would have sent him flying… and the angle into the wind was something to see. About 3km out he saw a massive shark so just sent it DW - we went out another km or so before sending. But it’s a testimont to how well the structure holds together - because i’ve seen him in 13/15 knots do a session on the same size, same board same foil setup.

And this is where the angst come from. I have settled down now so can give some more reasoned and logical observations. Ozone have obviously combined the power pack into the new PR. It’s produced a very stable low end driven para of high quality build - but the cost is upwind performance and still some pack ability issues - especially in waves. For those with a season or so under their belt - i think they have seriously missed the mark. In its upper range it just doesn’t want to get round the window. And if you try the tips collapse on you. We saw and felt it time and time again. The so called beginner quest was killing it on the upwind angles. And it packs down to nothing … no air in the leading edge off the 4 white A lines. It’s a dream to use in waves … the PR is a nightmare but again you’d adjust I suppose.

As far as the low end of the frigate - I cannot talk from direct experience because by the time I realised how bad a fit the PR was to my needs - and started trying the quest and frigate out of frustration… the wind was solid for the last 15 or so days.

Mate it’s like comparing the edge and the Enduro … you will get that. The frigates hunts the edge of the window … so you need to more on your trim game when using it. The new PR is just an obvious grunt truck.

I’d still probs be sizing up half a metre on the frigate just in case. But these paras collapse so well on the A lines - the the extra size doesn’t mean anything. If you are a competent rider though size for size might turn out to be same same.

But i’m back home now so I will be finding out very soon the low end of these frigates. Again as someone alluded to above - just needs a little
more time to adjust.

But bottom line is it kills the new PR upwind hands down. It kills the A lines
collapse hands down. It totally destroys the top half wind range usability of the PR. This is not conjecture - it’s obvious fact based on wing and bridle design.

You can see exactly why F one delayed their release. and I suspect they did that after riding the new PR at the AWSI or whatever it’s called. The riders must have gone - “hang on wtf have ozone dome here ?” and went … we need to rethink the V2 frigate as their is an untapped usage market here. Note Fne had a V2 frigate here but it never went into production!

Anyhow bud hope all is well. Summers coming finnaly !!!

outer burrows on a big swell. was big

AnyBoard said..

eppo said..

hilly said..

eppo said..

hilly said..

Thatspec said..

WindWaterSailAU said..
Low end achievable via a bit of sheeting in on the bar maybe?

C'mon🤣

V1 Frigate is a different beast to get on foil compared to PR. I prefer the Frigate I have PRV2s which I struggle with. No top end compared to v1 Frigates, great low end and better collapse, redeploy is terrible always wants to fly backwards. Hope to getV2 Frigates soon.

Having had many sessions now on the 4.3 and5m PR2 both DW, Dw/up wind and even wave riding - I have to say I completely agree with Hillys observations. Got me stuffed what ozone were thinking dumbing down the V1 - getting my 4.5m frigate soon - so will report back. I’ve got a lot of good things to say about the after burner but will politely decline being a negative nancy on the PR V2. But … wtf. ??

That would be a first 😂

Ah that’s not true I just refuse to let you know I agree with you :)… but you are bang on about the PRV2 … I’m actually really pissed off about it to be frank. The world will work it out eventually. Look it’s ideal for a beginner I suppose or someone who just wants to rip downwind.

Care to elaborate.


In my experience the PRV2 is far superior than the V1 and particularly for intermediate to advance riders but it needs to be harnessed to get the performance. It rips upwind very fast when pushed and faster than any single skin I have encountered yet and that includes the Naish which feels half a size smaller.

Reports seem to indicate the Frigate feels a full size smaller.

what hilly said above AND … they are diabolical packing down in waves. Frigate / quest pack down easy - collapse completely. Even the new PR is still filled with too much air in the cells.


This marketing that the PR V2 is for intrermediate / advanced rider thing… nope.

I feel they have dumbed down the PR so much - where it flies in the window - it would actually make a better beginner / intermediate para. Advanced you want the after burner.

The frigate and even the quest requires more trim adjustment on the fly - because both of them want to sit further around in the window. They in turn have a much better angle upwind. Yes I go upwind far better on the so called numpty quest than the PR v2… and there is no comparison with the new frigate. The frigate however doesn’t burn upwind as well as the after burner in the same hands for sure.

It’s just a fact where they all sit on the spectrum. We’ve had them all here for 3 weeks - every day - three sessions - Wave, upwind down wind - full sends … and the results are conclusive not just opinions.

ML V2 65L….3 weeks and 50 plus sessions in.
Normally i’d write a detailed review - with some footage, but I feel most characteristics of this new board has been well and truly covered by now. Eventually I got my hands on one ….

So after 3 weeks straight - every day on the water … so that’s 22 days all up - I’ve been able to para it up/ down and longer DW runs also a number of wings sessions in the waves. This has ranged from lightish 12/13 to 25 knots.
Armstrong have truly knocked the ball out the park on this one. I’ve dropped down from the 75L ML V1 and I’m like 5kg heavier ! and it hasn’t missed a beat in all conditions. Sure i’d rather wing a smaller board but hey it feels so light and nimble it hasn’t bothered me a bit even in some well over head waves. So one board covers both for me. It also is a handy size for Foil drive as well.

Shape is as good as it gets: Super stable when hunting for a gust, releases early as, bounce downs just skim off the surface, super light for a production board … just everything about is unbelievably good. Oh and it really responds to good board pump up technique - builds speed and bounces off the water.

I could go on but as I said there is already great information out there so all I can say is it’s all true and I’m going out on a limb to say it’s even better than what others have said!!

I just get so excited to get on it…
Eppo

Youngbreezy said..
For me personally getting on foil toeside is my stronger side especially in lighter winds or underpowered situations. When I say it’s my stronger side I mean I get up sooner than if I was healside in my preferred stance and much sooner than if I was riding heel side switch stance.


When getting up toeside your board naturally wants to point at a good downwind angle to get going, for some reason the ergonomics of pumping the board and foil work well for me toeside and usually for my local conditions toeside lines up much better with the bumps and getting a good bump assist to get going. I think this also has a bit to do with what sort of parawing your riding. On my PT skins they prefer a more deep downwind get up which is better toeside.



Once up on foil I will switch feet and go upwind heelside switch stance. I think this is definitely the best way to do it. I’ve heard plenty of guys say they can get just as good of an angle going upwind toeside but I think your VMG will be better overall if you ride switch. You can handle gusts much better, it’s more comfortable and if you only ride in one stance all the time you unevenly load your body and can cause strains and pains.

Totally agree. When it’s light on the west coast getting up heelside (my strong side) can be near nigh impossible because you are fighting against the runners coming at you - which kills your speed. I’ve found getting on your toes, use a runner then pump up almost like you are on a paddle board works best.

Infact sometimes (like today) the runners were highly stacked and coming in at an angle that meant when on your feet you were almost pointing directly into them. Turned on my toes and easy up.

Def worth learning to switch feet - it feels weird so I do avoid it far too often - and i can go upwind well on my toes from the 20 odd years of kiting - but you can never point as well as when in switch stance heelside.