drm I have been riding the FSF since it came out. I really like this board and it is a great strapless board, the thing about it is that it is a loose twitchy board made for mush and smaller waves, if this is what you have then you should enjoy the feel. I also ride more serious wave boards including the 2008 rocket fish and the new kontact 2009 (superceeds the rocket fish) these boards take on more size and speed, the rocket fish likes medium waves and the kontact goes medium to big or small waves - big waves when you want to go fast and steady.

I have ridden my freestyle always with the plastic fins as I really like the looseness and the fun to be had in a more carefree thor it around, having ridden the kontact you can see its limitations, sometimes when the wind drops from stong to lighter and I change from kontact to the FSF will get you going much earlier and easier for sure but then you try and slam a bottom turn like you were on the kontact and it slips out, thats the price you pay for a rounder rail and thicker board.

to me it really is like surfing its a fish not a gunn and therefore need to be ridden like one. in small surf and surf that would make a surfer consider medication it is really fun and makes those mush days a ball, but serious speed and size she just does not cut it.

don't get me wrong you can use a smaller kite in strong wind and still keep it in the water but this is not its best place. I don't know why you can't get good upwind out of it I can ride it upwind very easilly, dig the rail in, don't rely on the fins alone and it will go up wind really well. Also for me this board does not like to go straight it was made to go rail to rail and keep moving. It is the loosest board I have ridden, looser than even a twnni, you will get used to this and then enoy it more I think.

I suppose the real question is what surf are you ridding it in?

Daz

more info: www.southcentralkiteboarders.com/freestylefish.html