About me: I would call myself an intermediate sailor (a solid few years hiatus): Two successful planing gybes so far, comfortable with sub-planing/lightwind gybes, decent fast tacking, 25-33% success rate with waterstarts, etc. Still uphauling a fair amount when I know I should be waterstarting. 72kg. I've been renting a Starboard Carve 131 for a few months and have found it to be a pretty good board. It's wide, easy to plane, and stable in slogging conditions, but a bit of a handful as the wind picks up. Yesterday, I noticed that someone had smashed a hole in the deck straight down to the EPS since the last time I rode it. This got me thinking about modern boards...they seem to favor performance over structural integrity, and have stubby noses. I used to ride a hand-me-down S-glass 103L bump'n'jump gorge board, and I've never damaged it. Massive catapults. Mast leverage on the rails when getting up on the board for uphauls in chop (no mast pad), rinse-cycles in shorebreaks, etc. Relatively light and sturdy, but old. Also yesterday: I've been looking for a 115L x 75cm board for a while and fell into this classified for what seemed like my perfect board, bought it immediately: A used 2015 Exocet X-Cross Pro in mint condition, bamboo and carbon construction. The thing is just SO AWESOME compared to anything I've ever owned or ridden. It's going to turn on a dime, and I'm amazed by how thin/light it is, and intend to use it from 7.5 thru 5.0. Here's the problem...I just got it home and went over it with a fine toothed comb to see what I was getting myself into and, frankly, I'm terrified to ride it. The board is intimidating; It's like a museum piece to me. I'm afraid I'll destroy it super fast - There's no way in hell I'm jumping it...This new generation PVC foam/divincell/corecell + carbon laminate construction is insanely stiff/rigid and lightweight, but intuitively seems much more fragile (as mentioned above re: Starboard Carve). Carbon fiber, for example, is really stiff but quite brittle.
How much can these boards take? Nose crunches, rinse-cycles, etc... I know I'm going to ride this board into its grave, but I don't want it to be tomorrow! #wimp?
just go and ride it.
Whats the point of owning it if you are scared to give it a good thrashing. If it breaks, well, dont buy that board again and if you are scared then go and buy an old tiga thats made of plastic and will just bend when you land.
Modern boards are quite fragile, thats why we store them in padded bags but they perform very well compared to the older ones.
Ride it n if you crunch it. You get to learn a new skill. WINDSURF REPAIR.
Repairs aren't scary or all that hard.
I think the classic way hire boards get holes in the deck is from harness hooks as people pull themselves out of the water. Nose damage is more from catapults and you can invest in a bit of foam protection for that. Definitely get that board on the water I'm pretty sure it's a crime to own one and not use it like you stole it.
Select to expand quoteAl Planet said..>>> Nose damage is more from catapults and you can invest in a bit of foam protection for that. Definitely get that board on the water I'm pretty sure it's a crime to own one and not use it like you stole it.
Right on with Al here, he beat me to it. Those wide noses are more vuneralbe to falling boom and mast, they don't slide off as well. I often have a layer of carbon/kevlar on the nose of my boards for this very reason.
I demo'd an Xcross 115 (with the bamboo/green paint maybe 2013 model) and local sailor Sue ended up buying it. It seemed very solid to me, and I don't think she ever had any issues with it. Don't stress, enjoy your new ride - its a fun board. Here's sues comments:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Review/Exocet-Xcross-115ltres-2013
Select to expand quotejamesf said..
I demo'd an Xcross 115 (with the bamboo/green paint maybe 2013 model) and local sailor Sue ended up buying it. It seemed very solid to me, and I don't think she ever had any issues with it. Don't stress, enjoy your new ride - its a fun board. Here's sues comments:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Review/Exocet-Xcross-115ltres-2013
Sue here..I enjoyed the board. I never had any issues but I don't catapult very often ( maybe once every few years)..I think I tried a few chop hops but it was a big board for my 65kgs so I don't think I had much success. It did get smashed into 2-3ft chop pretty hard at times and it was in mint condition when I sold it..
Just get a nose protector and have fun! 
No board is worth a crap UNTIL you ding it or put deep scratches and dents on it.
From 133-115 , would be a natural progression. When you change down it's a learning curve, and at times steep, but you have something to grow into, you "may" have a steep curve , but the end will be worth it, or not.
You should hone the waterstars.
FWIW, I had a 2013-14 S- Cross, Bamboo deck, different board, same deck, there were some issues with the deck.
1. you may have none.
2. 2015 May have none
3. Mine was fine after 2/years of use.
like said it's a board meant to be ridden
Thanks so much for the tips, everyone!
I've decided to train on a 120L rental this year (15-25kts) to get the wobble out. I'm going to invest in nose + mast protectors for the Exocet, and then get it wet next season :)
@forceten: what were your deck issues? As a 2nd-hand board, the only issues I've found on mine are two very small indentations / soft spots, about 5cm in diameter, between the mast track and the forward footstraps (probably from mast leverage during falls). I don't think they are the cracked laminate-type soft spots...they're more like foam-core depressions that you REALLY have to press down on with your thumb to notice.
Select to expand quoteAoide said..
Thanks so much for the tips, everyone!
I've decided to train on a 120L rental this year (15-25kts) to get the wobble out. I'm going to invest in nose + mast protectors for the Exocet, and then get it wet next season :)
@forceten: what were your deck issues? As a 2nd-hand board, the only issues I've found on mine are two very small indentations / soft spots, about 5cm in diameter, between the mast track and the forward footstraps (probably from mast leverage during falls). I don't think they are the cracked laminate-type soft spots...they're more like foam-core depressions that you REALLY have to press down on with your thumb to notice.
I had none, but saw delam and know that they replaced boards, you misread something.
This could have been from any number of things, quality control, wood itself, epoxy, on on. Being ridden very hard .
earlier Starboard had issues with decks of Australian pine, some just turned dark.
Pushing with a thumb , is different to a larger spread out area, but keep your eye on that .
