I don't own any board newer than 2012.
Favorite is 2000 Naish Freeride 85.
For light wind, 1999 Naish 97.
I foil when under 17 knots.

120 Fanatic Gecko. Easy n fun. A no-brainier 101 RRD Firestorm. Great in open water.

Check out Windtech range, and reviews sale now on!

Guys
Moving off a viper 80 as too slow in lighter winds/lulls. I'm 210cm tall and 125kg. Water start, gybe, in harness and foot straps. Sail inland in 20+knots off a 7.8 etype sail, with dagger board removed.

Would the Gegko 156 be a good option. Have a 160 foil board and can uphaul the sail when needed.

TIA

Derrick

Nelle said..
I was on a 2015 111 JP Magic ride. An absolutely fantastic board on flat water, but quite flat and wide, so didn't love chop. I now have a 2020 Severne fox 105 which does love chop and is marginally quicker on flat water and a lot quicker on choppy water as you can just keep pushing. The Fox is a more lively experience and it likes to be sailed fully powered up. The stock fin is excellent, but you might want a 32 for around 5.5 weather.

Totally agree. Brilliant board in 105 iteration. Local average conditions would be a key criteria as the Fox is generally best suited to higher winds and gnarly water. The 120 seems to be less impressive with a number of our local sailors moving their boards on because it was too sticky in the winds in which you would normally sail them i.e. you'd be better on something approaching a slalom board as the water state was more settled. Having said that , it (120) may be a suitable board for a larger rider in those conditions where I'd be on the 105.

Doesn't meet your model year criteria. But... The 2012, v1 RRD Firemove 100L. My 6.5 down to 5.2M board.

Was windsurfing on the Red Sea at a RRD/Ezzy center. Light wind morning. Owner suggested I try the fat board (69cm wide). Had my doubts. Thought I was going to bounce around in the chop due to the volume and width. Surprise. Got home and ordered one for light wind days.

Just a huge comfort and control wind range. Most efficient board I've ridden in the 96 to 111 L range. Feels like a 120L, but when the wind and chop builds up rides like a 90L. If you cannot power jibe this board when powered up. Your jibing skills are worse than mediocre. Planes through soft sections where most boards would drop off. Only major negative is the lack of top end speed. Feels a bit clunky jumping relative to my 86L wave board.

Well for me it was the Tabou Speedsters 2016, 100, 118 & 138 just absolutely comfortable to ride.
Race sails, Twin cam & Free ride they all worked.
Sailing mostly Lake Illawarra. The boards just love every condition that's thrown at them.
Illawarra Flat water & chop, huge chop and swell the boards were just comfortable.
Really regret selling them.
NOW
I am on the 2021 Fanatic Jags 94, 108, 125 & 135. I feel that they are very similar feel under the feet to the Tabou and yes comfortable to ride.
Took the 108 out a few weeks back in a SE in the washing machine chop chop and again very comfortable. Just needed to work out the atlas sails!! Way to much forward arm pull? Otherwise very happy with the purchases of the Fanatic boards.
Just a bloke that enjoys being on the water when I can with mate's & the Brazilian Brother's from different mother's!

The 2018 (last year they made it ) JP All Ride 106 is a classic free ride shape. Eats the chop and gybes on rails.

Vote for the Tabou Rocket Wide. Best free ride board Ive owned. Tardy, where do you place the straps ?

7176 said..
Vote for the Tabou Rocket Wide. Best free ride board Ive owned. Tardy, where do you place the straps ?

I'm a bit of a speed head but second hole from the back ,front and rear ,mine is the 63 wide ,so its not the wide ,but I want one
a 123 litre 77 wide would be sweet

Sea Lotus said..
2019 Exocet cross carbon is my favorite freeride board. Very early planing, very comfortable over chop, versatile, fast and easy to use in general.
Looks like they made some big changes at new generation, much shorter length and tri-fin being the obvious big changes, which means outline and bottom shape has to be changed too, why did they change something which was so successful for many years i don't understand.

If i were sailing choppy flat water for speed 1st choice would be Severne fox, which is more like a free-race board in my opinion, but its too fragile and has auto-vent (i will not buy a board with auto vent again), so probably there are better ones around for that role.

My Exocet 94l Cross from 2016 is my favourite board.
From what I've read, people who sailed the shorter 2021 version liked them, and the changes didnt detract from the boards ability to sail fast over swell & chop. For 2022 it looks like they have just added thrusters and some weight. Maybe they have added tail rocker and other changes to make it more wavy, but that would detract from its main focus of old. They made the old x-wave board more wave focused as well in 2021.
The new SCross looks to follow the wider trend, the 115l is now 72cm wide. Thats the smallest size they do. It would be good for 7.5m but I dont want something that wide for a 6.5m sail. Not sure what I am going to replace my Exocet 110l/67cm S with, maybe a new Goya Carrera now the latest version is short enough to fit in my van. No recessed deck, no heavy foilbox, carbon for stiffness, ticks a lot of boxes for me.
Agreed about the Fox.

Shifu said..

PhilUK said..

The new SCross looks to follow the wider trend, the 115l is now 72cm wide. Thats the smallest size they do. It would be good for 7.5m but I dont want something that wide for a 6.5m sail. Not sure what I am going to replace my Exocet 110l/67cm S with, maybe a new Goya Carrera now the latest version is short enough to fit in my van. No recessed deck, no heavy foilbox, carbon for stiffness, ticks a lot of boxes for me.
Agreed about the Fox.

Freeriding in rough water I like a little extra length and a bit less width. My largest board is a 2015 Supersport, 112l x 245 long x 67 wide. Sadly this kind of size is becoming hard to find.

The Exocet S-Line was marketed 'for those who like a more traditional narrower type board'. Ben Profit interviewed Patrice Belbeoch at the Defi and he said the new SCross shape was due to customers asking for wider easier to sail boards. Thats probably also why he knocked some thrusters into the Cross as well, people were asking for it.
I have noticed that when I am blasting around on the sea with 6.5m and S-Line 110l most other sailors are on 115l FSW and 5.8m or thereabouts. I prefer the speed over the chop/swell, and its not usually very wavy at that wind strength to warrant a FSW for me. In the harbour, a 115l/72cm & 6.5m would be manageable. I guess they have to make what the majority want as the market isnt huge.

She works in 5knots to 35 knots.
North, South, East & West so far the best free ride.


Eats the chop that Lake Illawarra delivers

Happy Days

For me it is the old X-Cite ride boards/Super ride boards from Jp (don't like the magic ride that much). Fanatic Gecko and Blast are also two great free ride boards. And finally the Starboard Futura just beats everything else.

nudie said..
She works in 5knots to 35 knots.
North, South, East & West so far the best free ride.


Eats the chop that Lake Illawarra delivers

Happy Days

She definitely can't handle 35 knots of wind from the looks of it.
I can't be sure if its a she or he though, it has an extra part erecting below and an extra slit just behind it.