Out on my new 2020 board today. Traded in my 2019 model tempted by the promo .. best of stubby with speed.
First impressions is awe struck by the tail shape and overall outline ( check out the photo ). Board is 3cm.longer and one cm. wider.
wind 25 gusting 30 knots. 5.8 meter sail . Single fin configuration. This thing rips in the gybes. Super super quick
responding to foot prsessure setting the rails comparing to the old board. Haven't check the speed yet but is not
slow compared with the old one. I feel it doesn't point as high as the old board due to it's less parallel out lines.
Can't wait to take it out in more wavy bump and jump condition as I was mainly blasting in flat water. Must behave
very differently to the old board with the factory tri fin.
Interesting move away from the more extreme stubby outline - with the increase in width and length (i.e. more extreme stubby's are shorter and narrower with the more parallel rails - as you suggested).
Now it looks like a halfway between the old FW STB and old FW.
I own a Fanatic Freewave stb 115 and although I agree that this size is a bit of an overstretch for a freewave, I'm very happy with it. What I like most, is how easily it points upwind. This gives me the confidence to push downwind for the plane and to risk difficult (for me) manoeuvers, without the fear of losing water. On the other hand, it really planes by itself, very similar to a freeride.
Long-term update? I just tested a 2020 85L, full details will be available shortly.
It's a surprising move from Fanatic. After raving about the Stubby concept for 3 years and abandoning the Classic Freewave in 2017, it seams to me that they are now abandoning the Stubby concept: The shape of the Wave Stubby 2020 is the same for the 4th year in a row and the "STB" label is removed from the Freewaves...
To me, the new shape has more to do with the 2017 Classic than the previous STB:
I have owned Fanatic Freewave boards since 2005 and I got a STB95 last Summer after a lot of resistance. To me, the FW STB is quite a departure from the classic shape and it requires a bit of adjustments from the rider to really enjoy the board, but once it is done, it's a truly remarkable board. But I think the FW STB's didn't appeal that much to the usual Fanatic Freewave crowd. The feedback I got from a few dealers in North America is that it didn't sell very well. So, it is not surprising that Fanatic is taking a step backwards.
I think that Fanatic did a mistake when they abandoned the Classic shape. And now, I think that they are doing a mistake by diluting the STB concept. We'll see what happens in 2021, but I am pretty sure they will abandon the Stubby line completely. Notice how they put the emphasis on the Grip in their 2020 promo videos.
Cheers!
For the record, Quatro does not continue the Supermini line for 2020, also a kind of Stubby shape.
Seems to haven't sold as expected likewise the Freewave.
Fashion
Hemlines get long, hemlines get short.
As windsurfer's get older, we favor.......
Select to expand quoteguyt54 said..
It's a surprising move from Fanatic. After raving about the Stubby concept for 3 years and abandoning the Classic Freewave in 2017, it seams to me that they are now abandoning the Stubby concept: The shape of the Wave Stubby 2020 is the same for the 4th year in a row and the "STB" label is removed from the Freewaves...
To me, the new shape has more to do with the 2017 Classic than the previous STB:
I have owned Fanatic Freewave boards since 2005 and I got a STB95 last Summer after a lot of resistance. To me, the FW STB is quite a departure from the classic shape and it requires a bit of adjustments from the rider to really enjoy the board, but once it is done, it's a truly remarkable board. But I think the FW STB's didn't appeal that much to the usual Fanatic Freewave crowd. The feedback I got from a few dealers in North America is that it didn't sell very well. So, it is not surprising that Fanatic is taking a step backwards.
I think that Fanatic did a mistake when they abandoned the Classic shape. And now, I think that they are doing a mistake by diluting the STB concept. We'll see what happens in 2021, but I am pretty sure they will abandon the Stubby line completely. Notice how they put the emphasis on the Grip in their 2020 promo videos.
Cheers!
It is indeed a bit funny after all the hype around the Stubby. Now it is supposed to be "the best compromise" (whatever that means!).
Where I sail in the San Francisco Bay Area the Stubby 85 got quite popular especially with 80-85 Kg sailors. I am still convinced that it was just because it sailed much bigger than a standard 85L board, more like an old style 95L ... with nose and tail cut off. At my weight, 70 Kg, it just felt big and bulky ... good low end though, thanks to all that surface in the back.
Select to expand quoteduzzi said..guyt54 said..
It's a surprising move from Fanatic. After raving about the Stubby concept for 3 years and abandoning the Classic Freewave in 2017, it seams to me that they are now abandoning the Stubby concept: The shape of the Wave Stubby 2020 is the same for the 4th year in a row and the "STB" label is removed from the Freewaves...
To me, the new shape has more to do with the 2017 Classic than the previous STB:
I have owned Fanatic Freewave boards since 2005 and I got a STB95 last Summer after a lot of resistance. To me, the FW STB is quite a departure from the classic shape and it requires a bit of adjustments from the rider to really enjoy the board, but once it is done, it's a truly remarkable board. But I think the FW STB's didn't appeal that much to the usual Fanatic Freewave crowd. The feedback I got from a few dealers in North America is that it didn't sell very well. So, it is not surprising that Fanatic is taking a step backwards.
I think that Fanatic did a mistake when they abandoned the Classic shape. And now, I think that they are doing a mistake by diluting the STB concept. We'll see what happens in 2021, but I am pretty sure they will abandon the Stubby line completely. Notice how they put the emphasis on the Grip in their 2020 promo videos.
Cheers!
It is indeed a bit funny after all the hype around the Stubby. Now it is supposed to be "the best compromise" (whatever that means!).
Where I sail in the San Francisco Bay Area the Stubby 85 got quite popular especially with 80-85 Kg sailors. I am still convinced that it was just because it sailed much bigger than a standard 85L board, more like an old style 95L ... with nose and tail cut off. At my weight, 70 Kg, it just felt big and bulky ... good low end though, thanks to all that surface in the back.
Hmm, I really like the 85 STB - way more exciting to ride for me than most FSW boards. I only rode the TXTR version though so it was pretty light & lively. I felt like with the cut-off tail especially you could push the board allot tighter in the turn than typical FSW with fast rockers. Not so sure about the new board except that I think the typical FW/FSW customers were not ready for such an extreme concept - especially since the previous shape was pretty conservative...
Question of the century remains: Is the 2020 Fanatic Freewave a refined Stubby or a return to the classic shape?
Here's my new Fanatic Freewave 75 TE 2020, sitting between my Freewave Classic 86 2017 and Freewave STB 95 2018:
An untrained eye would probably say the new Freewave is closer to the Classic, but it did inherit a few characteristics from the STB: a flatter rocker, wide tail and fin boxes moved further back, the last two features not as extreme as they were on the STB.
But on the water, the 2020 is to me a typical Fanatic Classix Freewave. That is, a true plug&play board: you get on the board and you feel at home instantly. Board is fast, comfortable, turny and forgiving. And the spinouts that plagued the STB are gone.
No doubt that the new shape regains ground in the Freeride department, but probably at the expense of the Freestyle appeal the STB had. In fact, a friend of mine rushed to buy an extra STB while there are some still available. But honestly, I think that the vast majority of people will be very happy with the new design.
Select to expand quotewinddoc said..
Out on my new 2020 board today. Traded in my 2019 model tempted by the promo .. best of stubby with speed.
First impressions is awe struck by the tail shape and overall outline ( check out the photo ). Board is 3cm.longer and one cm. wider.
wind 25 gusting 30 knots. 5.8 meter sail . Single fin configuration. This thing rips in the gybes. Super super quick
responding to foot prsessure setting the rails comparing to the old board. Haven't check the speed yet but is not
slow compared with the old one. I feel it doesn't point as high as the old board due to it's less parallel out lines.
Can't wait to take it out in more wavy bump and jump condition as I was mainly blasting in flat water. Must behave
very differently to the old board with the factory tri fin.
I love that 2019 txtr colour scheme. Know of anyone with a 105 for sale?
Hi, thank you all for your comments, you confirm my "fears" exactly.
My older 2012 freewave was stolen a month ago and I was very happy on how it behaved. I am presented with the option of buying an almost new 2019 95ltr Fanatic STB and was surprised to see the 2020 version was so different from the stubby tendency of the last few years.
I am an 85kg sailor and my home spot is a not very windy onshore place, with dirty waves, so the bump&jump definition fits the spot perfectly (with the odd waveride). We need to point upwards most of the session which sometimes causes us to lean heavily on the fin for going upwind (spinout risk). For those of you who have tried the STB, do you think I would benefit from this shape or I am better off going for a more classic shape i.e. 2020?
This kind of thinking might be the cause Fanatic has decided to go back from the newer shapes haha
Select to expand quotecarlosreyes said..
Hi, thank you all for your comments, you confirm my "fears" exactly.
My older 2012 freewave was stolen a month ago and I was very happy on how it behaved. I am presented with the option of buying an almost new 2019 95ltr Fanatic STB and was surprised to see the 2020 version was so different from the stubby tendency of the last few years.
I am an 85kg sailor and my home spot is a not very windy onshore place, with dirty waves, so the bump&jump definition fits the spot perfectly (with the odd waveride). We need to point upwards most of the session which sometimes causes us to lean heavily on the fin for going upwind (spinout risk). For those of you who have tried the STB, do you think I would benefit from this shape or I am better off going for a more classic shape i.e. 2020?
This kind of thinking might be the cause Fanatic has decided to go back from the newer shapes haha
Hi Carlos,
I have/had the Freewave 75, 85, 95 same design era (2010-2013), all great boards. I don't think you could go wrong with the FW 2020 . But you could also love the STB...or hate it. I love my STB 95: huge range (4.7 to 6.2, all fun), comfy, playfull...but my wife hates it, she hasn't found the trick to do a decent jibe on it yet.
My advice would be to try the STB 95 before buying it. If you can't, go with the 2020.
Thanks guyt54, yeah, these polarised opinions are what scare me. I'll try to go for a test ride before deciding 
I own a Freewave STB 115 from 2019 and its most impressive feature is how easily upwind it can go. On lake Como where I live, we have a swell which shifts you downwind very fast, and it's easy to lose ground and have to walk or swim back to your starting point, so I really like the STB because of its ability to sail upstream. But it's also true that its tail is prone to spinouts, you definitely can't apply pressure like with a freeride or slalom board. Just push a bit, and there you've lost it. Once you get used to it, it becomes a weapon in your arsenal that you can use when you want to slash and make very tight jibes. So not an easy board, but a very rewarding one.
In many aspects, the STB is a great board. In fact, if I was forced to have only one board, I would seriously consider a FW STB 95, it would cover about 70% of my needs (4.2 to 6.0 conditions). Where I think this board really shines is how fast it planes and how long it keeps it, even at slow speed. It's also fantastic in not so great wave conditions.
Fortunately for me, my wife is a boardhead too, so we have a lot of boards. Right now, we have a 69L, 75L, 86L, 95L, 106L and 125L. The problem is that the STB sails very different compared to our other boards, so there is little adaptation needed every time when switching from or to the STB. Sure, it is good for our aging brains, but it is also fun to have some uniformity in the quiver!
Select to expand quotewinddoc said..
Out on my new 2020 board today. Traded in my 2019 model tempted by the promo .. best of stubby with speed.
First impressions is awe struck by the tail shape and overall outline ( check out the photo ). Board is 3cm.longer and one cm. wider.
wind 25 gusting 30 knots. 5.8 meter sail . Single fin configuration. This thing rips in the gybes. Super super quick
responding to foot prsessure setting the rails comparing to the old board. Haven't check the speed yet but is not
slow compared with the old one. I feel it doesn't point as high as the old board due to it's less parallel out lines.
Can't wait to take it out in more wavy bump and jump condition as I was mainly blasting in flat water. Must behave
very differently to the old board with the factory tri fin.
25-30knots on a 5.8? Really?
Select to expand quoteBasher said..
25-30knots on a 5.8? Really?
That's a 4.7m or 4.2m for me .. 77kg
