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Review of the RRD FireMove 112 2016

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Created by Shlogger > 9 months ago, 16 Aug 2016
Shlogger
397 posts
16 Aug 2016 2:41AM
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Finally time to give back to this forum, so here's a review of the RRD FireMove 112, 2016 after 3 months of riding it in almost every condition possible. First off, I'm primarily a wave sailor, and was looking for a board I could take out in shlogging conditions or borderline planing with waist to chest high slop and and then occasionally pop a bigger sail and use a bigger fin and plane up on summer sea breeze.
First session was exactly that, 8-15 knots and waist to chest high, 45 degree side on sloppy closeouts. Rigged the board up with an Ezzy Elite 6.1 and put in a small freestyle 24 fin in to avoid hitting the sandbars on the low tide and just because. ;) Obviously the board is super stable at 74 cm's wide but it is thin so you sit low in the water, doesn't have the corky feel of the newer wave or FSW boards. First quick tack, way to easy. Set comes through, one quick pump and the board is off like a bullet, closeout section, bank off the foam for a floater with only front foot in the strap....sweet, I was really surprised and the board has quite a bit of nose scoop so no worries on sticking the nose on re-entry. Second run I do a pivot jibe and was surprised how quick the board comes around. Another wave and I'm smiling as it's fitting the bill. Noticed on some of the gusts, that to plane you have to point downwind, def. not a beam reach planer, but comes up quickly on a deep reach. This was pointed out in the Mag, reviews. Once on a plane, the board stays there, even with a the small fin in.
One big glitch, they have a back strap option in the middle of the board which is where I put it and where I want it. However...the inner most front straps are still set outboard, which is crazy as you have two more options outboard. I'm 6'2" and the stance is still awkward. Also you're not able to sail on top of the board in an upright stance which is what you want for FS or wave riding. To this day it drives me nuts. I took the board out in some really gusty light side-off chest high waves one day with a 28 cm wave fin. Once again, I couldn't believe how snappy and fun the board was going down the line, as advertised, it really is a chameleon. I was even hitting some aerial off the lips, unfortunately... with only one foot in the strap. Slightly unnerving to say the least. So I sail this board a lot, back foot out on the inboard rail and front foot in the strap when on the wave face. ugggggggg
I've also had it out in 12-20 sea breezes with no real waves, using the MFC fin that comes with it and the straps set to the int. outboard position with a 7.0 cam-less sail. The board once again planes quickly when pointed downwind and then it flies. It will go as fast as you want to push it. It doesn't seem to top out like a lot of quick planing boards that give you instant acceleration but top out quickly as well.
So why does it all work? It's the curvy tear drop outline and V that runs through the entire board. It has a very common FSW rocker line, but it's the deep concaves and V through the entire board that make it so turny. Not to mention the thin rails. If you can't jibe this board, you'll never jibe.
I've also done some freestyle but once again, not having a forward strap on the center line, keeps you from trying certain moves. All the reviews and RRD knew what they were doing with this board, and it works. Give the sailor a real wave sailing foot strap option and I'll buy another one. Why only the backstop on the centerline?







Other than that, construction is top notch, weight is super light, use of black on paint job...not so good for us Florida Guys, so don't forget to vent when you're not using it. ;)

Shlogger
397 posts
18 Aug 2016 4:27AM
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PS. And thin out the back rail and add Quad Boxes. ;)



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