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Starboard iSonics 2015

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Created by sausage > 9 months ago, 16 Aug 2014
oos
11 posts
26 Oct 2014 12:59AM
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Looks super nice. Looking to buy some but havent decided what size i should choose for my high wind board. Already choose the 107l for light wind but cant figure out what size to choose for my small board. Any advice ?

Im 50 kg.

wind012
WA, 124 posts
26 Oct 2014 5:59AM
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Jonathan4782 said..
Looks super nice. Looking to buy some but havent decided what size i should choose for my high wind board. Already choose the 107l for light wind but cant figure out what size to choose for my small board. Any advice ? Im 50 kg.


what is your smallest sail?
what is the highest wind you want to sail?
will you only have 2 boards? the 107 but then this next new board?


oos
11 posts
28 Oct 2014 12:24AM
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My smalles sail range will be 5,8-9,4. The least wind ill be sailling in is 14 knots, and i may very well be sailing in 25-30 knots. Yes this will be my only two boards. Thank you for replying.

sausage
QLD, 4873 posts
28 Oct 2014 8:40AM
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Jonathan,
At 50kg you may need to rethink your sail quiver. A 107 and 7.8 in 14knots would be more than adequate as a light wind kit. (in fact a 7.0 would probably be suitable.)
If sailing up to 25-30 knots a 5.8 may be way too much to handle also.
Small board - maybe around 70 litres and 50 to 55 wide. Being a lightweight even a small slalom at the upper wind limit could be difficult to handle if sailing open waters.

oos
11 posts
1 Nov 2014 4:13AM
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sausage said..
Jonathan,
At 50kg you may need to rethink your sail quiver. A 107 and 7.8 in 14knots would be more than adequate as a light wind kit. (in fact a 7.0 would probably be suitable.)
If sailing up to 25-30 knots a 5.8 may be way too much to handle also.
Small board - maybe around 70 litres and 50 to 55 wide. Being a lightweight even a small slalom at the upper wind limit could be difficult to handle if sailing open waters.


Okay thanks. Was kinda worried that the 107l was going to be to small for when its real light. On the other hand what you said about the board sizes i can understand, but the sail sizes i dont think i quite agree. Dont know if i should have mentioned it but i am a pretty skilled sailer, on P7 team aswell. When sailing in 14 knots i usually sail 8,6 and 116l, my point is that i am used to sailing overpowered so i dont think that 5,8 will be too hard to handle. Anyways note taken. When you say 70l and 50-55 wide do you mean a speed board of some sort ?

seanhogan
QLD, 3424 posts
1 Nov 2014 6:43AM
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Jonathan4782 said..


i am a pretty skilled sailer, on P7 team aswell. When sailing in 14 knots i usually sail 8,6 and 116l, my point is that i am used to sailing overpowered so i dont think that 5,8 will be too hard to handle.


At 50 kg that's really overpowered !! :-) Especially knowing how powerful the p7 are !! In 14 knots I'll be using my 7.9 and I'm only 40 kg heavier than you, I'm impressed.

sausage
QLD, 4873 posts
1 Nov 2014 11:20AM
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Jonathan4782 said..

sausage said..
Jonathan,
At 50kg you may need to rethink your sail quiver. A 107 and 7.8 in 14knots would be more than adequate as a light wind kit. (in fact a 7.0 would probably be suitable.)
If sailing up to 25-30 knots a 5.8 may be way too much to handle also.
Small board - maybe around 70 litres and 50 to 55 wide. Being a lightweight even a small slalom at the upper wind limit could be difficult to handle if sailing open waters.



Okay thanks. Was kinda worried that the 107l was going to be to small for when its real light. On the other hand what you said about the board sizes i can understand, but the sail sizes i dont think i quite agree. Dont know if i should have mentioned it but i am a pretty skilled sailer, on P7 team aswell. When sailing in 14 knots i usually sail 8,6 and 116l, my point is that i am used to sailing overpowered so i dont think that 5,8 will be too hard to handle. Anyways note taken. When you say 70l and 50-55 wide do you mean a speed board of some sort ?


jonathan,
Sorry I wrongly assumed your skill level. Maybe an iSonic 80 would be perfect as your high wind board. If sailing rough conditions then I don't think a speed board would be a better choice. Very impressed you can manage an 8.6 and 116L board too. Out of interest do you have your sails extremely depowered (loose leech)?

I am comfortable on my iS117 and 8.6 at 14kn.I'll usually drop down to the iS110 and 7.8 in solid 15 to 20kn. Anything above 20 and I'm on the iS90 (14 model).

I'm only 44 kgs heavier than you too.

Steve Charles
QLD, 1237 posts
1 Nov 2014 8:38PM
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I would go 80 or 87
Hey guys any more 2015 Isonic reviews. Also how are they stacking up against 2014 Mine are still 1 month away

vando
QLD, 3416 posts
1 Nov 2014 10:43PM
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Hey Steve cant compare my 90 to last year as i didn't own one however the new ones working really nicely so far.
manged to do very well in out local slalom last weekend after only using the board once.
Used it again today. I changed the rear strap position in the back hole this seem to free the tail up abit more.
Left the front one in the 2nd hole from the back. this years 90 has 4 posi at the front.
for me the 32 Volt is the perfect size fin for this board for both 7 and 6.2.
I use the 30 Volt today for speed which work really well on the flattish water.
Compared to my 97 last year this board does need more wind to really get it lit up but i expected that.
But its going to hammer off the wind in some decent wind.
It does gybe very nicely too.




Waiting4wind
NSW, 1871 posts
2 Nov 2014 9:36AM
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i heard that the 2014 boards are a bit harsh in chop. Are the 14 or 15 models compatible with dodgy knees?

^ ^ "gybe nicely". If they're anything like the futura 93 I have then I'd be very impressed

Steve Charles
QLD, 1237 posts
2 Nov 2014 3:48PM
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Nice one Vando, glad to here the 90 and Volts are going well. I have played around with the foot strap position on my 2014 Isonics. I found if the back footstraps were in the back holes there is more weight over the tail. I ended up leaving them in the front holes (only 2 hole positions) Then with the front footstaps I tried them in the back holes. I think that is why my front foot slipped out and I broke my wrist after catapulting a few months ago. I now sail with the front ones second holes from the back.
Waiting4Wind, I think the carbon 2014 Isonics are fine in the chop and the wood is even more forgiving. They jibe great

oos
11 posts
3 Nov 2014 3:43AM
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sausage said..

Jonathan4782 said..


sausage said..
Jonathan,
At 50kg you may need to rethink your sail quiver. A 107 and 7.8 in 14knots would be more than adequate as a light wind kit. (in fact a 7.0 would probably be suitable.)
If sailing up to 25-30 knots a 5.8 may be way too much to handle also.
Small board - maybe around 70 litres and 50 to 55 wide. Being a lightweight even a small slalom at the upper wind limit could be difficult to handle if sailing open waters.




Okay thanks. Was kinda worried that the 107l was going to be to small for when its real light. On the other hand what you said about the board sizes i can understand, but the sail sizes i dont think i quite agree. Dont know if i should have mentioned it but i am a pretty skilled sailer, on P7 team aswell. When sailing in 14 knots i usually sail 8,6 and 116l, my point is that i am used to sailing overpowered so i dont think that 5,8 will be too hard to handle. Anyways note taken. When you say 70l and 50-55 wide do you mean a speed board of some sort ?



jonathan,
Sorry I wrongly assumed your skill level. Maybe an iSonic 80 would be perfect as your high wind board. If sailing rough conditions then I don't think a speed board would be a better choice. Very impressed you can manage an 8.6 and 116L board too. Out of interest do you have your sails extremely depowered (loose leech)?

I am comfortable on my iS117 and 8.6 at 14kn.I'll usually drop down to the iS110 and 7.8 in solid 15 to 20kn. Anything above 20 and I'm on the iS90 (14 model).

I'm only 44 kgs heavier than you too.


Thanks so much for all your advice.

No i dont rig my sails with a more then usual open leech.

oos
11 posts
3 Nov 2014 3:52AM
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seanhogan said..

Jonathan4782 said..


i am a pretty skilled sailer, on P7 team aswell. When sailing in 14 knots i usually sail 8,6 and 116l, my point is that i am used to sailing overpowered so i dont think that 5,8 will be too hard to handle.



At 50 kg that's really overpowered !! :-) Especially knowing how powerful the p7 are !! In 14 knots I'll be using my 7.9 and I'm only 40 kg heavier than you, I'm impressed.


Glad your impressed :) I think the bigger sails and sailing overpowered is a habit i picked up from my local spot. We sail alot of formula here with 10 m2 sails and at competetions they sometimes make us sail formula when its clearly slalom weather, maybe thats the cause.

Nice to see another point-7 sailer ! Think i saw a thread where you were talking about how the recommended settings for point 7 sails isnt right, and i completely agree with you. How is it going now ? for an example what do you put your exstension on for the 8,6 ? I sail ACK aswell.

seanhogan
QLD, 3424 posts
3 Nov 2014 7:15AM
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Hi Jo

Same issue with the 2014 ACK and AC1, at least 2cm more extension, on the ac1 8.6 I add 4cm.

out of topic, but did you experiment batten breakage ? I've already broken 4... :-(

oos
11 posts
3 Nov 2014 4:20PM
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Yeah the battens are quite fragile. I think i broke about the same number as you. I guess the sails are like an italian sportscar. I bought a handful sail battens just in case, i dont know if you can buy they off their online store otherwise try to talk with Dirk Doppenberg.

seanhogan
QLD, 3424 posts
3 Nov 2014 9:03PM
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I'm getting good at making one batten out of two broken ones...

The good thing (or proof they know their battens are weak) is that the sails come with a spare...

sboardcrazy
NSW, 7916 posts
5 Nov 2014 11:49AM
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sausage said..
Jonathan,
At 50kg you may need to rethink your sail quiver. A 107 and 7.8 in 14knots would be more than adequate as a light wind kit. (in fact a 7.0 would probably be suitable.)
If sailing up to 25-30 knots a 5.8 may be way too much to handle also.
Small board - maybe around 70 litres and 50 to 55 wide. Being a lightweight even a small slalom at the upper wind limit could be difficult to handle if sailing open waters.


I'm 63kgs and use a 3.8m wavesail in 25 - 30kts..If it was flatwater maybe I could hang onto a 5m cammed sail but it would be a handful.. I'm female though so you'd have more strength than me.

sboardcrazy
NSW, 7916 posts
5 Nov 2014 11:51AM
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shinobi said..
Hi Vando,
Here is a pic of a some more iSonics, all very nice.


Today was the first outing with the 130 + r5 9,6 and a 48cm FHOT fin. Note, I'm a sponsored rider of Starboard Japan, still this is my honest opinion.
The new 130 is so much easier in higher wind and in the jibes, it feels like a Futura but with the potential of an iSonic. Well done Starboard and thanks to Remi for the product. The accessibility of the 2014 130 in stronger winds was a concern for me in the past...

We had 3 races today and I could easily take 3 bullets which felt unreal compared to my other results this season. On the other hand, it was not a race which counts for the ranking but still a whole bunch of good riders where present to compete. By the way, place 2&3 went also to a 2015 130...
All riders different weight (88kg, 80kg, 62kg) and sails ( R5 9.6, R5 9.0, OD 8.6). The fin choice was also quite interesting (48cm fhot, 46cm Kashy, 46cm zfin).
As you can see very impressed with the new board and I'll post some more thoughts once I got it out in different conditions.
~Shinobi



I haven't ever sailed a slalom board - the first thing I notice looking at these is the lack of space / area in the tail.. How does that affect the feel/ ease of use / performance..

shinobi
151 posts
5 Nov 2014 2:09PM
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Don't worry, the tail is bigger than it appeal on the picture.
But be WARNED: Once you get used to ride such boards, you will be much more selective for your other boards as well because you will prefer the nice flying feeling.

sausage
QLD, 4873 posts
5 Nov 2014 4:11PM
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^^^yeah, once you go outboard straps you can never go back

Haggar
QLD, 1664 posts
5 Nov 2014 8:56PM
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The iSonics are really easy to sail and gybe well. Slalom boards are a bit more demanding in chop.

sboardcrazy
NSW, 7916 posts
6 Nov 2014 2:42PM
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Hope to get a slalom / speed board in the next year..hopefully will improve my speeds a bit

Bender
WA, 2221 posts
6 Nov 2014 11:46AM
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sboardcrazy said..
Hope to get a slalom / speed board in the next year..hopefully will improve my speeds a bit


My carbon Art Speed 40 is for sale. $600 with a cover.

mkseven
QLD, 2309 posts
6 Nov 2014 5:17PM
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sboardcrazy said..

I haven't ever sailed a slalom board - the first thing I notice looking at these is the lack of space / area in the tail.. How does that affect the feel/ ease of use / performance..





Slalom board is much more difficult than freeride or waveboards, yes it is a more locked in solid feel but several things make them more of a handful in the chop:
- outboard/rearward strap positions
- less forgiving fins
- harder rails
- flatter rockers
- less shape on bottom (concaves etc)
& the fact you are travelling faster

So all in all they aren't as nice in chop or gybe as nice as even a futura, but they have better speed especially upwind (particularly on the 97 and bigger isonics). Slalom boards are alot more physical, I can sail waveboards or futura all day but start to feel it after an hour on isonics. That all said slalom boards are great fun but if you want to go fast you really need to drive a slalom board rather than just sit passively like you can on freeride/waveboards.

I only recommend a speed board if you are sailing in very flat & consistent conditions. In everything else (real world conditions) an 8oL slalom board will be easier and faster, a speed board will always feel faster but feel vs actual are completely different. Stepping from a slalom board to a speed board is similar step from freeride to slalom, much less forgiving, much harder to get going, very bangy going upwind into sharp chop, another couple of gears to a slalom board, much more specialised fins, very easy for the fin to go sideways in chop due to smaller size & hard to gybe if you're just an ok gyber or have big feet.

& yes all brands are different so i'm generalising about the ones I own & have ridden.

The 2014 Iso's are fine in the chop you just need to widen strap position a little more & get them more onto the tail (seems this is common even with the 2015's), but certainly the 2014 90 was a bit more like a big speedboard. I found running 1 size smaller fin than recommended made them ride a bit nicer also, except if you are running a soft fin like the carbon drake's. I have a wood futura also as it is just nicer in chop and to gybe plus the carbon iso's are very light build so my 100kg's is sure to give them a hard time. The 2015 seem a bit better quality than the 2014's (if only in the paint/graphics). Haven't had the motivation/conditions to take my new 130 Iso for a run yet, maybe this weekend.

Oh & sboardcrazy if swapping from wavesails to race sail add about 0.8m.

oos
11 posts
7 Nov 2014 3:15AM
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sausage said..
Jonathan,
At 50kg you may need to rethink your sail quiver. A 107 and 7.8 in 14knots would be more than adequate as a light wind kit. (in fact a 7.0 would probably be suitable.)
If sailing up to 25-30 knots a 5.8 may be way too much to handle also.
Small board - maybe around 70 litres and 50 to 55 wide. Being a lightweight even a small slalom at the upper wind limit could be difficult to handle if sailing open waters.



I'm 63kgs and use a 3.8m wavesail in 25 - 30kts..If it was flatwater maybe I could hang onto a 5m cammed sail but it would be a handful.. I'm female though so you'd have more strength than me.


Yeah i dont know, i guess ill have to try it out. Thanks though, good to know what others in my weight group sails with.

petermac33
WA, 6415 posts
7 Nov 2014 3:46AM
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At 50 kg the I-sonic 80 or 87 would be the way to go.

No matter how high your skill level a 5.0m will be plenty.

A 5.5m on the small i-sonics in the lighter conditions say 18-25 should still have you fully powered up at your weight!

A bigger sail will not add speed at your weight,it will only reduce your top speed due to a increase in drag.

Comparing the I-sonic 87 to the 2cm wider Patrik 92----- the I-sonic is that much easier to keep down in the gusts,probably due to the added weight of the wood.construction and much narrower tail.

Slowboat once described my 2013 I-sonic 87 as a banana board,such is the high rocker of the board.

You will be thankful of the high rocker when the wind picks up above 22knots.

sboardcrazy
NSW, 7916 posts
7 Nov 2014 11:21AM
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mkseven said..

sboardcrazy said..

I haven't ever sailed a slalom board - the first thing I notice looking at these is the lack of space / area in the tail.. How does that affect the feel/ ease of use / performance..






Slalom board is much more difficult than freeride or waveboards, yes it is a more locked in solid feel but several things make them more of a handful in the chop:
- outboard/rearward strap positions
- less forgiving fins
- harder rails
- flatter rockers
- less shape on bottom (concaves etc)
& the fact you are travelling faster

So all in all they aren't as nice in chop or gybe as nice as even a futura, but they have better speed especially upwind (particularly on the 97 and bigger isonics). Slalom boards are alot more physical, I can sail waveboards or futura all day but start to feel it after an hour on isonics. That all said slalom boards are great fun but if you want to go fast you really need to drive a slalom board rather than just sit passively like you can on freeride/waveboards.

I only recommend a speed board if you are sailing in very flat & consistent conditions. In everything else (real world conditions) an 8oL slalom board will be easier and faster, a speed board will always feel faster but feel vs actual are completely different. Stepping from a slalom board to a speed board is similar step from freeride to slalom, much less forgiving, much harder to get going, very bangy going upwind into sharp chop, another couple of gears to a slalom board, much more specialised fins, very easy for the fin to go sideways in chop due to smaller size & hard to gybe if you're just an ok gyber or have big feet.

& yes all brands are different so i'm generalising about the ones I own & have ridden.

The 2014 Iso's are fine in the chop you just need to widen strap position a little more & get them more onto the tail (seems this is common even with the 2015's), but certainly the 2014 90 was a bit more like a big speedboard. I found running 1 size smaller fin than recommended made them ride a bit nicer also, except if you are running a soft fin like the carbon drake's. I have a wood futura also as it is just nicer in chop and to gybe plus the carbon iso's are very light build so my 100kg's is sure to give them a hard time. The 2015 seem a bit better quality than the 2014's (if only in the paint/graphics). Haven't had the motivation/conditions to take my new 130 Iso for a run yet, maybe this weekend.

Oh & sboardcrazy if swapping from wavesails to race sail add about 0.8m.


I'll keep my current boards for chop so will just get a slalom for the dead flat stuff at Budgewoi.. Sorry Bender if I get into the money it prob won't be till mid next year or later..but it's fun dreaming and scheming!

sailquik
VIC, 6068 posts
20 Nov 2014 1:01AM
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Jonathan4782 said..




sausage said..
Jonathan,
At 50kg you may need to rethink your sail quiver. A 107 and 7.8 in 14knots would be more than adequate as a light wind kit. (in fact a 7.0 would probably be suitable.)
If sailing up to 25-30 knots a 5.8 may be way too much to handle also.
Small board - maybe around 70 litres and 50 to 55 wide. Being a lightweight even a small slalom at the upper wind limit could be difficult to handle if sailing open waters.




I'm 63kgs and use a 3.8m wavesail in 25 - 30kts..If it was flatwater maybe I could hang onto a 5m cammed sail but it would be a handful.. I'm female though so you'd have more strength than me.



Yeah i dont know, i guess ill have to try it out. Thanks though, good to know what others in my weight group sails with.


Something seriously lost in translation here for sure................

Steve Charles
QLD, 1237 posts
6 Dec 2014 8:38AM
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At last the boards finally arrived I like the look of the new 87








Ian K
WA, 4039 posts
6 Dec 2014 7:27AM
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Steve Charles said..
It took a long time but the boards finally arrived I like the look of the new 87










Wow, isn't this a classic case of evolution!
In the beginning boards were shaped as one, the outline of the deck locked to the hull outline. What was needed was to disconnect the deck outline from the hull outline, but that was too big an evolutionary jump. Evolution only works on a very shallow ramp. (I've just been watching a video where Dawkins explains the evolution of the eye.)

What was needed was a mutation. And I believe I saw it about 10 yrs ago down at Sandy Point, a Starboard proto with small cutouts hacked into it with a hand saw and roughly glassed over to keep the water out. ( The nose was probably sticking, and it was a attempt to quickly get it to ride a little higher. ). Then this first cutout went through all the exploratory variations, heart shaped cutouts, double fluted cutouts, triangular cut-outs, semi-circular cutouts. Now we finally have what's needed, a hull that smoothly tapers below an independently designed deck that is the bare minimum to put the footstraps where needed. The cutout, that critical intermediate in the evolutionary process, is now almost unrecognisable. It will be very interesting to see where board design goes now that hull outline has finally been fully freed from the constraints of deck outline.



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"Starboard iSonics 2015" started by sausage