I have just had a new wave board built for me by Mark Stone of Stone Surf Designs (SSD). My new board is a 70L 215cm x 54cm thruster. I weigh in at around 68KG and use Severne sails S1’s. This board is the perfect 1 board solution for me managing to cover sails from 3.2 to 5.2 and all conditions I am likely to sail in. Since the first run this board has been absolutely perfect!
This review is obviously my opinion about SSD boards, and what works for me, and the way I sail/want to sail.
Over the last few years I have been very lucky to try many of the latest and greatest production boards while working in Tenerife at the OTC (Official Test Centre) now called TWS (Tenerife Windsurf Solution) where the Boards/Boardseeker and Windsurf magazines (among others) do their testing. I definitely enjoy some of the production boards, but every time I get back on a SSD board I instantly start having more fun and sail better.
When I get on a SSD board everything works. Not only is Mark Stone very capable in the waves, he actually enjoys the sensation of windsurfing. All of the SSD boards I have tried (and I’ve tried many) really are exciting to sail. They plane up super early, way before many higher volume boards, have a great top end speed and feel lively and efficient, regardless of whether it’s a thruster or quad. However, when you put the board onto the wave this is when it really gets exciting. To me these boards are fast, super loose and thrilling to ride. On the rail they actually accelerate through the turn like nothing I’ve felt before and give you a lift/boost into your top turn. The boards never get locked in to the carve, making it easy to tighten or widen your turn, or fully redirect. This acceleration and lift gives you a lot more to work with as you go into your top turn, making a decent hack, aerials and stuff like wave 360’s and Takas a lot easier!
Even now, thinking back about dropping down a wave on these boards and how it feels is getting my heart going and giving me an excited feel! It is the acceleration, grip, freedom and confidence on the wave these boards give me that I love. It feels easy, no tricks, trips or bogged rails, the board does as you ask and rewards you for committing and driving it hard!
SSD boards are hand crafted and Mark uses polyester resin with a wood laminate and varying amounts of carbon/glass. He can adjust how he lays up the board if you feel you need a bit more strength in certain areas. The polyester construction is great as it gives a bit of flex, making the board ride smoother, but this also helps with the turning characteristics, as with surfboards. The best part of having a polyester board is they are very hard to break, and even if you ding it the closed cell blank will not suck up water!
The following photos (taken from Stone Surf Designs facebook page) show SSD's latest collection of quads and thrusters. Mark is always happy to let people try his boards, I managed to try them all :-)
Depends a little bit on straps and fins, but about $2000. The best thing is with these boards you will not feel the need to upgrade every season!
Hi.
Great review.
Since you have tried most SSD boards. What do you think the extreme short boards in the left part of the picture? Do you know the dimensions of these boards?
/Phil
Hi Phil,
I tried the smaller one of the two 'Stealth' boards. These were Mark Stone's favorite boards while I was in Gero this summer and he used them in all conditions. I think they are both 6'6" (1.98m), I'm not sure about the widths, but comparable to the keel tail quads I think. Volume wise I think the small one is maybe 70L and big one more towards 80L - at a guess! I found the Stealth had an amazing feel on the wave - carrying plenty of speed and making ridiculously tight carve's - super loose but plenty of grip and drive! The short nose is a bit weird at first and I found myself over compensating when I'd see big chop or going over waves, but I never had any problems and just needed to relax with the super short shape and trust it! For me I prefer the thruster and more traditional shape as my all-round board, but would love one of these as my big board for riding.
There's a video of Jaeger on Stone Surf Designs facebook page ripping on the Stealth, maybe this link works - www.facebook.com/pages/Stone-Surf-Designs/179211358869143
Here's 2 of Jaegers video clips from last year, the second one he's on the Stealth, the first one a mixture of a thruster (yellow and black) and I think the red rail quad in the picture above. I reckon that it shows a difference in his turns - shorter and snappier on the Stealth. Both videos worth a watch and get you firing to sail again!!
Select to expand quotejustinstuart said...
Here's 2 of Jaegers video clips from last year, the second one he's on the Stealth, the first one a mixture of a thruster (yellow and black) and I think the red rail quad in the picture above. I reckon that it shows a difference in his turns - shorter and snappier on the Stealth. Both videos worth a watch and get you firing to sail again!!
I reckon you are right Justin: the arc is definitely tighter on the Stealth. Not sure that I like that sailing style more though-it seems choppier and less fluid. I don't suppose there's any reason you couldn't do drawn out turns that maintain momentum with these boards as well-perhaps the temptation to do really tight U turns is too great?
Definitely can draw out the turn, Mark's quads accelerate in the turn and don't lock you into one line, but the temptation to do more in the pocket style turns is too great!
