Beiträge von Erik Loots

I use (2020-2024) my sails with RDM. My 8.5 was the last sail on SDM, when I changed to RDM with this big sail it wasn't faster. My homespot has some cargo boat traffic, when breaking the mast in the channel with cargo boats it can become dangerous quite quickly. I could choose to windsurf in the area downwind of the channel with cargo boats (but missing the best parts of the homespot). However I chose using gear with very low breakage chance ==> AL360 carbon boom from Totti + RDM masts for all sails.

The biggest difference is the moment of inertia which is lower with the RDM. Every mast (and sail) bends out of shape when a good gust or chop hits the gear, this deformation means the sail looses power/drive/efficiency. The mast will swing back after the deformation, the higher (SDM) moment of inertia will help to get it back faster. For example:

• If it would swing back to the normal position with a SDM in 3 second (and 3 swings);
• my feeling is with a RDM has a worse moment of inertia, it is 4~6 seconds (or 4~6 swings). Soo you loose over a bit longer time a bit performance

Sometimes it is nice to have a RDM (because it is to messy and the SDM feels a bit to much to handle), sometimes it is nice to have the SDM (because the sail with RDM bounces to often out of shape and lacks performance).

I believe when windsurfing in good conditions (steady wind, nice water) there is little to none difference between RDM and SDM if bendcurve and weight are equal. Only in challenging conditions it feels different. RDM is not consistent better of worse, it depends on the day and spot. Changing SDM to RDM has the same effect as choosing lower % carbon masts (which also lowers moment of inertia).

So here is my tip ==> if changing to RDM masts, make sure your carbon % is equal or higher than your SDM. If sailing in flatwater and consistent wind, the carbon % is less important.

My brother uses a Sonntag Fins Sl-X 58cm with great succes under his lightwind board. Before the Sonntag he used large Select and Drake Fins. The Drake was actually fast highwind (30kts), but did show hairline cracks at the base (it will break at one point). Select was good low wind, but also showed signs of faitigue after many years of use.

I would choose the board(s) based on the sails and Fins which you use with them. Also considering the waterstate and conditions you planning to surf is helpfull. For example I know a lot of windsurfers that like a monoconcave bottomshape for lightwind up to mediumwind in flat- mild choppy conditions, Starboard and PD offer(ed) a monoconcave board.

Chosing boards from different brands can be interesting, if you know what you want. Testdays are great to decide. Or consult local windsurfers (sponsored) with gear you would like.

However for most I believe 'logical' combinations would be the safest bet for fun and performance (fanatic-duotone, Starboard-severne, point7-av, etc. ). Other combinations might work great or might work (far) below average performance, you will find out. For example, Who knows if a iSonic works great with the current Ga-sails?

Another strategy is buying boards without a related sailbrand (futurefly, i99, etc.). Often these designs are a bit more neutral because teamriders use different boards. Same with sails without a related boardbrand (loft sails, s2 maui, er.), these are often more neatral designer.

For example, I was starboard fan for a long time, however the latest iSonics (I believe Iachino his sailing style influence) are not what I like. The fat ass of these iSonics combined with thin nose and short lenght is special to ride, but not better or fun for me personally. I did like the iSonics during Albeau/Dunkerbeck days a lot. Luckily I bought one and starboard sell good. Then I looked for boards which looked more like the older iSonics and ended up with Tribal boards now.

Zitat von Actimel1987

Hey Erik, what is your Fin of dreams?

I wish there was one answer for everyone, but it depends on board, waterstate, rider style + weight. Today my fin of dreams is different than 10 yrs ago for example. My homespot is different compared to 10yrs ago, I am also a different windsurfer. My fin of dreams today allround+safe and comfort is important. This means the fin feels not extreme stiff or edgy on the water. In the past I always optimized only for the highest speed on GPS, I used more scarry Fins.

Today my favorite fin depends on waterstate: the Sonntag Sl weed for weedy waters. The Sonntag gps6 for flatwater. The tribal slalom mk2 for chaos water / high chop. The Sonntag sl-pro for medium/high chop. Tribal weedspeed for chaos weedy water.

Something I did experience is the "fin of dreams" of radical pro windsurfers was no dream for me. My fin of dreams was never found by looking/copy the best windsurfers (I tried... ). It is better to find one finbuilder and give feedback for each next fin (where the current fin is lacking performance for yourself) . This is how I got eventually most of my best fins for me at Sonntag fins. It takes time, but rewarding once each new fin is really better.

Zitat von blinki-bill

Zitat von Erik Loots

1. IF you are trimmed for automatically upwind flying on the rail, THEN crosswind/downwind your board will stick more and require rider input.
2. IF you are trimmed for automatically downwind flying on the rail, THEN upwind your board will tailwalk or roll-over (high chance too crash).

Hi Erik, als engagierter Freerider lese ich da einen Widerspruch:

1. Die Finne/Trimm, die den Lift produziert um Am- und Halbwind ordentlich zu railen ist M.E. für einen gescheiten Downwind Speed ehr zu lang. Das Board wird unruhig nach oben raus.
2. Die Finne/Trimm der dem Board auf dem Downwind Speedrun genügend Lift ohne Kontrollverlust liefert lässt das Board auf dem Amwind Kurs dann auf dem Wasser kleben.

Wo ist der Fehler

Ha, this is a good one. By trim, I actually refer to adjusting the mastfoot position, downhaul, boom position, and/or outhaul. I hadn't considered that changing the fin could also be described as trimming. Your points are valid, blinki-bill, regarding changing the fin as a method of trim."

I don't switch fins to enhance upwind/downwind performance. Instead, I change equipment when the water state or wind strength is not ideal. To optimize upwind or downwind performance, I adjust the downhaul, mastfoot position, and boom position. My all-time best gear combinations (board plus one size fin) have consistently performed well on all courses. When a windsurfer travels much faster than the wind speed downwind, the apparent wind comes from the front (similar to sailing upwind). For the fin, a fast board speed downwind is not significantly different from sailing at a slower speed upwind. If your fin is truly excellent, then it's fast on all courses, in my experience, without the need to change size.

Zitat von Actimel1987

Erik Loots I have heard that’s some dedicated Speedsurfers are using tow pair of harness lines or different starboard und port settings depending on the wave direction. I personally use cheap vario harness and get annoyed by the slipp trough:)

True, I the past I sometimes swapped gear with very fast speedsurfers. Some use shorter harnasslines for upwind (I also sometimes do this). Some move harnasslines more (up to 10cm) to the back on the boom for the downwind reach.

However there are also very fast speedsurfers that do not use different harnasslines lenght/position for upwind or downwind. It is personally and depends on gear. There was once for example a very fast speedsurfer with always a very high boom position, he changed boards (another brand) . He tried everything, eventually he figured the boom position needed to be very low for these boards to go fast.

1. IF you are trimmed for automatically upwind flying on the rail, THEN crosswind/downwind your board will stick more and require rider input.
2. IF you are trimmed for automatically downwind flying on the rail, THEN upwind your board will tailwalk or roll-over (high chance too crash).

There is no best trim for all courses, on a upwind course the apparent wind lifts the nose of the board more than on a downwind course.

Speedsurfers do use the second mode. However you'll see the speedsurfers sail very slow upwind (to keep control) in choppy stuff. This explains why speedsurfers can be exhausted after a few runs (upwind you have to manually push the nose down, losing pressure means crash).

Speedsurfers do use the first mode. However you'll see the speedsurfers weight to the back of the board on a downwind course.

Speedsurfers do use something between first and second mode.

Personally I am sailing near mode 1, more comfy and fun for me (and most).

Something else we tested. Traditional windsurf sails (like loft switchblade or NP V8 with longer boomlenght) performer much better with weedfins compared to the newer designs with shorters boomlenght. Because sails with longer boomlenght often results in sailpressure more backward (which is a good match with weedfins with also finpressure more backwards).

We tested different boards with weedfins, we found in general longer boards are easier with weedfins. For example we tested a starboard freeformula against a starboard f-type, freeformula is extreme long and f-type extreme short design. We felt longer boards have more lenght (longer waterline) in water which compensates for the weedfin (where most of the pressure is too much to the back). The longer (older) freeformula is superior everywhere to the f-type with a weedfin (same fin, sail, rider, size, etc.) Shorter boards with weedfin tend to be much more sensitive too use because there is less grip from rails and waterline. Another thing is the mast track, it should be long enough and also too the back of the board, the longer weedfins benefit especially from a mastfoot too the back.

Your previous JP was longer, I believe therefor easier too use with weedfin. Also Lessacher Fins are very nice allround and easy. Feine finne seems to be more performance oriented, which means often a bit more sensitive too trim and board/sail/style.

Could be your sail or fin. Your fin is a good normally, soo my estimate it is not the fin, unless the fin is at end of life (broken fibers and possible detwisting giving strange behaviour). Most logic would be: the behaviour was caused by your sail. A couple of things may be happening:

-It's cold which means the pressure distribution in the sails is a bit different.

-Also most normal windsurfers (also me) bodies are a bit stiffer if its cold, the sail position is different due less ideal body position/reaction.

-Some windsurfers put extra downhaul to create a softer/easier feeling sail (in winter), however this will make to board ride really high on the water. If the sailsize is small for the given boardsize this effect is even bigger.

Soo I would test the fin (on beach) if it bends like usual. If the fin is normal I would decrease downhaul tension. If the sail feels to big with less downhaul, than take a smaller size. At last if still not ok I would increase harnasslines length, put mastfoot a bit forward and even move footstraps a bit forward.

It is a real company (I ckecked dutch camber of commerce) https://www.kvk.nl/bestellen/#/78155266000045803838

Also the founder is on linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/da…153/?originalSubdomain=nl

I only applaud these innovations and young guys kentering professional Windsurfing business. It is an effort to produce it with all EU regulations. I feel without new people (thinking out of the box) Windsurfing is getting less and less interesting. I like the idea and respect the fact he actually made it and sells it.

I hope this is a succes, Windsurfing and windsurfers will only benefit from new succes stories. Maybe I will buy, 75% chance now.

I like this product, very good! The added value depends on the spot and duration of the session I think. Some windsurfspots have very consistent wind, trimming downhaul is not required. Other spots (inland lakes for example) show huge differences (windgaps) over time and this tool (low downhaul for getting going in low wind) will make a difference.

Also some sails can be trimmed with downhaul (giving better highend or lowend), for example loft switchblade. While other sails (I had point7 ac1 or severne reflex) actually had one downhaul setting.

In the raceboard scene it might be very nice compared to the old fashion downhaul trim tool. Raceboarders change downhaul during sailing, however (I tried) this is quite difficult to master in choppy water. Pressing a button is much easier and more competitive.

I am personally in doubt to buy it. I dont think to use it now. However in future I see myself regretting not buying it (if this product is not popular enough and not available anymore). I see myself using this trimtool for longer windsurf trips along coastline.

I know Sonntag Fins core is made from carbon layers from start. The current Sonntag Sl-weed I can see a cross section of the layup in front, it is still a carbon core.

Additional there are significant carbon quality (and cost) differences. This means carbon fins with the same carbon content can be different (and have different raw Material Costs). I can not see if higher quality carbon is used, on the water it is sometimes a difference (if expensive high modulus carbon is used at the right place in the fin).

The outer layer of the fin has the biggest impact on performance, this is why Select Fins uses carbon here. Without carbon on the outside, the select fin would perform less for sure. With the higher glass content fin (like Select Fins) I experienced (a cobra severne fox factory fin) the bending and twist characteristics change, the fin became softer over time (I believe on microscopic level more and more tiny glassfibers stretched, moved or broke).

Material fatigue is on all (even 100% carbon) windsurf equipment. 100% carbon tends to break faster after fatigue, yet it takes very long (more sessions or load) for carbon to even show fatigue. Most amateur cannot even reach the point of fatigue on good carbon windsurf products. Glass products loose performance much more due to fatigue, due to this performance loss the glass product is loaded less and becomes unuseable at one point (often before breaking point).

I use thin carbon Fins from Sonntag Fins. Medium thickness profile carbon Tribal fins. And thicker g10 tribal Fins, due to the thickness these tribal g10 kept performance (over multiple years) for me. G10 is still very nice for shallow spots. I don't buy thin/medium thickness g10/glass fins anymore, because I prefer to prevent the need for replacing (and finding) new fins due fatigue issues.

Zitat von twofingers

Zitat von Erik Loots

I have this extension, some of my sails I need 0 or 2cm extension. I set the extension at minimum (2cm) for these sails. I don't mind if the sail is a bit (1-2cm) higher actually. But I am 190cm.

Das Problem des Themenstarters ist allerdings, dass die Verlängerung nicht vollständig in den Mast rein zu schieben ist. So habe ich das jedenfalls verstanden.

Aah, I don't know for Severne Rdm masts. But with the Loft 490 and 460 rdm it is NO problem when the extension is at 2cm. Also no problems with the Nolimitz (usa masts) rdm fast 460-490 with the extension at minimum.

Something else, the extension also stayed in one piece at maximum extension (36cm).

I have 83cm wide board, my next size is 73cm wide. The magic ride 119 (74cm wide) is a good step in my opinion. If you want to get used to small boards Strand Horst or Makkum can be ideal (no swimming because it is shallow there).

With the smaller board (10cm smaller):

-Fin is shorter (shallow water spots are possible)

-small board is good when the average windspeed is higher. Windrange is 5~10 kts higher

-small sail is better balanced (board will be easier to ride once planning)

I have this extension, some of my sails I need 0 or 2cm extension. I set the extension at minimum (2cm) for these sails. I don't mind if the sail is a bit (1-2cm) higher actually. But I am 190cm.

490 gives best low-end. If 460 is too soft and flextop you will gain almost nothing in lowend compared to the saber

It's very difficult or maybe even impossible to gain significant speed with another fin. Especially online it is difficult to recommend the right fin.

The risk with a performance (slalom fin) with your weight on this big board is undesired behaviour. Once you get higher speed it might come (50% chance) with a lot tension on front foot (foot flies out of the strap) ==>×which result in poor control.

Another approach (online) is upgrading to a faster sail design. For example the new Severne Moto (I have no personally experience) or another freerace sail. These sails have less back-hand and are a bit stiffer, this means the sail will (automaticaly ) accelerate up to higher speeds compared to your turbo. The disadvantage of a freerace (Severne Moto) is less lowend comfort and less handling. Only once you go 30km/h or faster I feel a big advantage for freerace sails. I do know the loft switchblade works very good on the Patrick frace (lots of experience in the Netherlands with this combo).

Maybe there is a severne testday in spring, if soo why not test a moto on your current board+fin?

The succes depends on how thick (and old) your Neilpryde mast is. The older neilpryde masts (x6/X9 for example) are thicker and much stiffer in the base area, this will result in much more tension on bottom battens. The tension is probably too much, it will be hard too rig and hard too use.

More modern neilpryde masts (SPX for example) are less thick and are only a little bit stiffer in the base area. I think a modern neilpryde mast could make the sail performance efficient (especially interesting as lightwind sail or too reach higher speeds).

The gun rdm would make the sail performance less efficient/direct. This is interesting in upper end of windrange. This is interesting if a lower speed is needed (to keep controle in chaos chop).

In addition, I personally would try the Tribal Windsurfing Libero 118 or 128. However it is a new design/boardbrand and I have not tested this specific freeride model, so I can not recommend because lack of experience with this freeride model.

I did buy the Tribal Radix boards in 2023 and they are strong build, (for slalom) easy to use and shape is very consistent (scoop rocker and tailkick is very consistent on my 3 radix boards). Tribal is known for the weedspeed fins for a long time (these Fins have a nice finish and are one of the best G10 weedfins). Tribal boards started in 2023, I simply bought the Radix boards from photo. I know the shaper (Lockwood) a little bit, he is a perfectionist (which is why the shapes are pretty consistent I guess). Lockwood uses the boards himself and doesn't live in a place with perfect conditions (loads of weed and chop). Lockwood is no heavyweight and not very well trained (like me). Lockwood designed many other boards before which were no "copy - paste" designs, yet very good (Mistral, Carbon Art). The shaper background made me buy Tribal Radix. Another plus (which was not the reason for me): Tribal is an European windsurf brand, you can visit the company and get your boards (or Fins) in The Netherlands. I saw some live fin making while I was there.

JP, Fanatic or Starboard simply are very well known around the world, I always tended to starboard or fanatic. The shaper background of tribal (plus in 2022 a mediocre experience with me on the iSonic 2021) was the reason to buy something else in 2023. No regrets for me so far (after almost 40 sessions in many different spots/conditions).