In the warm sunny first weekend of December Exeter University hosted the first round of the SWA Puravida Wave Trilogy. The SWA wave event format is simple; the students meet in the host city on the Friday night and head to the beach with the best forecast on the Saturday. With Cornwall just down the road Exeter is the perfect place to start this trio. Competitions follow the format of any BWA or PWA event with a continuously running clock and rolling heats.

The students gathered for some catch up drinks on the Friday night with the call to head to Marazion the next morning, where the forecast looked best, with a 7:30am leaving time to catch the tide on the drop. Realising this early start the students decided to take it easy only staying in the bars and clubs of Exeter till 3am before stumbling home. Nothing a bacon sandwich and some RedBull couldn’t fix the next morning.

With a burst of early morning enthusiasm from the hosting Exeter students the competitors were roused on the Saturday and set off deep into Cornwall. Sadly upon arrival at Marazion the conditions were not as epic as the forecast had predicted. However with a few small knee to waist high sets rolling in, a 5.5 float and ride breeze there was enough to get the competition started.

Before Kicking off the competition tour supporters, Jim Brooks from Puravida along with Fanatic and North who kindly sent out Ant Baker, hosted an equipment clinic with the latest kit on demo that the students could even use in the comp!  Sam Ross and Chris Murray from Tushingham/Starboard were also on hand to offer some useful tip’s for the newcomers.

With some very marginal conditions the competition got underway. Fortunately as the heats progressed the wind filled in and the waves picked up. With this year’s standard of sailing at an all time high the twenty-four competitors had to battle hard from the start just to make it through the first round. The competitors showed smooth consistent wave riding ability, neatly interlinking smooth bottom turns and sharp cut back top turns down the line. With incredible series prize of a Puravida custom board and a year’s sponsorship contract up for grabs no one was holding anything back, cutting the best lines they could in the nice easy waves. The crowd of spectators looked on in delight, admiring the talent on display.

As the heats progressed the competition got more and more fierce. Some stand out sailors of the day included Rachael Ince and Jo Wright who both performed exceptionally well in the girls heats showing extremely good wave selection and riding ability. George Bolwell from Portsmouth proved he was a very strong competitor showing an exceptionally high level of consistency in his wave riding ability and demonstrating that he has a few more tricks up his sleeve pulling a guescrew in one of his early heats. He finished second overall and we look forward to seeing what he has to offer in some bigger conditions in the future, fingers crossed for the next two events. Cardiff showed that they are a force to be reckoned with on the Wave series with three of the four competitors representing the Welsh university making it through to the final six with Jony Price from Cardiff finishing third overall. Watch out for the team from Cardiff throughout the rest of the series, especially at the next event in February happening in their back yard at some of the UK’s most pictures beaches around South Wales.

This year’s current king of the SWA freestyle series showed that he is more than capable of wave sailing too. With excellent wave selection all day and consistentlysmooth riding ability Matt Yeats took the number one spot on the day.

After a long day of competition the exhausted students headed back to Exeter hyped for the always memorable SWA event Saturday night party. After some warming food and drinks, the students gathered to watch the awesome ‘Minds Wide Open’ movie. The editor of the film Sebastian Deorr, currently on holiday in the UK, came along to the event and received much praise for his skill in the production of this incredible movie. Exeter had taken a West Country theme for the weekend so the students donned their best West Country themed attire before heading out to Exeter’s infamous Lemmy. Costumes included clotted cream, fudge and farmers. An epic night!

The next morning the students had a lazy start with a long much needed breakfast at a local pub to aid recovery from the previous evening’s antics. The Prize giving was held for the previous day’s competition.

The final results looked like this:

Ladies:

1^st Jo Wright – Exeter – Winning a selection of Puravida accessories and a subscription to boards magazine.

2^nd Rachael Ince – Exeter –Also winning a selection of Puravida accessories and a subscription to Boards magazine.

Mens:

1^st Matt Yeates – UCL – Winning a Spartan rigging jacket.

2^nd Gorge Bolwell – Portsmouth – Winning a K3 team rider jacket.

3^rd Jony Price – Cardiff – Winning a Puravida t-shirt.

The forecast for Sunday again was slightly lacking so there was no more competition running that day. However some students  opted for a quick surf at some local beaches before heading back to Uni.

With the first wave event on the series calendar  now  ticked off, there are  two more coming up soon in the new year, with hopefully some impressive sailing guaranteed. Keep your fingers crossed for some awesome conditions.

See you in Cardiff!

By Will Jones – SWA Head of Media

Thank you to all the sponsors of the SWA this season, especially those that found the time to attend this event. The 2011-2012 SWA sponsors are:

Tabou Pocket Wave 75 Team Edition – £1,299

After four years of solid development, with quite a few changes throughout that time, Tabou have decided to keep this board the same as last year’s model with only a slight alteration in graphics and a different fin for 2010. The Pocket Wave is marketed as easy and super-quick to plane, giving it an all-round appeal. The rockerline is said to promote speed and drive to get you moving faster through the white water and staying upwind with ease. Tabou reckon it’s user-friendly enough to be a first-time waveboard, but will also be the weapon of choice for advanced riders in variable conditions.

Design: At 55cm wide and with a quoted volume of 75L, the Tabou is pretty much the standard dimensions of a modern 75L single-fin waveboard. It has 8mm of tail rocker, which again is standard for this type of board, and a 2cm point of 135.6cm, which gives a fairly short planing flat but not the shortest. It has a fair amount of vee running from tail to nose.

On the water: The Pocket Wave felt slightly larger than some of the other boards on test, which gave it great sail carrying ability. Although we only tested with sails of 5.4m and below, a lightweight rider could probably get away with 5.7m. We found the board planed comparatively early and therefore offered the ability to get jumps in almost immediately, which was of huge benefit when sailing in onshore conditions. The board was comfortable through chop and very relaxing to sail in bump-&-jump and blasting type situations. It tracked upwind well and seemed to have good speed. On a wave, it was one of the easiest boards to ride – especially when underpowered. It would keep plenty of speed down the face and an extremely sure-footed bottom turn paved the way for a satisfyingly snappy top turn.

Fittings: It comes with a 23cm G10 fin, which appears tall with a fat tail, and has nice flex throughout. The straps are comfortable and the pads spongy and thick, cushioning the ride well. The deck is fairly domed, but when riding you don’t notice this as the pads make it feel quite flat.

Overall: An excellent all-round waveboard that really is easy enough for a first-time waverider, yet still rewarding enough for someone more advanced. Feeling slightly bigger than other 75s in this test made it great when underpowered on 5.3m or 4.7m, but some of the smaller guys felt it was a little bit too big when they were well powered on 4.2m. The Pocket Wave would be a great choice for British wavesailing, offering the confidence to go out in gustier conditions and exploit all kinds of onshore conditions.

Click here to read the BOARDS 257 Single-Fin Waveboard test in full…

Starboard Kode 74 Wood / Carbon – £1,299

Starboard’s Kode shapes differ throughout the range to suit the conditions in which the board is most likely to be sailed, so every model tends to be designed for a different purpose. The 74 is one of the dedicated waveboards in the line-up (Starboard’s only wavesailing offering apart from the all-new Quads). For 2010 the 74 Kode has had extra vee added under the back foot to the tip of the tail. Starboard say this should loosen the board up, allow it to carve a larger variety of turns and ride more vertically without sacrificing speed or acceleration.

Design: With a maximum width of just 54cm, this is the narrowest board on test yet it still packs a quoted volume of 74L. It has an average amount of tail rocker at 8mm, the longest planing flat with a 2cm point at 149.6cm, and quite a lot of vee throughout.

On the water: When we were sailing in well-powered 4.7m weather or below, this was easily one of the most comfortable boards to be on and was cited by many as their high wind board of choice. It sliced through chop and was fast and lively, making it excellent for bump-&-jump style blasting. It did feel quite small in comparison to some of the wider-tailed boards on test, and didn’t plane quite as early, but made up for this in the way it handled being overpowered in confused water. Its speed was also key – point it at the biggest ramp you could find and expect more air than you’ve ever experienced before. Once on a wave, it seemed to prefer a little bit more power, but was very sure-footed in the bottom turn and great off the top.

Fittings: The Kode came supplied with a 22cm fin that was fairly flexible in the tip. It was fitted with very comfortable straps and really nice pads. The rear strap had double screw inserts, which reduced twist.

Overall: An excellent high wind board that seemed more at home in powered cross-shore conditions than the onshore gusty stuff. It rides well through chop and has the speed to score high, floaty jumps. If you need a board for blasting in rough sea states, or you predominantly sail in cross-shore conditions, this could well be the one for you.

Click here to read the BOARDS 257 Single-Fin Waveboard test in full…

RRD Wave Cult 75 X-Tech – £1,099

The Wave Cults are marketed as RRD’s range to suit the broadest variety of wave conditions. They’re also said to excel in choppy water and onshore conditions, with more potential for jumps thanks to their early planing characteristics. This 75 is the smallest board in a range comprising four sizes up to a volume of 90L. RRD reckon that the wider outlines, tails and noses make for easier all-round sailing.

Design: The Wave Cult has a maximum width of 55cm – fairly standard for a board with a quoted volume of 75L. It has an average amount of tail rocker at 8mm, a relatively long planing flat with the 2cm point at 145.4cm, and features vee throughout.

On the water: The RRD was quick to accelerate, great for getting up and going and in a good position to hit that first ramp. This trait would make it great for those onshore days when you need to get planing quickly to enjoy any airtime. It was also smooth and fast through chop, making it an excellent choice for bump-&-jump style sailing in strong winds. And it went upwind fairly well, which helped a lot when sailing to different breaks. Although not as loose and slashy as some boards, the Wave Cult had heaps of grip for ultimate confidence in the bottom turn. Despite lacking snappy turning characteristics, it was still fun off the top. Get your timing right and it’s as satisfying as any other board on the market.

Fittings: The board was supplied with a 22cm MFC fin, which had nice flex. The deckpads appeared thin compared to previous seasons’ RRDs but still featured well-cushioned heel areas. And as per all RRDs, the straps were very comfortable.

Overall: As a fairly standard sized 75L waveboard the RRD was liked by all for blasting, jumping and a bit of riding. Lighter weight sailors could happily put a 5.3m sail on it, and heavier sailors still had enough float to return to shore if the wind died. The Wave Cult isn’t as loose and lively as some, but gets planing early and is more than capable of hitting lips both frontside and back. A great out-of-the-wrapper package that will appeal to many.

Click here to read the BOARDS 257 Single-Fin Waveboard test in full…

JP Wave 75 Pro Edition – £1,399

The 2010 Wave line replaces the Real World Waves that have been around for the past few seasons. With this range, JP suggest that the same shape can perform in both less-than-ideal conditions and down-the-line sailing. JP say these new boards will appeal to a wider range of sailors and perform in all manner of conditions. They even go on to say that every team rider has one of these in their quiver for when conditions get difficult. The boards have a slightly reduced rocker, reduced tail width, and a wider, more rounded nose.

Design: With a max width of 55.5cm and quoted volume of 75L, the board is a pretty standard size for this group. It has quite a bit of tail rocker at 12mm – the most in this test, but not the most we’ve ever measured – and a 2cm point at 145cm, giving it a fairly standard length planing flat. There’s a small amount of double concave running throughout the board.

On the water: Despite that amount of tail rocker, the JP gets up and going fairly early. Once planing it’s very comfortable to blast on and sails upwind with ease. It feels extremely light in the air, making it one of the favourites for boosting huge jumps on. The board feels relatively large for its size when stationary, but turns out to be very comfortable when sailing fully powered and seems to perform better in conditions of this nature. The board really comes into its own when riding – it was very predictable and easy to drive hard bottom turns, keeping its speed well, and a allowing very vertical, tight and snappy top turns.

Fittings: The board was supplied with a 22cm G10 fin which felt a little bit stiffer than most. In common with all JPs it had extremely comfortable footstraps and excellent pads which help to create a great value off-the-shelf package.

Overall: The JP is an excellent all-round waveboard. It’s as happy charging down-the-line as it is getting vertical in less than ideal onshore conditions. The board has the great feeling of being extremely predictable whilst still being fairly loose. It was at its best when well powered on 4.7m, but would happily take a 5.3m. JP have done an excellent job here, producing a board that really does work in a variety of conditions – an excellent choice for any competent UK wavesailor.

Click here to read the BOARDS 257 Single-Fin Waveboard test in full…

Goya One 77 Premium – £1,099

The ‘one board quiver’ from Goya has seen a few improvements for 2010, with new straps and pads plus a few design tweaks. The Ones are claimed to be the ultimate single board for all styles and all conditions – apparently, Francisco Goya travels with his when he doesn’t know what the conditions will bring. Historically this range has always performed well in BOARDS tests, often offering huge versatility on a very early planing platform. For 2010 the boards are available in four different sizes from 77L up to 105L, catering for a huge range of sailor abilities and weights.

Design: With a maximum width of 56cm the One is wider than most others on test – and with a quoted volume of 77L it’s also very slightly more buoyant. It has the smallest amount of tail rocker at 3mm, an average length planing flat at 139.9cm, and plenty of vee in the tail developing into a double concave. The widest point is quite a way forward in comparison with the other boards on test.

On the water: The One gets planing in a matter of milliseconds – just jump on, and off you go towards jumping heaven. This is probably down to its lack of tail rocker and slightly larger size compared to other boards on test. But if you’re over 80kg you’ll never find it too much of a handful when the going gets rough. For anyone below 70kg this would be an excellent partner to a smaller waveboard. As well as planing early, the One has a good top speed and is a joy to carve – the testers found themselves fully planing out of gybes more often on this board than any other. It works very well for both onshore and cross-shore riding, and would therefore suit those that sail in a variety of conditions. On a wave, the One has heaps of grip, and despite the small amount of tail rocker is loose enough to carve relatively tight turns.

Fittings: It comes with a 23cm MFC fin, which is quite stiff throughout. The new straps supplied are a 100% improvement on last year’s and are now very comfortable, as are the pads.

Overall: If you want to get planing earlier than your mates and boost some impressive jumps, this One’s for you. It’s a great small board for those over 80kg and an excellent mid-sized board for lighter weight sailors. Goya have excelled themselves again with an awesome ‘one board quiver’ – and this year, there’s no need to buy new straps!

Click here to read the BOARDS 257 Single-Fin Waveboard test in full…

Fanatic NewWave 76 Team Edition – £1390

Although retaining the same name as last year, the three smaller New Waves are entirely new shapes with shorter, wider outlines and fuller, softer rails supposedly allowing for tighter turns and more dependable grip. The fact that Klaas Voget stormed through the double elimination in Sylt on a production NewWave – eventually finishing in second place – goes to show the pedigree these boards have straight out of the mould. Klaas also says he uses them in almost any conditions, which promises awesome all-round appeal. The NewWave range includes a 69L, 76L, 83L, and a 91L, giving different weight riders the choice they need.

Design: With a maximum width of 54.5cm, it was one of the narrowest boards on test. The NewWave has a standard quoted volume of 76L, quite a lot of tail rocker at 12mm, and an average length planing flat of 142.5cm. Both single and double concave were noted on the hull.

On the water: The NewWave is relatively quick to get planing, giving the rider plenty of scope for bunnyhopping the white water and hitting the steepest section of the wave on the way out to claim some rocket airs. The new outline makes it feel a little wider than last year, giving the rider less of a ‘trad shape’ sensation when out on the water. It’s also very comfortable through chop and extremely dependable, making it a great bump-&-jump board for those looking for something to take out in high winds but not necessarily waves. But it would be criminal not to take it into the waves, as this is where it really performs. The board’s loose nature allows the initiation of extremely tight arcs, yet it still feels under control due to the smooth and dependable attributes.

Fittings: The Fanatic comes with a 21.5cm fin, with a very flexible tip. The straps are excellent, and were without doubt the most comfortable of all those on test. The deck is quite domed and the pads comfortable.

Overall: The NewWave would be a great board for anyone looking to purchase something of this size, especially for those that only want a one waveboard quiver. It scored highly with all of the testers for both riding and jumping, and is comfortable for blasting in between. Whatever your wavesailing ability this board will allow you to progress in any conditions you care to throw it at.

Click here to read the BOARDS 257 Single-Fin Waveboard test in full…

Exocet U-Surf 68 Standard – £1,049

Dubbed as the perfect board to use in anything from big hollow surf to small mushy waves, the Exocet would seem to cover all bases for UK waveriding. The U-Surf is said to deliver snappy turns with great manoeuvrability, supposedly shattering any myths that only narrow boards turn. It features a slightly squashed tail, is available in four sizes from 62L to 84L, and in two different constructions.

Design: With a maximum width of 56cm it’s actually one of the widest boards tested here, despite having a quoted volume of just 68L. It has very little tail rocker at 4mm, the second least of all of the boards in this group. It also has a 2cm point closer to the tail than any other board here at 129.9cm. The U-Surf has a fair amount of vee throughout, but its most notable design feature is the fact that it has a much thinner profile than anything else on test.

On the water: The first thing you notice about the U-Surf is that despite its relatively large max width, it feels pretty small. This feeling is just fleeting though, as it gets up and going relatively quickly due to that reasonably wide tail. And once planing, the board is an absolute joy – it’s fairly quick off the mark and has great speed to hit ramps on the way out. It feels comfortable to blast on and would make an ideal high wind bump-&-jump board. When you come to turn around it carves with ease and maintains speed. On the wave it is again effortless to carve and feels loose and lively whilst gripping well. Off the top it’s as snappy as anything else out there, and the extra width in the tail helps you to carry speed into your next turn.

Fittings: The board was supplied with a fairly stiff 20.5cm fin, the smallest on show here, in a comparatively long fin-box. The double density pads made it extremely comfortable for blasting and jumping. The straps were a bit spongy and not that easy to adjust, but nevertheless comfortable.

Overall: A great board for somewhere with consistent wind straight off the beach – if you’re over 80kg and it’s a bit iffy, you’ll find it a struggle to punch through the white water as you’ll more than likely be in submarine mode. That said, once up and planing you’ll love the awesome manoeuvrability and great carving and jumping characteristics this board has to offer. It’s a big board disguised as a small board, with the best traits of both.

Click here to read the BOARDS 257 Single-Fin Waveboard test in full…

Starboard Quad 81 Wood Carbon (2010) – £1299

Starboard are the first to bring a four-fin set-up back to the windsurfing market with the introduction of their Quad. We’re promised “more drive, more traction, the ability to generate more speed on the waveface, turn closer and tighter, ride more vertical with the ability to go where you want, when you want”. Starboard also reckon we’ll have better upwind ability on a quad, giving us a greater chance to catch more waves. Their new line-up replaces both the Evil Twin and the Evo, and is available in five sizes from 66L up to 86L. The board is also available with a fifth finbox so it can be converted into a standard single-fin (not tested here), and comes in three different constructions.

Design: The Quad has a maximum width of 58.5cm and a quoted volume of 81L, making it one of the widest in this test yet with the lowest volume. It has 14mm of tail rocker, which was the highest we measured. It has a fairly standard planing flat for this size board, with a 2cm point at 141cm. The board features a slight single concave in the tail going through to double concave further forwards. It also has a small swallowtail.

On the water: Considering its large amount of tail rocker the Quad is relatively quick to get planing, which is surely down to the pretty large fin area underfoot. It feels a little strange when you first get going as all four fins take time to engage, but once that happens you can aim it wherever you want. You can almost point directly into wind and it w will keep planing! The Quad is very good for jumping as the large fin area gives you something to push against when you reach the top of a ramp, but its real forte lies in riding. On the one hand, it’s super-loose and you can change your angle of attack in an instant, but on the other it grips like nothing you’ve ridden before. You can’t slide the tail out quite as easily as you can on a twin, but the extra drive you gain during the bottom turn means that you don’t need to because you just go for an aerial instead! We found that the bigger and the smoother the waves were, the better the Quad performed.

Fittings: It comes with two mini Tuttle box 16cm fins, which are quite stiff throughout, plus two 11cm, soft and blunted fins with FCS fitting. The board was fitted with very comfortable straps and really nice pads. The rear strap had double screw inserts that were excellent at reducing twist.

Overall: The Quad really grew on the team throughout the test. The more someone used it, the more fun they had, and the more waves they tore to pieces on it. If you’ve got the time to put in and love shredding good cross-shore waves, this could be the board you’ve been waiting for. It grips harder than any other waveboard we’ve tested. And if you do get one, you’ll be throwing so much spray that anyone watching from the beach will think you’re a pro!

Click here to read the BOARDS 256 Multi-Fin Waveboard test in full…

Tabou Da Curve 85 TE (2010) - £1299

The Da Curves are totally new shapes for 2010 and are still available as singles or twin-fins (though not as a three-boxed optional). Tabou believe that both single and twin-fin set-ups work on the same shape. The new boards have a more compact outline and new central rockerlines, which supposedly allow for more speed. Tabou shaper Fabien Vollenweider comments: “We went all out and started completely over for the 2010 Da Curves. We had a lot of fun developing them over the last two years, and we wanted to make sure everything was perfect.” They are available in four sizes from 67L to 85L.

Design: The Da Curve is one of the narrowest boards in this test with a maximum width of 57cm – but it has a quoted volume of 85L, so isn’t the smallest. The board has an average amount of tail rocker at 9mm, and an average length planing flat with the 2cm point at 135.5cm. It has plenty of vee in the tail going into double concaves and then single concave as you move forwards.

On the water: One of the greatest things about the Tabou is that it’s possible to leap on and immediately enjoy sailing it. It gets up and going early, which may be down to the slightly larger fins, but these really don’t hinder its ability to turn. It’s not the most radical board in the line-up, but it’s dependable and easy. It carves a nice arc with all of that vee in the tail, and holds its rail well enough to ensure that you don’t ever have to worry about it. The board is also fast enough to get you some good airtime and therefore r reduces the need for a freestyle-wave to partner it. Our only criticism would be that it becomes a little bit of a handful when fully powered, but it doesn’t take much to change the fins for a smaller size in this situation (by which time it may well be time to move down to your smaller board anyway).

Fittings: It comes with two 17cm G10 Zinger fins, which are the largest of all of the twins on test. They have a nice flex throughout, with more than average flex at the tip. The straps are comfortable and the pads fairly spongy and thick, cushioning the ride well. The deck is actually quite domed, but when riding you don’t notice this because the pads make it feel quite flat.

Overall: It’s a bit of a no-brainer with this one. If you don’t get a huge amount of time on the water and need something that you know you’ll have a good time on, then the Da Curve is for you. It may not be as loose as other boards on the market, but you’ll still feel like a legend because you won’t trip a rail on your bottom turn and you’ll be hitting the lip every time. Instant plug-&-play.

Click here to read the BOARDS 256 Multi-Fin Waveboard test in full…

Witchcraft Chakra 88 (2010) - £1313

The Chakra is the second line of thrusters to be put into production by Witchcraft. It supposedly has more of a classic freestyle-wave rockerline, but due to the progressive rail shape and tri-fin system it also crosses over nicely into wave territory, hence its inclusion in this test. Witchcraft tell us the Chakra is the most versatile board for all coastal waters, and that it excels in onshore wave conditions. Six sizes are available from 76L to 106L.

Design: With a maximum width of 59.5cm and a quoted volume of 88L, it’s one of the largest boards in this test. It has 7mm of tail rocker, which is an average amount for a waveboard of this size, and it has a relatively long planing flat with the 2cm point at 148.5cm. It has quite a lot of vee in the tail, with a subtle double concave that flattens out as you move towards the nose. It also features the progressive rail shape synonymous with Witchcrafts.

On the water: As soon as you beachstart the Witchcraft you’re up and planing and about to hit your first ramp – this board was without a doubt one of the earliest to get going, making it an absolute joy to go jumping with in gusty onshore conditions. It wasn’t as loose as some of the other boards in this test, but was super-smooth with plenty of drive in the bottom turn, and just as nice off the lip. It went upwind like a rocket and was always a favourite for sailing round to the upwind breaks, making it perfect for any tidal waters in the UK where you constantly feel like you’re having to sail upwind. It was better suited to the bigger guys; some of the smaller riders said that it felt a little bit too large for 5.3m weather. It seemed absolutely bulletproof, and although it topped the scales at the weigh-in it never felt heavy on the water or in the air.

Fittings: It comes with an 18.5cm G10 central fin with US box fitting, which is quite stiff throughout, plus two 13.5cm thrusters with mini Tuttle box fittings. It was fitted with Pro Limit kiteboard-style straps, which proved very comfortable, and thick, comfy deckpads. The Chakra also featured a very small mast-track, giving little room for adjustment.

Overall: A very good board for coastal blasting, jumping, and riding. The tri-fin system worked really well, giving great upwind performance and extra drive through turns. If you’re a big guy and worried about snapping boards, then this should surely suit you – we’re positive that you’d n never break it, even in the standard construction that we used!

Click here to read the BOARDS 256 Multi-Fin Waveboard test in full…

Quatro Tempo Wave Twin-Fin 84 (2010) – £1049

The Twin-Fin 84 is part of Quatro’s brand new Tempo range, and has been designed to perform in waves found anywhere around the globe. Quatro say that the Tempo offers the perfect balance between early planing, speed, stability – and of course that new loose feeling that twin-fins are all about. When compared with Quatro’s other line of twin-fins, these boards have a wider outline and a progressive bottom contour together with a bullet-fast rocker, offering a board that’s less demanding but still radical in the waves. The Tempo is available as a 76L, 84L and a 92L, in either premium PVC or premium wood construction.

Design: At 58cm wide the Tempo is one of the widest twin-fin boards in this test, and has a quoted volume of 84L. It has a fairly small amount of tail rocker for a waveboard (6mm), but this wasn’t the smallest on test. It has the longest planing flat of all of the twins with the 2cm point at 143.4cm, and there’s a bit of vee in the tail becoming double concave further forwards.

On the water: Stepping onto the Quatro immediately feels great because the board’s size seems perfectly matched with a 5.3 or 5.0m sail. The board isn’t the quickest to plane, but once up and going it feels relatively fast. The Tempo would be a great firsttime twin-fin because it forgives poor technique and mistakes from the rider – you almost feel like you can get away with too much! It isn’t the most radical rail to rail, but is loose enough to turn relatively tightly in onshore conditions, providing the opportunity for that all-important smack. T The board handles being well powered admirably, and on occasions it performed better in these conditions, holding its rail really well in the bottom turn. And during the top turn it was great for sliding the fins out, giving the rider that awesome surf-style feeling.

Fittings: It comes with two 16.5cm MFC G10 fins which are fairly stiff throughout. The new straps are a 100% improvement on last year’s, and are now very comfortable, as are the pads. The board also features the brilliant fin trim system which allows for easy alignment of the two fins.

Overall: A great board for those that aren’t looking for something too radical. Those that are should probably look at the Rhythm Twin-Fin from Quatro instead. The Tempo performs well in both onshore and cross-shore riding conditions, and suits a jumping session too. An easy-going board that you’ll be sliding the tail out on in no time!

Click here to read the BOARDS 256 Multi-Fin Waveboard test in full…

JP Twinser Wave 82 Pro (2010) – £1399

Marketed once again as Kauli’s Twinsers, these boards are said to allow every rider to carve more radical turns on any wave from average onshore days to epic mast-high and down-the-line. The widths and lengths remain similar to last year’s models, but a new hull shape utilising deep double concaves apparently enhances the grip while allowing a faster ride. JP are confident that your waveriding will reach new heights, and recommend the Twinsers for anything from cross-on to cross-off conditions.

Design: At 57cm wide and with a quoted volume of 82L the JP was one of the smallest twin-fins on test. It had the most amount of tail rocker out of the twins, at 12mm, and a 2cm point of 132.6cm, which was one of the shortest planing flats. It also had one of the largest double concaves and a bit of vee.

On the water: We found this board to be the most dependable of all of the twin-fins on test. You could drive it as hard as you liked in the bottom turn and you’d never have to worry about catching a rail. For a twin-fin the JP was blisteringly quick, and therefore jumped really well. It also planed relatively early considering the amount of tail rocker it has. Along with a huge amount of grip, the board was also extremely loose, which allowed you to carve as tight a turn as you wanted. This made it great for the cross-on days in El Médano when you needed to turn through huge angles to get back to the lip with speed to do some frontside smacks. The Twinser was also really controllable when sliding the tail. You could carry it on round into a taka if you had the skill, or simply bring the tail back underneath you with ease and have another go at hitting the lip.

Fittings: The board was supplied with two matching 16.5cm G10 fins which had a nice flex to them. The straps were great, as were the pads; couple this with a lightweight hull and you’ve got yourself a great out-of-the-box package.

Overall: The JP was a clear favourite within the team. Whenever anyone took the board to the harbour wall they had a huge grin on their face from start to finish. The Twinser may not get planing as early as a single-fin of similar size, but compared to the rest of the multifins it was extremely competitive. This board will do anything you want it to in a wave environment: it will grip, slide, carve, smack and jump. Now it’s just down to you!

Click here to read the BOARDS 256 Multi-Fin Waveboard test in full…

Goya Custom Twin-Fin Wave 89 (2010) – £999

Goya are entering the twinser market for the first time with this line-up of twin-fin boards, available in 74L, 81L, and 89L. During development the guys say that they were riding closer to the pocket of the wave than ever before, and that the sensation they were getting was close to surfing. The new boards are said to bring more overall wave versatility by turning cross-on conditions into riding playgrounds. They have a much faster rockerline than the single-fin Wave Series, yet retain the ability to turn tightly due to the twin-fin concept.

Design: With a maximum width of 58.5cm and a quoted volume of 89L this was one of the largest multi-fins on test. It had very little tail rocker for a waveboard – only 4mm – and the 2cm point was quite far forward at 142.9cm, making for a reasonably long planing flat. The board had a small amount of single concave in the tail, turning into double concave towards the midsection.

On the water: The first thing you notice when you step on the Goya is that despite being just 1.5cm wider than the smallest twin-fins on test, it has quite a bit more float, which really suited the heavier riders. The board seemed to prefer to bottom turn with a wider arc and was therefore more enjoyable on bigger cross-shore days rather than in onshore mush. It wasn’t the quickest to plane, or the fastest board overall, but we found that the board was a little quicker when the fins were placed just back of centre. This also increased its jumping capabilities without hindering the turning radius. The relatively long planing flat helped the board to track upwind well, which was really noticeable when jostling for position at a point break, and in turn would easily increase your chances of getting more waves.

Fittings: It comes with two 16.5cm MFC G10 fins, which are quite stiff throughout and slightly thinner in profile then most. The new straps that come with the board are a 100% improvement on last year’s, and are now very comfortable, as are the pads.

Overall: The Goya would suit a heavier rider who needed that extra bit of float to get out through the white water on lighter wind days. Although not the loosest of boards, the Goya is extremely surefooted and has the ability to tail-slide as much as anything else out on the water. The fin trim system is absolutely brilliant. We think that all twin-fin manufacturers could look at what Goya have done here.

Click here to read the BOARDS 256 Multi-Fin Waveboard test in full…

RRD Wave Thruster 84 Ltd (2010) - £1379

Dubbed “the missing link” by RRD, the Wave Thrusters are the first tri-fins to hit the scene from a mass-market manufacturer for a long time. We’re told that they’re fast and early planing boards that will feel as secure as a single-fin, but ‘turny’ and radical like a surfboard. RRD also state that they’ll be a pleasure for both onshore and cross shore sailing. There will be three sizes available – 68L, 76L and 84L – and these will be built in RRD’s custom-made full sandwich construction.

Design: With a maximum width of 58.5cm, the RRD is slightly wider than most of the twins on test, but it’s not the widest. It has a quoted volume of 84L, which is not unusual for its width, and it’s of a standard length at 230.5cm. The Wave Thruster has a fair amount of tail rocker for a waveboard of this size (9mm), and it has the longest planing flat of any of the boards featured in this test, with a 2cm point at 151.5cm. It has a tiny amount of vee in the tail, and a similarly small amount of double concave moving forwards. The board also features a very small swallowtail.

On the water: The first thing you notice about the RRD is that it performs well in chop compared to other boards in this test. You never get the feeling that you’re going to spin out, making it great for blasting out to sea in search of huge ramps to get airborne. It doesn’t have the super-loose feeling that some of the other boards have, and therefore requires a little bit more skill and effort to drive a really tight turn when going frontside in onshore conditions. It does however hold its speed well through the turn and really grips, so long as you keep to the same arc that you initiated. Through the top turn the board also grips well, making it easy to throw a fair amount of spray when you get it right. It wasn’t the quickest to plane, but did have a good top speed once up and going, and was great for backside riding in onshore mush.

Fittings: It comes with a 17.5cm MFC central fin with a US box fitting and a nice flex throughout, plus two 8cm, relatively swept-back and thick thruster fins with mini Tuttle box fittings. The straps are very comfortable, and although the pads are slightly thinner than we’re used to from RRD, they’re fine as well.

Overall: The Wave Thruster is at its best in onshore conditions when just riding backside, or in moderate to powered conditions and well-sized cross-shore waves for frontside riding. It doesn’t quite have the snappy turning ability of a twin-fin, but it does have heaps of grip, making it a winner when it comes to do-or-die bottom turns, or boosting backside aerials. If you like getting plenty of air on the way out, and you’re not too fussed about tight frontside turns in onshore conditions, then the RRD may well be the board for you.

Click here to read the BOARDS 256 Multi-Fin Waveboard test in full…